The coming of Jesus marked the end of exile; for both Jews and Gentiles. In His ministry, Jesus instituted two practices/sacraments/ordinances which those who are His followers are to observe. The first is baptism and the second is the LORD’s Supper. While there is much disagreement about these two ordinances, one finds them present throughout most Christian traditions. (There may be some individuals or groups who discount the two ordinances, but they tend to be the exception and not the rule.)
Both ordinances convey significant messages. One message that they both carry is this: Exile is over! In the person of Jesus Christ, we have been liberated and our exile from the presence of GOD is over!
Baptism is a New Testament practice. Although it is not clear when the practice began, as best as we can tell, baptism emerged in the period between the Old Testament and the New Testament. It was a ceremony which demonstrated that a Gentile had come to believe in the GOD of Israel and wished to become a part of the people of GOD. Such a person was known as a proselyte.
When John the Baptist came along, he preached baptism as a sign of repentance. That is, he called on Jews to participate in a practice that normally proclaimed that one was a Gentile, outside the promises and covenant of Israel. In being baptized, a Jew was saying that he/she wanted to repent and live a new live, in preparation for the coming of Messiah.
Thus, when Jesus came to be baptized, John did not want to baptize him, but Jesus told him, “It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15) How did His baptism fulfill all righteousness? I think that I Corinthians 10:1-2 hold the key. Paul describes Israel’s passing through the Red Sea as the baptism of Moses. Israel had been liberated from slavery and bondage to the Egyptians and passed through the Red Sea. One might say that in a formal way, this event marked the end of exile for them. Thus, as the beginning of His earthly ministry, Jesus, through His baptism, demonstrates that He has come to end exile for His people.
At the end of His ministry, Jesus gives what we know as the Great Commission, and baptism is a significant part of that call. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
But what does baptism signify for the Christian? We follow the example of our LORD, as Paul tells us in Romans 6:3-5. “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.”
In death, Jesus tasted exile, separation from His Father. But He came back from exile in His resurrection, and baptism symbolizes that reality. Thus, those who are His people follow His example. But it also symbolizes our own coming of out exile into living a new life!