Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making, vol. 1

THE MISSION OF JESUS §11.5
preaching have been given such prominence otherwise? Possibly Yes, because
John's preaching served at least as something of a foil for Jesus' preaching. And,
as we have seen, the whole language and practice of 'baptism', which became so
important in earliest Christianity, seems to have been derived from John. Even
so, it is no doubt what happened to Jesus at or after his baptism by John which is
the primary reason why John's baptism was regarded as the 'beginning' of the
gospel.
a. 'Baptism by John' or 'Anointing with Spirit'?
It is hardly surprising that the episode in view is usually designated 'the baptism
of Jesus by John'. But that is something of a misnomer. The fact is that in varying
degrees the Evangelists all direct the hearer's/reader's attention beyond the baptism
itself to what happened when Jesus emerged from the river — the descent of
the Spirit and the heavenly voice.
Matt. 3.13-17
13 Then Jesus came from
Galilee to John at the Jordan,
to be baptized by him. . . .
16 And when Jesus had
been baptized, immediatelv he
came up from the water; and
suddenly the heavens were
opened and he saw the Spirit of
God descending like a dove and
aliehtins on him. 17 And a
voice from heaven said, 'This
is mv Son. the Beloved, with
whom I am well pleased'.
Mark 1.9-11
9 In those davs Jesus came from
Nazareth of Galilee and was
baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 And immediatelv as he
was coming up out of the water,
he saw the heavens split open
and the Spirit
descending like a dove
on him. 11 And a
voice came from heaven. 'You
are mv Son. the Beloved; with
vou I am well pleased'.
Luke 3.21-22
21 Now when all the people
were baptized,
and when Jesus also had been
baptized and was praying, the
heaven was opened, 22 and
the Holy Spirit
descended upon him in bodilv
form like a dove. And a
voice came from heaven. 'You
are mv Son. the Beloved; with
vou I am well pleased'.
All three Evangelists indicate that the baptism, that is, immersion (baptisthenai)
in the Jordan, had been completed before the next events took place. Mark links
the baptism with its sequel by his regular euthys ('immediately') (Mark 1.10), by
which he maintains the vigorous pace of his story-line elsewhere. 163 And Matthew,
in following Mark somewhat awkwardly (Matt. 3.16a), presumably understood
that the sequence of events followed in very close succession. 164 But Luke
seems to be more concerned to link Jesus' baptism into the baptism of 'all the
people'. Both baptisms precede the action which then takes place 'while Jesus
163. The baptism 'is quickly passed over and barely "narrated" in any real sense'
(Meier, Marginal Jew 2.102). See also Ernst, Johannes der Täufer 17-19.
164. 'Matthew lays still less weight on the baptismal act than Mark' (Luz, Matthäus
1.155).
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