Baptism washes away the original sin (sin we inherited from Adam and Eve), and makes us children of God. So, the big question is, why was Jesus baptized? Jesus has no sin; Jesus is God.
Jesus went to John and asked to be baptized and even when John tried to decline, Jesus insisted. So, why this drama? Below are some answers:
Already he is coming to “fulfill all righteousness,” that is, he is submitting himself entirely to his Father’s will: out of love he consents to the baptism of death for the remission of our sins. Humanity was bogged down, almost being crushed by the humongous weight of sin and all the kinds of evils and was in dire need of redemption. Humanity was drowning and Jesus had to step into the pool to rescue us through baptism.
Through His baptism, we are able to share in the divinity of Christ who humbles Himself to share in our humanity. Jesus allowed himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus simply wants to identify with you and I through his Baptism.
The baptism of Jesus is on His part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission. Jesus probably intended His baptism to be a sort of initiatory rite for His high priesthood, reflecting the ceremony which prepared the Old Testament priests for their ministry. Also, Jesus wanted to identify Himself with the Gentiles, who were initiated into Judaism as proselytes by the act of baptism.
Jesus’ baptism shows His recognition and endorsement of John’s authority, His accrediting of John as a true prophet of God and the genuine forerunner of His own ministry. At His baptism the heavens were opened – the heavens that Adam’s sin had closed.
May the grace of our own baptism continue to unite us with Christ.
Fr. Abraham