In this Gospel that emphasizes that Jesus is King, it seems amazing that He should be baptized with John’s baptism of repentance, for He is absolutely without sin. John could not understand, but the Lord told him to permit it, saying that “it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” It is certainly not an example for us today, for no one now can possibly be baptized with John’s baptism.

What then? How wonderfully true it is that, by using this word “us,” as noted above, the Lord Jesus identified Himself with those who were confessing their sins. Though Himself without sin, He was in effect confessing the sins of believers as though they were His own. Baptism speaks of death and burial. Thus He was virtually pledging Himself to take the responsibility for their sins by bearing those sins by His great sacrifice on Calvary’s cross.

The kings and great men of this earth generally have no such thoughts of fully identifying themselves with the condition of their subjects. They want to exalt themselves above the people rather than representing their people. This was the character of Saul, the first king in Israel. David, who was God’s choice for king, did, in some measure, take the responsibility of the people’s failure on his shoulders, but sometimes he failed miserably in doing this. Solomon, the son of David, sadly lacked this virtue altogether, and this was true of nearly all the kings who came after him. The Gospel of Matthew shows that this King, the Lord Jesus, tested and proven in all His life on earth, is perfectly fitted to reign.