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{{Gospel Jesus}}
{{short description|Event in the life of Jesus}}
{{redirect|Baptism of Christ}}
In the [[synoptic gospels]], [[Jesus]] is [[baptism|baptised]] by [[John the Baptist]]. In these accounts, John preaches repentance before the coming judgment, baptism for the [[forgiveness]] of sins, and the imminent arrival of one far greater than he. Jesus comes to the [[Jordan River]] and is baptised there by John. After the baptism, the heavens open, the [[holy spirit]] like a dove descends, and a [[Bath Kol|heavenly voice]] acclaims Jesus is his Son. Jesus then goes into the wilderness where [[Temptation of Christ|the devil tempts him]], and when he returns he begins his ministry. In the [[Gospel of John]], John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the [[Lamb of God]]<ref>{{bibleverse||John|1:29}}</the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him", namely on Jesus. This echoes closely the words by which the [[Synoptic Gospels]] report the actual baptism of Jesus: "When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him" ({{bibleverse||Matthew|3:16}}; cf. {{bibleverse||Mark|1:10}} and {{bibleverse||Luke|3:20}}).</ref> but there is no mention of Jesus' baptism.
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox event
|image=Verrocchio, Leonardo da Vinci - Battesimo di Cristo.jpg
|caption=''[[The Baptism of Christ (Verrocchio and Leonardo)|The Baptism of Christ]]'' by [[Verrocchio|Andrea del Verrocchio]] and [[Leonardo da Vinci]], {{circa|1475}}
|date=Early 1st century AD (most likely in c. AD 28/29)
|participants=[[Jesus]], [[John the Baptist]]
|location=Present-day [[Al-Maghtas]], [[Jordan]]
}}
The '''baptism of Jesus''', the ritual purification of [[Jesus]] with water by [[John the Baptist]], was a major event described in the three [[synoptic Gospels]] of the [[New Testament]] ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]], [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] and [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]]){{efn|The [[Gospel of John]] does not directly describe [[Jesus]]' baptism.}}. It is considered to have taken place at [[Al-Maghtas]] (also called Bethany Beyond the Jordan), today located in [[Jordan]].


Modern [[Biblical studies|biblical scholars]] view the [[baptism]] of Jesus as a historical event to which a high degree of certainty can be assigned.<ref name=Harring63/><ref name=Lopez95/><ref name=Chilton187/><ref name=Powell47/><ref name=Whois31/> Along with the [[crucifixion of Jesus]], biblical scholars view it as one of the two historically certain facts about him, and often use it as the starting point for the study of the [[historical Jesus]].<ref name=JDunn339/>
Most Christian groups view the baptism of Jesus as an important event and a basis for the Christian rite of [[baptism]] (see also {{bibleverse||Acts|19:1-7}}). Historically, it has featured in debates about the nature of Christ ([[Christology]]). [[Adoptionism|Adoptionists]] and other [[Nontrinitarianism|non-Trinitarians]] considered Jesus to be a natural-born man and generally held his baptism to be the point at which he came to embody the [[Holy Spirit]]. Mainstream Christians generally associate Jesus' baptism with his human nature, rather than his divine nature.


In [[Eastern Christianity]], Jesus' baptism is commemorated on 6 January, the feast of [[Epiphany (Christian)#Eastern Christian Churches|Epiphany]]. In the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Anglican Communion]], and some other Western denominations, it is recalled on a day within the following week, the feast of the [[Baptism of the Lord]]. In Roman Catholicism, the baptism of Jesus is one of the [[Luminous Mysteries]] of the [[Rosary]].
The baptism is one of the events in the narrative of the life of Jesus in the [[canonical Gospel]]s; others include the [[Transfiguration of Jesus|Transfiguration]], [[Crucifixion of Jesus|Crucifixion]], [[Resurrection of Jesus|Resurrection]], and [[Ascension of Jesus|Ascension]].<ref name="digby">[https://books.google.com/books?id=zFA9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA63 ''Essays in New Testament Interpretation''] by Charles Francis Digby Moule 1982 {{ISBN|0-521-23783-1}} p. 63</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=bICy3pj_JpQC&pg=PA28 ''The Melody of Faith: Theology in an Orthodox Key''] by Vigen Guroian 2010 {{ISBN|0-8028-6496-1}} p. 28</ref> Most [[Christian denominations]] view the baptism of Jesus as an important event and a basis for the Christian rite of [[baptism]] (see also Acts 19:1–7).<ref>{{Bibleverse|Acts|19:1–7}}</ref> In [[Eastern Christianity]], Jesus's baptism is commemorated on 6 January (the [[Julian calendar]] date of which corresponds to 19 January on the [[Gregorian calendar]]), the feast of [[Epiphany (Christian)#Eastern Christian Churches|Epiphany]].<ref>[http://www.pravoslavieto.com/calendar/feasts/01.06_Bogojavlenie/istoria.htm Богоявление и Рождество Христово]</ref> In the [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Anglican Communion]], the [[Lutheran]] Churches and some other [[Western Christianity|Western denominations]], it is recalled on a day within the following week, the feast of the [[baptism of the Lord]]. In Roman Catholicism, the baptism of Jesus is one of the [[Rosary#Luminous Mysteries|Luminous Mysteries]] sometimes added to the [[Rosary]]. It is a [[Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church|Trinitarian feast]] in the Eastern Orthodox Churches.


==In the Synoptic Gospels==
[[Stephen L Harris]]<ref>|Harris, Stephen L.m Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985.</ref> has stated that historians know little about the historical Jesus but that they generally agree that he was baptised by John the Baptist. Scholars who follow the historical-critical method find this event credible because it satisfies the criteria of [[multiple attestation]] and [[criterion of dissimilarity|dissimilarity]], that is, multiple sources attest to its happening, and it is not the sort of detail that early Christians would make up.
Mark, Matthew, and Luke depict the baptism in parallel passages. In all three gospels, the Spirit of God — the [[Holy Spirit]] in Luke, "the Spirit" in Mark, and "the Spirit of God" in Matthew — is depicted as descending upon Jesus immediately after his baptism accompanied by a voice from Heaven, but the accounts of Luke and Mark record the voice as addressing Jesus by saying "You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased", while in Matthew the voice states "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:13–17;<ref>{{bibleverse|Matthew|3:13–17}}</ref> Mark 1:9–11;<ref>{{bibleverse|Mark|1:9–11}}</ref> Luke 3:21–23).<ref>{{bibleverse|Luke|3:21–23}}</ref><ref name="Zanzig118" /><ref name="EerRoger">''Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible'' by James D. G. Dunn, John William Rogerson 2003 {{ISBN|0-8028-3711-5}} p. 1010</ref><ref name="Ponessa27">''The Synoptics: Matthew, Mark, Luke'' by Ján Majerník, Joseph Ponessa, Laurie Watson Manhardt 2005 {{ISBN|1-931018-31-6}} pp.&nbsp;27–31</ref>


After the baptism, the [[Synoptic gospels]] describe the [[temptation of Jesus]], where Jesus withdrew to the Judean desert to fast for forty days and nights.
==Location==
[[Image:Jordan river.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The Jordan River]]
[[Image:Jordan river33.jpg|thumb|250px|Right|According to history and the bible, the [[Jordan River]] is the exact site of the baptism, called the Baptism site.]]
John is placed by the passage in the wilderness of [[Judea]], which is generally taken to refer to the region of Judea sloping down from the highlands to the [[Dead Sea]], an arid area not well suited to habitation. The term normally translated as ''wilderness'' is occasionally translated as ''[[desert]]'', although there was enough moisture to allow for [[pastoralism]]. According to [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]] this region was home to the [[Essenes]], and John could possibly have been one of their major leaders. According to [[Donald Guthrie]], at this time wilderness was considered much closer to God than the more corrupt cities.


