Matthew 3: 13-17

I propose a biblical analysis with the following steps: a study of each Greek word of the gospel passage, followed by an analysis of the structure of the narrative and its context, to which is added a comparison of parallel or similar passages. At the end of this analysis and as a conclusion, I propose to summarize what the evangelist meant, and I end up with some suggestions on how this Gospel could shed light on our current situation.


 


  1. Translation of the Greek text (28th edition of Kurt Aland)

    Greek textTransliterated Greek textLiteral translationTranslation in current language
    13 Τότε παραγίνεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰορδάνην πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην τοῦ βαπτισθῆναι ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ. 13 Tote paraginetai ho Iēsous apo tēs Galilaias epi ton Iordanēn pros ton Iōannēn tou baptisthēnai hyp' autou.13 At that time arrives the Jesus from Galilee upon the Jordan towards the John to be baptized by him.13 At that time Jesus went to John in the Jordan, arriving from Galilee, to be baptized by him.
    14 ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν λέγων• ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με; 14 ho de Iōannēs diekōlyen auton legōn• egō chreian echō hypo sou baptisthēnai, kai sy erchē pros me?14 Then the John was hindering him saying, I, I have need by you to be baptized, and you, you come towards me?14 But John vigorously opposed him with these words, "But it is I who need to be baptized by you, why do you come so to me?"
    15 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν• ἄφες ἄρτι, οὕτως γὰρ πρέπον ἐστὶν ἡμῖν πληρῶσαι πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην. τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτόν. 15 apokritheis de ho Iēsous eipen pros auton• aphes arti, houtōs gar prepon estin hēmin plērōsai pasan dikaiosynēn. tote aphiēsin auton.15 Then, having answered the Jesus towards him, permit just now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. At that time he permits him.15 Then Jesus retorted, "Let it go for the moment. For this is how we take the right action that is asked of us". John then let him do it.
    16 βαπτισθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εὐθὺς ἀνέβη ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος• καὶ ἰδοὺ ἠνεῴχθησαν [αὐτῷ] οἱ οὐρανοί, καὶ εἶδεν [τὸ] πνεῦμα [τοῦ] θεοῦ καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν [καὶ] ἐρχόμενον ἐπʼ αὐτόν• 16 baptistheis de ho Iēsous euthys anebē apo tou hydatos• kai idou ēneōchthēsan [autō] hoi ouranoi, kai eiden [to] pneuma [tou] theou katabainon hōsei peristeran [kai] erchomenon ep auton• 16 Then, having been baptized, the Jesus immediately ascended from the water; and behold were opened [to him] the heavens and he saw [the] spirit of [the] God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him.16. After his baptism, Jesus immediately came up from the water. Now, behold, the heavens opened and Jesus saw the Spirit of God come down like a dove upon him.
    17 καὶ ἰδοὺ φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα• οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα.17 kai idou phōnē ek tōn ouranōn legousa• houtos estin ho huios mou ho agapētos, en hō eudokēsa.17 And behold a voice out of the heavens saying, this one is the son of me the beloved, in whom I was well pleased.17 And a voice from heaven said, "Here is my beloved son, whom I saw fit to choose."

  1. Analysis of each verse

    v. 13 At that time Jesus went to John in the Jordan, arriving from Galilee, to be baptized by him.

    Literally: At that time arrives the Jesus from Galilee upon the Jordan towards the John to be baptized by him.

 
We have some extremely interesting historical elements here. Jesus is from Galilee, and John ministered in the Jordan region. Intersecting various pieces of information, it is likely that John ministered in late 27 CE or early 28 CE, and thus Jesus would have gone to John to receive baptism in early 28 CE (on the subject, see the chronology proposed by J. Meier). The scene is said to take place in the southern part of the Jordan River, on the western side of the river, in present-day Jordan.

John, commonly known as the Baptist, is a historical figure attested elsewhere than in the gospels, such as in the Jewish Antiquities of the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (see J. Meier). The essence of his message was to announce God's impending intervention that would chastise this unfaithful people Israel unless they repented and changed their behavior, and expressed that change by accepting his once-and-for-all water baptism. This baptism seems to be an original creation on his part, because at that time only the rite of water ablutions was practiced.

Why did Jesus go to John to be baptized? Like many Jews of his time, he was attracted to his preaching and his revival movement. So he left his job around the year 28, when he was about 34 years old, and was baptized in the Jordan by the one he considered an eschatological super-prophet sent by God, confessing that Israel had become a sinful people and showing his solidarity with them. Then he joins a group of followers of the Baptist and, in turn, begins to baptize. In short, we are at a key moment in the life of Jesus, it is a caesura (he leaves his job) that will create a lot of turmoil in his family.

About John the Baptist and his baptism, see the Glossary
v. 14 But John vigorously opposed him with these words, "But it is I who need to be baptized by you, why do you come so to me?"

Literally: Then the John was hindering him saying, I, I have need by you to be baptized, and you, you come towards me?

