Jesus and John



Matthew 3:13-17
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.
16And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
17and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

In our brief reading for today we find Jesus going out to the River Jordan to partake in the ministry of John the Baptist. Jesus is willing to participate in John’s baptism. John has already spoken of “the One who is to come” and is fully aware of Jesus’ ministry. John was so completely aware of Jesus that he recognizes Jesus when their mothers met while they were both pregnant. The Gospel of Luke fills in a great many details about the birth of Jesus and of John.

According to Luke 1:36, Jesus and John were actually related. Elizabeth, (John’s mother) and Mary (Jesus’ mother) were related, so their sons would be related as well. John was 6 months older than Jesus. What we don’t know is how acquainted Jesus and John were while they were growing up. It would make sense that they may have known one another although John’s parents were much older than Mary and Joseph. It is possible Elizabeth and Zechariah died while John was still quite young. The text is silent about all of that. What we do know is that when Jesus approaches John at the river, John knows exactly who He is and is rightly humbled.

John is also witness to the presence of the Trinity in that moment of baptism. Jesus stands in the water while the Spirit descends upon Him and the voice of the Father is heard. The text is silent as to whether anyone else was there for this pivotal moment in the history of the world. The images had to have filled John’s head for the rest of his (relatively few) remaining days. This event is unique in that it is rather singular. There are very few events described where all three Person of the Trinity are manifested in the same moment. John is blessed to have witnessed it.

Jesus, who knows no sin, allows this baptism of repentance in preparation for the carrying of our sin in His death. As His ministry begins, He is looking ahead to the culmination of that ministry as He suffers for our sin. Did Jesus have anything for which to repent? No. But He submits in His humiliation as a human to that which will take Him to the cross; ever the Messiah.

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