Musings: Baptism of Jesus

And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting om him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17; NRSV)

 

In another translation, the voice from heaven speaks: “This is my Son, the beloved, in whom I have delighted.” (The New Testament: A Translation, David Bently Hart)

 

We are in a season that begins with the festival of the Epiphany. Those who celebrated that festival heard what we often consider the final part of the Christmas story, the visit of the Magi. Preachers on that day often note how this visit was the first revelation of the Messiah to those outside the Jewish family.

 

The final Sunday of this season is the Transfiguration of Our Lord. This feast carries echoes of the Baptism, with the heavens opening and a voice once again proclaiming Jesus as the beloved Son. We look for similar revelations in the Sundays between these bracketing festivals, beginning with this Baptism.

 

The festival of the Baptism of Our Lord provides abundant material for preaching, both from the theme of the day and from the scripture appointed. This year, I find myself drawn to the last verse of the reading from Matthew, the words spoken from heaven as Jesus is baptized. These words carry deep meaning as we seek to understand the revelation of Jesus to the world.

 

We do well to listen intently to the voice from heaven as we hear this story. Consider what the voice says.

• “This is my Son” In Old Testament scripture we hear similar words spoken of the kings of Judah. “You are my son, this day have I begotten you” (Psalm 2)
• “the Beloved” reminds us of Isaac, the beloved son of Abraham, but also the beloved people whom God chose out of all the peoples of the earth
• “in whom I have delighted” points us to the servant of Isaiah (42): “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights”

 

See how this voice reveals Jesus to us. He is the one anointed by God, the ideal Israelite who will serve according to God’s desire for God’s chosen people. Jesus will be the one to “bring forth justice to the nations.” (Isaiah 42) He is a light to the nations and one who frees the prisoners. His baptism announces that new things will happen as the old ways conclude.

 

I wonder: How is Jesus working new things in our church today? Have we grown complacent in the old ways of selfishness and greed, of ignoring the plight of those who suffer hunger and poverty? Have we accepted the world’s idea of justice—that those in power should exert control over others; that the earth’s resources should enrich a few while many go without; that vengeance is strength and forgiveness is weakness?

 

See how the voice from heaven reveals a different way. And Jesus, in calling us to baptism, invites us into this way of God’s justice, a justice that values mercy and compassion rather than punishment.

I wonder: How is Jesus working new things in our church today? Have we grown complacent in the old ways of selfishness and greed, of ignoring the plight of those who suffer hunger and poverty? Have we accepted the world’s idea of justice—that those in power should exert control over others; that the earth’s resources should enrich a few while many go without; that vengeance is strength and forgiveness is weakness?

See how the voice from heaven reveals a different way. And Jesus, in calling us to baptism, invites us into this way of God’s justice, a justice that values mercy and compassion rather than punishment.