Epiphany 1

Baptism of Jesus

Preparation

Please begin by reading Mark 1:4-11 in your Bible. If you do not have one at hand, we have provided that text for you at the end of this reflection.

Reflection--Baptism

This is the time of year that the Christian church celebrates the baptism of Jesus.  While we can just scratch the surface in this short reflection, it is a good time to think about the nature of baptism and about our own baptism.

Baptism has been a basic part of what it means to be a Christian since the very earliest days.  Whatever other historical roots baptism may have (and there are many), there is none more important to the Christian community than the story recounted in this passage (and in similar passages in Matthew and Luke).  We know that baptism is somehow important to the story of salvation because of Jesus' example.  We also know something of what baptism is about because of this story — a washing with water as a sign of repentance (a turning or reorientation of our lives toward God) and something associated with God's gift of the Holy Spirit.  Note that John says that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit — a gift of the grace and power of God's presence.  Later New Testament stories confirm that there is a connection between baptism in Jesus' name and an empowering of the baptized believer by the Spirit.  (E.g., Acts 8:14-25.)

It is significant to our understanding of baptism that Jesus was baptized at the beginning of his earthly ministry.  While it can and should be a personal blessing, our baptism and receipt of God's Spirit of grace is not just about our own enrichment.  The gift of God's grace and power is associated with our individual responsibility to spread to others the good news of God's love that changes human lives. 

We learn who Jesus is, and who we are called to be, when we follow him from this opening gospel scene through the course of his ministry in the rest of the gospel story.  A commentator notes that "Jesus the Son of God is God's selfless servant who gives even himself to save others!  Jesus, the Son of God, makes provision for the salvation of humanity.  He reveals with utter clarity the depth of God's love and the essential, selfless, serving nature of God.  And Jesus, the Son of God, shows human beings the manner of life to which God calls us all."

revclay

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Mark 1:4-11

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.  Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.  I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.  And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." 

[NRSV]