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What Does Matthew 3:16 Mean?
Matthew 3:16
John 3:23, Matthew 3:16, and Acts 8:38 give conclusive proof that the original method of baptism was by immersion. John needed an abundance of water to cover his followers completely. Jesus' example shows that He "came up . . . from the water" because He had been in it. Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch "went down into the water." In addition, "baptize," from the Greek baptizo, means "to immerse," "plunge into" or "put into." Two entirely different words are used in the Greek text to refer to pouring (cheo) or sprinkling (rantizo).
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Basic Doctrines: Water Baptism
Matthew 3:13-17
Though He had never sinned, Jesus went through the rite of baptism "to fulfill all righteousness." He did everything a truly righteous man should do, so we could learn from Him. As our perfect example in all things (see I John 2:6; I Peter 2:21), He came to John to be baptized to show us the steps we must take to reach the same destination He did—the Kingdom of God.
Staff
Basic Doctrines: Water Baptism
Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Matthew 3:16:
Daniel 9:25
Matthew 3:16
John 3:5
John 3:23
Acts 5:3
Acts 8:38
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Jesus' coming up from the water proves the original method of baptism was immersion. He came up from the water because He had first been in it, just as John needed abundant water to cover his followers completely, and as Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch went down into the water. The Greek word baptizo, translated "baptize," means to immerse, plunge into, or put into. Entirely different Greek words refer to pouring, cheo, or sprinkling, rantizo, confirming that immersion, not pouring or sprinkling, was the practice.