The submission of the Lord to the baptism of John the Baptist was an event, which was not without its difficulties for the early Church. It is certainly paradoxical in which the one who is consistently presented as sinless in the New Testament writings should have made the voluntary submission to a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. However, the question to resolve now is why? Jesus Christ was baptized in order for Him to gain solidarity with us as sinners. Furthermore, His baptism was the catalyst necessary to begin His ministry of salvation on earth.
The purpose of Jesus’ baptism was “to fulfill all righteousness” (Mt. 3:15) since it is possible to trace through the Gospel records His identification with the Suffering Servant of Isaiah. Consequently, it is highly probable that in His baptism it was this picture that was before Him. The Servant was called to a mission, which comprised three things: he must obey, he must witness, and he must suffer. Here, lies the inescapable fact that the mission of the Servant could only be accomplished through suffering. It is here that the mission of the Lord becomes so obviously identifiable with that of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah. The righteous Servant would make many righteous and bear their iniquities (Is. 53:11). Jesus, identified as the Suffering Servant, makes His stand with the people in the Jordan River. In doing so, He identifies Himself with them and their repentance shown in their obedience to the baptism of John, and, through His sinlessness, fulfilling that which they could not.
Many of the incidents which accompanied Christ's baptism are symbolical of what happened at our Baptism. At Christ's baptism the Holy Spirit descended upon Him; at our Baptism the Trinity took its abode in our soul. At His baptism Christ was proclaimed the "Beloved Son" of the Father; at our Baptism we become the adopted sons and daughter of God. Baptism for Jesus meant the beginning of His ministry, while baptism for us meant the beginning of our participation in the life of Christ. This feast reminds us how powerful the baptismal event was for Christ as well with us.