===Matthew===
According to some traditions, Jesus meets John at the [[Jordan River]], five miles south of the [[Allenby Bridge]], near [[Qasir]] [[al-]][[Yahud]] on the [[West Bank]]. This location is today the site of an [[Eastern Orthodox]] [[monastery]]. The area is currently an Israeli military district closed to the public. However, during Christian holidays and on other occasions, in coordination with Israeli authorities, the site opens for public pilgrimage and baptism rituals. Other areas down the river are provided for Christian pilgrims who wish to perform baptism there themselves.
Matthew's account is unique in several respects: He asserts that Jesus left Galilee for the purpose of being baptized by John (πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην τοῦ βαπτισθῆναι ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ). He includes a conversation between John and Jesus: In v. 14, John said: "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Nevertheless, Jesus convinces John to baptize him "to fulfill all righteousness" (v. 15).<ref name="Ponessa27" /><ref>The word δικαιοσύνη ("righteousness"), missing in Mark and used only once in Luke, is characteristic of Matthew. See 5:6, 10, 20; 6:1, 33; 21:32.</ref> Matthew records that the voice from heaven says "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased", but does not indicate who is addressed.
[[File:Depiction of Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist - I Yesus Church - Axum (Aksum) - Ethiopia (8701132677).jpg|thumb|180px|Depiction of the Baptism of Jesus in [[Axum]], Ethiopia]]
===Mark===
Mark's account is roughly parallel to that of Matthew, except for [[Matthew 3:14]]–[[Matthew 3:15|15]], which describes John's initial reluctance and eventual consent to baptize Jesus, which is not described by Mark. Mark uses an unusual word for the opening of the heavens, {{lang|grc|σχιζομένους}}, {{transliteration|grc|schizomenous}}, which means "tearing" or "ripping" (Mark 1:10). It forms a verbal thread ([[Leitwortstil]]) with the rending ({{lang|grc|ἐσχίσθη}}, {{transliteration|grc|eschisthē}}) of the [[Holy of Holies|Temple veil]] in Mark 15:38, inviting comparison between the two episodes.<ref>David Rhoads, Joanna Dewey, and Donald Michie 2012, ''Mark as Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel'', 3rd ed. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 48.</ref>


===Luke===
Another site with a good tradition showing early Christian activity on the Eastern bank in [[Jordan]] in Al Maghtas (''Baptism'', or ''Immersion'' in Arabic), is considered by many to be the site of the baptism of Jesus following [[UNESCO]]-sponsored excavations. The location fits with {{bibleverse||John|1:28|NRSV}}: ''These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing''. As well as the evidence from archaeology and early pilgrims accounts. This site was visited by [[Pope John Paul II]] in March 2000, and in 2007 a [[The Baptism of Jesus Christ - A documentary film (2007)|documentary film entitled "The Baptism of Jesus Christ - Uncovering Bethany Beyond the Jordan"]] was made about it.
{{see also|Nativity of St. John the Baptist}}
Luke 1 begins with the birth of John the Baptist, heralded to his father, [[Zechariah (priest)|Zacharias]], by the angel [[Gabriel]]. Six months later Gabriel appears to the [[Virgin Mary]] with an announcement of the birth of Jesus (the [[Annunciation]]). Gabriel also announces to Mary the coming birth of John the Baptist to her kinswoman Elizabeth, who is the wife of Zacharias. Mary immediately sets out to visit Elizabeth and stays with her until John's birth. Luke strongly contrasts the reactions of Zacharias and Mary to these two respective births; and the lives of John and Jesus are intertwined.


Luke uniquely depicts John as showing public kindness to tax collectors and encouraging the giving of [[alms]] to the poor (as in Luke 3:11).<ref>{{bibleverse|Luke|3:11}}</ref> Luke records that Jesus was praying when Heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him. Luke clarifies that the spirit descended in the "bodily form" of a dove, as opposed to merely "descending like" a dove. In Acts 10:37–38,<ref>{{bibleverse|Acts|10:37–38|NIV}}</ref> the ministry of Jesus is described as following "the baptism which John preached".<ref name="Who77" />
Both locations appear on the [[Map of Madaba]]:


==In the Gospel of John==
* Western Bank as [[Bethabara]], (House of the ''Ford'', or of the ''Crossing'')
[[File:Ottavio vannini, san giovanni che indica il Cristo a Sant'Andrea.jpg|thumb|Jesus (left) is being identified by [[John the Baptist]] in John 1:29,<ref>{{bibleverse|John|1:29|NIV}}</ref><ref>''The Lamb of God'' by Sergei Bulgakov 2008 {{ISBN|0-8028-2779-9}} p. 263</ref> by [[Ottavio Vannini]], 17th century.]]
In John 1:29–33,<ref>{{bibleverse|John|1:29–33}}</ref> rather than a direct narrative, [[John the Baptist]] bears witness to the spirit descending like a dove.<ref name="Zanzig118">''Jesus of History, Christ of Faith'' by Thomas Zanzig 2000 {{ISBN|0-88489-530-0}} [https://archive.org/details/jesusofhistorych03edzanz/page/118 <!-- quote="John the Baptist". --> p. 118]</ref><ref name="JohnEBrown25" />


The [[Gospel of John]] (John 1:28)<ref>{{bibleverse|John|1:28}}</ref> specifies "Bethabara beyond Jordan", i.e., [[Al-Maghtas|Bethany]] in [[Perea]] as the location where John was baptizing when Jesus began choosing disciples, and in John 3:23<ref>{{bibleverse|John|3:23}}</ref> there is mention of further baptisms in [[Ænon]] "because there was much water there".<ref name="BigPic">''Big Picture of the Bible – New Testament'' by Lorna Daniels Nichols 2009 {{ISBN|1-57921-928-4}} p. 12</ref><ref name="Sloyan11">''John'' by Gerard Stephen Sloyan 1987 {{ISBN|0-8042-3125-7}} p. 11</ref>
* Eastern Bank as [[Aenon]] or [[Sapsaphas]] (''Place of the Willows'')


