The Book of Mark
Chapter 1 (NIV)
9At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
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4 comments:
The first time we see the trinity. I always wondered if everyone at the Jordon could hear these words, or if they were only meant for Jesus' ears. I love that verse 9 links up with verse 8. Just as John describes the one who is to come, Jesus arrives. Mark is really spelling out the gospel of Jesus clearly and concisely. Again, I wonder what baptism meant before the resurrection of Jesus. Obviously Jesus didn't have any sins to repent - yet he didn't start his ministry until after the baptism. I'll have to think about this more.
I read up more about this. Before John, baptism was only for the gentiles converting to Judaism. It represented the repentance of sin, th e deliberate turning away from sin into righteousness, and the forgiveness of sin by God's grace. By being baptized at the very beginning of his ministry, Jesus was identifying himself with sinful humanity.
This set of verses is packed with what I consider almost unfathomable impact and meaning. God asserts that Jesus is His "Son," not just a "son" like the rest of us. This is such a breath-taking possibility in concept that I'm having trouble just thinking about it -- that God would put His Son here on earth with us. If we think back to our earlier QT verse, Luke 11:13, what would possess a father to knowingly put his own beloved son into evil's hands? I'm having trouble just thinking about the idea of Jesus on earth. And when I try to think about what it would have been like to experience Jesus in terms of his physical presence before me, I'm blown away. Until I reach Heaven, I'm not sure my imagination can ever rationally grasp this basic historical reality.
But now things get even more complex for me with respect to the Holy Trinity. Why does Jesus decide to get baptised? What does it even mean for Jesus to be baptised?
SJ's research on baptism is very interesting. I now understand why and how things were different for John's ministry versus that of Jesus and his disciples/apostles.
I think I better understand why Jesus chose to be baptised but I'm still a little confused.
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