 
This verse assumes that John knows Jesus in the light that Christians will discover only after Easter, i.e., the one sent by God to bring the Holy Spirit to all humanity. It must therefore be accepted that this verse is a Christian creation, either from Matthew or from a source of his own, and is therefore not an echo of a historical event. Simple common sense raises the objection that John could not have known deeply the identity of this newcomer. Moreover, this verse contradicts a later scene in which John, then in prison, questions the identity of Jesus and sends disciples to ask him if he is the messiah (Matthew 11:2-6).

It is easy to understand why the early Christians were uncomfortable with this scene of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist: how could God's messiah make a gesture of both submission and admission of the need for a change in behavior? And above all, how could the true source of the sending of the Holy Spirit be at the mercy of a human being? These objections are not far from the objection of Christians today who have difficulty admitting that Jesus was first a disciple of John the Baptist, and that it was through John the Baptist that he discovered his vocation and mission. Fundamentally, our difficulty stems from the very fact that God's way of reaching us is linked to the mystery of the Incarnation: everything happens through everyday events and our human condition, not through divine appearances or extraordinary events.

v. 15 Then Jesus retorted, "Let it go for the moment. For this is how we take the right action that is asked of us". John then let him do it.

Literally: Then, having answered the Jesus towards him, permit just now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness (dikaiosynēn). At that time he permits him.

for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness (dikaiosynēn)
Here again, we are not faced with a dialogue that goes back to the historical Jesus, but with the explanation of the first Christians to understand why Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, even though Jesus was considered superior to him: it was the will of God. This is the meaning of the expression "this is how we take the right action that is asked of us". We have translated the Greek word: dikaiosynē (righteousness) as "right action". But the justice referred to here is not distributive justice, as when someone receives what he or she deserves, or punitive justice, when a criminal is imprisoned. The Greek root dik means: direction and places us in the world of human action. Justice is right action, and right action is that which is appropriate in the circumstances, and basically corresponds to what God wants. So the early Christians don't really tell us why Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, they just say: that's the way it is, that's what God wanted.

At that time he permits him
The phrase "let it go for the moment" implies that the inferiority of Jesus being baptized by John will only last for a while, and after Easter believers will begin to assert the superiority of Jesus over John. This debate may seem strange to Christians today, but it was not so in the first century. According to the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, John was more popular than Jesus, and this popularity was the reason for his beheading (see Meier).

Beyond this debate on how to situate John and Jesus in relation to each other, we can ask the question: historically speaking, why did Jesus go to be baptized by John the Baptist, like all those Jews who were going to confess their sins and express their desire to change their behavior? Did Jesus recognize himself as a great sinner? Or was he pretending to be a great sinner, which would be worse, because he would appear as a great hypocrite. To answer this question, we must get out of our modern individualistic mentality. In the Jewish world, we accept the fact that it is a whole people that has gone astray and away from God, and therefore that it is the whole people that is sinful. The modern equivalent would be to say that it is the whole of the West that is responsible for the high level of greenhouse gases, and therefore for global warming. Jesus' action is therefore an expression of solidarity with his people and of the desire to see them return to God.

v. 16 After his baptism, Jesus immediately came up from the water. Now, behold, the heavens opened and Jesus saw the Spirit of God come down like a dove upon him.

Literally: Then, having been baptized, the Jesus immediately ascended (anebē) from the water; and behold were opened [to him] the heavens and he saw [the] spirit of [the] God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him.

Jesus immediately ascended (anebē) from the water
We do not have the description of Jesus' baptism, because Matthew probably does not want to insist on it, and we go straight to the "after baptism". But the expression "he came up out of the water" has a great symbolic value. Indeed, we can read in Isaiah 63:11: "They remembered the days of Moses his servant: Where is he who made him come up (Hebrew: hama῾ălēm, from the root: ῾ălh, to go up, to ascend, to go up) the shepherd of his flock from the sea? Where is he who put his holy spirit in him?" This text alludes to Moses, and more specifically to two episodes: the one where Moses was saved from the waters by Pharaoh's daughter (Ex 2:1ff) and the one of the gift of the Spirit to Moses so that he could carry out his mission (Num 11:17). The scene of Jesus' baptism presents the new Moses who rises from the water and receives the Holy Spirit.

Although Matthew borrows the scene from Mark's account, it is worth noting that the symbolism of the climb is important to him. We have the same Greek verb anabainō (to go up) in Mt 5:1 when Jesus climbs (anabainō) the mountain for that famous Sermon on the Mount or again in Mt 15:29 when he climbs (anabainō) the mountain again from which he will feed the crowd. This announces a solemn moment. Moreover, the symbolism is not unlike the primordial waters of Genesis and the passage of the Jewish people through the waters of the Red Sea. In a way, we are before a new Jesus who has just been born to his new mission.

behold were opened [to him] the heavens
The expression is well known in the Bible:

  • Isaiah 63:19: We are, long ago, people over whom you no longer rule and who no longer bear your name. Ah, if you would tear the heavens and come down -- before your face the mountains would be shaken;
  • Ezekiel 1:1: In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth of the month, while I was among the deportees by the river Chebar, the heaven was opened and I witnessed divine visions.
  • John 1:51: And he (Jesus) said to him (Nathanael), "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending above the Son of Man."
  • Acts 7: 56: "Look, he (Stephen) said, I see the heavenly open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
  • Acts 10: 11: He (Peter) sees the heaven opened and an object, like a large tablecloth tied at the four corners, descending from it to the earth.
  • Revelation 19: 11: Then I saw the heaven opened, and behold a white horse; he who rides him is called "Faithful" and "True," and he judges and wages war with justice.