John 1:35–37<ref>{{bibleverse|John|1:35–37}}</ref> narrates an encounter, between Jesus and two of his future disciples, who were then disciples of John the Baptist.<ref name="Boring292">''[https://books.google.com/books?id=0VC1rzAtgFsC&q=%22John+the+Baptist%22&pg=PA291 The People's New Testament Commentary]'' by Eugene M. Boring and Fred B. Craddock 2010, Westminster John Knox Press {{ISBN|0-664-23592-1}} pp. 292–93</ref><ref name="Niswonger143">''New Testament History'' by Richard L. Niswonger 1992 {{ISBN|0-310-31201-9}} pp.&nbsp;143–46</ref> The episode in John 1:35–37<ref>{{bibleverse|John|1:35–37|NIV}}</ref> forms the start of the relationship between Jesus and his future disciples. When John the Baptist called Jesus the [[Lamb of God]], the "two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus".<ref name="Who77">''Jesus of Nazareth'' by Duane S. Crowther 1999 {{ISBN|0-88290-656-9}} p. 77</ref><ref>''The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels'' by Douglas Redford 2007 {{ISBN|0-7847-1900-4}} p. 92</ref><ref name="Landers6">''A Summary of Christian History'' by Robert A. Baker, John M. Landers 2005 {{ISBN|0-8054-3288-4}} pp.&nbsp;6–7</ref> One of the disciples is named [[Andrew the Apostle|Andrew]], but the other remains unnamed, and [[Raymond E. Brown]] raises the question of his being the author of the Gospel of John himself.<ref name="JohnEBrown25" /><ref>''The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved'' by J. Phillips 2004 {{ISBN|0-9702687-1-8}} pp.&nbsp;121–23</ref> In the Gospel of John, the disciples follow Jesus thereafter, and bring other disciples to him, and Acts 18:24–19:6<ref>{{bibleverse|Acts|18:24–19:6}}</ref> portrays the disciples of John as eventually merging with the followers of Jesus.<ref name="JohnEBrown25">''The Gospel and Epistles of John: A Concise Commentary'' by Raymond Edward Brown 1988 {{ISBN|978-0-8146-1283-5}} [https://archive.org/details/gospelepistleso00brow/page/25 <!-- quote="John the Baptist". --> pp.&nbsp;25–27]</ref><ref name="Boring292" />
==The baptismal scene==
[[Image:Sapsaphas Madaba.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Part of the Madaba Map showing two possible Baptism locations]]


==In the Gospel of the Nazarenes==
In Luke Jesus is watched as one of a large crowd who had come to see John and is baptised before them, while Matthew makes no mention of anyone besides John and Jesus being at the scene. The scene opens in Luke and Matthew with John delivering a polemic apparently against the [[Pharisees]] and [[Sadducees]] who are present. Luke and Matthew then re-join the account of Mark, which does not contain the polemic, by portraying Jesus as going down to John and being baptised by him.
According to the non-canonical [[Gospel of the Nazarenes]], the idea of being baptized by John came from the mother and brothers of Jesus, and Jesus himself, originally opposed, reluctantly accepted it.<ref>Jerome, quoting "The Gospel According to the Hebrews" in ''Dialogue Against Pelagius'' III:2.</ref> [[Benjamin Urrutia]] suggests that this version is supported by the [[criterion of embarrassment]], since followers of Jesus would not have invented an episode in which Jesus changes his mind and comes to accept someone else's plan. Plus, the story came from the community that included the family of Jesus, who would have guaranteed the authenticity of the narrative.<ref>Guy Davenport and Benjamin Urrutia, ''The Logia of Yeshua / The Sayings of Jesus'' (1996), {{ISBN|1-887178-70-8}} p. 51.</ref>


===The polemic===
==Location==
{{see also|Ministry of Jesus|New Testament places associated with Jesus}}
[[File:Sapsaphas Madaba.jpg|thumb|Part of the ancient [[Madaba Map]] showing Bethabara east of the Jordan River]]
[[File:Bethany (5).JPG|thumb|The [[Al-Maghtas]] ruins on the [[Jordan]]ian side of the [[Jordan River]] were the location for the Baptism of [[Jesus]] and the ministry of [[John the Baptist]].]]
The Gospel of John (John 1:28)<ref>{{bibleverse|John|1:28|NIV}}</ref> states that John was baptising in "[[Al-Maghtas|Bethany Beyond the Jordan]]".<ref name="BigPic" /><ref name="Sloyan11" /> generally considered to be the town of Bethany, also called [[Al-Maghtas|Bethabara]] in [[Perea]], on the eastern bank of the Jordan river, near [[Jericho]].<ref name="Sloyan11" /> In the 3rd century, [[Origen]], who moved to the area from [[Alexandria]], suggested Bethabara as the location.<ref name="Charles437">''Jesus and Archaeology'' by James H. Charlesworth 2006, Eedrsmans {{ISBN|0-8028-4880-X}} pp.&nbsp;437–39</ref> In the 4th century, [[Eusebius of Caesarea]] stated that the location was on the west bank of the Jordan, and following him, the [[Byzantine architecture|early Byzantine]] [[Madaba Map]] shows Bethabara as ({{lang|grc|Βέθαβαρά}}).<ref name="Charles437" />


The biblical baptising is related to springs and a Wadi (al-Kharrar) close to the Eastern site of the [[Jordan River]],<ref name="Synop29">''The Synoptics'' by Jan Majernik, Joseph Ponessa and Laurie Manhardt 2005 {{ISBN|1-931018-31-6}} p. 29</ref> not the Jordan itself.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|title = Wo Johannes taufte|url = http://www.zeit.de/1999/52/199952.jordanien_.xml|newspaper = Die Zeit|access-date = 2015-12-09|date = 22 December 1999|publisher = Rosemarie Noack | last1=Noack | first1=Rosemarie }}</ref> The pilgrimage sites, important for both Christians and Jews, have shifted place during history. The site of [[Al-Maghtas]] (''baptism'', or ''immersion'' in Arabic) on the East side of the River in Jordan has been deemed the earliest place of worship. This site was found following [[UNESCO]]-sponsored excavations.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Staff writers|title=Israel will reopen (Israeli) site of the baptism of Jesus|url=http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Israel-will-reopen-%28Israeli%29-site-of-the-baptism-of-Jesus-22218.html|newspaper=AsiaNews.it|date=28 July 2011|access-date=2011-07-31}}</ref> Al-Maghtas was visited by [[Pope John Paul II]] in March 2000, and he said, "In my mind I see Jesus coming to the waters of the river Jordan not far from here to be baptized by John the Baptist".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/travels/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20000322_al-maghtas_en.html|url-status=dead|title=Visit to Al-Maghtas Speech of the Holy Father|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716141128/https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/travels/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20000322_al-maghtas_en.html|archive-date=16 July 2012|publisher=Libreria Editrice Vaticana|date=22 March 2000|last1=John Paul II}}</ref> The [[Early Muslim conquests|Muslim conquest]] put an end to the Byzantine buildings on the east bank of the Jordan River. The later reverence took place just across the river in the [[West Bank]] at [[Qasr el Yahud]].<ref name="River">{{Cite web|url = http://www.timesofisrael.com/no-evidence-but-un-declares-jesus-baptised-on-jordan-side-of-river/|title = No evidence, but UN says Jesus baptized on Jordan's side of river, not Israel's|date = 13 July 2015|access-date = 26 November 2015|publisher =The Times of Israel}}</ref> The valley around the Dead Sea, which the Jordan River flows into from the North, is also the lowest place on planet Earth.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lowest Places on Earth - Death Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service)|url=https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/nature/lowest-places-on-earth.htm|access-date=2020-09-14|website=www.nps.gov|language=en}}</ref>
Once John has been introduced into the narrative, both Matthew and Luke have him immediately described as meeting a group of people, and calling them a ''brood of [[viper]]s'', urging them to [[repent]]. That Mark does not contain this lecture while the other two [[synoptic gospel|synoptics]] do has led scholars to believe that this section comes from the [[Q document]]. Luke has John addressing the people that have come to see him in general, while Matthew has him address the [[Pharisees]] and [[Sadducees]] in particular. According to several scholars, the presence of the Pharisees and Sadducees does not indicate their intent to join John's movement, but rather their wish to investigate it and decide whether it is a threat to their own power. The historicity of their joint presence at this event has been questioned {{Fact|date=February 2007}}, since the Pharisees and Sadducees were bitter and ancient rivals.


