The Gospel Reading for the First Sunday after the Epiphany: Year B
“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”” (Mark 1:9 to 11)
The Gospel according to Mark really skips a lot. First of all, Jesus did go to the Eastern shore of Israel by the Jordan and came to John the Baptist for his baptism. It was hardly a quick or hurried baptism. Then, after a wilderness hiatus, he went to Capernaum, to the shore of Lake Galilee. It is the first place he went and settled of his own free will and accord.
At his Baptism however, the “coming up out to the water” can be interpreted in a couple of ways. One way is that he was fully immersed under the water; and second, he simply lowered himself enough in order to have John to raise water in his hands and over the head and face of Jesus. Either way, coming up out of the water fits both wordings. John raising water over the face of Jesus works better with me being it was more of a washing than a dunking.
In whichever way it happened, upon walking back upon the shore, Jesus, and Jesus alone, heard the voice which came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased,” according to Mark and Luke. It is first person language. Matthew’s translations says “this is my Son…” (Mathew 3:16), which suggests the voice was also heard by those around the scene at the time.
Regardless, of the water issue, Jesus can come up out of the water and back on land in either one. What is most important is his understanding of who he really is and his journey into the wilderness and his leadership at Capernaum.
As Christians, we too have been baptized, and we too have come up out of the water. We must now traverse the wilderness and show Christian leadership as we struggle to emulate our Lord Jesus. We also await the heavens to be torn apart hear the voice of God say to us personally, “You are my child, the beloved, with you, I am well pleased.”
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
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