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| Pietro Perujino 1483 |
Luke 3:21-22 (Mark 1:9-11, Matt 3:13, 16-17) is a biographical story about the baptism of Jesus. The descent of the Spirit is preparation for ministry. John the Baptist had succeeded in paving the way for the Lord, as God had intended his ministry to be. Jesus' own baptism is a part of the preparatory ministry and thus fulfills John's ministry. We need to read the text as expressing theologically who Jesus as the Son and as expressing the meaning of Christian baptism. The tradition is giving the reader the clarity the resurrection of Jesus gave to the earliest community. Since this story does not include a commission or a response from Jesus, it is not a call story on the pattern of Old Testament stories of the call of Moses, Isaiah, or Jeremiah.[1] However, the sequence of baptism, testing in the wilderness, and the summary of the proclamation of Jesus suggest a commission and anointing from God that led to the response of Jesus to proclaim the message God gave him.
21Now, when John baptized all the people, and when John also baptized Jesus, a statement that raises a question. Why was Jesus among the crowds coming to receive baptism?[2] It could be that the gospels portray Jesus as a disciple of John in preparation for his ministry. In 28 AD, Jesus was part of the crowd that heard John the Baptist preach. We know from other sources that nationalist uprisings occurred when Jesus was two and twelve. However, a non-violent protest by peasants occurred in Caesarea occurred against Pilate. A few months later, Jesus will come to the Baptist for baptism. It will be the first crucial decision he makes publicly. We can understand the ministry of the Baptist as inviting people to leave “Egypt,” that is, Jerusalem and the corrupt ways of institutional life in Israel and come to the wilderness. The Baptist patterned his ministry after Moses, Elijah, and other prophets. Significantly, however, Jesus does not stay with John in the wilderness. He will return to Galilee. Before he does so, he freely submits to this baptism by John. John may have the title, “the baptist,” precisely because he baptized Jesus, just as Judas had the title, “the traitor.” Jesus freely submitted to baptism with water. Jesus accepts the announcement of John that a new and imminent act of Gold will radically change the situation of Israel.
In their united message of gathering an eschatological people of God, their messages overlapped, and Jesus submitted to the baptism of John to show that likeness. Yet, Jesus separated himself from John in not being an ascetic, shifting his preaching from coming judgment to the coming rule of God, from expectation to fulfillment, from accepting the guilty after they repent to offering sinners salvation before they repent. Jesus would experience his call when he underwent the baptism of John, taking his place among the eschatological people of God that the Baptist was assembling. Behind the biblical images of the account of the baptism of Jesus is the experience of the descent of the Spirit, imparting prophetic inspiration upon Jesus in the specific form of the suffering Servant. The event of the baptism of Jesus by John, then, suggests they were united, but only in part, as a gulf opens between them. Later (Mark 11:20-25, Matt 21:23-27, Luke 20:1-8), Jesus will base his authority upon what happens here, in his baptism by John.[3]
Given the private revelation Jesus receives, we know that he did not need repentance and forgiveness that the baptism by John suggests. Luke offers a theological interpretation of the event. Thus, when Jesus was praying, a reference we find in neither Mark nor Matthew, the Father opened the heaven. This vision of the heavens opening is, like Luke's earlier reference to the unquenchable fire, an apocalyptic symbol. Note that the miraculous moment of the identification of Jesus does not occur when Jesus comes out of the water. It occurs after the fact, when Jesus is "praying." In Luke's gospel, the most revealing and empowering moments in Jesus' ministry occur during times of prayer (Luke 6:12; 9:18, 28; 22:41-42). A motif of Luke is to add that Jesus is praying. The reason Luke does this is the solid tradition of Jesus being in extended periods of prayer outside the regular times of morning, noon, and evening prayer.[4]During this moment of prayer, Jesus now receives the Holy Spirit, the gift that marks the beginning of his messianic, Spirit-filled public ministry. This differs from the baptism of the Spirit John predicts in Luke 3:16, for in this case the Messiah is the one receiving the Spirit, not giving it out to others.
