© 10 Colin Melbourne
To fulfil all righteousness
Q: Was Jesus filled with the Spirit before he was baptized by John the Baptist? The word says John was filled in the womb? Julie
A: Excellent question Julie.
John’s Filling
Christ confirms that John the Baptist was the greatest man born of woman (Mtt. 11:11a). What made him great was that he was filled with the Spirit of God from the womb. (Lk. 1:15). But we also know that John was not born again (Mtt. 11:11b), because neither he nor anyone else could be until after Christ rose from the dead.
The New Covenant of the New Birth and New Creation had not been instituted and sealed.
So John’s anointing could not have been the born again anointing of the Spirit within (Eph. 4:30, 1 Jn. 2:27), and certainly not the Acts 2 Pentecostal anointing of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
John’s anointing was neither of those New Covenant experiences, it is scripturally impossible.
John the Baptist was never filled with the Holy Spirit in the same way as believers today receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. His was the very different Old Testament kind of anointing, where God poured out the Holy Spirit for a particular task, and time, on; kings, priests, and prophets.
John’s was unique in that he had it earlier, from the womb, and clearly of greater intensity, thus evoking Christ’s commendation.
Feet of Clay
Recall that John, wasn’t perfect, he blew it badly when he was imprisoned, falling into doubt and confusion. To the extent that he even questioned if Jesus was the Christ (Lk. 7:18-23).
This seems a staggering fall from faith by the man God the Father created, chose, and anointed, to point out the sacrificial Lamb of God to the world (Jn. 1:29-34). But fall he did, and Christ mercifully sent a word to lift him back up. That same word will lift you up too if you have fallen into the ditch of doubt.
Have you noticed how God’s word dares to show us the failings of these “great ones” as well as their victories? Moses the murderer, Abraham the liar, David the scheming adulterer, John the Baptist wobbling in unbelief etc.
Why do you think He does that?
When was Christ Spirit-filled?
Your central question is, Was Jesus Spirit-filled before His baptism by John?
Not in the Pentecostal or Charismatic sense, otherwise He could not have fulfilled his mission as the Son of Man. He had to be like us from the womb in all respects, except sin, so that He could be our Substitute. The crucial difference is that His Father was God, our father was the Devil.
Christ had the choice to sin from birth, He was tempted to sin throughout His earthly life, but never did. (2 Co. 5:21, Heb. 4:15, 1 Jn. 3:5).
Keep in mind that Christ operated under the Old Covenant.
This is a key fact many Christians miss, and so get confused.
Like John the Baptist, He could not have the Acts 2 Baptism in the Holy Spirit because that experience is a New Covenant blessing.
It wasn’t available until after Hs death and resurrection.
The LORD Jesus Christ cut no corners.
Here we have a marvellous topic to meditate on.
Consider; Almighty God in the Flesh, born under His own Old Covenant Law, and voluntarily limiting Himself to fallen humanity’s level of existence and ability, yet never sinning at all.
Better than Kryptonite
To comprehend what I mean, take imaginary super-heroes, they rely on unique special powers to get them out of a fix. Christ relied entirely on what was available to every man born under the Old Covenant, God’s word and God’s Spirit.
Jesus was assuredly mightily anointed by God’s Spirit before John’s baptism, and that anointing was increased to fullness at His Baptism, but He got it by walking in obedience to the Old Covenant Law, just like any man could potentially have done, but only Jesus actually did.
To presume that Christ used His divine status, as God in the Flesh and God’s Son, to cut corners or get blessings from God is anathema, and an insult to His ministry.
No! What Jesus did on Earth, He did as a man walking with God the Father, as we were meant to do, but did not because of our fallen natures.
He’s One of a kind, The Prototype of the New Creation, and His Life validated God’s original plan, showing it would have worked if the first Adam had stuck to it.
What Christ did in His Earth-walk, He did as a Man depending on God the Father.
This is such a precious truth, and it makes Him far greater than any super-hero.
Worship Him!
Finally, by sacrificing Himself in our place, Christ fixed the sin problem once and for all.
Now any sinner can have God’s Spirit living in them with all His mighty power available, the only condition; repent and receive Christ Jesus the risen LORD.
Rejoice you saints and stand in your office.
Sinners! Do it now or perish in sin and unbelief.
Baptism in the Bible: You should only use a KJV Bible you can trust. Avoid those with footnotes, misleading headings, and commentary. I love the unadulterated Standard Text KJV made by Cambridge. I ask the Lord to Teach me by the Holy Spirit: He leads into all Truth.
Avoid Dake’s Dodgy Bible
A word of warning: Speculating about topics God’s word chooses to give little or no information on is a minefield.
Understand that if God wanted us to know something that really matters, He’d have made it clear in His Word.
False preachers major in spinning off on flights of fancy based on misinterpretation of Scripture.
A classic example related to Christlogy, is Finis Dake, who wrote a study Bible popular with some naive Christians and false teachers.
Dake’s notes are packed with heresies and errors, many relate to Christ’s deity and Son-ship, which Dake claims was radically changed at Jesus’ baptism. Find out why the Dake Anotated Bible is only fit for burning.
© 10 Colin Melbourne
Sound Basic Bible Doctrine