The expression refers to the establishment of a relationship and communication between man and God. Heaven is a euphemism for God. And when it opens for man, then he is able to hear his word. In the Bible, this expression is used at important moments when man experiences important discoveries about the meaning of things, about his life, about the lives of others, about history, and which he deeply believes to be inspired by God. Matthew tells us that Jesus had this decisive experience that cast a new light on his life. Note that the variant [to him] (Greek: autō) is found in some versions such as the Sinaiticus (ﬡ) corrected, or the Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (C) or in a few other major codices, while it is omitted by the important Vaticanus version (B). The original text may not have had the phrase "to him," for it is easier to understand that a copyist would have added it to clarify that heaven opens for Jesus, not for John or the crowd, rather than that a copyist would have eliminated or omitted it.

he saw [the] spirit of [the] God descending
We are in the world of Jesus' personal experience, since he alone sees what is happening. When we speak of the spirit (Greek: pneuma; Hebrew: ruāh) of God, we are speaking of his breath, his inspiration, and thus his mentality, his being. In the Old Testament, the one who receives the spirit of God is invested with a prophetic mission.

  • Numbers 11:29: Moses answered him, "...May all the people of Yahweh be prophets, Yahweh giving them his Spirit!"
  • 1 Samuel 11:6: And when Saul heard these things the spirit of Yahweh came upon him, and he was very angry.

But the gift of God's spirit is especially directed to the promised messiah.

  • Isaiah 11:1-2: A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse, a sucker will grow from his roots. On him shall rest the Spirit of Yahweh, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh.
  • Isaiah 42:1: Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have put my spirit upon him; he will present the right to the nations.
  • Isaiah 61:1: The spirit of the Lord Yahweh is upon me, for Yahweh has anointed me; he has sent me to bring the news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to the captives and deliverance to the prisoners

The scene therefore wants to show that Jesus had the experience of being chosen by God to begin his prophetic mission, to transmit his word and promote his liberating action.

like a dove
Why a dove? The answer is not clear. One could see it as an allusion to two scenes in the Old Testament. First, there is the dove that Noah released three times and which signaled the end of the flood and thus the beginning of the new creation (Genesis 8:1-12). There is also the creation of heaven and earth, when, just before the creation of light, a wind (Hebrew: ruāh, Greek: pneuma) of God was whirling over the waters; Jewish tradition saw in this the image of the dove. In both scenes, there is the announcement of new times. This is consistent with the atmosphere at Jesus' baptism.

v. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "Here is my beloved son, whom I saw fit to choose."

Literally: And behold a voice out of the heavens saying, this one is the son of me the beloved, in whom I was well pleased (eudokēsa).

a voice out of the heavens
The intervention of a "voice from heaven" serves to give meaning to the scene from God's point of view. We will have a similar scene at the transfiguration when a voice in the cloud says: "This is my beloved son, whom I have seen fit to choose; listen to him" (Matthew 17:5). In this scene following the baptism, the voice confirms the unique quality of Jesus and his call to a unique mission.

the son of me the beloved
Jesus is called son. But beware, we should not immediately give it the theological meaning that will later become part of the faith of Christians. The fact that God gives the name of son to certain people is common in the Old Testament. It means that a special relationship unites him to certain people: it can be an angel, the people Israel, the king.

  • Exodus 4: 22: Then you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says Yahweh, My firstborn son is Israel.
  • Jeremiah 31: 9: In tears they return; in supplications I bring them back. I will lead them to the watercourses, by a straight path where they will not stumble. For I am a father to Israel and Ephraim is my firstborn.
  • 2 Samuel 7: 14: I will be to him (King Solomon) a father and he will be to me a son.
  • Psalm 2: 7: I will state the decree of Yahweh: He said to me (to the king), "You are my son; I, this day, have begotten you.
  • Deuteronomy 14: 1: You are sons (the people) to Yahweh your God. You shall not cut or tonsure yourselves on the forehead for a dead man.
  • Hosea 2, 1: The number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; in the very place where it was said to them, "You are not my people," it shall be said to them, "Sons of the living God."

It is therefore in this line of those who have a special relationship with God that we must read this passage. In the same way, the description of Jesus as "beloved" is in line with passages in the Old Testament where God calls his people that way or certain characters like Moses.

