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Reading through the Gospels 26

Mark 1:9-11, Matthew 3:13-17, Luke 3:21,22, & John 1:29-34

 

Mark 1:9-11 BAPTISM OF JESUS

Mark 1:9-11, Matthew 3:13-17, Luke 3:21,22, & John 1:29-34

In all four Gospels

(created 6/21/2015; The Digital Art Challenge that went with this one was to use my tearing paper tutorial (Course 2, Lesson 65). I tore out the middle of the paper and then put another paper underneath it. It almost looks like it is part of the original paper though.)

 

Jesus came from Nazareth to the Jordan River, near Bethany (John 1:28) where John baptized him. Just like the other people, Jesus came to John.  As he was coming out of the water, the heavens tore open and a dove, representing the Holy Spirit came down.  This is different from John's other baptisms because the Holy Spirit is absent. 

All three persons of God were present, Father [voice], Son [baptized], and Holy Spirit [dove].

 

God's voice is audible (one of the few times in the Bible).  The heavens opening up was for the people to see with their own eyes so that they may believe.  The people would have spread the news about what they had seen. This is the first public activity of Jesus and instead of going to the crowded city, He went to the Jordan where people were repenting, where He would be accepted and people would believe, so that the good news would spread.

 

In Luke 3:21, we read that Jesus was praying before the heavens were opened up.  Prayer by Jesus is a theme in Luke's writings, being mentioned 8 times.

 

Why is it necessary for Jesus to be baptized when Jesus has no sin? (Matthew 3:13-15)  John tried to deter Jesus, saying that Jesus should instead baptize John.  John felt unqualified. Jesus said He needed to be baptized to fulfill all righteousness. To fulfill means to complete. Righteousness means being right with God.  Jesus is saying that He, as a man, although fully (100%) God and fully (100%) man, needed to be obedient to the Father. Jesus being baptized was in God's plan, just as Jesus being born as a man, living as a man, and dying on the cross as a man was in God's plan. Jesus was also showing support for John which verified to the people John's work. This links John to Jesus and to the prophesies. The prophesies are fulfilled regarding John.

 

In John 1:29-34 we learn that the baptism is "the next day," so Jesus came to John the second day of John's work. John says he is now a witness who can testify, that before this day, he did not know Jesus.  John and Jesus were both about 30 years old and this indicates they had not met in person because John did not know what Jesus looked like. The dove was the visual for John that verified Jesus, the one God had told him to prepare the way.

 

Copyright Cheryl Rutledge-Brennecke
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