Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Matthew 3:16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.
THE ANOINTED ONE
In the Old Testament, prophets, priests, and kings went through a special ceremony of anointing before they entered into their work. This anointing was done by pouring oil on the head of the prophet, priest, or king. The anointing was done to show that this person had been chosen to serve.
In the Old Testament, the Savior that God had promised is called the "Messiah" (see Psalm 2:2, Daniel 9:25-26). "Messiah" means "anointed one" in Hebrew. "Christ" means "anointed one" in Greek. Christ isn't Jesus' last name, it is His title -- the "Anointed One".
Jesus is called "Christ" because He was chosen by God to win us salvation and anointed at His baptism. But Jesus wasn't anointed with oil. Nor was He anointed with water alone. On the day of His baptism Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit in a way that He hadn't been before. This anointing was shown visibly by the appearance of the Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove descending to rest on Jesus, the Christ.
About 700 years before His baptism, the Son of God spoke through the prophet Isaiah foretelling His own anointing with the Holy Spirit:
"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD'S favor" (Isaiah 61:1-2).
"Peace on earth, good will from heaven,
Reaching far as man is found;
Souls redeemed and sins forgiven!
Loud our golden harps shall sound.
"Christ is born, the great Anointed;
Heaven and earth, His praises sing!
Oh, receive whom God appointed
For your Prophet, Priest, and King" (TLH 83:3-4).
