Gospel of Matthew Chapter 3 Vs. 6

 John the Baptist Prepares the Way

Matthew 3:6 “And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.”

And were baptized... Greek: baptizo, from bapto, to dip (Luke 16:24; Rev. 19:13; John 13:26); to overwhelm with suffering (Mat. 20:22-23; Luke 12:50); to bury into (Rom. 6:3-7; Col. 2:12), regardless of the element used. See, Acts 8:38.

Seven Baptisms in Scripture:

1. John’s baptism in water (Mat. 3:1-17; Mar. 1:1-45; Luke 3:1-38; 7:29-30; John 1:31-33; 3:23-26; 10:40; Acts 1:5; 11:16; 19:3).

2. Christ’s baptism in water (John 3:22; 4:1-2).

3. Baptism in suffering (Luke 12:50)

4. Baptism in the cloud and in the sea (1Cor. 10:2)

5. Christian baptism in water (Mat. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38-41; 8:12-16, 8:36-38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:15, 16:33; 18:8; 19:5; 22:16; 1Cor. 1:13-17; 1Pet. 3:21)

6. Baptism into Christ and into His body (Rom. 6:3-7; 1Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12)

7. Baptism in the Holy Spirit (Mat. 3:11, 3:14; 20:22-23; Mark 1:8; 10:38-39; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; 7:37-39; Acts 1:5; 11:16; 19:2-3).

Three Baptisms for Believers:

1. Into Christ or into His body at repentance and the new birth (pt. 6, above). Called "one baptism" (Eph. 4:5), because it is the only baptism that saves the soul and brings into the body of Christ.

2. Water baptism after one is saved (pt. 5, above and see, Mat. 3:11).

3. Spirit baptism, the enduement of power for service. It can take place before water baptism (Acts 10:44-48) or after it (Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-11; 8:12-21; 19:1-7).

The Holy Spirit is the agent to baptize into Christ and into His body (1Cor. 12:13); Christ is the agent to baptize in the Holy Spirit (Mat. 3:11; John 1:31-33); and the minister is the agent to baptize into water (Mat. 28:19).

The symbolism of John’s baptism likely had its roots in Old Testament rituals (Lev. 15:13). Baptism had also long been administered to Gentile proselytes coming into Judaism. The baptism of John thus powerfully and dramatically symbolized repentance.

Jews accepting John’s baptism were admitting they had been as Gentiles and needed to become the people of God genuinely, inwardly (an amazing admission, given their hatred of Gentiles). The people were repenting in anticipation of the Messiah’s arrival. The meaning of John’s baptism differs somewhat from Christian baptism (Acts 18:25).

Actually, Christian baptism altered the significance of the ritual, symbolizing the believer’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3; Col 2:12).

His message was a commanding message. They were sure his message was true. It seems that many confessed their sins and were baptized. We will see later on, that this was a different type of baptism. After Jesus, baptism became a symbol of death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

When you go under the water, it symbolizes being buried with Him; and when you come out of the water, it symbolizes rising from the grave with Him.

Some accepted his message and confessed their sins, submitting to water baptism, the identifying sign of John’s ministry. John’s baptism was not the same as Christian baptism, for it was a religious rite signifying confession of sin and commitment to a holy life in anticipation of the coming Messiah.