As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,* 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. 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.’ Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 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.’ (Luke 3:15-17; 21-22 NRSV)
The picture is what we think of when we think of Jesus’ baptism. John and Jesus there in the Jordan and John pouring water over Jesus or helping Him under the water… But is that what the gospel of Luke actually says happened? Notice the reading above reading leaves out 3 verses. Read them here:
So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, added to them all by shutting up John in prison. (Luke 3:18-20 NRSV)
So John is in prison and could not have been there when Jesus was baptized. So then who baptized Jesus?
The Holy Spirit did it. It is wholly God that does baptism. God announces to us that we are a part of His family. That is why Jesus is baptized and the gift we get. The announcement that we are God’s child. We are loved and claimed by our creator.
So know that you are loved and accepted by God as His beloved child and this is all His doing. You are loved just as you are.
aSacredRebel 