The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus
The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,
the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat,
the son of Levi, the son of Melki,
the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos,
the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,
the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath,
the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein,
the son of Josek, the son of Joda,
27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa,
the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,
the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melki,
the son of Addi, the son of Cosam,
the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer,
the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat,
the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon,
the son of Judah, the son of Joseph,
the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna,
the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,
the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse,
the son of Obed, the son of Boaz,
the son of Salmon,[d] the son of Nahshon,
33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,[e]
the son of Hezron, the son of Perez,
the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob,
the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham,
the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu,
the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,
the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan,
the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem,
the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch,
the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel,
the son of Kenan, 38 the son of Enosh,
the son of Seth, the son of Adam,
the son of God.
Reflection: Luke moves from John the Baptist's message of repentance to Jesus' baptism. There are several observations about this that are helpful to us in understanding the role of baptism. Mark 16:16 says, "whoever believes and baptized will be saved." In Matthew 28 Jesus says, "Go into all nations and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and teaching them all I have commanded."
So we know baptism is not optional and a means of grace by which someone is saved by Jesus. Baptism is the visible Word of God and a sign of what Jesus has done for us. The Word of God is preached and the sacrament of baptism is administered through water and praying for the Holy Spirit to come on the one being baptized. So why was Jesus baptized? Was he sinful and needed to be cleansed?
The obvious answer to that is no. One, he was the Son of God and was God in the flesh. Second, he would have had to die for his own sin on the cross if he had sinned. Jesus the sinless one, died for sinners as the substitutionary atonement for us. Meaning he paid the sin debt we owed and could not pay, and we have been clothed in His righteousness. So why was he baptized then?
One, it says in Matthew's version when John the Baptist objects to Jesus request for baptism by saying, "wait a minute I need to be baptized by you not visa versa." (Mt 3:13-15) Jesus in humility became a man and was obedient until death. Jesus in humility asks to be baptized as an example to others who were being baptized, and also to give his blessing to John's ministry of the baptism of repentance. Since the others did not know he was God, to not be baptized would have been the wrong message at this point. So Jesus humbles himself to fulfill all righteousness.
Where do we need to humble ourselves? Part of the call of our own baptism on our lives, is to daily die to self and put others interests above our own. Jesus set an example for us to follow as his disciples and he said the greatest among you is the one who serves. As such we are baptized once for the forgiveness of sins, but we can remember it and live according to what it means daily.
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,
the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat,
the son of Levi, the son of Melki,
the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos,
the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,
the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath,
the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein,
the son of Josek, the son of Joda,
27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa,
the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,
the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melki,
the son of Addi, the son of Cosam,
the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,
29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer,
the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat,
the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon,
the son of Judah, the son of Joseph,
the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,
31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna,
the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,
the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse,
the son of Obed, the son of Boaz,
the son of Salmon,[d] the son of Nahshon,
33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,[e]
the son of Hezron, the son of Perez,
the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob,
the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham,
the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu,
the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,
the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan,
the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem,
the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch,
the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel,
the son of Kenan, 38 the son of Enosh,
the son of Seth, the son of Adam,
the son of God.
Reflection: Luke moves from John the Baptist's message of repentance to Jesus' baptism. There are several observations about this that are helpful to us in understanding the role of baptism. Mark 16:16 says, "whoever believes and baptized will be saved." In Matthew 28 Jesus says, "Go into all nations and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and teaching them all I have commanded."
So we know baptism is not optional and a means of grace by which someone is saved by Jesus. Baptism is the visible Word of God and a sign of what Jesus has done for us. The Word of God is preached and the sacrament of baptism is administered through water and praying for the Holy Spirit to come on the one being baptized. So why was Jesus baptized? Was he sinful and needed to be cleansed?
The obvious answer to that is no. One, he was the Son of God and was God in the flesh. Second, he would have had to die for his own sin on the cross if he had sinned. Jesus the sinless one, died for sinners as the substitutionary atonement for us. Meaning he paid the sin debt we owed and could not pay, and we have been clothed in His righteousness. So why was he baptized then?
One, it says in Matthew's version when John the Baptist objects to Jesus request for baptism by saying, "wait a minute I need to be baptized by you not visa versa." (Mt 3:13-15) Jesus in humility became a man and was obedient until death. Jesus in humility asks to be baptized as an example to others who were being baptized, and also to give his blessing to John's ministry of the baptism of repentance. Since the others did not know he was God, to not be baptized would have been the wrong message at this point. So Jesus humbles himself to fulfill all righteousness.
Where do we need to humble ourselves? Part of the call of our own baptism on our lives, is to daily die to self and put others interests above our own. Jesus set an example for us to follow as his disciples and he said the greatest among you is the one who serves. As such we are baptized once for the forgiveness of sins, but we can remember it and live according to what it means daily.
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