“But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?”
John would have prevented him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? John's protest reflects his correct theological assessment: the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire does not need the baptism of repentance for sinners. John recognizes Jesus — their relationship as relatives is explicit in Luke 1:36, and John's recognition of Jesus is explicit in John 1:29–34. The question do you come to me? expresses the asymmetry John perceives: the greater is presenting himself to the lesser, the sin-free to the one who baptizes sinners. John understands what he is doing and why his baptism is not appropriate for the one standing before him.
Church Fathers on Matthew 3:14
Christ having been proclaimed to the world by the preaching of His forerunner, now after long obscurity will manifest Himself to men.
In this verse is contained person, place, time, and office. Time, in the word, 'Then.'
That is, when He was thirty years old, shewing that none should be ordained priest, or even to preach till He be of full age. Joseph at thirty years was made governor of Egypt; David began to reign, and Ezekiel his prophesying at the same age.
Read all 21 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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