Post by M.R. Hagerty on Feb 16, 2023 14:56:41 GMT -7
". . the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Cont.
To be sure, Jesus will introduce the idea that more was involved, namely that the Kingdom had a spiritual aspect for the inner life, but this was not to be a substitute for the prophetic nature mentioned by Daniel.
Daniel’s kingdom was the promise that all the Gentile kingdoms affecting the Jews from Babylon forward would come to an end and be crushed by the coming of God’s Kingdom, here on earth, in real time and space.
Some have offered that neither John nor Jesus offered that kingdom as being at hand, primarily because history tells us that such a kingdom did not in fact come. But the reason is not because God had changed His mind about how the Kingdom would come, or because it was always a spiritual kingdom in the hearts of men, but because His people, the Jews, rejected the King of that kingdom. This put in abeyance the political, earthly aspect of its coming but inaugurated the spiritual aspect in the interim.
Jesus genuinely offered the Kingdom to the Jews, as we shall see later in several addresses he makes to them. It is proposed that had Judaism embraced Him as Messiah, the Kingdom promised would have come to be and history would have been entirely different.
We can play hypothetical games about which came first, the offer, the rejection, then the revised plan, or was the revised plan always in view with foreknowledge of the rejection, but the fact remains that a genuine offer was given.
So the Kingdom being preached as at hand had all the full compliments of its prophecy. John and Jesus were declaring that the King was at hand so the Kingdom was at hand and it invited all to become citizens.
We must also take in the whole concept of Heaven being offered. Men pondered whether there was anything beyond the grave. Here Jesus comes as someone who knows. And the expectations of what it would be like would be surpassed in reality. God had provided a place where all the best things have been planned for us. His desire is to finally and eternally bless us. The experiences of Heaven are beyond our ability to comprehend. Even the unbeliever had a secret hope that such was available. In modern people, they may not be keen to accept Jesus as exclusive, but Heaven is the one thing almost everyone expects and hopes to see.
Matthew 3:13-15
13 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him.
As to why Jesus made Galilee his home location of ministry we will learn a bit later. What is of greater moment here is why Jesus came to be baptized at all?
The baptism of John was for repentance. Jesus had nothing needful in this since He had committed no sin. But Jesus came as our Example, to do in the flesh what men are called to do by God.
Now it might be objected that following Christ’s example in this baptism wouldn’t be the right example, because this baptism wasn’t the believer’s baptism that later followed in the NT, the one we are to participate in. It might also be more strongly objected that in Catholic doctrine, baptism plays a functional role in actually conveying salvation to the believer, that it is a sine qua non. But Jesus would not be exemplifying this for us because salvation coming to Him was constitutionally unnecessary. It is a mystery we may never adequately explain. But there can be no doubt that His disciples and the early church connected His personal obedience in John’s baptism with what believers should emulate and do. Neither were believers historically puzzled by the distinction of Jesus’ nature.
It is also important to emphasize that regardless of views that make it symbolic or an ordinance without which one cannot be saved, no believer who is honest with the Scripture can ignore the fact that baptism is something that cannot be ignored or left undone. Whether it is necessary or more a matter of obedience, it cannot be spurned or treated lightly.
But as to the problem of Jesus being a candidate for baptism, John gets the dilemma right off:
14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" 15 But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness."
That the situation seemed backward would be clear to anyone sensitive to who Jesus was. But Jesus gave John words that help us explain why He kept the arrangement as it was - ”it is fitting for us . .” This is to say, “we have been given the opportunity of pleasing God in doing it this way because it will fulfill all righteousness.” Not a detailed answer that fills in all the blanks, but rather an explanation that says it will please God in His own purposes.
We need to be ready for these kinds of answers when what is being asked doesn’t seem to fit with our normal expectations. Sometimes the only reason will be that it pleases God and explaining it in detail isn’t an option for the present.
In the end, one can’t argue that it’s okay to be casual about baptism or that it is optional, because if Jesus submitted to it when it was technically not necessary, we have even less an excuse.