"Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Matthew 3:15
One meaning of Christ's words here is that, as man in the place of sinful men, He must take upon Him all the conditions of humanity. He had no sins of His own to confess — and yet He came to John as other men came. He did this because He was in the place of sinners. A little later John pointed to Him and said, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." So we see Jesus coming to be baptized, because "all we like sheep have gone astray, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." This baptism with water, however, was but the merest shadow of what the bearing of our sins cost Him.
In Holman Hunt's picture, "The Shadow of the Cross," Jesus is represented at thirteen, standing in the carpenter's shop at the close of the day. He stretches out His arms and the setting sun casts His shadow in the form of a cross on the opposite wall. The artist's thought is that across the soul of the gentle youth thus early fell indeed, the shadow of the cross. No doubt the thought is true. Especially here, however, as Jesus entered His public ministry, did not this shadow fall upon Him.
This baptism by John was but the emblem of the other baptism. This was only with water, and was but symbolic. He had another baptism to be baptized with the baptism of sorrow, of death, and of curse, when He "redeemed us from the curse of the law by being made a curse for us." We ought never to forget, as we enjoy the blessings of redemption, what it cost our Lord to procure them for us. He endured His unfathomable baptism of sorrow, pain and death — that we might receive the blessings of peace and joy. He tasted death for us — that we might have deathless life!
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J.R. Miller (1840 - 1912)
Prolific author and pastor of Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois, Rev. James Russell Miller served the USCC as a field agent in the Army of the Potomac and Army of the Cumberland.J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia. J.R. Miller D.D.'s lasting fame is through his over 50 books. Many are still in publication.
James Russell Miller (March 20, 1840 - July 2, 1912) was a popular Christian author, Editorial Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication, and pastor of several churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois.
In 1857, James entered Beaver Academy and in 1862 he progressed to Westminster College, Pennsylvania, which he graduated in June, 1862. Then in the autumn of that year he entered the theological seminary of the United Presbyterian Church at Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Mr. Miller resumed his interrupted studies at the Allegheny Theological Seminary in the fall of 1865 and completed them in the spring of 1867. That summer he accepted a call from the First United Presbyterian Church of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. He was ordained and installed on September 11, 1867.
J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia.
Five years later, in 1880, Dr. Miller became assistant to the Editorial Secretary at the The Presbyterian Board of Publication, also in Philadelphia.