Matthew 3:15 kjv
And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
Matthew 3:15 nkjv
But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.
Matthew 3:15 niv
Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.
Matthew 3:15 esv
But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.
Matthew 3:15 nlt
But Jesus said, "It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires. " So John agreed to baptize him.
Matthew 3 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 3:13-14 | Then Jesus came from Galilee... John would have prevented him, saying... | John's reluctance and recognition of Jesus. |
| Matt 5:17 | "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law... but to fulfill it." | Jesus came to perfectly fulfill the Law. |
| Isa 42:21 | The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to make the law great... | God's delight in perfect righteousness. |
| Isa 53:11 | ...my righteous servant shall justify many... | The Messiah's righteousness brings justification. |
| Ps 40:7-8 | ...Then I said, "Behold, I have come... I delight to do your will, O my God... | Messiah's pre-incarnate will to obey God. |
| Heb 10:7-9 | Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God...' | Christ's ultimate obedience to God's will. |
| Rom 5:19 | For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience... | Christ's obedience makes many righteous. |
| Phil 2:7-8 | ...taking the form of a servant... and being found in human form, he humbled himself... | Christ's humility and obedience unto death. |
| 2 Cor 5:21 | For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. | Christ's sinlessness and vicarious atonement. |
| Heb 4:15 | For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize... but one who in every respect has been tempted... yet without sin. | Jesus is truly human, yet sinless. |
| 1 Pet 2:22 | He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. | Emphasizes Christ's perfect sinlessness. |
| 1 John 3:5 | You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. | Jesus's sinlessness is foundational. |
| Acts 10:37-38 | ...beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed; how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit... | Jesus's baptism inaugurates public ministry. |
| Rom 6:3-4 | Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? | Baptism as identification with Christ's death and resurrection. |
| Col 2:12 | having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him... | Baptism as spiritual participation in Christ. |
| John 4:34 | Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work." | Jesus's life guided by God's will. |
| John 6:38 | For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. | Christ's sole purpose: God's will. |
| Matt 21:32 | For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. | John's ministry identified with righteousness. |
| Eph 1:9-10 | ...making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose... to unite all things in him... | God's sovereign plan unfolded in Christ. |
| Gal 4:4-5 | But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those... | Christ born under the Law to redeem. |
Matthew 3 verses
Matthew 3 15 Meaning
Matthew 3:15 captures the pivotal moment where Jesus overcomes John the Baptist's reluctance to baptize Him. Jesus declares that His baptism is a necessary act to perfectly fulfill every requirement of God's righteous will and plan for salvation. It signifies His full submission to God's appointed way and the initiation of His public ministry through an act of complete obedience.
Matthew 3 15 Context
Matthew chapter 3 begins by introducing John the Baptist, preparing the way for the Lord with a ministry of repentance and baptism in the Jordan River. John's powerful preaching calls people, including Pharisees and Sadducees, to genuine repentance, warning them of the coming judgment and the One who is mightier than he, who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. Into this scene, Jesus arrives from Galilee, presenting Himself for baptism by John. John, recognizing Jesus's superior and sinless nature, expresses deep reluctance, questioning why Jesus would need to be baptized by him, especially as John believes he should be baptized by Jesus. Matthew 3:15 records Jesus's crucial reply, explaining the divine necessity behind His submission to this seemingly unnecessary rite. This interaction sets the stage for the Father's affirmation and the Spirit's descent immediately following Jesus's baptism (Matt 3:16-17), marking the formal inauguration of Jesus's public ministry and revelation as God's beloved Son.
Matthew 3 15 Word analysis
- But: (δὲ, de) A transitional conjunction, signaling a shift or counter-point to John's previous objection. It introduces Jesus's definitive statement.
- Jesus: (Ἰησοῦς, Iēsous) The Greek form of the Hebrew name "Joshua" or "Yeshua," meaning "Yahweh saves" or "the Lord is salvation." He is the central figure of the Gospel.
- answered: (ἀποκριθεὶς, apokritheis) From apokrinomai, meaning "to reply, respond." It indicates a direct and intentional response to John's specific protest.
- him: (αὐτῷ, autō) Referring to John the Baptist.
- "Let it be so now;": (ἄφες ἄρτι, aphes arti)
- Let it be so: (ἄφες, aphes) The aorist imperative form of aphiemi, meaning "let go," "allow," "permit," "forgive." Here, it functions as a command or plea to John to allow the immediate action to proceed. It signifies permission and urgency.
- now: (ἄρτι, arti) An adverb of time, emphasizing the present moment, the immediacy, and the current necessity of the action. "Just now," "at this very moment."