  • Deuteronomy 33: 12: He said of Benjamin, Beloved of Yahweh, he rests safely by him. The Most High protects him every day and dwells between his hillsides.
  • Jeremiah 11: 15: What is my beloved (covenant people) doing in my House? She has accomplished her evil purposes.
  • Ecclesiasticus 45: 1: He brought out of him a good man who found favor in the eyes of all the world, beloved of God and men, Moses, whose memory is in blessing.
  • Ecclesiasticus 46: 13: Samuel was the beloved of his Lord; a prophet of the Lord, he established kingship and anointed the leaders established over his people.
  • Psalm 108: 7: That thy beloved (people) may be delivered, save by thy right hand and answer us.

But in Matthew, the expression is more specific, for he intends to designate this mysterious figure found in Isaiah 42:1 (Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have put my Spirit upon him; he will present the right to the nations); indeed, a little later (12:18), Matthew will take up this passage from Isaiah by adding the expression "beloved": "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, my Beloved who has all my favor. I will place my Spirit upon him and he will proclaim the Right to the nations." It is clear to Matthew that "beloved" means the promised messiah.

eudokēsa (I was well pleased)
It is usually translated as "my favor rests on him" (New English Bible, Jerusalem Bible), "in whom I am well pleased" (American Standard, King James), "with whom I am pleased" (New Revised Standard Version, New International version, New American Bible). In fact, the Greek verb eudokeō is formed from two roots, "eu" which means good (like eu-aggelion, good-news), and "dokeō" which means to think, to judge. Literally, the Greek phrase "in hō eudokēsa" is translated "in him I judged good," or "in him I perceived good things." The idea here is that God has a favorable perception of Jesus, that he found in him a great quality, and that is why he chose him for this mission. Here is the list of New Testament texts with the phrase "eudokō en".

  • 1 Cor 10: 5: However, it was not the greatest number of them that pleased to God (literally: God saw fit to choose from the greatest number of them), since their bodies littered the desert
  • 2 Cor 12, 10: Therefore I take pleasure in the weaknesses, in the outrages, in the distresses, in the persecutions and anguish endured for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
  • Mk 1: 11: "You are my beloved Son, you have all my favor."
  • Lk 3: 22: And a voice came from heaven, "You are my son [beloved, you have all my favor."]
  • Mt 17: 5: This is my beloved Son, who has all my favor, listen to him.
  • Heb 10: 38: Now my righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks from it, my soul shall not be pleased with him.
  1. Analysis of the narrative's structure

    The heart of the story is limited to two verses (16-17), for the rest is a long introduction: first there is the setting (v. 13), then the explanation of why Jesus is being baptized (vv. 14-15).

    1. Setting (v. 13)
      • Time: while John was calling people to conversion "At that time".
      • Location: Jordan
      • Characters: Jesus and John
      • Opportunity: Jesus wants to be baptized by John

    2. Explanation of the baptism of Jesus (vv. 14-15)
      • John opposes Jesus' plan: Jesus does not need to be baptized, but rather he should be baptized by Jesus
      • Jesus' answer: this is the way to act in accordance with God's will

    3. Jesus discovers his identity and mission (vv. 16-17)
      • Time: after his baptism
      • Location: out of the water
      • What Jesus sees: the spirit of God comes to invest him
      • What Jesus is hearing: He is chosen by God

    The establishment of the structure points out some anomalies. First of all, after the setting, we should have moved on to the heart of the story, i.e. the choice of Jesus for a mission from God. But first we have to explain the baptism of Jesus. This need for explanation probably stems from the early Christian communities who did not understand that the one they considered to be the messiah, the one sent by God, and even God's equal, needed baptism like all the sinners of this world. The second anomaly is that once the reason for the baptism has been clarified, the baptism is not even described, but rather the post-baptism is immediately mentioned. Again, Matthew doesn't want to focus on the baptism at all, so uncomfortable is he with this scene.

  2. Context analysis

    Cutting out the immediate context is easier for the beginning than for the end. For after the two chapters of Jesus' infancy narrative, chapter three begins with the adult Jesus and the preaching of John the Baptist. But where to place the end of the immediate context, when Matthew tends to string the stories together one after the other, without words expressing a pause? The whole of 3:1 and 4:17 seems to have a distinct unity, beginning with John the Baptist inviting people to be converted, for the kingdom of heaven has come near, and ending with Jesus in turn inviting people to be converted, for the kingdom of heaven has come near; we have a nice inclusion here.

