11 Jan 26 | Matthew 3:13-17
At the Jordan, Jesus enters the waters not to be cleansed, but to reveal His identity as the beloved Son and to inaugurate His mission in obedient solidarity with humanity.
Today’s Takeaway
Authentic discipleship is marked not by rivalry or recognition, but by joyful surrender—allowing Christ to increase even when it means our own prominence must fade.
The Gospel
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan
to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by you,
and yet you are coming to me?”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed him.
After Jesus was baptized,
he came up from the water and behold,
the heavens were opened for him,
and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
and coming upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
In the Margins
This part of the story echoes John 1:19–28 and is linked to the dispute from yesterday’s Gospel. Jesus walks up to John and is looking to be baptized. John knows who Jesus is and is clearly confused or even stunned. Here is Christ, who John knows to have come to save the world, and John is expected to baptize Him.
By leaving Galilee and going to the Jordan to be baptized with everyone else, Jesus has put Himself with the crowds of repentant Israel. The irony is that He is not baptized for Himself, rather He is being baptized for us. He is standing amongst sinners to be baptized as the only one there who is not a sinner. Jesus telling John to do it to fulfill all righteousness is Him defining righteousness for us. This shows us that righteousness comes from faithful obedience to God’s plan, not our own.
When John does this, Heaven is opened and presented in front of Him. That is a pretty spectacular thing to have happen. This imagery evokes themes from Genesis 1, with the Spirit hovering over the waters at creation, the dove signaling new creation in Noah’s story, and God’s Spirit resting upon His chosen servant in Isaiah 42. In doing righteous acts, John and others present would have seen the Spirit revealing who Jesus already was.
When we hear “this is my beloved Son” we can hear God offer public declaration of the divinity and filial connection between the Father and Son. It draws from Psalm 2, the royal Son, God’s anointed king and Isaiah 42, the servant in whom God delights. Jesus is revealed as true Son, servant, and King.
In modern life, we often associate righteousness with personal achievement. Many people focus on being morally correct, spiritually impressive, or visibly “doing the right thing.” Jesus reframes this entirely. To “fulfill all righteousness” is not about spiritual status, but about obedient participation in God’s work, even when that obedience feels unnecessary, humbling, or misunderstood. Jesus will go on to teach that true righteousness flows from obedience, humility, and trust in the Father.
Jesus submits to baptism not because He needs it, but because faithfulness sometimes requires entering places we could justify avoiding. This challenges us to ask whether we measure faith by comfort and recognition, or by quiet obedience to what God is asking of us now. This also speaks directly to how we relate to others and to the Church.
Like John, we may encounter moments where our role is not to lead, correct, or stand apart, but to make space for Christ to be revealed, even if that means stepping back, accepting vulnerability, or trusting God’s timing over our own instincts. Righteousness today is fulfilled when we choose fidelity over control, when we say yes to God’s will not because it elevates us, but because it serves the greater unfolding of His plan.
Reflection Question
Where in my life might God be asking me to practice obedience or humility—not because I need correction, but because He is inviting me to participate more fully in His plan?