Religious Issues in Daily Life: The Baptism of Jesus | columnists

In last week's column, I wrote that I would continue a discussion on the baptism of Jesus. His baptism by John the Baptist is important in many ways.

When Jesus was baptized, John's response to Jesus' request is recorded in Matthew 3:14: "But John forbade it, saying, 'I need to' 39. Be thou baptized me, and you come to me? His response indicated that he was surprised because he knew that Jesus was sinless. The answer of Jesus is recorded in Matthew 3:15, "Suffer it to be so now, for thus we are given to perform all righteousness."

The answer of Jesus is of the utmost importance. Simply put, the path to the fulfillment of justice is to humbly submit to the will of God and to respect the covenants of God that are also the commitments of Christians today. The baptism of Jesus is an outward manifestation of a personal commitment that calls Christians to follow his example.

Other important points about his baptism include establishing his identity as a son of God and his willingness to follow God's plan. on his ministry. Some biblical scholars believe that baptism was also a symbolic representation of death and resurrection. Many believe that an immersion is a symbolic representation of the following death and resurrection of Jesus crucifixion.

It is interesting to think of John the Baptist since his encounter with Jesus created questions. That Jesus and John knew each other is not clear. Yet people use Matthew 1:36 to refer to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth, John the Baptist's mother, to be cousins. Some scholars believe that the word has not been translated correctly, and they designate both women to be women. We are told that when Mary and Elizabeth met, one and the other being pregnant, the child within Elizabeth jumped. The implication is that even in vitro, John recognized the Messiah.

More important than their kinship is the legacy of their connection. The Old Testament speaks of John's mission to open the way to the Messiah. At baptism, John recognized the Messiah, but he did not have a complete understanding until the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended.

As quoted in John 3:17, the voice said, "This is my beloved Son. Another important link with the Old Testament is the call of John to Jesus". lamb of God. "This naming is a direct reference or link to the atonement and the sacrificial nature of the Lamb and Jesus.The two lambs died to atone for the sins of others.I reiterate that the Baptism was and is important and note that a reader can go online to find other interesting documents on this subject.

Q: I am surprised to see why God has favored David despite his many atrocities. – Reader

Answer: I can not explain God's reasoning However, you are right David was favored by God I suspect it has something to do with the idea that God chooses who He his choice does not depend on or is not determined by our dignity.

I find that David is an interesting person because he is so human and imperfect. He has committed many sins, but he has also written many beautiful and significant psalms. A good example is "The Lord is my shepherd". Maybe God has chosen to confuse us and to remind us of the importance of humility.

We must remember that the ways of God are not our ways. His ways are mysterious and beyond our reason. God chooses who he wants.

A reader wrote to me saying, "I can not believe you would have the audacity to challenge the word of God, claiming that the separation of the Red Sea can not be a fact. personal answer to my answer.

I'm trying to write email replies, but I wanted to clarify my point here.

I appreciate the reader's letter. It is good to know that people read the chronicle critically. I recognize that people have different opinions and beliefs, which I respect.

Again, I think there are problems with the story of the Hebrews crossing the Red Sea. The Hebrew word "suph" does not mean red; it means reed. So, we have lived with this translation error for years.

Also, if you look at a map of the area, the Hebrews would not have reached Sinai where they received the Ten Commandments. If they had crossed the Red Sea, they would have gone to Saudi Arabia, not to Sinai.

My intention was not to challenge Scripture, but to understand it. I believe that God is all-powerful.