- for: (γὰρ, gar) A conjunction introducing an explanation or reason for the preceding statement.
- thus: (οὕτως, houtōs) An adverb of manner, meaning "in this way," "in this manner," "so." It indicates that the specific action (baptism) is the ordained method.
- it is fitting: (πρέπον ἐστίν, prepon estin)
- fitting: (πρέπον, prepon) From prepo, meaning "to be proper," "to be suitable," "to be becoming," "to be appropriate." It suggests not just an arbitrary act, but one that is morally and divinely suitable and necessary, aligning with God's perfect standard.
- is: (ἐστίν, estin) The present tense of "to be," indicating a present and ongoing reality or truth.
- for us: (ἡμῖν, hēmin) A plural pronoun, indicating Jesus and John. It implies a shared role in God's plan, with John administering the rite that Jesus willingly receives to fulfill God's purpose. It points to a collaborative act under divine direction.
- to fulfill: (πληρῶσαι, plērōsai) The aorist infinitive of pleroō, meaning "to fill up," "to complete," "to accomplish," "to bring to pass." In Matthew's Gospel, it frequently refers to the accomplishment of prophecy and the comprehensive enactment of God's will. Here, it denotes bringing something to its destined completion.
- all righteousness: (πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην, pasēn dikaiosynēn)
- all: (πᾶσαν, pasēn) A comprehensive term meaning "every," "whole," "entire," "complete." It indicates the totality of what is required.
- righteousness: (δικαιοσύνην, dikaiosynēn) From dikaiosynē, referring to a state of being in conformity with God's standards. It encompasses justice, uprightness, moral rectitude, and obedience to God's will and Law. For Jesus, this "all righteousness" signifies His perfect conformity to every aspect of the Father's will and His active fulfillment of all covenantal and prophetic demands necessary for salvation. It points to His perfect obedience, which He would then accomplish for humanity.
- Then: (Τότε, Tote) An adverb of time, indicating the sequence of events.
- he permitted: (ἀφίησιν, aphiēsin) From aphiemi, the same verb as "Let it be so." Here in the present tense, it means John "allows" or "permits" Jesus. It shows John's submission to Jesus's divine imperative.
- him: (αὐτόν, auton) Referring to Jesus.
- "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us": This phrase combines permission with divine necessity. Jesus asserts that John must permit the baptism now because it aligns with God's ultimate design. It shows John's role as a co-laborer in the divine economy, despite his own initial reluctance, underscoring the divine imperative for both.
- "to fulfill all righteousness": This is the core theological statement of the verse. It explains the profound purpose of Jesus's baptism. It's not a baptism of repentance for sin (as Jesus was sinless), but an act of complete and perfect obedience to God's righteous requirements. It encompasses:
- Identifying with humanity, particularly repentant sinners, despite His sinlessness (thus acting as their representative).
- Fulfilling the legal demands of the Law (as He was born under the Law) and thus qualifying as the perfect Sacrifice.
- Inaugurating His public ministry by outwardly performing an act of obedience, signifying His willingness to accomplish every aspect of God's redemptive plan.
- Setting the pattern of humble obedience for all who would follow Him.
- Signifying His comprehensive alignment with God's divine will, from His incarnation to His crucifixion and resurrection.
Matthew 3 15 Bonus section
- Jesus's unique submission to John's baptism foreshadows His ultimate submission to death on the cross, both acts being expressions of perfect obedience to the Father's will "to fulfill all righteousness."
- The phrase "for us" not only includes Jesus and John in the immediate action but implicitly refers to the broader "us" – humanity. Jesus's fulfilling "all righteousness" is ultimately for humanity's benefit, leading to their justification.
- This verse acts as a bridge from the Law and the Prophets, identifying Jesus as the one who truly brings their intentions to culmination, setting the stage for a righteousness not achievable through human effort but perfectly accomplished by the Son of God.
Matthew 3 15 Commentary
Matthew 3:15 marks a pivotal moment in the life of Christ, initiating His public ministry through an act of humble yet profound significance. Jesus's explanation, "to fulfill all righteousness," elucidates that His baptism was not for repentance, as He was without sin, but rather an act of perfect obedience and solidarity. This was Jesus identifying with humanity, the very people He came to save, by stepping into the stream of God's covenant purposes that John's baptism represented. It signifies His commitment to meticulously and perfectly carry out every facet of God's redemptive will, including conforming to all legal and ethical demands. Through this act, Christ inaugurates His ministry by publicly submitting to God's prescribed path, setting a definitive example of true righteousness as found in complete obedience to the Father's will, which would ultimately lead Him to the cross for the ultimate fulfillment of all righteousness on behalf of mankind.