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Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist"Then Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. But John forbid him, saying, I have need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Let it be so for now: for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he allowed him. And when Jesus was baptized, he went immediately up from the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"... Matthew 3 :13 - 17 * note the appearance of the Trinity.
East of Jericho, along the modern-day border which separates the State of Israel from the Kingdom of Jordan, a river streams southward from the Sea of Galilee into the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth. "It forms a small oasis in the center of a barren valley amidst the harsh hills of the Judean Desert, we know that biblical 'Bethabara,' located in the Judean Desert east of Jericho, is the actual place where Jesus was baptized "... Prof. Ory Mazar. Until today,was a high security, military zone. It has been closed to the public and untouched for more than 40 years
FROM "REVEALING JEWISH ROOTS" BY BILL MORFORD
Was baptism invented by John the Baptist? No!...It may surprise you to know that baptism was not only common among the Jewish people, it was commanded. (Leviticus 16:4 is one example) Our word "baptize" comes from the Greek word "baptidzo" meaning to immerse or submerge. This is the Greek word used throughout the New Testament translated "baptize".
The practice for Jewish people has been for over three thousand years, self immersion. What may well have happened at the Jordan River was that John stood on the bank preaching and the repentant sinners walked into the river and submerged themselves. All those with long hair had a friend along to make sure all the hair was immersed when they went under the surface.
At Peter's sermon in Acts 2:41, we read that about three thousand repented and were baptized. To explain this, first we must see where this this took place. Acts 2:2 says they were in "the house". In Hebrew "the house" is used many times in the Old Testament in reference to the temple, the house of the Lord. On one side of the temple was a huge porch called a Royal Porch or Solomon's Colonnade which was available to the public for Biblical teaching and preaching. This was the southern end of the Temple mount, roughly 800 feet long. Not only could the disciples preach here to very large crowds but archaeologists have uncovered several large baptismal baths (mikvehs). The Center for Judaic Christian Studies estimates that it would take about twenty minutes for 3,000 to be baptized there.
The people of Israel were very familiar with what we call baptism. What was different about John was his anointing in the spirit of Elijah to preach repentance and have people walk days (two days from Jerusalem to the Jordan River) to hear his preaching.
A mikveh or ritual bath found at Masada was built according to strict rirual requirements
THE MIKVEH The purpose of the immersion in a mikveh, or ritual bath, was to cleanse the spirit, not the body. A mikveh could not be portable -- many were cut from living rock -- and had to contain some free -running water, usally spring water or rainwater. The Temple had several mikvehs for priests, including at least two reserved for the high priest located on the Mount of Olives. Public mikvehs also existed near the Temple Mount; worshipers had to be cleansed before entering holy ground.
Above is the the way a mikveh would have looked in use. An open conduit (1) leads to a pool for collecting rainwater (2). The water reaches the bath (3) through an underground pipe. The shallow pool (4) is for washing the hands and feet before entering the mikveh.
Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit at His Baptism "And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, at age thirty" Luke 3:23, 4:1a (on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles in October of 25 A.D.)
Jesus is led by the Spirit into the Wilderness
"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he was hungry." Luke 4 :1b - 2
God had told Satan in the Garden of Eden that the Seed of the Woman (the Virgin Mary) would destroy his authority and redeem (or buy back) mankind from his dominion. Genesis 3:15 Satan failed when he used King Herod's jealousy in an attempt to kill Jesus. Now he met him face to face and suggested three ways in which Jesus might conduct His ministry.
1 Provide free bread to obtain a following
"And the devil said unto him, If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word from the mouth of God." Deuteronomy 8:3... Luke 4 :3,4
2 Instant fame without any effort
"And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the Temple, and said unto him, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over you, to guard you: And in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you strike your foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:12) And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, You shall not tempt the Lord your God." Deuteronomy 6:16... Luke 4 :9-12
3. Satan's third attempt to replace God fails
"Again the devil, took him up to a very high mountain and showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; And the devil said to him, All this power will I give to you, and the glory of them: for it has been delivered unto me; and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it all shall be yours. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Begone, Satan !: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. Deuteronomy 6:13
"And when the devil had ended all the temptations, he departed from him until an opportune time" Luke 4 :5-8,13
Notice all three responses to temptation were from the Old Testament Laws in the book of Deuteronomy. Also notice that Jesus never disputed that Satan was the god of this world or that the whole world system was under his grip and authority.
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