[Propertalk] Why was Jesus Baptized? (EfM teacher)

[Joe Parrish]

Why was Jesus Baptized?  (EfM teacher)


Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2019 10:53:10 -0500
From: EfM teacher <>
I delight in the rich diversity of the Episcopal denomination: our motto
Not compromise for the sake of peace, but
Comprehension for the sale of truth.

So we honor a trove of approaches to Jesus' Baptism:

In Mark's Gospel Jesus is God's champion assaulting the forces of evil, death, and temptation. In this icon of Christ's Baptism, notice the chains, demons, and serpents in the water into which Jesus descends.

and Baptism challenges us to resist evil in and around us.

In Matthew's account John objects to Jesus' Baptism since he's sinless, but Jesus bows his head in humble obedience, and so too Baptism challenges me to trust and obey.

Luke emphasized the Holy Spirit in his understanding of what God is up to.  In this Rembrandt picture of Christ as the light of the world, I see light streaming from the heavens into and out from Jesus.

And so Baptism challenges me to be a joy and blessing to friend and foe.

I think for John as well as the Church in Africa, the Middle East, and Orthodoxy, it's not what the water does to Jesus but what Jesus does to the waters of Chaos and darkness: In the first Creation the Spirit moves above the waters, now Jesus is plunged into the the waters of Death (yet Hell can't stomach him), of Ignorance but the Darkness cannot stop God's growing light, the Cold of Fear but the water can't kill the fire of Love.  And so now water rather than being the heart of darkness, evil, and rebellion become the means of Grace.  Can I follow Jesus into situations that I think will destroy or seclude me?


If you want to swim in the Scriptures, Christian fellowship, and growth, find or start in EfM --The Rev'd Mark Waldon
EfM Coordinator for the Episcopal Diocese of Newark
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