==Chronology==
[[Image:John and the Pharisees.jpg|thumb|275px|[[James Tissot]]'s ''John and the Pharisees'']]
{{Main|Chronology of Jesus}}
The baptism of Jesus is generally considered as the start of [[Ministry of Jesus|his ministry]], shortly after the start of the ministry of John the Baptist.<ref name="Blomberg224">''Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey'' by Craig L. Blomberg 2009 {{ISBN|0-8054-4482-3}} pp.&nbsp;224–29</ref><ref name="Alister16">''Christianity: An Introduction'' by Alister E. McGrath 2006 {{ISBN|978-1-4051-0901-7}}pp.&nbsp;16–22</ref><ref name="Kellum140">''The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament'' by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-8054-4365-3}} po.&nbsp;140–41</ref> Luke 3:1–2<ref>{{bibleverse|Luke|3:1–2|NIV}}</ref> states that:<ref name="Eerdmans246">''Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible'' 2000 Amsterdam University Press {{ISBN|90-5356-503-5}} p. 249</ref><ref name="CEvans67">''The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Matthew-Luke, Volume 1'' by Craig A. Evans 2003 {{ISBN|0-7814-3868-3}} pp.&nbsp;67–69</ref>


<blockquote>
A number of theories have been advanced to explain why Matthew directs John's attack to these groups while Luke focuses on the general multitude. [[Eduard Schweizer]] believes that since Matthew was writing for a more Jewish audience than Luke, Matthew did not want to offend all Jews and thus focused only on the religious authorities, who had become a direct threat to the Christianity of Matthew's time. Other scholars disagree with this view; some hold instead that ''Pharisees and Sadducees'' should be understood as a ''catch-all'' term for the Jews in general.
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea{{nbsp}}[...] the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.</blockquote>


There are two approaches to determining when the reign of [[Tiberius Caesar]] started.<ref name="art201" /> The traditional approach is that of assuming that the reign of Tiberius started when he became co-regent in AD 11, placing the start of the ministry of John the Baptist around AD 26. However, some scholars assume it to be upon the death of his predecessor [[Augustus Caesar]] in AD 14, implying that the ministry of John the Baptist began in AD 29.<ref name="art201">''Luke 1–5: New Testament Commentary'' by John MacArthur 2009 {{ISBN|0-8024-0871-0}} p. 201</ref>
''Brood of vipers'' was a common expression at the time indicating those filled with malice, which [[RT France]] believes could be rooted in [[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]] (46:22). Later in Matthew the expression is employed by Jesus himself on two occasions (Matthew 12:34 and 23:33). This insult has been borrowed by a number of other writers, including [[Shakespeare]] in ''[[Troilus and Cressida]]'', [[Anthony Trollope]] in ''[[Barchester Towers]]'', [[Somerset Maugham]] in ''[[Catalina]]'', and in the title of [[François Mauriac]]'s ''Le noeud de viperes''. In Matthew and Luke, the word used for ''brood'' implies [[Illegitimacy]], and so scholars, such as [[Malina]] and [[The Context Group|Rohrbaugh]], consider a more literal translation to be ''[[Serpent (symbolism)|snake bastards]]''.


The generally assumed dates for the start of the ministry of John the Baptist based on this reference in the Gospel of Luke are about AD 28–29, with the ministry of Jesus with his baptism following it shortly thereafter.<ref name="Eerdmans246" /><ref name="CEvans67" /><ref name="Kostenberger140">''The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament'' by [[Andreas J. Köstenberger]], L. Scott Kellum 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-8054-4365-3}} p. 114</ref><ref name="Novak302">''Christianity and the Roman Empire: Background Texts'' by Ralph Martin Novak 2001 {{ISBN|1-56338-347-0}} pp.&nbsp;302–03</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title = Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ | last = Hoehner| first = Harold W | author-link = Harold Hoehner|year= 1978|publisher=Zondervan |isbn= 0-310-26211-9|pages= 29–37| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=6z-NcR7fVSIC&q=CHronological+Aspects+of+the+Life+of+Christ}}</ref>
Superficially, the implication of [[illegitimacy]] and the phrase ''don't think to yourselves "we have Abraham for a father"'' could be seen as an attack on the importance that Judaism placed on bloodlines. Some, such as France, do not support this interpretation, and instead see the phrase as a reference to the reliance of the Pharisees and Sadducees on their own religious authority to achieve salvation. Clearly, those having formal hierarchies in their church, particularly Roman Catholicism in regard to the Pope, do not support the interpretation of France.


==Historicity==
John goes on to refer to future ''wrath'', although Christians interpret this as referring to the ''righteous indignation'' of God. To avoid this wrath, John is described as stating that the fruit of [[repentance]] should be made manifest, with every tree not bearing fruit being subject to destruction. The imagery used is of God as a [[lumberjack]] cutting down trees and then burning them, much like the imagery at Isaiah 10:34 and Jeremiah 46:22, which may have been the ultimate origin of this verse. An argument for [[Aramaic primacy]] can be put forward by this since in [[Aramaic]], the word for a tree ''root'' is ''ikkar'', while ''cutting down'' is ''kar'', hence in Aramaic the description is an example of [[pun]]ning. Scholars of the eschatological school [http://www.westarinstitute.org/Polebridge/Title/5Gospels/Seven_Pillars/seven_pillars.html] believe that this verse originally referred to an imminent [[last judgement]], which, when it failed to occur, was re-interpreted by later Christianity as referring to individual damnation.
[[File:Baptism of Christ by Tiffany.jpg|thumb|[[Stained glass window]] of Jesus's baptism by [[Louis Comfort Tiffany|Tiffany]]]]
Nearly all scholars believe that [[John the Baptist]] performed a baptism on Jesus, and view it as a historical event to which a high degree of certainty can be assigned.<ref name="Harring63">''[https://books.google.com/books?id=bNf13S3k2w0C&q=%22That+Jesus+was+baptized+by+John%22 The Gospel of Matthew]'' by Daniel J. Harrington 1991 {{ISBN|0-8146-5803-2}} p. 63</ref><ref name="Lopez95">''Christianity: A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Guide'' by Glenn Jonas, Kathryn Muller Lopez 2010, pp. 95–96</ref><ref name="Chilton187">''Studying the Historical Jesus: Evaluations of the State of Current Research'' by Bruce Chilton, Craig A. Evans 1998 {{ISBN|90-04-11142-5}} pp. 187–98</ref><ref name="Powell47" /> [[James Dunn (theologian)|James Dunn]] states that the historicity of the baptism and [[crucifixion of Jesus]] "command almost universal assent".<ref name="JDunn339">''Jesus Remembered'' by James D. G. Dunn 2003 {{ISBN|0-8028-3931-2}} p. 339</ref> Dunn states that these two facts "rank so high on the 'almost impossible to doubt or deny' scale of historical facts" that they are often the starting points for the study of the historical Jesus.<ref name="JDunn339" /> [[John Dominic Crossan]] states that it is historically certain that Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan.<ref name="Whois31">''Who Is Jesus?'' by John Dominic Crossan, Richard G. Watts 1999 {{ISBN|0-664-25842-5}} pp.&nbsp;31–32</ref>


