They're on your side in Nazareth.

Sometimes it happens that when you start to pray, you find you can pray well. At other times, even when you have expended great effort, you may find your efforts frustrated. This experience is to make you learn that you must exert yourself constantly, for having once gained the gift of prayer, you must be careful to keep it safe (29. Philokalia 1:179). — Evagrios of Pontus

A beginning note: The lectionary disassembles an episode in the ministry of Jesus this week and next week. Jesus walks into he synagogue in Nazareth and all does not go well. This week’s half of the episode leaves off before the conflict happens. I chose not to separate things this week or next week. So, you will hear that Jesus’ sermon is not well received even though Sunday’s text does not quite get there this week.

It is texts like Luke 4 that give rise to the idea that Luke writes a social justice Gospel. That notion is really hard to argue with since it is generally held that Luke writes into a rich community and since his stories seem to, in part, want to answer the question: “How can a rich man be saved?” The rich fool and Lazarus give details.

The themes in the reading that Jesus is given to speak on in the synagogue are not new to us. They are contained in the canticles of Mary and Zachariah from chapter 1:  Restoration and redemption, and both canticles anticipate or announce the imminent presence of God and Messiah. We, the readers of Luke’s Gospel, already know that Jesus is that Messiah. His birth came with angels’ song and his baptism with the very voice of God. 

Speaking of the voice of God, Alan Rickman just died. Long before he played Snape in Harry Potter he got to be the voice of God: Metatron, in the movie Dogma, but that is another story. But still, his best line is: “All who are not dead or from a parallel dimension do well to hold their ears right about now,” right before the true vocalization of God makes the banished angel Bartleby’s head explode. 

In a way, Jesus should probably have prefaced his sermon in Nazareth in Luke 4 with Rickman's/ Megatron’s line. In a way, it made his listeners’ heads explode. How could he claim the words of ancient prophecy, of ancient lore, to be referring to himself? How dare he! But then, remember, that you and I are by now of a parallel dimension. We know, having read the first 3 chapters, who Jesus is. Nazareth, on the other hand, is deaf to this. 

Ancient words read by the faithful have a function in the faith where they are treasured. They serve as a voice of wisdom, history, identity, and, yes, God. We ponder them and rearrange and reset our lives and our living by what they say to us. We hear them and rebel against them too, as a matter of fact, that seems to be the more common response. We find  ways to shield ourselves from the voice. We hold our ears so to speak, so that the true awesome creating and killing voice of God can somehow not get to us. 

Yet there are certainly times when we have taken our hands away from our ears — maybe to scratch our nose — when it suddenly intrudes and when that happens, all manner of things get wrecked like moneychangers’ tables in the Temple; and some things get healed as well. 

In Nazareth, God was about to do an old thing, that is God was about to fulfill the words of ancient prophets, a fulfillment that really ought to have been looked forward to. Unknown prophets like Simeon saw it and said so. (2:29ff) 

Is the fulfillment of God’s promises something we actually wish to see or are our spirits quietly whispering the refrain of Melville’s Bartleby: we “would prefer not to?” Melville’s Bartleby dies a much less fantastic and much less messy death than Dogma’s Bartleby. Melvin’s Bartleby starves, he preferred not to eat. 

Do you prefer God and God’s plan or do you prefer them not? When God’s great plan is read do you prefer it not come to be in your sight? If God’s voice sounds from the promises of prophecy do you prefer not to hear? 

“Of course not! That would be silly,” you say. And everyone in Nazareth agrees with you. But they still try to take Jesus to the cliff.

The Text for Sunday, January 17th, the 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany

First Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5

 1For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,

  and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,

 until her vindication shines out like the dawn,

  and her salvation like a burning torch.

 2The nations shall see your vindication,

  and all the kings your glory;

 and you shall be called by a new name

  that the mouth of the Lord will give.

 3You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,

  and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

 4You shall no more be termed Forsaken,

  and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;

 but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,

  and your land Married;

 for the Lord delights in you,

  and your land shall be married.

