THURSDAY, JANUARY 18
Luke 3:21-22
Matthew 3:15

“Suffer it to be so now: for thus it
becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.”

GREAT CONDESCENSION

The Son of God condescended to be baptized by John the Baptist. “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness” (Matt 3:15). Calvin says, “The general reason why Christ received baptism was, that he might render full obedience to the Father; and the special reason was, that he might consecrate baptism in his own body, that we might have it in common with him.” During His baptism, a voice from heaven was heard. It was a heavenly confirmation to openly affirm Jesus as the Son of God in the flesh. No other testimony is better than this commendation by God the Father Himself. Born-again Christians, with faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, will agree with this heavenly confirmation.

Jesus is God’s beloved Son, whom the Father loves dearly. Yet, the Son bore the Father’s wrath against sin on the cross when Jesus was made sin for us. It must have been so grave for the Father to allow His beloved Son to suffer under the hands of wicked men and to die on the cruel cross so sinners can be forgiven. What an amazing love for sinners, unfathomable and beyond our comprehension.

The Father was pleased with His obedient Son, who obeyed all the laws and subjected Himself even to die on the cross. The active obedience of Jesus was exercised when He obeyed all the laws demanded in the Old Testament. He obeyed all to become the perfect substitutionary sacrifice for the atonement of our sins. Jesus never sinned and did not need the baptism of repentance of John the Baptist. As God in the flesh, He humbled Himself before John to be baptized. Jesus showed us how to be as meek as a lamb led to the slaughter. Jesus was approved of the Father for He did what He was told to do. Jesus’ full submission to the laws of God is the Christian’s model for living. How men should emulate the Lord Jesus Christ and humble themselves before men.

THOUGHT: Do I strive to obey the laws of God?
PRAYER: Father of glory, Thou hast affirmed the great condescension of Thy Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. His subjection under the baptism of John reveals to us His perfect righteousness.