Mattew 3: John the Baptist

This study is making me realize how incredibly deep the Gospels are. I have grown up with these stories my whole life and could tell you what they mean -- from a surface level -- very quickly. But, a second thought makes you really ponder. Just like I wondered what happened with the stars to make the Magi travel to meet Jesus, I find myself wondering why did Jesus get baptised?

I read background on Jewish washing rituals. There were a great number of ceremonies that involved washing and immersion. Matthew was trying to say something to the Jews. He was trying to prove that Jesus was the Messiah. So, why would he include this? Most articles that I have looked up say they don't know why.

The only thing that even comes close is that in Leviticus it says that priests shall be immersed before beginning their ministries. Perhaps the baptism was a way of Jesus submitting to his ministry -- because his ministry only starts after the baptism. Why did John have to do it? And what did John do? In the Jewish texts it says that baptisms were self immersion because people could not be touched by clothing or by other people during the baptism. So -- how did John baptise Jesus. Or why would his witness be important? What was John's roll? He was sent to prepare the way for the savior -- what does that entail??