    • John the Baptist's call to conversion in the Judean desert (3: 1-6)
      • John begins to proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven has come near and that we must change our behavior accordingly
      • John behaves like a prophet
      • The people of Judea respond to his call

    • Questioning of the Pharisees and Sadducees by John (3: 7-10)
      • John reproaches them for their delusion about their true situation before God
      • He calls them to change their lives
      • He announces that the punitive judgment of God is imminent

    • John's announcement of someone stronger than him (3: 11-12)
      • John announces that his baptism is only a water baptism
      • He announces the coming of one stronger than himself, able to baptize in the Holy Spirit
      • The one who is coming will carry out the final judgment, welcoming those who are inhabited by the Spirit, eliminating the others

    • Baptism of Jesus (3: 13-17)
      • John wants to oppose Jesus' project, because he is the one who needs Jesus' baptism
      • Jesus asks him not to oppose in order to accomplish the will of God
      • Jesus sees himself invested by the Holy Spirit and chosen by God

    • Jesus must live the temptations of the devil (4: 1-11)
      • God puts Jesus to the test of the devil in the desert
      • After forty days of fasting, Jesus undergoes the temptation of hunger, of avoiding death, of power with his wealth
      • He responds by professing his total allegiance to God
      • God answers with his messengers (angels) who take care of him

    • Jesus makes Capernaum the center of his preaching (4: 12-17)
      • Following the arrest of his master, Jesus leaves the Jordan and his town of Nazareth and chooses to settle in Capernaum
      • This is where the mission to bring light to the world will begin, as announced by Isaiah
      • Jesus begins to proclaim, like John the Baptist, that the Kingdom of Heaven has come near and that we must change our behavior accordingly

    The analysis of the context allows us to discover this: the unity of the scene of Jesus' baptism (13-17) plays the role of pivot of the whole of 3:1 – 4:17. Indeed, at the very beginning it is John the Baptist who is the central character and occupies the whole scene. His last word comes in 3:14 when he opposes the baptism of Jesus. In v. 15 it is Jesus who speaks for the first time and from then on becomes the main character: it is as if John were involved in a relay race and passed the baton to Jesus in this scene called the baptism of Jesus. This is so true that the beginning of Jesus' preaching (4:17: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand") is identical to that of John (3:2: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand").

    We are thus faced with a structure called chiasmus or Semitic parallelism, divided into two parts, where the second part echoes the first part with a pivot that gives the key to interpretation. Jesus' preaching echoes that of the Baptist, Jesus' struggle against the devil echoes by contrast the behavior of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The pivot is the scene of the descent of the Spirit on Jesus and God's choice of Jesus which inaugurates new times.

    To complete our understanding of context, it is worth briefly examining how that context may vary from gospel to gospel. In blue, the texts that appear to be borrowed from the Q Document.

    Mark (1: 1-15) Matthew (3: 1 – 4: 17) Luke (3: 1 – 4: 15)
    Introduction of John the Baptist from Isaiah 40 and call to conversion in the Judean desert (1: 1-8) John's call to conversion in the Judean desert (3: 1-6) Historical context and John's call to conversion in the desert (3:1-6)
    Questioning of the Pharisees and Sadducees who come to be baptized by John (3: 7-10) Questioning of the crowds who come to be baptized by John (3: 7-9)
    Details on what it means to change behavior (3:10-14)
    John's announcement of someone stronger than him (3: 11-12) John's announcement of someone stronger than him (3: 15-18)
    Baptism and God's intervention (1: 9-11) Baptism and God's intervention (3: 13-17) Baptism and God's intervention (3: 21-22)
    Genealogy of Jesus (3: 23-38)
    Jesus is tempted in the desert: simple mention, no details (1: 12-13) Jesus is tempted in the desert: details on 3 types of temptation (4: 1-11) Jesus is tempted in the desert: details on 3 types of temptation (4: 1-13)
    Proclamation of the Gospel (1: 14-15) Jesus makes Capernaum the center of his preaching (4: 12-17) Jesus teaches in the synagogues of Galilee (4: 14-15)

    • Neither Matthew nor Luke retain the reference to Isaiah 40 and the voice crying out in the desert to introduce John the Baptist. Matthew simply says: "In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea". He does not intend to insist on the importance of the Baptist.

    • With Luke, Matthew draws on a particular source, the Q Document, 1) to add details to John the Baptist's moral challenge, 2) to compare Jesus and John (one is stronger than the other, one gives a baptism in the Holy Spirit, the other simply a baptism of water), 3) to give details of Jesus' temptations (Mark speaks only of temptation, with nothing more). This long introduction allows us to better situate Jesus in relation to John: there is both continuity (Jesus takes up the content of his preaching) and discontinuity (Jesus alone gives the baptism in the Holy Spirit). Let us not forget that at the time Matthew writes his gospel, the group of disciples of John the Baptist still exists (see Acts 18:25; 19:3-7).

    • When Matthew introduces the ministry of Jesus (4:12-17), he does not just mention his call to conversion as Mark does, but inserts a long citation from Isaiah 8 to affirm that Jesus is this light announced over the people who were walking in darkness. In short, it is clear that Matthew pushes John the Baptist into the shadows a little to make the figure of Jesus shine.

  3. Analysis of Parallels

    Recall that, according to the most accepted theory in the biblical world, Mark would have been the first to publish his gospel, Matthew and Luke would have reused much of Mark's work in their gospel, while incorporating another source, known to both of them and referred to as the "Q Document" as well as other sources of their own, and finally John would have published an independent gospel at a later date, with no knowledge of Mark, Matthew, and Luke, even though he seems to have had access to similar sources.

