8 May 2026 We are proceeding to study the SERMON of YESHUA on the MOUNT…
THE GOSPELS, Matthew 3:13-17 & John 1:29-34 The Baptism of Yeshua the Messiah
4 April 2025
We are studying John 1:29-34 and Mathew 3:13-17 today about THE BAPTISM OF YESHUA THE MESSIAH
We are mainly reading from the Complete Jewish Study Bible – insight for Jews and Christians with cross references to other Bible versions. As well as the Nelson’s Foundational Bible Dictionary.
As you know we are using the Hebrew names of God the Father, namely YHVH (Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh) where the word LORD in English and ADDONAI in Hebrew are indicated in capital letters in the Scriptures and also use the description, Abba Father. And we use the Hebrew Name Yeshua the Messiah instead of the English Name Jesus Christ translated from the Greek.
We read in Matthew 3:13 “Then Yeshua came from Galilee to the Jordan to be immersed (or baptized) by John.” Also read Mark 1:9-11and Luke 3:21-22.
And we read more information in John 1:29-31 “…John saw Yeshua coming toward him and said, ‘Look! God’s Lamb! The One who is taking away the sin of the world!’ This is the man I was talking about when I said, ‘After me is coming someone who has come to rank above me, because He existed before me.’ (John also said this in John 1:15 and he further said 🙂, I myself did not know who He was, but the reason I came immersing (baptizing) with water was so that He might be made known to ISRAEL.”
The Jewish Study Bible explains: The LAMB was the dominant sacrificial animal used in the TEMPLE particularly for SIN OFFERINGS. We also see the INSTRUCTION of ABBA FATHER with the institution of the FIRST PASSOVER in Exodus 12:3 to take a LAMB on the tenth day of the FIRST month of the YEAR of AVIV in Hebrew later called Nisan by Bible writers.
In the NEW COVENANT YESHUA, the MESSIAH is the better offering setting people FREE FOREVER (read Hebrews chapter 9). Yeshua is also compared by Paul in 1st Corinthians 5:7 with the PASSOVER LAMB alluding to BOTH the PASSOVER as FEAST ONE of YHVH the FATHER and FEAST TWO of UNLEAVENED bread and FEAST THREE of FIRST FRUITS symbolizing being resurrected with the Messiah as a NEW person living life without sin, when he says to the Corinthian Messianic Community: “Get rid of the OLD HAMETZ (a Hebrew word for leaven which are symbolic of the old sin nature), so that you can be a NEW BATCH of DOUGH (a new person), because in reality YOU ARE UNLEAVENED (meaning they DIED to SIN when they came to be believers and were baptized as explained by Paul in Romans 6:4). And then Paul proceeds: “For our PESACH (the Hebrew word for PASSOVER) LAMB, THE MESSIAH, HAS BEEN SACRIFICED. So let us celebrate the SEDER (meaning the PASSOVER MEAL referring to COMMUNION as we know it but actually represents the PASSOVER MEAL as instituted by YHVH – read Matthew 26:17, Mark 14:12, Luke 22:7- and 1st Corinthians 11:23) not with LEFTOVER HAMETZ (leaven), the HAMETZ of wickedness and evil (sin, malice and immorality) but with the MATZAH (a Hebrew word for UNLEAVENED BREAD, representing the absence of sin) of PURITY and TRUTH.” This passage proves that in the Messianic, non-Jewish COMMUNITIES called the CHURCH in some Bible versions it was a common practice to celebrate the FEASTS of YHVH as explained in Leviticus 23. If this were not so, Paul’s imagery used here in 1st Corinthians 5:6-8 would have been meaningless.
In Isaiah 53:7-8 the MESSIAH is indicated as the SUFFERING SERVANT who was like a sheep to be slaughtered, like a LAMB silent before the shearer and this is quoted in Acts 8:32. And in the BOOK of REVELATION Yeshua is referred to as the LAMB nearly 30 TIMES! There is therefore MORE than 30 WITNESSES in the SCRIPTURES that HE is the LAMB of God who takes away the sin of the World!
So what did John mean when saying: This is the man I was talking about when I said, ‘After me is coming someone who has come to rank above me, because He existed before me.’? John also said this in John 1:15 and we read in John 8:58 Yeshua told the Judeans (people form the TRIBE of JUDAH): Before Abraham came into being, I AM! These words remind us of Exodus 3:14 where Moses asks God His Name and He responds with: “I AM who I AM. This is what you are to say to the ISRAELITES: I AM has sent me to you.” We also read in John 5:17-18 Yeshua said: “My Father has been working until now, and I too are working.” And in John 10:30 Yeshua says: “I and the Father are ONE.”
