Perhaps we can gain further understanding of Jesus’ baptism by looking to the first Old Testament kings. The title “Messiah” or “anointed one” gained significance during the time of Samuel. God's first "anointed ones" were kings. Israel asked for a king like the other nations (1 Sam. 8.5). God was disappointed that the people had rejected him, but granted them Saul. Saul's failure led to the anointing of a true king, one who sought after God's own heart (16.1). If we examine how one came to be God's "anointed one" it could give us further insight into God’s ultimate “anointed one.” There seems to be four common characteristics that were foundational to the kingship of Saul and David. Both were divinely selected (9.17; 16.1, 12), both were anointed by a prophet (10.1; 16.13), both kings received God’s spirit (10.6-13; 16.13), and both kings were publicly acknowledged as being chosen of God (11.15; 2 Sam. 4.2).
Matthew’s account of Jesus’ immersion has four similar characteristics to the anointing of Saul and David. John was preaching in the wilderness of Judea preparing the people for the one whom God had selected. Jesus appeared and was immersed by the prophet John (3.13-16). The spirit of God descended on him in the form of a dove (3.16). God publicly acknowledged him (3.17). Immediately after his immersion, Jesus proved to be the true king and spiritual leader by overcoming a period of temptation in the wilderness, something ancient Israel was unable to do. Perhaps we can view Jesus’ immersion as his anointing as God’s true king.
There is a great lesson to learn from this. God can take our mistakes and do great things with them. Israel’s request for a king was a rejection of God. But God does not allow man to frustrate his will. Rather than trust in God’s promises, Israel wanted to trust in a human king. God molded the idea of a king into his will for man. God would bring salvation to mankind through a king (Matt. 27.11; John 1.49). Who else, but God, could take a means of rejection and turn it into a means of salvation?
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