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Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly, a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
- Matthew 3:13-17
In yesterday's reading, we read about John the Baptist's popularity as a preacher. Even the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming to him for baptism. But John had harsh words for them: "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to
yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' " He warned them about the judgment that is to come, and the One who is to come: "Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and
thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance,
but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not
worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His
threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up
the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. Jesus comes from Galilee to begin His ministry. Essentially what is to happen here becomes the initiation for public ministry, the inauguration of His preaching the Kingdom to the world.
And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. To me, this is a mysterious statement. My study bible says that by making the purification of humanity His own, Jesus would wash away its sin, grant regeneration, and reveal the mystery of the Holy Trinity. All of these things are accomplished in His baptism. The Eastern Church teaches that Christ's baptism in effect purifies the waters of the world for baptism of all people. Gregory of Nyssa wrote: "Jesus enters the filthy [sinful] waters of the world and when He comes out, brings up [purifies] the entire world with Him." It's clear here that John recognizes Him. Jesus' first act is characteristic of Servant and of humility. "It is fitting" is the word for God's righteous acts.
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly, a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This is the appearance of a Theophany; in effect, a revelation or manifestation of the Holy Trinity. In the Father's voice, we hear the beginning of all things, spoken into being. Christ Himself is the Word, as we are taught by the Evangelist John. And the Holy Spirit appears, "descending like a dove." Jesus' ministry begins with revelation, manifestation, the appearance of the Trinity.
In the words, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," we are given to understand a sort of completion right at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. This is a quotation from two sources: Psalm 2:7 "You are My Son, today I have begotten You," and Isaiah 42:1 "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One, in whom My soul delights!" At once the image of Son and Servant are fused, giving us from the beginning the great emphasis of the love of Christ in His ministry, that He is here because God so loved the world. (Included already, in the words from Isaiah, is the hint of sacrifice and suffering for us that will come.) The anointing of the Spirit, as in Genesis the Spirit "hovered over the waters," is a revelation of divinity as well, and another kind of inauguration for a renewed, regenerated Creation, full of the Spirit of God. But "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" gives us an introduction in this revelation. From the beginning of His mission, there is already a completeness, a sense of what is fitting. The Father's love is complete in Him. This reality is eternal. What is to come will be a revelation for our sake. Do we value the preciousness of this gift of regeneration and renewal? "I make all things new," says the enthroned One in Revelation 21. The renewal of baptism is ever-present to us, revealing God to us, giving us birth and renewal whenever we must "turn again" to God.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. Jesus comes from Galilee to begin His ministry. Essentially what is to happen here becomes the initiation for public ministry, the inauguration of His preaching the Kingdom to the world.
And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. To me, this is a mysterious statement. My study bible says that by making the purification of humanity His own, Jesus would wash away its sin, grant regeneration, and reveal the mystery of the Holy Trinity. All of these things are accomplished in His baptism. The Eastern Church teaches that Christ's baptism in effect purifies the waters of the world for baptism of all people. Gregory of Nyssa wrote: "Jesus enters the filthy [sinful] waters of the world and when He comes out, brings up [purifies] the entire world with Him." It's clear here that John recognizes Him. Jesus' first act is characteristic of Servant and of humility. "It is fitting" is the word for God's righteous acts.
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly, a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This is the appearance of a Theophany; in effect, a revelation or manifestation of the Holy Trinity. In the Father's voice, we hear the beginning of all things, spoken into being. Christ Himself is the Word, as we are taught by the Evangelist John. And the Holy Spirit appears, "descending like a dove." Jesus' ministry begins with revelation, manifestation, the appearance of the Trinity.
In the words, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," we are given to understand a sort of completion right at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. This is a quotation from two sources: Psalm 2:7 "You are My Son, today I have begotten You," and Isaiah 42:1 "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One, in whom My soul delights!" At once the image of Son and Servant are fused, giving us from the beginning the great emphasis of the love of Christ in His ministry, that He is here because God so loved the world. (Included already, in the words from Isaiah, is the hint of sacrifice and suffering for us that will come.) The anointing of the Spirit, as in Genesis the Spirit "hovered over the waters," is a revelation of divinity as well, and another kind of inauguration for a renewed, regenerated Creation, full of the Spirit of God. But "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" gives us an introduction in this revelation. From the beginning of His mission, there is already a completeness, a sense of what is fitting. The Father's love is complete in Him. This reality is eternal. What is to come will be a revelation for our sake. Do we value the preciousness of this gift of regeneration and renewal? "I make all things new," says the enthroned One in Revelation 21. The renewal of baptism is ever-present to us, revealing God to us, giving us birth and renewal whenever we must "turn again" to God.