The Jewish Study Bible explains: John 5:17-18, 8:56-58 and 10:30 is the clearest self-proclamations of divinity, pointing back to HIS PRESENCE in the BURNING BUSH. We read in Exodus 3:2a “The (capital letter) ANGEL of YHVH appeared to Moses in a FIRE blazing from the middle of a bush.” It was clear to the Judeans exactly what Yeshua claimed, because we see in John 8:59 they immediately took up stones to put Him to death for blasphemy in accordance to Leviticus 24:15-16. Throughout the Old Testament we see the referral to the capital letter ANGEL of YHVH that may well be the pre-incarnate Messiah Yeshua.
The Afrikaans Bible in Practice explains: A LAMB was sacrificed in the temple every morning and evening for the sins of the people (read Exodus 29:38-42). Isaiah 53:7 further states that the MESSIAH, the ANNOINTED ONE of GOD, would be led like a LAMB to the place of slaughter. A LIFE must be given to PAY the PRICE for SIN and God the Father decided to provide this sacrifice Himself. The SINS OF THE WORLD were WASHED AWAY when Yeshua died as the PERFECT SACRIFICE. This is also the MEANING of the PASSOVER LAMB. This is THE WAY we get FORGIVENESS for our SINS (read 1st Corinthians 5:7). The LAMB of GOD THE FATHER has ALREADY paid the PRICE for our SINS at His death on the cross, and we can now RECEIVE FORGIVENESS by CONFESSING our sins before Him and asking for His FORGIVENESS (read 1st John 1:1-10).
We further read in Matthew 3:14-15 “But John tried to stop Him (Yeshua). ‘You are coming to me? I ought to be immersed (baptized) by You!’ However, Yeshua answered him: ‘Let it be this way now, because we should do EVERYTHING RIGHTEOSNESS REQUIRES.” Then John let Him.
So, what does this mean?
We know from John 14:6 Yeshua our Messiah IS the ONLY WAY to Abba Father and in Hebrews chapter 12 we are told that Yeshua the Messiah is our EXAMPLE of HOW to WALK on the NARROW WAY. He therefore not only came to earth the FIRST TIME to die as the LAMB of GOD the FATHER for our sins but also to teach us about the NARROW WAY to GOD THE FATHER explained by BOTH the SEVEN FEASTS of ABBA FATHER as well as the TABERNACLE LAYOUT and EQUIPMENT. BABTISM with WATER is the SECOND STEP of the SANCTIFICATION PROCESS after the price of DEATH paid for our sins by Yeshua our Messiah. It is both illustrated in FEAST TWO – the FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD, dying to the old self and being buried in the WATER OF BAPTISM with Yeshua the Messiah and being RAISED with Him as a FIRST FRUIT, a NEW MAN and WOMAN of GOD during FEAST THREE and indicated as the BRONZE WATER BASIN following the BRONZE ALTAR signifying the CROSS. Paul explains this in Romans 6:4 saying: “Through immersion into His death we were buried (berried) with Him; so that just as, through the glory of the Father, the Messiah was raised from the dead, likewise we too might live a NEW LIFE.”
So that is what Yeshua’s words to John meant – John had to ALLOW Yeshua the Messiah to go through the PROCESS of BAPTISM as example to HIS FOLLOWERS of the RIGHTEOUS REQUIREMENTS of WALKING on the NARROW WAY of SALVATION and SANCTIFICATION to enable us to come into the PRESENCE of YHVH the FATHER, a HOLY GOD.
And we further read in Matthew 3:16-17 “As soon as Yeshua had been immersed (baptized), He came up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, he saw the (capital letter) Spirit of God (the Father) coming down upon Him like a DOVE, and a voice form heaven said, ‘This is MY SON, whom I LOVE; I am well pleased with Him.” Also read the CONFIRMATION of these words in 2nd Peter 1:17.
We also read the PROPHECY in Isaiah 11:2 saying the SPIRIT of YHVH will rest on Him, the SPIRIT of WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING, the SPIRIT of COUNSEL and POWER, the SPIRIT of KNOWLEDGE and FEARING YHVH…” also read Isaiah 42:1 and 61:1.
The Jewish Study Bible explains: While it is in a sense true that all BELIEVERS are in a sense God the Father’s sons, Yeshua is the SON of GOD the FATHER in an unequaled way: God’s ONLY and UNIQUE SON who is IDENTICAL with God and at the Father’s side in accordance with John 1:18.