1. Matthieu 3:15 (NEG79)
  2. Explication du texte

How does John’s baptism of Jesus fulfill all righteousness?

Matthieu 3:15 (NEG79)

15 Jésus lui répondit: Laisse faire maintenant, car il est convenable que nous accomplissions ainsi tout ce qui est juste. Et Jean ne lui résista plus.

En bref

Three views of how John’s baptism of Jesus fulfilled all righteousness:

  1. The Greek dikaiosunē in Matthew 3:15—righteousness in the English Standard Version—means a duty pressing on someone who acknowledges their responsibility to obey the law.

  2. The word dikaiosunè—righteousness in the English Standard Version in Matthew 3:15—cannot mean a personal obligation on the part of an individual or collective to fulfill God’s laws or commands here, as it does in Matthew 5:20 and Matthew 6:1. Jesus does not here speak of our righteousness or about doing righteousness. In Matthew the word righteousness also means God’s saving righteousness, as promised by the prophets (Isaiah 45:8, Isaiah 61:3; Malachi 4:2). John is said to have come in the way of righteousness (Matthew 21:32), and you can seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). You can hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6, Matthew 6:33), and you can suffer for it (Matthew 5:10). Believing John declares God’s righteousness (Luke 7:29). Although the fulfillment of the commandments serves God’s righteousness, all righteousness is of course accomplished only when the promises about God’s will for the future are fulfilled. The fact that Matthew 3:15 speaks of the full righteousness of God as the promised and redeeming reality of his kingdom is seen in other parts of Matthew 3:15.

  3. The Greek word houtōs, rendered as so in Matthew 3:15, does not refer only to the baptism being done here, for after this baptism all righteousness was not yet fulfilled (see Matthew 4:1–11). The word rather refers to Christ’s willing humbling seen in this baptism. The final redeeming righteousness of the kingdom requires the humbling of the strong One, beyond the baptism. John would again wrestle with this (Matthew 11:2–6); Peter would oppose it (Matthew 16:22–23); and Judas, who refused to join Jesus in it, stumbled (Matthew 27:3–10). Immanuel’s suffering is foreshadowed in Matthew 2:1–23, as Jesus shows it as his pattern for his life in Israel. In his baptism, Jesus thus identifies with his sinful brothers.

Interpretation 1:

The Greek word dikaiosunē (which the English Standard Version translates in Matthew 3:15 as righteousness) indicates the duty pressing upon someone who acknowledges their responsibility to obey the law (Grosheide, page 50).

Interpretation 2:

The word dikaiosunè, translated by the English Standard Version in Matthew 3:15 as righteousness, cannot refer to a personal obligation on the part of an individual or collective to fulfill God’s laws or commands here, as was the case in Matthew 5:20 and Matthew 6:1, for example. Jesus does not here speak about our righteousness, nor about doing righteousness. In the Gospel according to Matthew the word righteousness is also used for God’s saving righteousness, as promised by the prophets (see Isaiah 45:8, Isaiah 61:3; and Malachi 4:2, among others). John is also said to have come in the way of righteousness (Matthew 21:32). You can also speak about the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33). You can hunger and thirst for this righteousness (Matthew 5:6, Matthew 6:33), and you can be persecuted for it (Matthew 5:10). Those who believe John thereby declare God’s righteousness (Luke 7:29). Although the fulfillment of the commandments serves God’s righteousness, all righteousness is of course accomplished only when the promises about God’s will for the future are fulfilled. The fact that Matthew 3:15 speaks of this full righteousness of God as the promised and redeeming reality of his heavenly kingdom is apparent from the other elements mentioned in Matthew 3:15.1

Interpretation 3:

The Greek word translated as so (houtōs) in Matthew 3:15 does not pertain exclusively to the act of baptism being conducted here, for after this baptism all righteousness had of course not yet been fulfilled (see Matthew 4:1–11). The word rather refers to Christ’s attitude of humiliation evidenced in this baptism. The complete and final redeeming righteousness of God’s kingdom will not arrive without the humiliation of the strong One. The program referred to here therefore looks beyond the baptism. John would once again wrestle with this later (Matthew 11:2–6); Peter would oppose it (Matthew 16:22–23); and Judas, who refused to accompany Jesus in it, stumbled (Matthew 27:3–10). The mystery of the suffering Immanuel already becomes visible in Matthew 2:1–23 and, in the words he speaks to the Baptizer, it becomes Jesus’ program for his life in Israel. In this baptism, Jesus therefore identifies with his sinful brothers.2