 5For as a young man marries a young woman,

  so shall your builder marry you,

 and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,

  so shall your God rejoice over you.

The Word of the Lord

Psalm: Psalm 36:5-10

5 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, 

    and your faithfulness to the clouds.

6 Your righteousness is like the strong mountains,

your justice like the great deep; 

    you save both man and beast, O LORD.

7 How priceless is your love, O God! 

    your people take refuge under the

                     shadow of your wings.

8 They feast upon the abundance of your house; 

    you give them drink from the river of your delights.

9 For with you is the well of life, 

    and in your light we see light.

10 Continue your loving-kindness to those who know you, 

    and your favor to those who are true of heart.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

1Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. 3Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.

  4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

The Word of the Lord

Gospel: John 2:1-11

1On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” 5His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. 9When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

The Greek Text of John 2:1-11

Greek Study John 2:1-11

v1 τη ημερα τη τριτη  "on the third day" - two days after the call of Philip and Nathaniel.

γαμος (ος) "wedding" - the festivities that follow the arrival of the bride at the groom’s home - can last seven days.

Κανα "Cana" - nine miles north of Nazareth in the hill country, only mentioned by John.

η μητηρ "the mother" - title of honor for any woman who has given birth to a son.

  
v2 εκληθη (καλεω) aor. 3rd. sing. "invited" - Jesus and his disciples were invited.

οι μαθηται "the disciples" - John uses the term "disciples" rather than "apostles".

v3 υστερησαντος (υστερεω) gen. aor. part. "when [the wine] was gone" – literally running short, lacking or late in arriving. 

v4 γυναι (η) "woman" –  normally used respectfully, rather than in an abrupt manner, which is why  the NIV translates it "dear woman." Some commentators suggest an idiom, and that the best English equivalent would be "mother".

τι εμοι και σοι "why do you involve me?" – a Semitism, where a person asks why they are being involved in something that has nothing to do with them. This situation is clearly the groom’s responsibility.

ουπω ηκει η ωρα μου "my hour has not yet come" – in John this refers to the glorification of Christ in his death. Why would Jesus make an enigmatic aside about his death in response to an innocent comment from his mother? 

v5 τοις διακονοις (ος) dat. "[said] to the servants" ποιησατε (ποιεω) aor. imp. "do" - Mary hasn't properly understood Jesus' words and decides the situation demands action, not riddles, so suggests something needs to be done and tells the boys to do something, in the sense of begging, borrowing or buying more wine.  “Make this better now!”

v6 καιμεναι (καιμαι) pres. part. "[nearby] stood" λιθιναι υϑδριαι "stone water jars". Much has been made of the fact that the jars are stone and that there are six. It is possible John is underlining the ritual cleansing function of these jars. 

των Ιουδαιων gen. adj. "used by the Jews" κατα + acc. "for [ceremonial washing]" χωρουσαι (χωρεω) pres. pat. "each holding" - about twenty gallons."

 
v7 αυτοις dat. "to the servants" - to them. ("Servants" is assumed by most translators.).

υδριαι (α) dat. "[fill the jars] with water" εως ανω "to the brim"…as full as you are able.

  
v8 αντλησατε (αντλεω) imp. "draw" - Westcott argues the verb is used of drawing water from a well and so therefore, the servants fill the jars (purification is complete) and then continue to draw as the water is turned into wine; an even neater trick which also explains why they . 

τω αρχιτρικλινω (ος) dat. "the master of the banquet" - the head steward, or possibly the best man or guest appointed for the occasion, more likely the wedding planner..

  
v9 γεγενημενον (γινομαι) perf. pas. part. "that had been turned into [wine]" - participle is adjectival, attributive "water"; "the water which was now wine."

οι ηντληκοτες (αντλεω) perf. part. "[the servants] who had drawn [the water]" - 

φωνει (φωνεω) pres. "called [the bridegroom aside]" - The bridegroom was responsible for the provisions and so he is the correct person to congratulate.

  
v10 τιθησιν (τιθημι) pres. "brings out" - places. 

οταν + subj. "after” an idiom when [they have become drunk]. 

