John the Baptist Forbids Jesus Matthew 3:14

Matthew shared how John the Baptist was baptizing people in the Jordan river and telling them about the one who was coming. He then wrote, “Then came Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him”, and in chapter three and verse fourteen of his book, Matthew shares how “John forbade” Jesus where we read:

But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of you, and do you come to me?

The verse reads, “But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of you, ...” Matthew began with the word, “but” which means “moreover and” “John forbade him” or “John the Baptist hindered, prevented and prohibited Jesus”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “I have need” or “John the Baptist had necessity, duty and business” “to be baptized” which means “to be dipped repeatedly, immersed and submerged” “of you” or “by Jesus Himself”. When Jesus desired to be “baptized” by John the Baptist, John resisted Him and declared his own “need” to be “baptized” by Jesus.

The verse goes on to say, “... and do you come to me?” Matthew continued with the words, “and do you” which means “do you Jesus” “come” or “appear, come public before and arise” “to me” which refers to “toward John the Baptist himself”. Matthew shared how John the Baptist questioned that Jesus would “come to” him.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus followed the will of God His Father when it came to His “baptism”. Although John the Baptist resisted Him, Jesus knew this was a necessary part of God's plan. God desired to identify with man, and although Jesus had nothing of which to repent and was without sin, He complied with this directive. May everyone who reads these words consider the way Jesus humbled Himself, became as a man, and submitted to the ordinance of “baptism” as an example to mankind.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus said to John the Baptist, “allow it to be so now” so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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