A few 'facts' to get us started on what may look like a mundane story from the gospels:
The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of his ministry in the Gospel of Mark. In fact, Jesus has no history before the appearance of John the Baptizer and the subsequent baptism of Jesus.
John the Baptizer was baptizing 'for the forgiveness of sins.' This raises a good question: Why, then, did Jesus need to get baptized? Or, could it be that Jesus didn't 'need' baptism, but submitted to this ritual for a different reason? What reason could that be?
In the gospel of Mark, the heavens are ripped open (skidzo in the Greek - the same root word for schizophrenic) and the Spirit descends. This is extreme language on Mark's part. What is the point of this emphasis?
The gospel of Mark begins with "The beginning of the good news (or 'gospel' - the Greek can be translated either way) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." Although our reading this coming Sunday does not begin at the beginning (verse 1) but rather at verse 4, we might miss this significant opening. These words about 'beginning' make a strong link to the creation story of Genesis 1 ('in the beginning'). Could the appearance of John, the baptism and ministry of Jesus and the descent of the Spirit be rooted in the very beginning, in the creation plan of God?
What are the relationships between the baptism of Jesus by John and our own baptisms?
Well, I will take one of these thoughts and expound a little more for those of you who are still reading.......
During the inter-testamental period (the time between the closing of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament) it was believed that the Spirit of God (God's Wisdom, the spirit of prophecy) was locked into the heavenly places. Charismatic prophecy had ceased; the faithful were looking for the next great prophet who would lead to the Son of Man/Messiah.
The writer of Mark works hard to present John as the next great prophet (wilderness, clothing, wild honey) or possibly even the return of the prophet Elijah (a clear signal that the Messiah was imminent). At the baptism of Jesus, the great Spirit of God is released from heaven and alights on the one who is anointed for God's ministry - "the beloved one, in whom God is well pleased." Jesus has been anointed with the Spirit; he is now ready to take up his ministry. For the faithful of Israel, this would be a marker of a new era, perhaps the last era before the Son of Man came and ruled.
With Jesus' baptism, the players are all now in play and the great drama of Jesus can unfold. We go from water to desert as Jesus is driven out to the wilderness in the very next verse. In the gospel of Mark, no time is wasted - Mark drives us onward to embrace the whole of the story - which will end (and only make some sense) with the cross.
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