In the ''[[Antiquities of the Jews]]'' (18.5.2) 1st-century historian [[Flavius Josephus]] also wrote about John the Baptist and his eventual death in Perea.<ref>''Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible'' 2000 {{ISBN|90-5356-503-5}} p. 583</ref><ref>''Behold the Man: The Real Life of the Historical Jesus'' by Kirk Kimball 2002 {{ISBN|978-1-58112-633-4}} p. 654</ref>
In Luke, the crowd react favourably to John's speech, but Matthew neglects to mention the reaction of the crowd.


The existence of John the Baptist within the same time frame as Jesus, and his eventual execution by [[Herod Antipas]], is attested to by 1st-century historian Flavius Josephus and the overwhelming majority of modern scholars view [[Josephus on Jesus|Josephus' accounts]] of the activities of John the Baptist as authentic.<ref name="AmyJill55">Craig Evans, 2006 "Josephus on John the Baptist" in ''The Historical Jesus in Context'' edited by Amy-Jill Levine et al. Princeton Univ Press {{ISBN|978-0-691-00992-6}} pp.&nbsp;55–58</ref><ref>''The New Complete Works of Josephus by Flavius Josephus'', William Whiston, Paul L. Maier {{ISBN|0-8254-2924-2}} pp.&nbsp;662–63</ref> Josephus establishes a key connection between the historical events he recorded and specific episodes that appear in the gospels.<ref name="AmyJill55" /> The reference in the ''[[Antiquities of the Jews]]'' by Josephus to John's popularity among the crowds ([[s:The Antiquities of the Jews/Book XVIII#Chapter 5|Antiquities 18.5.2]]) and how he preached his baptism is considered a reliable historical datum.<ref name="JBP">''John the Baptist: Prophet of Purity for a New Age'' by Catherine M. Murphy 2003 {{ISBN|0-8146-5933-0}} p. 53</ref><ref name="Barnett122" /> Unlike the gospels, Josephus does not relate John and Jesus, and does not state that John's baptisms were for the remission of sins.<ref name="JBP" /><ref name="Barnett122">''Jesus & the Rise of Early Christianity: A History of New Testament Times'' by Paul Barnett 2009 {{ISBN|0-8308-2699-8}} p. 122</ref><ref>Claudia Setzer, "Jewish Responses to Believers in Jesus", in Amy-Jill Levine, Marc Z. Brettler (editors), The Jewish Annotated New Testament, p. 576 (New Revised Standard Version, Oxford University Press, 2011). {{ISBN|978-0-19-529770-6}}</ref> However, almost all modern scholars consider the [[Josephus on Jesus|Josephus passage on John]] to be authentic in its entirety and view the variations between Josephus and the gospels as indications that the Josephus passages are authentic, for a Christian interpolator would have made them correspond to the Christian traditions.<ref>Evans, Craig A. (2006). "Josephus on John the Baptist". In Levine, Amy-Jill. The Historical Jesus in Context. Princeton Univ Press. {{ISBN|978-0-691-00992-6}}. pp.&nbsp;55–58</ref><ref>Eddy, Paul; Boyd, Gregory (2007). ''The Jesus Legend: A Case for the Historical Reliability of the Synoptic Jesus Tradition''. {{ISBN|0-8010-3114-1}}. p. 130</ref>
This passage has become a source of much dispute over [[soteriology]]. While the passage could be read as indicating that good works are merely the outgrowth of internal repentance just as good fruit are the product of a healthy tree, it could also be more simply be regarded as indicating that good works '''are''' repentance. This verse thus became a part of the larger debate over the doctrine held by Protestants about [[justification of faith|justification by faith]]. The [[Augsburg Confession]], for instance, states that ''it is taught among us that such faith should produce good fruits and good works and that we must do all such good works as God has commanded, but we should do them for God’s sake and not place our trust in them as if thereby to merit favor before God''.


One of the arguments in favour of the historicity of the baptism of Jesus by John is that it is a story which the [[early Christianity|early Christian Church]] would have never wanted to invent, typically referred to as the [[criterion of embarrassment]] in historical analysis.<ref name="Powell47" /><ref name="Whois31" /><ref name="Casey35">''Jesus of Nazareth: An Independent Historian's Account of His Life and Teaching'' by Maurice Casey 2010 {{ISBN|0-567-64517-7}} p. 35</ref> Based on this criterion, given that John baptized for the remission of [[sin]]s, and Jesus was viewed as without sin, the invention of this story would have served no purpose, and would have been an embarrassment given that it positioned John above Jesus.<ref name="Powell47">''Jesus as a Figure in History: How Modern Historians View the Man from Galilee'' by Mark Allan Powell 1998 {{ISBN|0-664-25703-8}} p. 47</ref><ref name="Casey35" /><ref>''The Historical Jesus: a Comprehensive Guide'' by Gerd Theissen, Annette Merz 1998 {{ISBN|0-8006-3122-6}} p. 207</ref> The Gospel of Matthew attempts to offset this problem by having John feel unworthy to baptize Jesus and Jesus giving him permission to do so in Matthew 3:14–15.<ref>{{bibleverse|Matthew|3:14–15}}</ref><ref name="Murphy29" />
===Divine provenance===
[[Image:Francesco Albani - The Baptism of Christ.jpg|thumb|275px|[[Francesco Albani]]'s ''The Baptism of Christ'']]


