The baptism of Jesus is a significant event in the life of Christ. It is recorded in all four gospels. John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah, to call Israel to repentance and to prepare them to receive their Messiah. He spoke of Him as being mightier than he, and the one who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit (cf. Mark 1:7-8). No doubt by now, there was a spirit of anticipation by the people, as they awaited the revealing of the Messiah. Well, the time has come for the Messiah to be revealed, as we read in Mark 1:9, “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.” One cannot help but ask the question, why did Jesus need to be baptized? What sins did He have to confess? The answer is “None!” His baptism was a voluntary act of Him identifying with us sinners, willing to stand in our place. The sinless one became sin for us, that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (cf. 2 Cor 5:21). His water baptism was symbolic of the “baptism” by blood that He would endure, when He offered Himself on the cross as our substitute (cf. Luke 12:50).
It was also at His baptism that the Father anointed and affirmed the Son in His role as the Messiah (cf. Mark 1:10-11). This is in fulfilment of a few prophecies from the book of Isaiah that speak of the Spirit of the Lord coming upon the Messiah, to enable Him to fulfil His mission (cf. Is 11:2; 42:1; 61:1). At His baptism, the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove, a symbol of gentleness and purity. And the Father spoke from heaven directly to His beloved Son these beautiful and comforting words: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). God was here declaring Jesus the Messiah to be the incarnate Son of God.
As you read of the Father’s love and delight in His Son, consider the following question:
Q1: How should the Father’s unchanging love and delight in His Son encourage us in our daily walk? (cf. John 15:9)
Having received the Holy Spirit, Jesus was then driven into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan for 40 days (cf. Mark 1:12-13). There are parallels that we are meant to draw from Jesus’ temptation and that of Adam in the Garden and Israel in the wilderness. Would this Son of God be able to pass the test, or would He, like Adam and Corporate Israel, fail miserably? Well, praise God, Jesus the Messiah overcame Satan’s temptation in the wilderness and emerged victorious.
As you read this passage, consider the following questions:
Q2: By what means did Jesus overcome Satan’s temptation?
Q3: What are the means that God has given us to overcome Satan’s temptations?
May the Lord help us to see our glorious Savior this Sunday with fresh eyes of faith, that we may love and worship Him more.