    In this context, the study of parallels allows us to better identify what is specific to each evangelist. Here is our convention. Underlined are words or part of words from Mark found also in other gospels. We have put in blue what is common to Matthew and Luke only, which may be an echo of the Q Document. In red are words from John also found in other gospels, sometimes due to a common tradition to which they have access. Please note that the translation from Greek is quite literal for comparison purpose, which may seem rough English.

    Mark 1Matthew 3Luke 3John 1
    9a And it happened in those days came Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee13 At that time arrives the Jesus from Galilee upon the Jordan towards the John to be baptized by him.21a Then it happened in the (event) to be baptized all the people29 The next day he sees the Jesus coming to him, and he says, Behold, the lamb of the God, the carrying the sin of the world.
       30 This one is for the sake of whom I said, behind me comes a man who before me has happened, for first of me he was.
     14 Then the John was hindering him saying, I, I have need by you to be baptized, and you, you come towards me? 31 And I didn't knew him, but in order that he might be revealed to Israel because of this, I, I came baptizing in water.
     15 Then, having answered the Jesus towards him, permit just now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. At that time he permits him.  
    9b-10 and was baptized into the Jordan by John. And immediately ascending out of the water, he saw being split the heavens and the spirit like a dove descending into him.16 Then, having been baptized, the Jesus immediately ascended from the water; and behold were opened [to him] the heavens and he saw [the] spirit of [the] God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him.21b-22a and Jesus having been baptized and being praying, to be opened the heaven, and to descend the spirit the holy in bodily appearance like a dove upon him32-33 And John bore witness saying, I have observed the spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained upon him. And I did not know him; but the (one) having sent me to baptize in water, that one said to me, upon whom perchance you would see the spirit descending and remaining upon him, this one is the (one) baptizing in spirit holy.
    11 And a voice happened out of the heavens, you are the son of me the beloved, in you I was well pleased.17 And behold a voice out of the heavens saying, this one is the son of me the beloved, in whom I was well pleased.22b and a voice out of heaven to happen, you are the son of me the beloved, in you I was well pleased [*I today have begotten you].34 And, I, I have seen and I have borne witness this one is the son of the God.
    * Reading from many old latin translations and many Church Fathers.

    The similarities and differences between the four evangelists can be grouped under a few categories.

    • Location of the scene.
      • In Matthew and Mark the scene takes place by the Jordan River, since it is explicitly stated that Jesus leaves Galilee (Mark is more precise in mentioning Nazareth) to go south to the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
      • In Luke, the place remains unknown. For by the time our scene begins, John the Baptist has already been arrested by Herod and Jesus is somewhere praying.
      • In John, the place is precise: It was in Bethany beyond the Jordan River, where John was baptizing (v. 28)

    • The baptism of Jesus
      • Mark gives little detail about the baptism itself, but simply says: "He (Jesus) was baptized in the Jordan by John.
      • In Matthew, no details are given and it is presented as a finished event: "Having been baptized".
      • In Luke, the baptism becomes a past event associated with all the other baptisms: "Having been baptized too".
      • In John, the baptism of Jesus is not mentioned at all.

    • The intervention of God
      • Mark is the source from which Matthew and Luke drew inspiration. According to Mark, as Jesus rises from the water, he sees the heaven being split, the Spirit descending like a dove and the voice of God saying to him: "You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased (literally: in whom I perceive only good things)". We are faced with a personal experience of Jesus (he saw) who feels chosen by God. The image of the sky being split and of God coming down is taken from Isaiah 63:19: "O that you would tear open the heavens and come down".

      • Matthew makes some changes to this scene. The major change is the introduction of an objection to this baptism; we will come back to this below. But there are also small changes in what seem to be common elements. First, the heaven is not torn open, but opened (Greek: anoigō). Why this change? Matthew is probably referring to the Greek translation (called Septuagint) of this passage from Isaiah which says, "if you would open (anoigō) the heaven." Or it refers to Ezekiel 1:1: "In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth of the month, while I was among the deportees by the river Chebar, the heaven was opened (LXX: anoigō) and I saw visions of God." This reference to Ezekiel would explain why the "I saw" in his account of the baptism is related to the descent of the Spirit and not to the opening of heaven: it was after the opening of heaven that the prophet Ezekiel began to have his vision. Finally, the word of God is no longer addressed directly to Jesus ("You are"), but to the reader of the gospel ("This is"); for him it is first of all the reader who must be convinced of the value of Jesus and of his choice by God. We might add that Matthew introduces several times one of his favorite expressions: "and behold (Greek: kai idou, v. 16, v. 17)".