The gospels are not the only references to the baptisms performed by John. In [[Acts of the Apostles]], [[apostle Peter|Peter]] refers to how the [[ministry of Jesus]] followed "the baptism which John preached".<ref>{{bibleverse|Acts|10:37–38|NIV}}</ref><ref>''Who is Jesus?: An Introduction to Christology'' by Thomas P. Rausch 2003 {{ISBN|978-0-8146-5078-3}} p. 77</ref> Another argument supporting the historicity of the baptism is that multiple accounts refer to it, usually called the criterion of [[multiple attestation]].<ref name="Murphy29">''John the Baptist: Prophet of Purity for a New Age'' by Catherine M. Murphy 2003 {{ISBN|0-8146-5933-0}} pp.&nbsp;29–30</ref> Technically, multiple attestation does not guarantee authenticity, but only determines antiquity.<ref>''Jesus and His Contemporaries: Comparative Studies'' by Craig A. Evans 2001 {{ISBN|0-391-04118-5}} p. 15</ref> However, for most scholars, together with the criterion of embarrassment it lends credibility to the baptism of Jesus by John being a historical event.<ref name="Murphy29" /><ref>''An Introduction to the New Testament and the Origins of Christianity'' by Delbert Royce Burkett 2002 {{ISBN|0-521-00720-8}} pp.&nbsp;247–48</ref><ref>''Who is Jesus?'' by Thomas P. Rausch 2003 {{ISBN|978-0-8146-5078-3}} p. 36</ref><ref>''The Relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth: A Critical Study'' by Daniel S. Dapaah 2005 {{ISBN|0-7618-3109-6}} p. 91</ref>
After Jesus is baptised, the narrative describes the heavens as opening, the ''Spirit of God'' descending as a [[dove]], and a [[Bath Kol|voice from heaven]] announcing that Jesus is God's ''beloved Son'' and that God is ''well pleased'' with him. The opening heavens echo the beginning of the [[Book of Ezekiel]]. Some ancient manuscripts read ''opened up to him'' rather than just ''opened up'', suggesting that this event is more private, and so explaining why the crowds that Luke argues were present apparently did not notice. This, together with the symbology of the dove, is seen as one of the most [[Trinity|Trinitarian]] passages in the entire New Testament, although liberal scholars of Christian history argue that the idea of the [[Holy Ghost]] as a distinct figure only became a mainstream view some centuries after Matthew was written, and prior to that Christianity was [[Binitarian]].


==Commentary==
While Luke is explicit about the ''Spirit of God'' descending in the shape of a dove, the wording of Matthew is vague enough that it could be interpreted only to suggest that the descent was in the style of a dove. There was a wide array of symbolism attached to doves at the time these passages were written. While Clarke believes the symbolism pointed to [[Noah]] sending out a dove to search out new land and hence is a symbol of re-birth, Albright and Mann note that in Hosea, the dove is a symbol for the nation of Israel. In the Graeco-Roman world the dove was a symbol of purity due to its whiteness and the belief that it had no [[bile]], it was also a symbol of [[Aphrodite]], goddess of love, lust and beauty. Whatever the original intent of the [[Synoptic Gospels]], the dove imagery has become a well known symbol for the [[Holy Ghost]] in [[Christian art]].
[[Justus Knecht]] answers the question of why Jesus let himself be baptized by John:
[[File:PortAuPrinceMural.jpg|thumb|The baptism of Jesus depicted at the ''[[Holy Trinity Cathedral, Port-au-Prince|Cathédrale Sainte Trinité]]'',<br/>Port-au-Prince, Haiti]]
<blockquote>
1. He did not require to do [[penance]], because He was without sin; but He had taken our sins upon Him to atone for them; therefore He humbled Himself, placed Himself on a level with sinners, and obediently subjected Himself to be baptized, as He had submitted before to be circumcised, and presented in the Temple. 2. He gave us thereby a lesson in humility and obedience, and has taught us that we too must fulfil all justice, i. e. promptly obey all the ordinances of God. 3. By His baptism He sanctified water, and gave to it the power of purifying and sanctifying the soul of man. In other words, He instituted the Sacrament of Baptism by which, under the outward sign of water, we receive remission of our sins.<ref>{{cite book|chapter=[[s:A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture/XII. Jesus is baptized by John and tempted by the Devil|XII. Jesus is baptized by John and tempted by the Devil]]|title=A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture|year=1910|publisher=B. Herder|first=Friedrich Justus|last=Knecht|author-link=Justus Knecht}}</ref>
</blockquote>


He also notes that, "''The opening of heaven'' signified that Heaven, which had been closed to man since the Fall, was now once more opened by Jesus."
==John the Baptist in the narrative==
{{main|John the Baptist}}


[[Roger Baxter]] reflects on Christ's baptism in his ''Meditations'':
===Persona===
[[Image:Bosch - John the Baptist.jpg|200px|thumb|left|[[Hieronymus Bosch]]'s ''St. John the Baptist'']]


<blockquote>
The narrative begins with a description of a man that Matthew names ''John the Baptist'', Luke names ''John the son of Zacharias'', and many manuscripts of Mark refer to as ''John the baptiser''. On this latter name, [[Anabaptists]] insist on the more emphatic translation ''John the Immerser''. John's title reflects his practice of baptising people in the [[Jordan River|Jordan]].
The first act of Christ's public life was to present Himself to be baptized by His precursor, to teach us that those who are employed in the work of God should carry with them a pure and uncorrupted heart. He therefore takes leave of His divine Mother, who, although she grieved at the absence of such a Son, rejoiced that the redemption of Israel was at hand. He takes a long journey to the Baptist. The Lord goes to the servant to be baptized by him as a common sinner, among publicans and soldiers and the lowest order of the vulgar. Admire the humility of the Son of God, and convince yourself that humility is the best preparation for great works.<ref>{{cite book|chapter=[[s:Meditations_For_Every_Day_In_The_Year/The_Life_and_Doctrine_of_Jesus_Christ#330|Christ's Baptism]]|title=Meditations For Every Day In The Year|year=1823|publisher=Benziger Brothers|first=Roger|last=Baxter|author-link=Roger Baxter|location=New York}}</ref>
</blockquote>


==Artistic depictions==
John is described as having sparse food and uncomfortable clothing, including the wearing of [[hairshirt]]s. The description of John the Baptist has played an important role in the development of [[Christian monasticism]], with John viewed as a model [[ascetic]]. However, [[John Calvin|Calvin]] wholly rejected this interpretation, seeing this description simply as an accurate portrait of anyone that was forced to live in the [[wilderness]], and instead seeing John's holiness and popularity not because of his asceticism but despite it. Albright and Mann state that the description of John the Baptist's clothing is clearly meant to echo the similar description of [[Elijah]] in Kings.
While the gospel of Luke is explicit about the ''Spirit of God'' descending in the shape of a dove, the wording of Matthew is vague enough that it could be interpreted only to suggest that the descent was in the style of a dove. Although a variety of symbolisms were attached to doves at the time these passages were written, the dove imagery has become a well known symbol for the [[Holy Spirit]] in [[Christian art]].<ref name="Clarke">Clarke, Howard W. ''The Gospel of Matthew and its Readers: A Historical Introduction to the First Gospel.'' Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2003.</ref><ref name="A">[[William F. Albright|Albright, W.F.]] and C.S. Mann. "Matthew". ''[[The Anchor Bible Series]].'' New York: Doubleday & Company, 1971.</ref> Depictions of the baptismal scene typically show the sky opening and the [[Holy Spirit (Christianity)|Holy Spirit]] descending as a dove towards Jesus.<ref name="Ross30">''Medieval Art: A Topical Dictionary'' by Leslie Ross 1996 {{ISBN|978-0-313-29329-0}} p. 30</ref>


