A reading from the prophet Isaiah (42:1-4, 6-7)
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom my soul delights.
I have put my spirit upon him,
he will bring fair judgement to the nations.
He will not cry out or raise his voice,
his voice will not be heard in the street.
A crushed reed he will not break
nor will he snuff out a faltering wick.
He will establish fair judgement for the nations.
He will not grow faint or be discouraged
until he has established fair judgement on earth
and the coastlands are waiting for his guidance.
I the Lord have called you in righteousness,
I have grasped you by the hand and watched over you;
I have given you as a covenant for the people
and light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to free captives from prison,
and those who sit in darkness from the dungeon.
The second part of Isaiah (40-55) contains four ‘songs’ of the ‘suffering servant’, read during Holy Week. The first song is also appropriate for this final day of the Christmas season, on which we consider the start of Jesus’ ministry with his baptism by John. At the baptism he will be called ‘son’ and ‘beloved’. The names given here, also appropriate, are ‘servant (‘ebed)’ and ‘chosen one (bahir)’. The style of the servant is humble and unthreatening, but he is committed to bringing ‘fair judgement (mishpat)’. He is a person of integrity and truth. The servant is to be ‘light for the nations (’or goyim)’, bringing sight for the blind and freedom for prisoners. These actions are central to the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth.
Psalm 29 (28) The voice of the Lord resounds over the waters.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (10:34-38)
Then Peter began to speak to Cornelius and his household: ‘I understand that truly God is impartial, but that in every nation one that fears him and does what is righteous is acceptable to him. You know the message which he sent to the children of Israel proclaiming peace through Jesus Christ – he is Lord of all – the word which spread throughout Judaea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John announced: Jesus of Nazareth, whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went around doing good and healing all who were held in the power of the devil, because God was with him.
Peter announces the good news to Cornelius, the Roman centurion, at his house in Caesarea. Peter realises that the God of Jesus Christ is the God of all people, all those who ‘fear’ him and do what is just (dikaiosune). Jesus’ public life had begun after John’s baptism. In Peter’s words, Jesus was ‘anointed’ by God with the ‘Holy Spirit (pneuma hagion)’ and with ‘power (dunamis)’. Peter does not mention his baptism by John explicitly, but simply the descent of the Spirit which is mentioned in the gospel accounts, so that Jesus can begin his work of ‘doing good’ and ‘healing’.
A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew (3:13-17)
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. John tried to prevent him, saying, ‘I need to be baptised by you, and yet do you come to me?’ But Jesus replied, ‘Leave it for the time being; for so it is fitting that we should fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he allowed him. And when Jesus had been baptised he at once came up from the water, and see, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And see, a voice from heaven, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I am well pleased.’
The unique feature of Matthew’s account of the baptism of Jesus is that John expresses reluctance to baptise him. John feels the need to be baptised by Jesus. But Jesus insists that ‘righteousness (dikaiosune)’ be fulfilled. The one who stands alongside sinners seeking repentance has the humility to undergo the same rite of penance that they perform. In this account, as in Mark’s, it is Jesus alone who sees the Spirit of God descending, yet the ‘voice (phone) from heaven’ speaks to all present saying: ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I am well pleased.’
To what extent is Jesus imitating the suffering servant when he goes for baptism?
Consider how each evangelist highlights the presence of the Spirit at the baptism of Jesus.