      • Luke gives himself even more freedom in comparison with Mark's text. As we have already noted, we are some time after Jesus' baptism, in a moment of prayer. Like Matthew, Luke refers to the Greek translation of Isaiah and speaks of heaven opening. But we may be surprised by his mention of the Spirit descending from heaven in "bodily" form. Here, let us not forget that Luke is addressing Greeks, the same Greeks who ridiculed Paul in Athens (Acts 17:32) when he spoke of the resurrection of the dead. For the Greeks, what is spirit, and therefore has no body, does not really belong to reality. How can Luke convince his audience that what is spirit is real? In his account of the resurrection, Luke feels obliged to present us with an eating Jesus (see Luke 24:41) to demonstrate that he is real. Here he feels obliged to say that the spirit given to Jesus has a "bodily" form. Finally, according to the reading many old latin texts and many Church Fathers, instead of copying Mark's text on God's words, Luke would have preferred Psalm 7:2 which says this: "You are my son; I, today, have begotten you." Even though the psalm was originally sung on the occasion of the enthronement of the king who now became a son of God, Luke reuses this psalm to apply it to Jesus, in order to express his faith that Jesus is the one chosen by God for a unique destiny, today he receives his investiture as the new king and Lord. The latter reading has been prefered by a few bibles, like the Jerusalem Bible.

      • With John, we have a completely different story. Even though there are some common elements, such as the Spirit descending like a dove on Jesus and the fact that Jesus was chosen by God, the setting is totally different: it is John who saw the Spirit descending like a dove and it is he who testifies that Jesus is God's Chosen One.

    What can we learn from all these comparisons?

    • Between Mark's account, which can be placed around the year 70, and John's, which can be placed around the year 90, that is to say a period of 20 years, we perceive an evolution in the perception of Jesus' baptism, whereas this baptism will be totally obscured by John, and Matthew is about halfway there. Historically, we know that Jesus was challenged by the preaching of John the Baptist, that he went to be baptized in the Jordan like many other Jews. We know that this was a defining moment in his life, the discovery of his mission. But the gospel accounts take place after Easter, with the fresh perspective that faith gives. Thus Mark's account presents this defining moment with words and images borrowed from the Old Testament, such as those from Isaiah 63:19: with Jesus, it is God who intervenes in history, and as he did in the past with Moses and the prophets, he chooses a beloved son, a messiah. But very early on, the first Christians expressed unease with this baptism. If Jesus is the messiah, if he is in fact greater than John the Baptist and the only one able to give the Holy Spirit, why did he need to be baptized by him as a simple disciple? Ten or fifteen years after Mark's account, Matthew tries to answer this question. First of all, one might think that the words in John's mouth objecting to baptism represent a real question in Matthew's Christian community: why was Jesus baptized by John, when it was John who needed to be baptized by Jesus? Matthew's answer may not seem like a real answer: "Let it be for now: for so it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." In other words, this is God's will; it's like saying, this is the way it is! Yet there is an extremely profound reality in the phrase "to do all righteousness" or "to do the right thing" or "to do what I think God wants me to do. It reflects our situation in front of the events of life: we try to respond well with righteousness of heart to the present moment, but without understanding everything, accepting to live with the mystery. This is, in my opinion, the typical situation of the Christian, a tension that he is called to live every day. This is how Matthew sees the baptism of Jesus: the very human path of Jesus whose journey passes through the baptism of John the Baptist may seem mysterious, but it is nevertheless part of what God wanted. The mystery will continue until the cross.

    • As for the other elements of the story, Matthew emphasizes the catechetical aspect of the story by having God's word addressed to the reader of the gospel, "This is my beloved Son." Thus, the Christian community should know that Jesus is the one God has chosen to renew this new covenant with humanity.

  4. Intention of the author when writing this passage

      The Gospel according to Matthew includes an infancy narrative. But its composition may have been independent, and this cannot be presupposed when we read the account of the beginning of Jesus' ministry.

      When Matthew writes the account of Jesus' baptism around the year 80 or 85, he has Mark's account before him. Like every Jewish Christian in his community, he understands that the episode is told in the light of Isaiah 63, where the prophet recounts God's liberating actions for his people in the past and begs him to intervene again (split the heavens, come down): Jesus is the answer to this prayer. He also understands that Jesus is presented in the guise of the mysterious figure of Isaiah 42 ("This is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have put my spirit upon him; he will present the right to the nations") and who will be identified with the promised messiah: Jesus is this promised messiah. He himself makes a link between the baptism episode and Ezekiel 1:1: "In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, while I was among the deportees on the banks of the river Chebar, the sky was opened and I saw visions of God"; like Ezekiel, Jesus begins his prophetic ministry and prepares to transmit God's word.

      At the same time, the Jewish Christians in his community knew John the Baptist well, for his reputation was very great in Jewish circles and, at the time he wrote his gospel, groups claiming to be his followers and having received only his baptism probably still existed. We must therefore situate Jesus in relation to John. And above all, we must answer the question of many: if Jesus is so great and is the promised messiah, why could he be baptized by John, someone inferior to him? Because in a baptism there is a relationship of master to disciple, and usually the master is greater than the disciple. Moreover, if Jesus is the only one who can pour out the Spirit, what is the meaning of the baptism received from John? These are questions that Matthew faced. What is his answer? "Let it be for now. For this is how we do the right thing that is required of us." His answer says this: we cannot fully unravel this mystery, but by agreeing to open ourselves to the events of life as they are and living them righteously, following the deep voice of our conscience, we accomplish what God expects of us. This point is important. For just as the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist was a confusing experience, so life has many confusing facets. Taking them on in the right way is vital.