ελασσω (μικρος) comp. adj. "the smaller wine" - smaller = worse a comparative adjective. 

  
v11 ταυτην pro. "this" - The miracle of turning water into wine.

αρχην (η) "was the beginning” Jesus did this as the first of his signs; " in the sense of first in a series, but also possibly first in importance.

σημειων (ον) "of his miraculous signs" - genitive is adjectival, partitive. Instead of "miracles" or "wonders", John uses the word "sign" in that Jesus' miracles are not just displays of divine power. Signs are "significant displays of power that point beyond themselves to the deeper realities that can (only) be perceived with the eyes of faith", Carson.

δοξαν (α) "glory" - For John, Christ's glory is fully displayed in the cross and empty tomb. What is seen in the sign of water to wine is a partial manifestation of the glory of that coming "hour", cf. v4. The image painted by the prophets of the coming day is of God's people siting on their back porch, underneath their grape vine, drinking freely of a new wine.

How did this happen and who did it -- on John 2, the Wedding in Cana

“Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.” Count them. Six. Not seven. Six.

They were stone jars. Stone. Not clay. Stone. Much harder to make, much heavier, but also purer. 

Even at the lower estimate: 20 Gallon capacity, there seems to have been at least 120 gallons of water. That is a lot of water for purification. 

“One the third day,” writes John, “there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.” The third day of what?

This story happens in Cana. That is home to Nathanael (21:2), who, as we enter the story this week, has just been called to follow Jesus and was promised to see: “heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (1:51) It is odd that this little detail is left out in chapter 2 but is recalled in chapter 21, almost as if to remind us of this beginning of the cycle of signs.

It is easy to get lost in the details numbers and it is usually posed that concern for the number of pots or amount of water and the like is brought to the text and not lifted from it. I will grant that with this comment: John very well may have meant that the 120 gallons was merely a hint at how great the miracle was but the details beyond just the amount of wine mattered to John somehow. So why not look at the numbers seriously, especially in John who likes to hide things behind double meanings?

The presence of that much water seems to say that the groom and his family had been diligent in their planning. They had plenty of water present for every guest to wash before entering the wedding as was customary. But, the number “7” has a place in biblical story as does the number “6”, simply by being incomplete. (Rev 13:18)

The jars are stone. That makes them expensive jars. So, it may well be that the host is well off since he can afford this luxury. He can therefore afford enough wine, but he has not. He is incomplete.

By the time Jesus commandeers the jars, they need to be refilled, at least Jesus orders that they must be refilled. They may not have been all empty but they are in need of refilling. That suggests that diligence has been done: people have washed as they should have.

So, what I see here is a wealthy family that could afford all the wine they needed. They planned for diligence and kept it. But even at all that, they are somehow “incomplete.” 

This whole matter takes place at symbolic time and place as well. It is a wedding. That image is not unheard of in the Old Testament. Somehow the God of Abraham is Israel’s “Bridegroom.” Prophets use the image of adultery to describe Israel’s unfaithfulness to the God who has claimed them. It may well be intentional that we speak of a wedding then and it is Jesus, the Son of God, who assures that there will be enough wine. The great wedding feast of the Lamb will not run out of wine. 

Further, it is the third day. Beyond the obvious resurrection reference it is also an Old Testament reference and it is the third day since Jesus gathered his first disciples to himself if the chronology of chapter 1 is followed. It also is on “the third day" in Exodus 19 that “the Glory of God” is revealed on Sinai. This being Jesus’ first great miracle in a gospel where only seven miracles will attend our reading until the resurrection perhaps this is intentional especially since John will end the section with the words: “Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory.” (2:11) As in Exodus, the people gather, the disciples, and then the Glory of the Lord comes. As the people gather in Exodus 19, they purify themselves and wash themselves. (19:10) The people hear  the invitation and respond: “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” 

We probably do well to remember Jesus’ interchange with Mary here. She calls his attention to the fact that there is no more wine. His answer is that his “hour has not yet come.” But, somehow his hour had come if verse 11 is correct.