Artists usually tried to show the whole body of Christ as he stood in the water, which could give them difficulties. The reasonably coherent 6th-century mosaic image in the [[Arian Baptistry]], [[Ravenna]], with the water hemmed in by two banks, when used in many generations of copies in Western Europe, by artists unskilled in depicting visual recession, led to images like that in the Psalter of Eleanor of Aquitaine, where there appears to be a standing mound of water.
John the Baptist's diet, which the bible indicates was ''locusts'' and ''[[honey]]'', has been the centre of much discussion. For many years it was traditional to interpret ''locust'' not as referring to [[locust|the insect]], but rather to the seed pods of the [[carob]] tree. Albright and Mann believe that this attempt to portray John the Baptist as eating seed pods was a combination of concern for having such a revered figure eating insects and also a belief that a true ascetic should be completely [[vegetarian]]. It is certainly the case that in Greek the two words are very similar, but most scholars today feel this passage is referring to the insects, particularly since the other 22 times the word is used in the Bible, it quite clearly refers to insects. Locusts are still commonly eaten in [[Arabia]], and like many insects are quite [[nutrition|nutritious]]. While most insects were [[Unclean animals|considered unclean]], [[Leviticus]] permits locusts. What is meant by ''honey'' is also a subject that has been under dispute. Aside from the obvious product of [[bee]]s, scholars such as Jones believe that it refers to gum from the [[tamarisk]] tree, a tasteless but nutritional type of liquid.


At least one attendant archangel, holding Christ's robe, and often another with a towel, became usual in medieval images.
===Message===
[[Image:Geertgendoper.png|right|200px|thumb|''John the Baptist in the Wilderness'' by [[Geertgen tot Sint Jans]]]]


<gallery widths="150px" heights="200px">
After announcing John's existence, the Gospel of Matthew immediately goes on to portray him as delivering the message ''Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is nigh'', a saying adopted by doom-sayers everywhere in the western world. In both Luke and Mark, however, the message is absent. Clarke notes that this is the first of twenty-nine references to the [[Kingdom of Heaven]] in the Gospel of Matthew. Luke and Mark tend to prefer the term "kingdom of God." That Matthew uses the word ''heaven'' is often seen as a reflection of the sensibilities of the Jewish audience this gospel was directed to, in this case Matthew trying to avoid using the word ''God''. Most scholars believe the two phrases are theologically identical because of the large number of parallel passages in Matthew and Luke in which Matthew uses "heaven" and Luke uses "God." Robert Foster rejects this view, arguing that Matthew does use the phrase "Kingdom of God" in places. He asserts that the Kingdom of God represents the earthly domain that Jesus' opponents such as Pharisees thought they resided in, while the Kingdom of Heaven represents the truer spiritual domain of Jesus and his disciples.
File:Battistero degli ariani, int, mosaico della cupola 08 battesimo di cristo.jpg|[[Arian Baptistry]], [[Ravenna]], 6th-century mosaic. A classical [[personification]] of the Jordan attends at left.
File:Baptism of Jesus (Kells).jpg|[[High cross]], [[Kells, County Meath|Kells, Ireland]], 10th century carving in stone
File:Images from the life of Christ - The baptism of Christ by St John the Baptist, an angel holds Christ's robe - Psalter of Eleanor of Aquitaine (ca. 1185) - KB 76 F 13, folium 019r.jpg|Miniature from the Psalter of Eleanor of Aquitaine ({{c.|1185}})
File:Andrea Mantegna - Baptism of Christ - WGA13978.jpg|[[Andrea Mantegna]], {{c.|1505}}
File:Bautismo de Cristo por Navarrete el Mudo.jpg|[[Juan Fernández Navarrete|Juan Navarrete]], 1567
File:Porcelaine chinoise Guimet 281111.jpg|Chinese porcelain, [[Qing dynasty]], early 18th century
File:Bogojavlenie.jpg|[[Eastern Orthodox]] icon
File:Gerard David - Triptych of Jan Des Trompes - WGA6031.jpg|[[Gerard David]] – ''[[The Baptism of Christ (David)|The Baptism of Christ]]'', {{c.|1505}}
File:Gregorio Fernández - Bautismo 20140703.jpg|[[Gregorio Fernández]], {{c.|1630}}
File:Taufe Jesu, ehem. Dreifaltigkeitskapelle Kärlich.jpg|Relief in Kärlich, around the 17th century
File:Gelder, Aert de - The Baptism of Christ - c. 1710.jpg|[[Aert de Gelder]], {{c.|1710}}
File:Gagarin_KreschenieHristovo.jpg|[[Grigory Gagarin]], {{c.|1840–1850}}
File:SAAM-1956.11.53 1.jpg|[[Giovanni Battista Tiepolo]], Baptism of Christ, 18th century, Italy
</gallery>


==See also==
Some scholars{{who|date=June 2007}} believe that when it was written this phrase was intended to be [[eschatological]] with the Kingdom of Heaven referring to the end times. According to this theory, when the [[last judgement]] failed to occur, Christian writers gradually redefined the term to refer to a spiritual state within, or worked to justify a much delayed end time. This passage, they say, presented a difficulty in this later endeavour as the phrase translated as "at hand" or "is near" both refer to an imminent event. Albright and Mann suggest that a better translation would be, ''The kingdom is fast approaching.'' France sees it as even more immediate suggesting that the phrase should be read as referring to "a state of affairs that is already beginning and demands immediate action."; i.e., "The kingdom of God is here."
{{Gospel Jesus}}
* [[Ænon]]
* [[Al Maghtas]]
* [[Bethabara]]
* [[Chronology of Jesus]]
* [[Jesus in Christianity]]
* [[Life of Jesus in the New Testament]]
* [[Mandaeism]]
* [[Ministry of Jesus]]
* [[New Testament places associated with Jesus]]
* [[Qasr el Yahud]]
* [[Transfiguration of Jesus]]
{{clear}}


==Notes==
Others such as [[Oscar Cullmann|O. Cullmann]] interpret John (and Jesus -- {{bibleverse||Mark|1:15}}) to refer to an ''inaugurated kingdom''; one which is present now but is not yet come in all of its fulness, i.e. the kingdom being here (because the ''king'' has arrived), but without being in the fullness of its glory.
{{notelist}}


==References==
The word translated as [[repent]] (''metanoo'') is translated by R.T. France as "return to God." Albright and Mann state that at the time a general repentance was seen as necessary before the arrival of the messiah; evidence from Qumran seems to substantiate this claim [http://www.abu.nb.ca/Courses/NTIntro/LifeJ/JohnBaptist.htm]. Clarke notes that in the [[Vulgate]] of [[St. Jerome]] the word is translated, both here and in {{bibleref|Matthew|4:17}}, as ''paenitentiam agite'', which he interprets, not as "repent", but as "be penitent", in spite of the use of ''paenitentiam agere'' in the sense of "repent" by the late Classical Latin writers [[Sallust]], [[Quintilian]], [[Pliny the Younger]] and [[Seneca the Younger|Seneca]].<ref>[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0059%3Aentry%3D%2333362 ''paenĭtentĭa''] in Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, ''A Latin Dictionary''</ref> Clarke then goes on to claim that Jerome's translation played a central role in the development of the [[Catholic]] doctrine of [[penance]]. With the increased knowledge of Greek in the Renaissance this translation began to be criticized, with [[Lorenzo Valla]] first pointing out the supposed error. [[Erasmus]]' [[1516]] translation and commentary (in Latin) became the first to use "repentance" (in Latin, ''paenitentia''?) rather than "penitence" (in Latin, ''paenitentia''?). It was from the doctrine of penitence{{fact|date=June 2007}} that the concept of [[indulgence]]s had grown, and these new translations played an important role in [[Martin Luther]]'s and other Protestants' reappraisal of these practices. Today the word is universally translated as ''repentance'' and the Catholic doctrine is grounded more in theology than in this passage.{{fact|date=June 2007}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
''The two terms can have very different meanings though. The term 'kingdom of Heaven' implies a place that god resides within; the 'kingdom of God' is what he presides over and is immanent within, our own reality.{{fact|date=June 2007}}
{{Commonscat|Baptism of Jesus Christ}}
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02258b.htm Baptism of Jesus] – ''Catholic Encyclopedia''


