When was Jesus Baptized?
Luke 3:3-4 tells us of John the Baptist and how, “…he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” We also see that John’s coming and baptizing was the completed prophesy of Isaiah, as we read in Isaiah 40:3, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
Now, let’s read Luke 3:21-23, “Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. AND JESUS HIMSELF BEGAN TO BE ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OF AGE, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.”
Right after the Lord’s baptism, he was led of the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, there to be tempted by Satan for forty days (Luke 4:1-13). We then read in Luke 4:14-15, “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.” So, in order, the Lord was baptized, He was tempted by the devil for forty days, and then He began His public ministry. So, it was at thirty years of age that the Lord Jesus was baptized and then began His public ministry.
This parallels with the teachings of the Old Testament which tells us that the work of the priest would begin at the age of thirty. We read in Numbers 4:23, “From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.”
All those who served as priests were from the tribe of Levi. “The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance.” (Deuteronomy 18:1). Yet, we read in Hebrews 7:14, “For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.” The Lord Jesus came from the tribe of Judah, the kingly tribe. How could He serve in the capacity of a priest since He did not come from the tribe of Levi? Let’s continue by reading Hebrews 7:15-17, “And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” It was said of Melchisedec earlier in this chapter that he, as a type of Christ was, “Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.” (Hebrews 7:3). So, the Lord Jesus had an eternal priesthood that preceded the law. He has a priesthood that will never end because He is eternal. This is how the Lord Jesus qualifies to be prophet, priest, and king!
The Lord Jesus was baptized and began His public earthly ministry at about thirty years of age, even as the Old Testament priests began their ministry when they were thirty years old. (389.2)