Wednesday Thoughts on the Readings for Baptism of Our Lord Sunday 2019 (January 13th)

This Sunday is "Baptism of Our Lord Sunday," which focuses on the day John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.  Because we are focusing on the Gospel of Luke this year, we read Luke's account of this moment...which is rather bare in its description.  There is no discussion between John and Jesus.  We don't even get a description of the moment of baptism!  We simply hear that Jesus was baptized during this time when John was baptizing many people.  So, what does Luke tell us about this moment?

In our other readings, we get a proclamation from the Lord through Isaiah, and psalm declaring the Lord's power over creation, and an interesting journey for Peter and John into Samaria.  There is plenty to consider here, and I hope you will join me in the discussion by commenting below.


Isaiah 43:1 - 7

 1 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
 4 Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life.
 5 Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you;
 6 I will say to the north, "Give them up," and to the south, "Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth--

 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."

- The people were able to return to Jerusalem because Persia managed to conquer Babylon.  How much territory did Persia conquer?  Did their empire extend to Egypt and beyond?  (Later answer: yes, it did!  See this map from Wikipedia depicting the expansion of the Persian Empire from the mid-500's BC to the early 400's BC.)

- Arguing whether the Lord should exchange one people/nation for another concedes the claim that the Lord has the power and authority to make such exchanges in the first place.

- Later in Isaiah, the Lord will proclaim that all other nations will stream to Jerusalem and receive the same blessings that the Israelites receive.  We can infer this in verse 7, when the Lord calls for everyone “whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” to be gathered into the kingdom.

Psalm 29

 1 Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

 2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; worship the LORD in holy splendor.

 3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over mighty waters.

 4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

 5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

 6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.

 7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.

 8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

 9 The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, "Glory!"

 10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.

 11 May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace! 

- Plenty of focus on "the voice of the LORD," which has the ability to speak things into being.

Acts 8:14 - 17

 14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.  15 The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit 16 (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).  17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

- The early church had different baptismal formulations.  While the church eventually settled on baptizing people “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” it was common for people to baptize in the name of Jesus alone or even with the baptism of John (see Acts 19:1 – 7).

- This may be the basis for the old practice of “confirming” baptisms.  At one time, Roman Catholic bishops would travel across their territories and visit congregations to “confirm” all of the baptisms that had taken place since their last visit by laying hands on each of the baptized.

Luke 3:15 - 17, 21 - 22

15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

- The reading skips over the mention of Herod throwing John into prison in an attempt to keep the focus on Jesus.

- There is a tradition which claims that, by being baptized in the Jordan River, Jesus made all water holy.

- In Luke, there is a time delay between the baptism and the descent of the Holy Spirit.

- Luke's account is focused on the descent of the Holy Spirit and the voice declaring Jesus to be "my Son, the Beloved."  If we have read from the beginning, the declaration that Jesus is the son of God is not new information.  The question becomes: "What does this add to our understanding of who Jesus is?"  Does the presence of the Holy Spirit tell us anything?

- Luke 3 continues by noting Jesus’ age at this time (30) as well as Jesus’ family tree stretching back to Adam.