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The Baptism and the Baptist
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| Jesus, Son of Mary and John |
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On the occasion of the Baptism of Jesus by John, St. Matthew testifies - 'And lo a voice from heaven, saying, "this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased."' Matt. 3: 17
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This is interpreted to mean that God spoke these words, by the authority of which, Jesus is acclaimed bona fide as Son of God.
In the exchange of words between John and Jesus in the text of Matt. 3: 11-17, there is no evidence to support a verbal intervention by God. If so, whom did He speak to?
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Does God speak by Broadcast or Revelation?
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All four of the Gospel writers are unanimous that the voice was from heaven. None testified that the voice was the utterance of God, or Gabriel or that of an angel. When God speaks, He does so via revelation, communicated in silence, in secrecy and directly to a single individual. Not in language aloud, audible, so as to be heard by others. If what was spoken at the Baptism was overheard and understood by the multitude, then the probability is that the speaker would have had to be a man. What is significant is that John was there and it was he who was performing the rituals of Baptism upon Jesus.
If John ordained Jesus as the Christ (Messiah) by the anointment of Baptism, and Jesus suffered it to be so, that the will of God may be fulfilled, then John was Jesus' God-Father or the earthly father provisioned for him by God!
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By which of God's Law can mortality purify divinity?
The poignancy of this question is relevant when one thinks about the belief that God the Almighty had a son who was a mortal. Christians believe that he had to die to save them. Some even claims that Jesus is part of God the Almighty, being part of a trinity, hence being partly a mortal. On the other hand, if Jesus had an earthly father who was a mortal, then the question is mute.
According to Matthew 21:25-26: Jesus asked the Jewish Priesthood:
"the B'ap-t-ism of John, whence was it? From heaven, or of man?"
"and they reasoned with themselves, saying, if we shall say, from heaven;, he will say unto us, why did ye not then believe him (John)? But if we shall say, of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a Prophet."
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Footnote:
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Here is something to think about:
B'ap is the root word from which Abba (Hebrew) is derived -- meaning father. If Jesus was the Ch-r-ist, then John the B'ap-t-ist will mean:
"John - the father of Christ."
(In some South Asian languages, the word Baap also means Father.)
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© Rafeek Mirza; Portions © Information Interchange International
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