The Glory of His Baptism

The Self-Denial of Christ · AD 28

He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street.

Isaiah 42:2

In AD 28 the Lord Jesus stepped out of obscurity and into public ministry, and He did so in a spirit of self-denial — picking up His cross. In this unit we follow Him as He goes to be baptized at the Jordan, is driven into the wilderness to be tempted, is proclaimed the Lamb of God, and turns water into wine at Cana. At every step He denies Himself and submits entirely to His Father.

Read: Matthew 3:13–17; Matthew 4:1–11; John 1:29–51; John 2:1–11

Travels to Bethany Beyond the Jordan

John the Baptist, six months older than Jesus, was the last and greatest of the old covenant prophets. He came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way of the Lord, and God gave him the unique privilege of identifying and introducing Jesus as the promised Christ. Crowds streamed out to him at Bethany beyond the Jordan — near where Joshua had once led Israel across into the Promised Land.

Christ knew that once word was out that He was the Messiah, the countdown to His hour of death would begin. Yet He did not look back and He did not hesitate. He stood in line, identified with sinners, and submitted to baptism — for John's baptism was designed by God to reveal the long-promised Messiah to the world.

By going down into the water Christ foreshadowed His death and burial; by being raised out of it He foreshadowed His resurrection. As He came up, the Spirit descended upon Him and the Father spoke His approval, anointing Him as Prophet, Priest, and King.

But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.

Matthew 3:15

and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:17

Travels into the Wilderness

Christ's self-denial was tested at once. Following the Spirit into a barren wasteland, He turned His back on this world. Where the first Adam had failed even amid the comforts of Eden, the new Adam would face Satan with no earthly advantages — no garden, food, security, or comfort — to aid Him against the onslaught of the Serpent.

As Israel wandered forty years in the desert, Christ fasted forty days. At His weakest He faced three temptations no one before Him had ever resisted: the love of self, the love of this world, and disbelief in God's Word. In each case He denied Himself and committed Himself wholly to God.

When Satan urged Him to turn stones into bread, Christ's love for self was not greater than His love for God's Word. When Satan offered all the kingdoms of the world, He would rather worship God in poverty than gain the world as an idolater. When Satan twisted Scripture itself, the greater theologian answered every word of the tempter with the written Word — and the Serpent slithered away in defeat.

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.

Luke 4:1–2

Travels Back to Bethany Beyond the Jordan

Coming out of the wilderness, Christ returned to Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was still preaching. As Jesus walked down the road, John cried out and openly bore witness to the identity of his cousin — that this was indeed the Christ, the Lamb whom God had provided.

This announcement sent two of John's disciples, Andrew and John, chasing after Jesus. When He asked what they wanted, He did not push them away but welcomed them: “Come and you will see.” Overjoyed, Andrew ran to find his brother Simon with the news that they had found the Messiah, and these Galilean fishermen began to follow the Lord.

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

John 1:29

Travels to Cana of Galilee

After three days of walking, the men arrived at Cana, about eight miles north of Nazareth. Here Christ would manifest His glory to Israel and perform His first sign — and, as with His baptism, there would be no going back once He displayed His supernatural power. When the wedding party ran out of wine, His mother brought the need to Him.

The Lord seemed reluctant at first, saying, “My hour has not yet come,” for He knew that once He showed the world that He was God, the world would soon want to kill Him. Yet He would not use His power to entertain crowds; He used it as a sign of self-denial — turning water into wine for the glory of His Father and the good of His people.

This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

John 2:11

For Reflection

Down, down, down He traveled in His self-denial. He denied Himself in submitting to baptism, in following the Spirit into the wilderness, and in performing His first sign — knowing each step drew nearer the hour of His death. Most men love to reveal their glory, but the first unveiling of Christ's glory was an act of humility and selflessness. Such self-denial is what makes God's glory all the more glorious.