Further, 22the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove, which, for the narrative in Luke, has special significance, for the parents of Jesus may have provided a sacrifice of the poor of a pair of turtledoves (2:24). The long absence of the Spirit ends as the same Spirit that hovered over the waters of chaos n creation (Gen 1:2) and brought order and life descends upon Jesus in the form of a dove. Such an image is not common in Judaism. An interesting recognition among scholars is that in the Roman imagination, the descent of a bird was a crucial omen for the life of a great leader. Usually, this bird was an eagle, the symbol of Roman legions and military might. The tradition uses this trope but subverts it, placing the peaceful dove instead of the aggressive eagle. The reign of God, for which Jesus is the sole leader, comes as a peaceful and sacrificial dove instead of the Roman eagle. Luke's account of Jesus' baptism focuses more on the Spirit than on the baptism itself. Note "like" a dove. Luke knows that any literal rendering of an apocalyptic, and therefore "not-yet" event can only be "like." However, Luke also wants to be sure his readers realize that there is a real, a "now", presence of the Holy Spirit with the living Jesus. The "not yet' was made "now," incarnate in the person of Jesus. The voice that breaks into this event proclaims a final distinction between John and Jesus. The dove descends upon him, or even into him, but resting upon him is a feature of prophetic literature (Isa 11:1-3). If the allusion is to Gen 8:8-12,[5] however, where Noah tests to see if the waters have subsided after the flood, it may symbolize the hope of new creation. The point is that the living presence of the Holy Spirit will empower the ministry of Jesus. Jesus bore the Spirit in his prophetic ministry.[6] He was the “holy servant” of God (Acts 4:27) who was anointed to do good and heal (Acts 10:38). John had promised that the one to come after him would be different, and we see here the first expression of that difference. The baptism is the beginning of the eschatological age, which the theological significance of the Father opening the heavens and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. It is a figurative representation of divine power filling this king-prophet, and Judaism could represent the Holy Spirit as a dove, where a Targum interprets the voice of the turtle dove as the voice of the Holy Spirit.[7] Further, a voice came from heaven, a circumlocution for the voice of the Father, which we will not hear again until the Mount of Transfiguration, You are my Son (ὁ υἱός μου), the Beloved (ὁ ἀγαπητός). One is from Psalm 2:7, a royal coronation in which we hear these words: “He said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’” The other passage is from Isaiah 42:1, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him …” We must not lose sight of these images, that of king and servant of the Lord, throughout the course of the life of Jesus. The prophetic calling, presumed to be silent since Malachi, the New Testament declares has revived in John and in Jesus. The voice does not bestow divine sonship but proclaims it. In advance of the Easter event, we have the first proclamation of the reality of Jesus before humanity.[8]Yet, this account by itself is open to the interpretation that Jesus became the Son by endowment with the Spirit and divine ratification.[9] It affirms the Trinitarian relations cooperating in the mission and ministry of Jesus. We have here the impartation of the Spirit and the thought of adoption.[10] Jesus is the elect Son of God.[11] As such, Jesus becomes a model of election as serving humanity for the mission God gave him.[12] The baptism of Jesus in these ways has a unique role in identifying who Jesus is as uniquely the Son of the Father. The heavenly voice validates Jesus as the bearer of divine revelation, both in his teaching and in his person. This voice reveals the future of Jesus as king and servant, as enthroned and as the suffering servant. The stage is set for the one who is more powerful than the Baptist, who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. The one whose identity we as readers of this gospel know will contest with human beings who stand opposed to the good news and the rule of God. Thus, the special tenderness imparted to Jesus by the heavenly voice also introduces the costly nature of Jesus' ministry and mission. He is not only destined for royal power; he may also expect to suffer and die for the sake of others. The voice concludes that with you I am well pleased.
