Luke 3:18-22
New International Version
18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them. 19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison. 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.”
Friday - January 14
Luke does not spend much time on the actual baptism of Jesus. He builds up to it with all the stuff about John, but then, all of a sudden, John’s time is up. Herod gets rid of him because he does not like how John has been criticizing his divorce and remarriage (to his niece who was already married to his half-brother). But Herod is also a stark contrast to Jesus. Jesus, the perfect Son of God, comes to the water of baptism to receive God’s blessing. Herod wants nothing to do with God or God’s Law. That is why he put John in prison (and eventually beheaded him). Jesus came to the waters of baptism and received a blessing from His heavenly Father: “You are my beloved Son. I am pleased with you.” And that is the same blessing we receive in our baptism! We are adopted as God’s children by God’s decree!
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