STU:The Baptism of Christ  By Calvin Culver

   At the Baptism of Christ there were two distinct ministries given to
him. He was called the "Beloved Son" and was said to have "well-
pleased" God. These two comments are not without historical parallel.
The phrase "beloved son" had a distinctive connotation to the Jewish
ear. Psalm 2:7 uses the phrase. To whom was this Psalm addressed? To
David and the kings who were to come from his line. Psalm 2 is one of
several Psalms which were apparently used as part of a coronation
ceremony. Israel's king is God's viceroy on earth. So "son" is meant in
the sense of Christ now entering his position as a Davidic ruler.

   "Well-pleased" is reminiscent of Isaiah 42:1, which contains
statements regarding the servant of YHWH, saying that he is the one in
whom God will put His holy Spirit. The servant is also said to be the
one in whom God's soul delights. Thus it appears that this voice from
heaven is commissioning Christ in his Messianic office. Isaiah 61:1 is
also a Messianic prophecy.

   So what does the servant in Isaiah do? He eventually suffers. Thus,
at the Baptism, Christ is given a dual office of Messianic ruler and
suffering servant. Christ is always tempted to reject this second
office in order to emphasize the first. This suffering is the "second
baptism" of Christ - into death. Until that baptism and the
resurrection, Christ's ministry is under constraint. He could not
fulfill his kingly ministry in the fullest sense until he had fulfilled
the servant role. This is what Christ means when he speaks of the
"baptism with which I am to be baptized" and about "being under
constraint".

   Again, we must understand the background behind the scene of the
Baptism. Just what was John's baptism? The practice of baptism was an
outgrowth of God's command to the unclean, once the days of
purification had been fulfilled, to go and wash himself in the Jordan,
as a final proclamation, or sealing, of his cleanness, and to mark his
re-admittance back into the community of the people of YHWH. John's
baptism, then, truly was a baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

   One other point must be mentioned: the baptism of John was not, as
Christians tend to conceive baptism, a once-and-for-all affair, but was
repeated each time the baptismal candidate stepped forward to confess
publicly his sins. In this sense, at least, John's baptism functioned
in much the same way as the Roman Catholic confessional; one confesses
one's sins and receives ablution. Undoubtedly, many of those whom John
baptized had been baptized by him many times already.

   In contrast to this, however, we have Christ's Baptism. How was it
unique? First of all, as Christ was sinless, his Baptism could not have
been for the forgiveness of sin. Secondly, Christ insisted on being
Baptized "to fulfill all righteousness" (Matt. 3:15, NIV). What this
may mean I'll leave to another discussion (I am far from certain
myself). Finally, and most importantly, however, is the fact that
Christ's Baptism WAS once-and-for-all. He was never again baptized.
This, it seems to me, becomes yet another symbol of the new covenant
which Christ established. No longer will it be necessary to continually
petition forgiveness, to continue to confess our sin, to wash ourselves
clean with the blood of scapegoats and sacrificial altars. Our days of
purification are fulfilled and the Passover Lamb has come; in him we
have forgiveness once-and-for-all.

   Computers for Christ - Chicago