Many things happened during John’s baptism - all have great merit. For instance; Jesus was baptized by John when He turned 30 years old, Luke 3:23. Reason? Mosaic Law required all ministers in the Temple to be thirty years of age according to Numbers 4:30.
In comparison to the order of Melchizedek, Hebrews 7…Neither Christ nor Melchizedek had natural bloodline or prior human descent. Both men were Eternally existent and descended to humanity according to the will of God.
As a man Jesus was brought into humanity by the Spirit of God and taken from among men to become a minister for the people. All High Priests are taken from among men and ordained for men pertaining to the things of God, Hebrews 5:1.
The Bible teaches Melchizedek was also Eternal and descended to humanity to become a High Priest for the needs of man. Melchizedek existed before Abraham and the Levitical Priesthood. Jesus who was first Eternal descended into humanity. Jesus when compared to Melchizedek thus became a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, Hebrews 5:1, Psalm 110:4. Christ did not glorify Himself to become a High Priest, nor was he elected by man. The Priesthood of Christ after the order of Melchizedek was ordained by an oath from God, Hebrew 8:21.
The Priesthood of Melchizedek was God ordained and later would birth the Levitical Priesthood. The Levitical Priesthood was the order of things that kept Israel holy and thus birthed the Promised Messiah. John’s baptism under Levitical order was simply Christ’s inauguration into the Earthly Priesthood according to the Law of Moses. Christ’s heavenly Priesthood (who suffered once for the sins of humanity) was according to Grace which came after the Law of Moses and after the Levitical Priesthood had ended. John the Baptist was the last Levite Priest recorded in the Bible.
Christ was baptized of John to be made known unto Israel as “the anointed one” or the “Messiah” spoken of by the Prophets, John 1:31. The Greek word Christ translated from Hebrew text means “anointed one”. John’s baptism of Christ at the age of 30 years old, made Christ eligible to minister the truth about God’s Promised Kingdom in the Jewish Temple.
When Christ’s ministry began He ministered in the public, in the Temple, and in Jewish synagogues. John’s baptism allowed the Holy Spirit to anoint Christ and begin His public ministry at 30 years of age. John’s baptism of Christ became the inauguration of Christ’s Earthly Priesthood. All High Priests are called from men and anointed for God’s Divine Purpose.
Anointing signifies God’s ownership and consecrates men and Priests as vessels of honor and servant-hood to God. Christ became a High Priest after being ”anointed by God’s Holy Spirit” according to Scripture. Acts 10:37-38 tells us that God
anointed Christ with the Holy Ghost and with power. When that event took place at John’s Baptism of Christ the Holy Ghost descended on Christ like a dove, Matthew 3:16.
All Righteousness was fulfilled as Christ was obedient to the Law of Moses and thus baptized by John the Baptist at the age of 30. After John baptized Christ, Christ’s public ministry began. In Luke 4:17-20 Christ declared how the Holy Spirit anointed Him to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. This anointing Christ spoke of was a fulfillment of Prophecy first given in Isaiah 61:1 and thus fulfilled by Christ in person , Luke 4:17-20. Psalm 2:2 teaches us that Christ was “God’s Anointed”. Many people today (including Jews) fail to realize this great truth about Christ’s anointing from God’s Holy Spirit, and His inauguration into the Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek.
In Matthew 3:15…Christ stated, ”Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness”. John’s Baptism allowed Christ who was without sin to obey the Law of God according to the letter, Numbers 4:30. Righteousness was fulfilled when Christ kept the Law and obeyed John’s Baptism. God’s ministry of presenting the promised King and Kingdom to Israel had begun. John the Baptist had prepared the way before Christ and came to Christ according to God’s timing. Backslidden Israel was thus able to receive John’s Baptism which made them eligible repent from a backslidden state of not keeping the Torah, receive remission for their sins, and worship Christ as the Promised Messiah and King of the Earth. John and His baptism prepared the way for the Messiah, Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1-3. The Messiah, the Christ, and the Anointed One were the central objects of this ministry. Christ admitted to the Elders that He was the Christ, the Son of the most blessed, Mark 14:61-62. God (the Father) audibly spoke from Heaven and declared that Christ was His Son saying, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased”. God audibly made this declaration from Heaven twice in the four Gospels: Once at the beginning of Christ’s Earthly ministry at John’s Baptism; and once at the end of Christ’s Earthly ministry on the Mount of Transfiguration when Christ told the disciples He must suffer and die. Christ’s Kingdom ministry and first commission to the lost sheep of Israel lasted only 3 years. Christ died at 33 years of age.
At the end of three years…Christ’s ministry of the Kingdom Message presented to Israel ceased. In Matthew 16:21 Christ began telling how He must suffer, be killed of the Elders, and thus go to the cross to die and raise from the grave on the third day. The Priesthood of Christ would no longer be an Earthly Priesthood after the death of Christ. The heavenly Priesthood would begin in body resurrection and Christ’s ascension and exaltation to Heaven. Christ would become a Heavenly High Priest where He resides today in the Holy of Holies in Heaven, Hebrews 9: 11, 24. John’s baptism was only an inauguration for Christ to enter the Priesthood. John’s Baptism allowed Christ to be anointed by the Spirit of God as prophesied in Old Testament records. John witnessed and stated that the Holy Ghost descended on Christ like a dove, John 1:33. This anointing from the Holy Ghost allowed Christ to become a baptizer or purifier according to God’s Will, John 1:33. This anointing from the Holy Spirit enabled Christ to be introduced into the Priesthood . This anointing upon Christ (who was actually from birth filled with the Spirit without measure and led of the Spirit into a temptation by the Devil) allowed Christ to operate as an Earthly High Priest like Melchizedek; to become a Prophet according to Duet. 18:18; and to be an Apostle or one sent by God, Hebrews 3:1. Christ operated in all these earthly offices between the ages of 30 and 33…until His Earthly ministry ceased and His Heavenly Priesthood began. In His Heavenly Priesthood today…Christ is the baptizer with the Holy Ghost as John said Christ would be, Matthew 3:11,12.
Much happened according to the Law of Moses when Jesus became 30 years old. It all began with John’s Baptism of Christ at the age of 30. Truth about the Inauguration of Christ into the priesthood was confirmed. Prophecies were fulfilled. The Anointed One promised by the Prophets had come in the flesh to Israel. The Messiah and His inauguration into the Priesthood took place! Jesus the Christ, and Son of the most high God was anointed by God’s Holy Spirit! Many witnessed such event! Glory! As King, Christ offered His Kingdom to Israel and was thus rejected! As Savior Christ suffered, died and rose from the grave. As High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, Christ is alive today in the heavenlies appearing in the presence God for “us”, Hebrews 9:11-28.