We will end the Epiphany season, as we do every year, with the words from Heaven: “This is my Son, whom I have chosen, listen to him.” (Lk 9:35) The Gospel of John operates without a Transfiguration story but somehow the words of Mary echo the words of Heaven: “Do whatever he tells you.” It also echoes the voice of God in Exodus 19: “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice.” (Ex 19:5a)

It has been noted that the beginning of the Gospel of John is somehow “Genesis-like,” as it begins, like Genesis, “in the beginning.” It might not be far fetched then that here we are in a place in John’s Gospel that is “Exodus-like.” 

I see the words of the steward in the light of all this. “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” (2:10) He has kept the best for last. The word became flesh not at the beginning or at the time of Exodus, but now in the end of the ages. (Heb 19:26) 

If so, then there is also a commentary on the state of Israel: They have become as “drunk.” In other words, they are in a stupor as the many arguments with “the Jews” will go on to prove. He came to his own but his own did not receive him or know him. (1:10-11) They could not. They were sick, paralyzed, deaf and dumb like a drunk. Three future signs will address all of that. (4:46ff, 5:1ff, 9:1ff) The first of these will remind us of this story in Cana. (4:46)

So many facets, so many parts of a simple story. What to look at, what to marvel at, what to think? 

Will the people know that the Lord is with them? Will they realize that the Word is there among them? Will they be too drunk? A day in the near future will dawn and the house where the wedding has taken place will look about. Six empty stone jars will stand by the door and the question will be raised: “Where did all the wine come from?” Surely the head of the house who knows he had not bought enough wine will think to himself: “How did this happen and who did it?” Yet, to keep honor he will probably keep his mouth shut. Who wants it known that he, the proud father of the groom, who should have arranged for all the wine he needed, did not do so? 

Is that not us? Too proud to admit that it will not work without the providence of God above but keenly aware we are incomplete?

The Texts for Sunday, January 10th, the Baptism of Jesus, 2016

First Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7

 1But now thus says the Lord,

  he who created you, O Jacob,

  he who formed you, O Israel:

 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

  I have called you by name, you are mine.

 2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

  and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

 when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

  and the flame shall not consume you.

 3For I am the Lord your God,

  the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

 I give Egypt as your ransom,

  Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.

 4Because you are precious in my sight,

  and honored, and I love you,

 I give people in return for you,

  nations in exchange for your life.

 5Do not fear, for I am with you;

  I will bring your offspring from the east,

  and from the west I will gather you;

 6I will say to the north, “Give them up,”

  and to the south, “Do not withhold;

 bring my sons from far away

  and my daughters from the end of the earth—

 7everyone who is called by my name,

  whom I created for my glory,

  whom I formed and made.”

The Word of the Lord

Psalm: Psalm 29

1 Ascribe to the LORD, you gods, 

    ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his Name; 

    worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters;

the God of glory thunders; 

    the LORD is upon the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice; 

    the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor.

5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedar trees; 

    the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon;

6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, 

    and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the LORD splits the flames of fire;

the voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; 

    the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

8 The voice of the LORD makes the oak trees writhe 

    and strips the forests bare.

9 And in the temple of the LORD 

    all are crying, "Glory!"

10 The LORD sits enthroned above the flood; 

    the LORD sits enthroned as King for evermore.

Second Reading: Acts 8:14-17

14Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit 16(for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). 17Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

The Word of the Lord

Gospel: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

15As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

  21Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Luke 3, Baptism of Jesus, Greek Text Study

Luke 3:15-22

v15 προσδοκωντος (προσδοκαω) gen. pres. part. "were waiting expectantly" participle with the noun του λαου, "the people" both being genitive absolute, usually forms temporal clauses but a causal clause seems more likely here. The sense is that the crowd which has come out to John, is now filled with messianic expectation due to his preaching and needs instruction. 

διαλογιζομενων (διαλογιζομαι) gen. pres. part. "they were [all] discussing” εν "in [their hearts]" – they were reflecting on John’s sermons.

