Jesus' Baptism

When I was in the Holy Land, a few years ago, on the way from Jerusalem to Galilee we stopped off at the River Jordan to see the baptismal site, the place where, approximately, John baptised Jesus. It is just a fairly narrow strip of water separating Israel and Jordan. It is well supplied with infrastructure to keep it safe these days and, though we drove past some rough ground, to get there, it didn’t really feel like wilderness right by the river as we walked along the boarding and past the souvenir shops. As we looked across to the Jordanian side, we saw even more buildings. There was a range of churches, and even a mosque. Each main denomination has been given a piece of land on which to build a church, a symbolic marking of the fact that this special place really belongs to us all. It must have been quite different in John and Jesus’ day, but it was not too difficult to imagine John there, in the water, encouraging his listeners to step forward and symbolically demonstrate their repentance for all their wrongs.

We were able to dip our hands in the water and we had a brief, but very moving, service of renewal of our baptismal vows. What a wonderful chance it was to take the opportunity to reflect on God’s grace and on our Christian commitment.

Jesus’ baptism by John was clearly one of the key moments in his life and ministry. In many ways it was the launch-pad for what was to come as this is where he receives the endorsement that confirms the call. This is a moment when his identity is named in a very particular way – this is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.  And how interesting that God chooses this setting for this statement of Jesus’ identity. As one of the commentators, Warren Carter, remarks: “God’s revelation of Jesus’ identity occurs not in the centre, not in the presence of the political, social, economic, and religious elite, and not with their approval or permission.  God is at work on the margins with those who dare to see a different present and an alternative way of life and future.”