Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Matthew 3:13, 16-17 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. ... 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 alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
MANIFEST AT JORDAN'S STREAM
When Jesus told Nathanael that He had seen this disciple-to-be "while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel" (John 1:48-49). Those two titles truly belong together. Only the Son of God made man could do what needed to be done by the Christ on behalf of us all.
Anointed by God to a three-fold role, the Christ was 1) to proclaim the Gospel word with an authority and clarity beyond any previous prophet, 2) to make priestly intercession not only for Israel but our whole world of sinners -- and in so doing offer the ultimate Sacrifice, paying the price for all sin of all time, and 3) finally, as a result, the Christ would establish His right to rule the hearts and lives of all whom He had redeemed.
Jesus came to John at the Jordan to take up in earnest His work as the Christ, to be publicly marked as the ultimate Prophet, Priest and King. And it was there, as He came up out of the Jordan, that the voice of the Father made manifest in emphatic fashion that Jesus is well-qualified for this saving work. He is the eternal Son of God come into human flesh.
Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord, to Thee we raise,
Manifest at Jordan's stream, Prophet, Priest, and King supreme,
Anthems be to Thee addressed
God in man made manifest.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 134:2)