μηποτε "perhaps” usually points to a negative conclusion, i.e. they knew John was not the messiah but translated as expressing doubt (particularly using the optative of to-be). 

v16 λεγων (λεγω) pres. part. [John answered] saying πασιν to all - given the context, John is addressing all in the crowd being baptized. 

μεν ...... δε "on the one hand, on the other" – a comparative idiom – on the one hand I baptize on the other one is coming that is mightier than εγω "even I" (emphatic). John tacitly claims authority to forgive sin through baptism but the power of the Messiah will be greater.

βαπτιζω pres. "I baptize" - present tense = ongoing action “I continue to baptize”.

υδατι (ωρ ατος) dat. "with water" –instrumental dative (emphatic) so, "I baptize only or merely with water."

ο ισχυροτερος comp. adj. "one more powerful". μου gen. pro. "than me” an ablative of comparison who is an ικανος adj. "the insignificant one"  by comparison!

λυσαι (λυω) aor. inf. "to loose” - an epexegetic infinitive, explaining the adjective 

των υποδηματων (α ατος) gen. "[the straps] of [whose] sandals" – servant’s work.

αυτος "he" – Emphatic, so ONLY he.

πνευματι αγιω/ και πυρι "the Holy Spirit and [with] fire" - whatever that means – a singular sense is possible, eg. " a purging (cleansing) Spirit", or " holy fire of judgment", but the messiah will "immerse” in the sense of βαπτιζμο, which at root means to overwhelm with both Spirit (regeneration) and fire (tribulation). 

v17 το πτυον (ον) "[his] winnowing fork" - used to separate chaff from grain by casting into the air on a windy day; an image of judgment.

διακαθαραι (διακαθαιρω) aor. inf. "to clean out thoroughly”- an infinitive expressing purpose "in order to cleanse."

συναγαγειν (συναγω) aor. inf. "to gather" – an infinitive expressing purpose, "in order to gather."

κατακαυσει (κατακαιω) fut. "he will burn up" πυρι ασβεστω dative "with a fire that cannot be extinguished”; likely an allusion to the rubbish dump outside Jerusalem often used to visage judgment, cf. Isa.34:10, 66:24.

v18 παρακαλων (παρακαλεω) pres. part. "John was admonishing” reflecting his stern message. 

ευηγγελιζετο (ευαγγελιζω) imperf. "preached the good news" - usually a technical term referring to gospel preaching, so "evangelizing", but here, because the content is nothing like later gospel messaging, more likely in the sense of just communicating, i.e. "he spoke his piece to the people".

v19 ελεγχομενος (ελεγχω) pres. pas. part. "when John rebuked" Herod because he had relations with Herodias his brother's ex-wife.  Herodias was initially married to Herod, (son of Herod the Great and Mariamne) but then divorced (?) him and married his younger brother (or not – either would have been cause for scandal) Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great and his second wife, Malthake.

v20 προσεθηκεν (προστιθημι) aor. "Herod added" – an idiom meaining; on top of everything else – so Herod's biggest crime was to attempt silence God’s prophet and hence God. Herod plays the role of an OT king.  Luke now ends his historical aside and returns to the narrative.

v21 εγενετο (γινομαι) aor. it came to pass.

εν τω βαπτισθηναι (βαπτιζω) aor. pas. inf. "when [all] were being baptized" - the articular infinitive forms a temporal clause. Note the sequence with the action that follows: "Jesus was baptized", "was praying", the "heaven opened".

απαντα τον λαον "all the people" - "all" obviously does not mean everyone, but does serve to indicate the success of John's ministry. While Mark indicates that only Jesus witnessed what followed, Matthew tells us at least John saw it but Luke leaves us guessing. It is unlikely that the crowd witnesses what follows, but then there remains the obvious question, if no one saw it, who is Luke (and Mark and Matthew) sourcing?