John may have the title, “the Baptist,” precisely because he baptized Jesus, just as Judas had the title, “the traitor.” Jesus accepts the announcement of John that a new and imminent act of Gold will radically change the situation of Israel. He submits in advance to what God is about to do according to it. He accepts the implications of this event for humanity. He stands by this event as the act of God. Readiness for this even can only mean renewal. Renewal means conversion and repentance. We also note that Jesus fully identified with sinful humanity. He put Himself under the judgment of God and referred to the divine remission of sin. Because Jesus confessed God, therefore He confessed humanity. Because He submitted to God, He put Himself in solidarity with humanity. With the rest of humanity, He confesses His sins. He did not let the sins of humanity remain with them but took them upon Himself. He submitted to baptism in prospect of the coming rule of God, judgment, and forgiveness. No one who came to the Jordan was as needy and burdened, as was Jesus. We also note that Jesus undertook to do in the service of God and humanity that which he alone could do. He accepted his election and sending as the Son. He would live for God and therefore for humanity. His act of obedience in the water of baptism will be an anticipation of a life of obedience as he enters his public ministry. He will adopt a particular way of life that became a pattern for those who seek to be disciples of Jesus. The story stresses divine appreciation, acknowledgement, approval, and affirmation of the service Jesus renders for God and for humanity. Yet, all this still makes us ponder whether the baptism of Jesus by John in the Jordan is an adequate basis for why the Christian community should invite new Christians to baptism. One can imagine future Christians treating baptism with a neutral attitude. Yet God calls Christians into fellowship with Jesus. The beginning of the ministry of Jesus is not merely of historical interest. It became exemplary, normative and binding for future followers of Jesus. Water baptism is a sign of the beginning of a life of fellowship with Christ. Thus, the command of the risen Lord (Matthew 28:19) has its proper basis in the historical baptism of Jesus in the Jordan.[13]
It seems as if the early church thought of the reception of baptism by new followers of Jesus as a self-evident matter. We need to consider the basis and reason the early church considered baptism as the first step of the human decision that recognizes the faithfulness of God to the individual. Baptism is a sign that the faith of the individual will include obedience and the actual following of Jesus. The simplest answer is that the risen Lord commanded them to do so (Matthew 28:19).
The submission of Jesus to the baptism of John may well be an invitation for his followers to repeat it and express their faith and obedience in this act. We note that Jesus freely submitted to baptism with water. He began the fulfillment of His mission as the Son of the Father who had come into the world to reconcile the world to God. The baptism of Jesus becomes exemplary, normative, and binding in respect of the form of the beginning of their new life. His baptism was an act of submission and obedience. Yet, his baptism has become the pattern for an understanding of Christian baptism. The command of the risen Lord to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit (28:19) has its proper basis in the historical baptism of Jesus in the Jordan.[14] Baptism is the first step of the human decision that recognizes the faithfulness of God to the individual. Baptism is a sign that the faith of the individual will include obedience and the actual following of Jesus. When we receive baptism, we are publicly uniting ourselves with and standing with Jesus. In that sense, it becomes the basis for the early church to invite new believers to submit to baptism as well. Baptism is a sign that the favor or grace of God rests upon us. Baptism is a form of anointing us for ministry. Baptism is a sign that we have committed ourselves to the reign of God. As the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist stands at the beginning of his public ministry and had implications throughout that ministry, so our baptism stands at the beginning of our vocation to become increasingly a Christian. God calls Christians into fellowship with Jesus.
The baptism of Jesus is a model of Christian baptism, especially connecting baptism with the gift of the Spirit. Baptism into the death of Jesus Christ changes all individual particularities and brings them to a new boiling point, freely establishing them in a new form. The expression of this is the freedom that with the Spirit the baptized received as children of God and that enables them to go their own way, to follow their own specific calling, and to accept the consequences as Jesus did.[15]
We can see that the matter of identity rises again in the account of the baptism of Jesus. Why was Jesus among the crowds coming to receive the baptism of John? To ask the question is to raise the question of his identity. He could simply be a follower of John. Yet, we know he was more. John said so. In fact, his baptism testifies to who Jesus is. His baptism was an act of submission and obedience. Yet, his baptism has become the pattern for an understanding of Christian baptism. Look at how much we as Christians borrow from this baptism to understand our own.
· It symbolized the eschatological gift of the Holy Spirit. After all, an important apocalyptic symbol was the heavens opening. However, the “Not Yet” of the heavens opening must give way to the “Already” of the dove coming to rest upon Jesus while he prayed.
· His baptism identified the moment when Jesus began his public ministry and therefore a new course in his life.
· His baptism was an act of obedience and identification with the sins of humanity.
· His baptism identified him as the Son of God. The phrasing here combines two Old Testament passages. One is from Psalm 2:7, a royal coronation in which we hear these words: “He said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’” The other passage is from Isaiah 42:1, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him …” We must not lose sight of these images, that of king and servant of the Lord, throughout the course of the life of Jesus.
