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Friends,
today's Gospel gives us a stunning account of Jesus' baptism. Jesus
came to John the Baptism, seeking a baptism of repentance All four
Gospels attest to it, and if there had been any justification for
dropping it out they would have. So there it is, and it's a major
problem. Jesus seems to be a sinner—but if this is true, all of
Christian theology is undermined.
The
difficulty is reflected in the Baptist's confusion: "I should be
baptized by you; and yet you come to me." When John objects, Jesus says,
"Give in for now. We must do this to fulfill all righteousness." Well,
what does that mean? Fulfilling righteousness, in the old dispensation,
would have meant something like "doing what God wants, or getting right
with God." But this was our business.
Now
we see that "all righteousness" has to do with God's setting things
right with us and for us, in all humility. God bending down under our
hand and submitting to us. If that doesn't take your breath away you're
not paying attention.
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