βαπτισθεντος (βαπτιζω) gen. aor. part. "[Jesus] was baptized" - Jesus' willingness to submit to John's baptism has been an ongoing issue in New Testament commentaries. Neither Mark nor Luke see a need to apologize for his willingness to be baptized by John (Matthew includes an aside addressing the issue i.e. that the baptism was done to ‘fulfil all righteousness” - whatever that means) nor do they see any need to explain the paradox of the one who baptizes with the Spirit being baptized by the one who baptizes “merely” with water. Jesus' baptism rather, followed as it is by the temptation in the wilderness, reflects an Exodus typology. Jesus, as Israel responds to the divine call to the wilderness (where Israel's sonship was also restored), then passes through the water into the wilderness. The Exodus motif is redemptive and although unstated in the gospel accounts probably central. So, Jesus, as faithful Israel, does what Israel must do, step out in faith to play the part of the repentant sinner, and as faithful Israel is declared God’s beloved. As Barth puts it, in his baptism Jesus becomes "the great Sinner who repents." 

προσευχομενου (προσευχομαι) gen. pres. part. "was praying" – a genitive absolute participle in the present tense, indicates that Jesus' prayer continues as the heavens open.

τον ουρανον (ος) "heaven" - possibly Luke means "the sky parted", or “God's domain”.

ανεωχθηναι (ανοιγω) aor. pas. inf. "was opened" - infinitive serves as the subject of the verb εγενετο "it came to be" an apocalyptic revelation motif, cf. Ezk.1:1

v22 καταβηναι (καταβαινω) aor. inf. "descended" – also an infinitive functioning as the subject of the verb εγενετο. The Holy Spirit is not usually described as "coming down" but once again the Exodus typology is possibly at work, "the Holy Spirit came down from the Lord and led them", Isa.63:14, LXX.

σωματικω ειδει dat. "in bodily form" – these words indicate approximation rather than incarnation. The words are not in Mark so Luke is probably stressing the fact that the Holy Spirit takes "the appearance of a dove" i.e. "dove-like." 

περιστεραν (α) "a dove" actually pigeon but that doesn't quite have the same ring! The "dove" doesn't represent the Holy Spirit, it is the Holy Spirit, Luke describes this incident as a theophany, like the burning bush. In this vision, Jesus sees the Holy Spirit as dove-like, it comes to Jesus, the representative Israel, sets him apart, equips him for service, and sets him on the journey. Like the baptism itself, the descent of the Spirit is part of the inauguration of the messianic mission. 

φωνην (η) "a voice" - again a theophany. In apocalyptic literature, God is described as speaking, usually for the purpose of instruction, here for a commissioning.

συ "you" - Emphatic - Jesus is being singled out, over John.

ο υιος μου "[are] my Son" - designation, "the son of mine", used as a title for messiah, in the Old Testament also of a king, nation, even angels ("sons of God" in Job). The term "beloved Son" may incorporate the idea of Jesus' unique relationship but here more likely identifies Israel as God's chosen ones represented by the messianic king. This first part of this quote is from the coronation liturgy found in Psalm 2:7.

ο αγαπητος adj. "the one I love" - carries the sense of a particular, or uniquely set-apart association, so "my one and only son dearly loved", even "my only son" but at root again expresses the unique relationship the messiah has with God.

ευδοκησα (ευδοκεω) aor. "I have come to delight” "well pleased" is borrowed from Isaiah 42:1 but many scholars follow an alternate reading which just quotes from Psalm 2:7, "You are my son, today I have begotten you." Isaiah 42:1 from the “ordination liturgy” of the suffering Servant.

Doing the Bidding of Heaven

“You are my Son (Ps 2:7), the Beloved (Gen 22,2, 12, 16); with you I am well pleased (Is 42:1).” The Sentence from heaven, says Dennis Hamm, invokes a coronation psalm, the story of the binding of Isaac, and the song suffering servant. It is a preview of Calvary. 

The Baptism of Jesus is a yearly trip into explaining why he who knew no sin nevertheless needed to undergo baptism. The evangelists realize how odd it is that he comes to John. Matthew has John attempt to prevent Jesus from Baptism arguing that he, John, ought to experience baptism from Jesus but the latter answers: “Let it be for now to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matt 3:14ff) But, in Matthew there is no attempt on John’s part to mitigate the “brood of vipers” talk. 

