This is the season of Epiphany (manifestation).The Baptism of
Jesus is one of the key moments of the epiphanos
of God in Christ. This year we will read Matthew’s Gospel. Mt 3:13-17 follows
on several key texts which will help us understand what today’s ‘manifestation’
of God in Jesus means.
In Advent 4 we read Mt 1:18-25; how ‘the birth took place.’ We
learned that the angel gave Him ‘the name Jesus, because He will save His
people from their sins.’ We learned the birth ‘fulfilled the prophecy of
Isaiah, that the virgin will conceive and bear a son and his name will be Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”’ The ancient practice of giving children symbolic
names is in the background here. [If I was a prophet my kids would be named “America
is going to hell in a handbasket” and “the church is unfaithful to her calling.”
They much prefer the names they have!] That name, “God with us” is the answer
to the fundamental question we hear voice in Exodus 17:7 “Is the Lord among us or not?” It is a constant question in the
Bible…Jesus, the Incarnation of God, is the Divine “Yes” to that question.
Last week we pondered the horrible story in Mt 2 of the
slaughter of the baby boys in Bethlehem. We mentioned that this was an
intentional literary allusion to Moses, who was born when Pharaoh ordered the murders
of the male Hebrew newborns. Biblical writers use typology all the time, and
Moses was a primary focus of that typology. Therefore, Matthew’s echoes of
Moses and the Torah accounts are no accident. We do well to remember that
Jesus’ identity is revealed in the words of Scripture, and the Scripture is the
Jewish Bible.
The Jewish Bible is like a photo album. Parents can compare
photos of the toddler to other family members at the same age. We are struck by
the similarities. Or perhaps behaviors remind us of a previous child at that
age. Then our parents inform us that the child is just like we were at that age…
When we read Torah we find Jesus. When we encounter Jesus, Torah is understood
more deeply and clearly. Types are the previous generations.
So today we do well to listen for types and look for typology:
Jesus
came to John at the Jordan
In Advent 2 we met John, the preacher and baptizer. He was
oddly dress like Elijah. Elijah the paradigm of the Prophet in the Jewish Bible
(recall at the Transfiguration Moses and Elijah appear). So John the Baptist recapitulates
Jewish prophecy (Elihjah). And John is at the Jordan. The same river the first
Jesus (in Anglicized Greek), or Joshua in Hebrew, parted and crossed with the Hebrew
people. A new beginning and a new life, fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham.
In Advent 2 John declared that “God is able from these stones
to raise up children of Abraham.” A new family of Abraham is alluded to, a new
beginning and new creation. One recalls that when Joshua led the people across
the dry land of the damned up (at the city of Adam) Jordan river God told him
to have the leader of each tribe take up a stone from the river bed. These
stones, representing Abraham’s offspring-Jacob/Israel. God does raise up new
tribes from stones (Peter-petros-stone: the apostle who represents us all) as
Jesus makes a new family of God (and children of Abraham) of all who believe in
Him. Jesus fulfills God’s promise, “I will make you a father of many nations
and multiply your seed like the stars of the sky.” The billion Christians in
our world today, like twinkling stars, are Abraham’s promise complete. Through
Abraham God will bless the whole world---and Jesus is that Blessing!
So Jesus stands in those waters, the Jordan, passage way to
the Promised Land.
The waters recall other waters.
The watery chaos of Genesis 1 and creation. The
wind/breath/spirit of God hovering over the chaos.
The watery chaos of the Flood story in Genesis 7. And the dove
which is sent out the window by Noah. And the great wind/spirit, again in
creative grace, drying up the chaotic waters to reveal dry earth and a second
creation, a new beginning.
The waters of the Nile, where baby Moses, set adrift in a
small ark (remember the Hebrew word appears only in these two stories). Moses,
who is taken up out of the waters by Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses who is taken up
by God to save His people and reveal His love and teachings.
So, now the Spirit hovers yet again, like a dove. Our minds
are bombarded with connection upon connection, the stories of God weaving
together in perfect fulfillment in the incarnate son.
The Son who is the only one, the beloved one. And in those
words, yet again, are echoed other sons.
Isaac, the son, the only one, the beloved, of Abraham, who
fulfills the promise of offspring. Isaac, whom God calls he only, beloved son
even as He asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. The sacrifice will not come to be,
God will provide a lamb in Isaac’s place. Here God reveals who that Lamb is:
Jesus; God’s son, the only and beloved.
Israel, the nation, is also God’s beloved son. God calls His
son out of Egypt we read last week. Fulfilling Hosea, who said these words
referring to Israel, the nation, called out of Egypt in the Exodus. Now Jesus,
who is called out of Egypt, begins His public life. In Him the promises are
fulfilled.
Jesus is the perfect and true child of Abraham, the perfect
and true Messiah like Moses, the perfect, true and complete sacrifice like
Isaac, the perfect, true and final Savior like Joshua. Jesus is the ARCHETYPE
of all these (and more). Jesus fulfills (fully fills up) every Scripture. God
has seen to that and the intricate weaving of stories and images are but a sign
of that Divine hand at work.
Standing in those waters Jesus takes in all of His people and
brings us to God.
Is God among us? Is God for us? In Jesus, YES.
Behold God’s Son
You are baptized into Him. Trust Him who is God’s Son. Trust
and Love, Worship, Obey and Proclaim Him
who is baptized for us and begins the new creation
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