      It is likely that the need for the gospel stories arose from the need to train the catechumens who were asking for baptism: people had to be instructed in the content of their faith. So the episode of Jesus' baptism becomes the model for Christian baptism. In this context, Matthew emphasizes the apocalyptic style, i.e. a revelation from God. His reference to Ezekiel, who had visions, and the use of certain expressions such as "and behold (Greek: kai idou, v. 16, v. 17)" accentuate the apocalyptic side of his narrative. By doing so, Matthew introduces a break from the surrounding environment. Let us not forget that we are in a context of Christians of Jewish origin. It is therefore important to insist on the break that Jesus introduces: this Jew Jesus is not simply a Jew among others. What God has revealed is a new reality, and this Jesus surpasses any Jew, however great, such as Moses or John. In Jesus there is a unique and definitive reality, as in the case of the Christian baptism received.

  5. Current situations or events in which we could read this text

    1. Suggestions from the different symbols in the story

      • The clearest symbol is that of baptism, especially our baptism. We can see this baptism in the light of Jesus' baptism. If we were baptized as children, it was our parents who led us to baptism, and thus played the role of John the Baptist. And perhaps our faith is different from that of our parents, and then the question arises: how can we reconcile their approach with what we have become? Do we not find the sense of mystery evoked by Matthew through Jesus' answer to John: "Let it be for now. For this is how we do the right thing that is required of us." Isn't that good news? There is nothing so humble, so human, so small that is not the way of God, the way of life, the way of liberation.

      • Jesus immediately rose from the water. We often forget that the first meaning of the verb "to be baptized" is to be immersed in water, and more precisely "to sink into the water" when speaking of a boat. From then on, to come out of the water or to come up from the water is synonymous with being rescued or saved. It was the case of baby Moses in his wicker basket in Egypt, it was the case of the Jewish people at their exit from the Red Sea. Jesus, for his part, experiences a form of rupture when he leaves his native Nazareth and his work to let himself be immersed in the waters of the Jordan. When he comes out, he is a new being. Moreover, Matthew describes this rupture with these words: "Leaving Nazareth, he came and settled in Capernaum" (4:13). We are all beings who have risen from the water. Deep within us is a force for change that we have not yet explored in all its dimensions.

      • The heaven opens, the Spirit descends. It is basically the union of God and humanity. This is what we proclaim in Jesus. But it is also what we should proclaim about ourselves and our world. What Jesus told us: there is no such thing as a world abandoned by God, a world without God. The question is simply to see it or not. Matthew wrote: "Then Jesus saw the Spirit of God descending". Following Jesus, anyone with the eyes of faith sees the same thing. It changes perspectives to have this knowledge; it is the engine that allows us to act in the hope that our action will bear fruit.

      • This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Mark, and Matthew following Mark, applied this word from Isaiah 42 to Jesus. Today, we in turn can apply this word to ourselves, "I am the beloved son whom God has seen fit to choose." This word transformed Jesus. And we ourselves, when we realize this, are transformed: I am loved by God, we are dearly loved by God. The key to life is to discover this in spite of the horrors of hatred and violence all around us, as Jesus believed in it in spite of the violence and the unjust trial he suffered.

    2. Current situations or events in which we could read this text

      • As I write this, the echoes of Nelson Mandela's death are still being felt. Here was a leader who inspired an entire nation. He was probably baptized in prison, where he spent 27 years and 6 months, from where he emerged on February 11, 1990, at the age of 71, ushering in a new era.

      • In the Central African Republic, the violence continues. Six peacekeepers were recently murdered, and a mass grave has just been discovered. Is there a limit to hatred? How can we read again this story of a being who sees God unite with humanity and proclaim his love? Could we not see in it a call to action in situations like the one in the Central African Republic?

      • I witness a marriage break up in my immediate environment. The couple has a three and a half year old daughter who is well aware of what is going on. The husband is struggling with a mental illness that is causing him to become very depressed despite all the medications he is taking, removing almost all of his ability to provide for himself and others. Can the story of Jesus' baptism shed any light? Clearly, there is no immediate solution. But any story about Jesus offers no immediate solution, only direction in the middle of the night: keep loving, because we are all God's beloved children.

      • At the time of writing, Christmas and New Year's festivities are well underway. At family gatherings and meetings of friends, there is everything from superficial and conventional banter to emotional debates and bickering. Does the story of Jesus' baptism shed any light? While many Jews went to John as Jesus did to be baptized, for Jesus the event was different, to the point of reorienting his life. According to the story, he was given a mission and perceived a special relationship with God. What enabled him to go to that depth? Can we do the same?

 

-André Gilbert, Gatineau, December 2013