In Luke, which we read today, John is more patient with the crowd. Commoner, tax collector, and soldier alike are given pastoral counsel as they come to be baptized. John also makes no attempt to dissuade Jesus from Baptism. There is a different atmosphere on the shores of Jordan in Luke’s telling. Somehow, reconciliation is happening here. Israel, as it should be, is re-envisioned here. 

In the Gospel of Luke we find a number of stories where reconciliation or the simple act of being a neighbor to others are held up as an ideal. Dives is sent to hell from not being a neighbor with Lazarus. The good Samaritan is “good” because he is a neighbor. The Shepherd celebrates because he has returned, reconciled, the lost sheep to the flock. The waiting Father is as much a picture of reconciliation as the older brother is a picture of one who refuses it and is somehow in peril for it. A man is told that his brother is more important than the inheritance he is arguing with the same brother about. Banquet halls are filled with flotsam and jetsam. 

Other examples probably will come to the mind. Yet, wherever the people gather, there the Christ seems to gather with them. Somehow just taking on human form is not enough. Human living in all its splendor and squaller is embraced as a neighbor as well. Here on the banks of Jordan, a struggle between a confused and separated life and a reconciled one is in progress with John describing the building blocks of the latter. But that reconciled life is not a “new” life. It is Israel as God had dreamed it to be; it is an “old” life. Israel redeemed as Zechariah, Elisabeth, Simeon, and Anna had anxiously and tirelessly prayed for. Messiah is at Jordan to join the battle for those prayers for redemption.  It should be no surprise that he is praying while the Spirit descends upon him. Their prayers become his mission.

What indeed had those, who had come to John, gone out into the wilderness to see? (Lk 7:24-26) If you go into the wilderness to see the prophet (7:26) you will return having done one of two things: You accepted his message or you rejected it. Either way, you still have to answer the question: “Why did I travel all that distance and why did I spend all that time?” Pilgrimages, no matter how long or short the road, are journeys of the heart. They are the result of nagging questions deep down and often those questions are not even articulated. Zacchaeus (lk 19) climbs a tree in his neighborhood. It none the less is a pilgrimage. He was seeking something. Maybe he was seeking the same thing the faithful ones in chapter 1 were seeking. 

Baptism joins a pilgrimage. We all seek, knowingly or not, the redemption that in the end is only offered by the God of Abraham. That redemption, say the canticles in Luke, is certain because God remembers his promises of mercy. (Magnificat) It is certain in the places where God’s anointed has come to enact it. Our Baptisms are such a place for certain. Like Zach, our pilgrimages are short ones. They need to go no further than our own baptisms, our own souls. Yet will and do we actually seek redemption and reconciliation? 

In a strange Augustinian sense, we will find peace with God for certain when we look, but we have to look to find it. Most of us ain’t looking and that is the problem. Like the rich fool we are happy to think: “Soul, you got it good; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” (Lk 12:19) 

Epiphany says: “Go and discover what the Lord is doing. Go and discover what your baptism means. Be on pilgrimage. Messiah is already on the road ahead of you in it.”

The whole matter of the Holy Spirt has to be looked at as well. In our story here, the Spirit comes at Jesus’ baptism and the Spirit comes only to Jesus. Later in Acts the Spirit is strangely tied to the laying on of hands by the Apostles even if the baptism had been in the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 8:9-22) Here it comes in physical form, like a dove. Then the Spirt comes but is evident in word and action of the new believer. 

Somewhere in between all that, there has been a Crucifixion, a Resurrection, an Ascension, and most notably, a Pentecost Morning when the Spirt came to rest on the occupants of the Upper Room in the shape of a tongue of fire. This tongue of fire is what Jesus asked the disciples to wait for: The power from on high. (Lk 24:49) All of Acts flows from the event after that.

In Luke’s telling of the story, Jesus is then somehow invested with the Holy Spirt and begins his ministry. The Apostles are invested with the Spirt and begin theirs. It would seem that this investiture is necessary if one was to do the bidding of Heaven.