Why was Jesus baptized and then tempted?
Jesus had no sin to confess, yet He stepped into the Jordan to be baptized, identifying with the sinners He came to save. As He came up, the Spirit descended and the Father declared, “This is my beloved Son.” Then the Spirit led Him into the wilderness, where He faced the same tempter who ruined Adam, and where He answered every assault with Scripture and obeyed. His baptism and temptation were the start of His work: the second Adam standing where the first fell.
This question arose from studying What did the birth of Jesus announce?.
Begin by reading
Go into the Word
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
He stood with sinners in the water
John tried to stop Him: “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?” Jesus answered, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” His baptism was not a confession of His own sin but a vow of solidarity with ours. Paul put it plainly: God “made to be sin on our behalf” the one “who knew no sin,” so that we might become the righteousness of God.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?” But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
The Father names the Son
Coming up from the water, Jesus saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and the heavens opened, and a voice said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” The words echo Psalm 2 and Isaiah's servant: the anointed King and the chosen Servant, both fulfilled in one Person. Before a single miracle, the Father announces who He is.
Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
I will tell of the decree. Yahweh said to me, “You are my son. Today I have become your father.I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights— I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Led into the wilderness
The same Spirit who descended then led Him out to be tempted by the devil. After forty days of fasting He was hungry, and the tempter struck at exactly that point: “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” Testing begins where we are weakest, and Jesus did not exempt Himself.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
He answered with Scripture
Three times the devil attacked, and three times Jesus answered, “It is written.” He refused to turn stones to bread, refused to test the Father by throwing Himself down, refused the kingdoms of the world on the devil's terms. Where Eve listened and Adam ate, this Son quoted Deuteronomy and stood: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.”
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’”Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me,Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’”Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
He humbled you, and allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know; that he might teach you that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of Yahweh’s mouth.And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.
The second Adam obeys
Paul draws the line: “as through the one man's disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous.” Where the first Adam failed in a garden of plenty, the last Adam obeyed in a wilderness of hunger. Because He was tempted “in all points … yet without sin,” He can help those who are tempted. His victory is not just an example; it is the beginning of our rescue.
For as through the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous.For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
Studying the Word naturally opens more of it. Follow what you just read: it leads somewhere.
Continue this trail
What does the Sermon on the Mount ask of me?→““Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”Whom did Jesus welcome, and why did it offend?→“When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”Who does Jesus say that He is?→“He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”What happened in the last week of Jesus' life?→““Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.”Why was Jesus condemned to die?→“Jesus said to him, “You have said it. Nevertheless, I tell you, after this you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of the sky.”Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”Do the Bible's accounts of Judas' death disagree?→“Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it.” He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary, and departed. He went away and hanged himself.Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.”How did the risen Jesus convince His disciples?→“The angel answered the women, “Don’t be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying.And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”Explore further
Why did Jesus have to die?→Jesus Christ trail“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
For as through the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous.For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Worth visiting