Basic overview of the ministry of John the Baptist

By Erasmus Makarimayi | Jul. 20, 2024

UNDER the current series, the Truth and Denominational Practice, last week we promised to look at the doctrine of water baptism.

Our aim is to reconcile practices with new creation realities.

Should the church discourse be about using water to mark a cross on the forehead of a newly-born child or immersing an adult once or three times as in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit?

What was the mission of John the Baptist? We read Isaiah 40:3, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

John was to prepare the way for Jesus or be His forerunner.

He was to make his audience change their mindset (repent) according to Matthew 3:2, “And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Another interesting point was to emphasise the audience’s sins so that they can appreciate the need for the Messiah or Saviour.

Matthew 3:6 reads, “And were baptised of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.”

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We know that confession of sins does not lead to salvation, but confession of Jesus. So please get the context of John here.

Since John was publishing Jesus or was a billboard for the ministry of Jesus, he had to identify Him in the sight of the audience.

After much discussion with the Pharisees, John said in John 1:31, “And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore, am I come baptising with water.”

We need to simplify this. There was supposed to be a way to identify Jesus. Israel had to know that this is their Messiah proclaimed by the prophets.

John tells us that through water baptism, Jesus would be made manifest.

A question will break it down further. What was the purpose of John’s water baptism? To make Jesus known by Israel. This already throws away some beliefs about water baptism into the dustbin.

Let us look at a rather seeming contradiction. We read Matthew 3:13-14, “[13] Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptised of him. [14] But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptised of thee, and comest thou to me?”

John and Jesus were cousins. Beyond that, John had a revelation that Jesus was the Messiah.

How do we know that? John 1:29 records, “The next day, John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Jesus was going to be sacrificed to take away the sin of the world. Instead of animal sacrifices, Jesus was going to be the substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of the whole world not of Israel alone.

Because of his knowledge of Jesus, John the Baptist thought that since Jesus ranked higher than him, it would make sense for Jesus to baptise John. However Scriptures had to be fulfilled.

We read Matthew 3:15, New King James, “But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him.”

What happened at Jesus baptism? We are told in Matthew 3:16-17, “[16] And Jesus, when he was baptised, 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: [17] And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

So Jesus was identified. The Holy Spirit is part of the Godhead and is a Him and not symbolised by a dove.

At His baptism, many mysteries were being revealed. John the Baptist was of the Levitical order of priesthood while Jesus was from the tribe of Judah.

We are guided further by Hebrews 7:14-15, “[14] For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. [15] And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,”

In the river Jordan, Levites ended as priests but this had to be in force after Jesus died, was buried, rose again, ascended and sat on the right hand of God.

There are no Levites under the New Covenant. Jesus became both a King and a High Priest of the order of Melchizedek.

We shall deal with this further. For now, it is pointing to the end of water baptism.

John the Baptist already told us how Jesus was going to baptise in Luke 3:16, New King James, John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptise you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Think prayerfully of the New Testament which is an inward working of the Holy Spirit.

Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.

Amen. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge.