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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
With the servants the Lord, with the criminals the Judge, cometh to be baptized. But be not thou troubled; for in these humiliations His exaltation doth most shine forth. For He who vouchsafed to be borne so long in a Virgin's womb, and to come forth thence with our nature, and to be smitten with rods, and crucified, and to suffer all the rest which He suffered; why marvellest thou if He vouchsafed also to be baptized, and to come with the rest to His servant. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade Him. Jesus is pure, yet He is baptized in order to wash us, and to show us that if we intend to be baptized we must first be cleansed. Otherwise we might stain our baptism, being easily sullied afterwards because of our evil habits. John forbade Him so that those who saw the baptism would not think that Christ was being baptized unto repentance like one of the multitude. Saying, It is I that needeth to be baptized of Thee. …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
The Saviour willed to be baptized not that He might Himself be cleansed, but to cleanse the water for ush. From the time that Himself was dipped in the water, from that time has He washed away all our sins in water. And let none wonder that water, itself corporeal substance, is said to be effectual to the purification of the soul; it is so effectual, reaching to and searching out the hidden recesses of the conscience. …
Ambrose of Milan
Scripture tells of many wonders wrought at various times in this river; as that, among others, in the Psalms, Jordan, was driven backwards; (Ps. 114:3.) before the water was driven back, now sins are turned back in its current; as Elijah divided the waters of old, so Christ the Lord wrought in the same Jordan the separation of sin.
Jerome
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent him, saying: I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me? But Jesus answered and said to him: The Savior accepted baptism from John for three reasons. First, to fulfill all righteousness and humility of the Law, because he was born as a human. Second, to confirm the baptism of John with his own baptism. …
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