The Baptism of Jesus Matthew 3:13-17
The Baptism of Jesus was recorded in all four gospels.
First, the "Epiphany" has two faces in Christianity.
The first was celebrated last week. It was God opening the door to gentiles (all non-Jews), which was captured by yet another rejection of God's saving hand (Herod's attempt to murder Jesus) contrasted with the praise and worship of the infant Jesus by the foreign (gentile) Magi.
The second face of the Epiphany is God proclaiming publicly who Jesus is when he is baptized by John, "This is my beloved son of whom I am well pleased." This was today's reading and it is the Epiphany that the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates.
Liturgically, Jesus' Baptism marks the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of Jesus' ministry. Historically, it marks the end of John the Baptist's preaching (he is arrested shortly after this) and the beginning of Jesus' proclamation of the Good News.
The prophesied Messiah was expected to usher in a new Exodus. Sure enough, the baptism takes place at the Jordan River right where Joshua entered the Promised Land with the Jewish people, who Moses brought out of Egypt.
This event is one of the few times in Scripture when all three persons of the Blessed Trinity are actively present.
The Holy Spirit coming down upon Jesus as a dove harkens back to the dove of Noah, announcing a new creation is underway.
What is equally astonishing to all of these things is the reason for Jesus getting baptized, and what is happening when he goes into the water and comes out again.
Tuesday we will discuss all this as well as their relationship to Isaiah's prophecy of the Suffering Messiah.
See you then!
Ron
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