To fulfil all righteousness (Matt 3:13-17)

As Jesus arrives to be baptised by John, Matthew alone records John’s hesitation (Matt 3:14). We might feel equally uncomfortable: Why should Jesus be baptised when He is sinless? And how does His reply ‘to fulfil all righteousness’ answer John’s doubt? ‘Righteousness’ in Matthew means doing what is right in God’s eyes.[1] In other words, Jesus is saying that it is fitting to do all that God requires, including showing a wholehearted commitment to Him. Jesus does not need to repent but His baptism is nevertheless affirmation that He intends to fulfil God’s plan for Him. Thus, it is a kind of commissioning for His role as Messiah, which is sealed by God’s approval.

The voice from heaven alludes to Isa 42:1, a verse repeated in Matt 12:18. There, Matthew translates ‘My chosen one’ as ‘My Beloved’ (see table below). This creates a closer connection between the servant in Isaiah and Matt 3:17, alongside the links of God’s pleasure and the Spirit’s presence (Matt 3:16).

Isa 42:1 (NASB) based on the Hebrew	“Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him;
Isa 42:1 (Brenton) based on the Greek Septuagint[2]	Jacob is my servant, I will help him: Israel is my chosen, my soul has accepted him; I have put my Spirit upon him;
Matt 12:18 (NASB) Matthew’s own translation of Isa 42:1?	“Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him,
Matt 3:17 (NASB)	“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

Commentators also note a couple of possible echoes. Abraham was told to offer his beloved son up to God (Gen 22:2); now God is going to give His beloved Son and will not spare Him. The Davidic king was also called God’s son in the sense of representing His rule. In Psalm 2, probably a coronation liturgy, God says to the new king, ‘You are my son, today I have begotten you’ (Ps 2:7). These allusions would then point to Jesus’ sacrificial death and His messianic kingship respectively.

I suggest that there is also a link to Hos 11:1, which describes Israel as both beloved and a son, whom the prophets (‘they’ in Hos 11:2) call back to God, but who refuse to listen and instead follow other gods. Matthew 2:15 already cites Hos 11:1 and connects Israel’s and Jesus’ coming out of Egypt as a sharing of the same fate (see my post here). Jesus in his baptism represents Israel, the beloved, but wayward son, (cf. also Exod 4:22 for Israel as son). He fulfils God’s purposes for them in ways they could not do. This chimes in with the theme of Isaiah 40-55. Initially, the servant figure there is Israel at the end of the exile (e.g. Isa 41:8-10; Isa 42:19-24; 44:1-5; 45:4). Although they have a call to be ‘a light to the nations’ and bring justice and God’s rule to all (Isa 42:1, 6), they are dejected and in no position to do His will. By Isa 49:1-6, however, servant Israel is represented by someone who has a mission to bring the people back to God. There are hints that this servant, like many of the prophets before him, will not be well received (Isa 50:5-6, 10). Yet, in the end, a remnant will recognise that his suffering and death was to deal with their sins (Isa 52:13-15; 53:1-12). He came to do what they could not do for themselves.

When I was at school, our head teacher tried to push me into selling the school newspaper. I was an awkward teenager and felt intensely uncomfortable, so I refused. My teacher had no right to force me but was deeply offended, nevertheless. Some months later the school drama group was producing a play and this time my teacher merely asked me to write a review of it for the school newspaper. I realised that this was an olive branch and I needed to say yes, but I was in panic. I have never seen a theatre review in my life and had no idea how to write one. I told my Dad in tears, but he just laughed and said not to worry. He created the review structure and all I had to do was to fill in some adjectives and the names of the actors. My teacher became fully reconciled to me and I felt enormous relief that someone helped me out with what I could not do by myself.  

As we live through the days of lockdown due to the coronavirus, many experience anxiety, even panic. Some struggle with getting the basic necessities from the supermarket if they are elderly and do not have anyone to go on their behalf. Others battle with establishing links of communication without having the technical knowledge or the equipment. As we rejoice in what Jesus has done for us, may we become disciples walking in His footsteps doing for others what they cannot do for themselves.

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[1] See all the references here: Matt 3:15; Matt 5:6, 10, 20; Matt 6:1, 33; Matt 21:32.

[2] The ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew (called the Septuagint, rendered in writing as LXX) was widely used among Jews at this time. Many of the quotes in the gospels are based on the LXX rather than the Hebrew, so it is worth using it as a comparison. In Matt 12:18, Matthew seems to have done his own translation to highlight certain connections in Scripture.