As we can see, there is no parallel between this exalted status and that of John the Baptist. This is the one-of-a-kind identity of the uniquely Anointed One, the Son, the Messiah, the Christ.
How can the baptism of Jesus by John be a pattern for our understanding of Christian baptism? With good reason, early Christians took baptism seriously as a way of shifting our sense of who we are away from self and toward Christ. Properly understood, our baptism describes the course of a Christian life. Our baptism describes a vision of Christian discipleship that remains meaningful.
· For the Christian, baptism is also an act of obedience.
· Baptism also symbolizes finding identity in union with Christ.
· To experience Christian baptism is to identify with the course of the life of Jesus, who lived in submission to the will of God to the point of death and resurrection. Christian baptism opens the door to a new way of life lived out of union with Christ as empowered by the Holy Spirit.
· As Paul will later write of this, even as Jesus finds declared in his baptism his identity as the Son of God, so we find our identity as children of God. Out of this identity, Christians can live out their calling in a new form of life.
Our baptism declares our identity as embraced by Jesus Christ. The questions of who we are and why we are here find their answer in baptism. We are children of the heavenly Father and we are to live as children of the heavenly Father. Few of us will have a heavenly vision. What we will have is the witness of the Christian community, scripture, and the witness of the Spirit. Regardless of our career choice, our vocation in life is to learn to live in this world as representatives of our heavenly Father. Developing a career demands intelligence and to learn a skill, finding out how we get from where we are to where we want to be. Calling considers whether where we want to be is worth moving toward. Since baptism is open to all persons, we can honestly say that all of us have a calling from God. Hearing a divine call is not an event reserved for clergy. Our common calling is to learn what it is like to live as children of the heavenly Father. Such a calling will unlikely be a heavenly vision or an audible voice. It will be through participation in Christian community, through worship, prayer, reading a book, studying the Bible, and so on. Such an event can be life changing as we consider who we shall be in the brief time we have for life in this world. Of course, there are times in our lives when we have the outward sign but do not have the inward grace (John Wesley). That is why children of the heavenly Father need daily repentance and recognize their need for forgiveness. Of course, many people received their baptism as infants or as a rite of passage into their teen years as part of confirmation. Did anything happen? The question for each of us is not so much what happened then, but what is happening now. Do we continue to embrace what our parents and sponsors intended in our baptism? We do not have to, of course. We can turn our backs upon it intentionally.
First, identify with the family. The family of which I am speaking now is the family of God. Are we willing to openly identify ourselves as belonging to this family? When you were born into your biological family, you were not born into the family of God. You must respond to the call of God, and thus to the grace of God that you experience. Can you testify to that response?
Second, identify with the kingdom. The family of God has business in the world. It has work to do and Jesus identified himself with all who would come to the kingdom, and we must as well. He will begin his public ministry after he receives this baptism. He will live the rest of his life in the light of that baptism. While we cannot hope to do so perfectly, we need to learn to bear the name of Jesus well in our families, communities, and places of work.
Third, identify with our baptism. The example of Jesus reminds us of what baptism is really meant to be. It is not a hoop to jump through and a box to check. It is not a spiritual security blanket for our children. It is not a religious routine that just goes with the territory. Jesus goes into the waters of baptism to publicly affirm that he identifies who he is with whom God has made him to be. When we baptize people in the church, we recognize their place in the family. We agree with them that they are God’s and God is theirs. We celebrate our destiny as God’s eternal family.
Finally, identify with Jesus. Your baptism means you identify your life with Jesus. You live in fellowship with him. You follow his lead. It leads to the death of simply living for yourself, but also to the new life of living for and with him. There is a call to each of us to remember that God grants us this new identity — we are beloved children of the Father. The name of Jesus is salvation, the Beloved Son, the Messiah. In following him, you receive his name – Christian, Christ-follower. He is your identity. Your destiny is united to his destiny.
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[2] The question itself suggests that the baptism of Jesus by John is one of the few incidents on which scholars agree that mark the history of Jesus.
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[13] Barth, Church Dogmatics, IV.4, 50-68.
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enjoyed this. I think the significance of baptism is very much overlooked in the church today.
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