Sunday 11th January, The Baptism of Christ

Sunday 18th January, 2nd Sunday of Epiphany

This week we fast forward about thirty years in Jesus’ story from baby Jesus with the wise men to grown-up Jesus being baptised by John. John is a bit non-plussed by this, as many theologians and commentators have been ever since. If John’s baptism, as Mark tells us, is a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, why does Jesus need to be baptised? Indeed, asks John, shouldn’t Jesus be the one doing the baptising?

To which Jesus responds in a very Jesus-like manner. “Because it’s what God wants,” he says, without explaining why. This seems to satisfy John, so perhaps it ought to satisfy us too. Except of course that doesn’t stop us asking questions.

So perhaps we need to focus on what happens when Jesus comes out of the water. The heavens open, the Spirit descends, and the Father’s voice says “This is my son, whom I love; I am very pleased with him.” This isn’t about sin or repentance, it’s about family, about receiving God’s unconditional fatherly love and pride before having done anything to earn it. For Matthew, baptism is about being and belonging – about who we are, not about what we do, or have done – and about recognising that we belong in God’s family, and in his heart. Everything Jesus does afterwards flows from that. And if Jesus is the pattern for our discipleship, perhaps we should start here too: “You are my child, whom I love; I am very pleased with you.”

Every blessing,

Roger.