Patty,

In response to your question concerning the necessity of baptism for Jesus, which was answered by Marie and Kyle above, here is a link to a more extended explanation: John Calvin's commentary on Matthew 3:13-17.

Your question gets to the heart of the matter, because Jesus, in his baptism no less than in his birth, circumcision, life, temptation, condemnation, death, burial and resurrection--in short, his entire life as a man in every respect--came to impute his entire righteousness to the credit of all who believe on him.

The world, and any "world religion" which attempts to craft a righteousness with which to be justified before God, in so doing declares the real, imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ to be dung, but God is not mocked. We urge you to become as Adam and Eve, who crafted bloodless coverings for themselves but were unrighteous in God's sight until he clothed them with bloody skins of an animal slain in their place; the Lamb of God now covers with his own perfect righteousness all who believe on him.

In Christ,
Paul S