Week of Epiphany
And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17
In addition to the visit of the wise men, another event that is often associated with the season of Epiphany is the baptism of Christ. While His baptism may not seem connected with the wise men worshiping Christ, it does serve to more fully reveal, or manifest, His identity to us as true God. Just as we want to live up to the family name and disgrace it, Christ fully lived up to His name as the Son of God.
Did Jesus need to be baptized? No, he was sinless: “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Nevertheless Jesus allows John to baptize Him to fulfill His Father’s will. When John objects to baptizing Jesus, He responds, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15) And, we know this is correct because after He is baptized, we have the Father’s voice approving of Him.
As the sinless Son of God, Jesus did not need to be baptized. But He was. Jesus also did not need to become a human and suffer and die for our sins. But He did. Christ’s baptism, like the rest of His life on earth, exemplifies that not only is He the true Son of God but also that, because of His love for us, he became human to save us from our sins.
It is a miracle beyond our human comprehension that Christ was both true man and true God. Also miraculous is the fact that because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, we are now his true children and, as such, we inherit the gift of eternal life.
Within the Jordan’s crystal flood
In meekness stands the Lamb of God
And, sinless, sanctifies the wave,
Mankind from sin to cleanse and save.
The Lutheran Hymnal 131:3