{{s-start}}
Saying that "the kingdom of God is here (or 'nigh' =close)" is a statement of fact for someone who believes that God is present everywhere. "The Kingdom of God is close", means "look around you at this manifestation of God, He is nearer than you think."''{{fact|date=June 2007}}
{{s-hou|[[Chronology of Jesus|Life of Jesus]]: [[Ministry of Jesus|Ministry]]|||}}
{{s-bef|before=Ministry of [[John the Baptist]],<br />further preceded by <br />[[Finding in the Temple]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[New Testament]]<br>Events}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Temptation of Jesus]]}}
{{s-end}}


{{Jesus footer |state=expanded}}
===John's purpose according to the synoptic gospels===
{{Gospel of Matthew}}
[[Image:John the Baptist preaching - 1516.jpg|thumb|200px|left|A [[woodcut]] from the [[1516]] ''[[Das Plenarium oder Ewangely buoch]]'' showing John the Baptist preaching]]
{{Gospel of Mark}}
{{Gospel of Luke}}
{{Christianity footer}}
{{History of Christianity}}


{{Authority control}}
In all three of the synoptic gospels, John the Baptist is described as completing a prophecy made by Isaiah; as the individual who would make straight the paths of ''him''. The quote, coming from {{bibleverse||Isaiah|40:3}}, refers in its original context to making straight the paths of ''God'', and specifically in reference to later escape from the [[Babylonian Captivity]]. Rather than the [[Masoretic text]], the quote uses the wording of the [[Septuagint]], as is usual for New Testament quotations of the Old Testament. There are actually two justifiable punctuations for the quote, the traditional one being ''the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ....''; the other reading, pointed to by the masoretic version of Isaiah, and hence supported by most modern scholars, is ''the voice of one crying: In the wilderness prepare ....'', which substantially changes the meaning, and is far less clearly applicable to Christian interpretations of John.{{fact|date=June 2007}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Baptism of Jesus}}
John goes on, in the narrative, to refer to his successor as separating the [[wheat]] from the [[chaff]], via [[winnowing]]. The term ''winnowing fork'' is most likely to be the implement that the original narrative described the successor as using to do this, but older translations are very variant, for example having ''fan'', ''shovel'', or ''broom.'' In the [[Eastern Orthodox]] church the word was most often interpreted as ''broom'' and consequently Jesus is commonly depicted holding a broom in Eastern Orthodox iconography.{{fact|date=June 2007}} For the same reason that John's humility in the face of Jesus is often doubted,{{fact|date=June 2007}} John, whose movement appears to have remained far more significant at the turn of the first century than Christianity was,{{fact|date=June 2007}} is often considered by non-Christian scholars to never to have made such a prediction about his successor, it instead being pious forgery by the authors of the synoptics.{{fact|date=June 2007}}
[[Category:1st-century Christianity]]

===The importance of John===
[[Image:John the Baptist preaches.jpg|thumb|275px|An illustration of [[John the Baptist]] preaching about the Kingdom of Heaven, from the 1875 ''Young People's Illustrated Bible History'']]

Matthew and Luke describe Jews coming from [[Jerusalem]], all of [[Judea]], and the areas around the [[Jordan River]] to hear John the Baptist preach. This description is considered quite historically credible as it is backed up by [[Josephus]]. In his [[Antiquities of the Jews]] he says of John the Baptist that the ''others came in crowds about him, for they were very greatly moved by hearing his words'' [http://www.religiousstudies.uncc.edu/jdtabor/john.html]. At the time Josephus was writing, around [[97 AD]], John the Baptist seems to have been an exceptionally more significant figure than Jesus - while John is frequently mentioned, [[historicity of Jesus|hardly anyone appears to have mentioned Jesus]] at all, in all of Josephus' writing, there are only two very short passages which could possibly refer to Jesus, and [[Josephus on Jesus|these are heavily disputed]] with most scholars seeing them as forgeries.

Unlike Luke and Mark, Matthew has John being hesitant about baptising Jesus, with John stating that Jesus should be the one baptising him, though it doesn't exactly state why. The [[Gospel of the Nazoraeans]], a text which has very strong similarities to Matthew, adds a clarification to this story, stating that it was because of Jesus' sinlessness that John felt he was the one who should be baptised. In the environment the author of Matthew is presumed to have been writing in there would still have been many followers of John the Baptist who felt he was equal to or superior to Jesus. And while the followers of John are often presented as becoming followers of Jesus, the ancient [[Mandaean]] religion, which survives much reduced to the present day, claims to originate in a direct line from the followers of John, without being tainted by following Jesus.

===Baptism and John===
[[Image:Fra Angelico - Baptism of Christ.JPG|200px|thumb|left|[[Fra Angelico]]'s ''Baptism of Christ'']]

The origins of John's baptism ritual are much discussed amongst scholars. While various forms of baptism were practised throughout the Jewish world at this time, only those of John the Baptist and [[Qumran]] are associated with an [[eschatological]] purpose, leading many scholars to connect John to the group that wrote the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]]. In Qumran, however, baptism was a regular ritual for individuals rather than the one-time event that the synoptics present it as. Obviously that the synoptics describe John as baptising people in the once-off form could simply be due to them putting a spin on John's historic behaviour due to being motivated to present him in accordance with Christian theology.

John the Baptist is described by Mark, Luke, and Matthew as referring to a successor, who will baptise with ''the Holy spirit and with fire''. While John is presented as describing this successor as coming ''after'' him, the word usually translated ''after'' does not have a chronological meaning, but means instead ''after in sequence''. It is often used to indicate that the one following is a disciple of the previous one (e.g., {{bibleref|Matthew|4:19}}), but it also can simply mean ''behind'' ({{bibleref|Matthew|16:23}}) or ''after'' (Luke 19:14, "after him"). At the time, the disciple of a Rabbi would be expected to perform menial chores, but as [[sandal (footwear)|sandal]]s were considered unclean, a view still persisting in the [[Middle East]] today, not even a disciple would deal with them, only the lowest slave. Thus when the text has John presenting himself as not worthy to carry/untie the sandals of his successor, he is presenting himself as extremely lowly in comparison.

''Fire'' was often a symbol of wrath, and so linking the ''Holy Spirit'' with it superficially appears to clash with portrayals of this ''Spirit'' elsewhere in the New Testament as a gentle thing. Some translations avoid using the word ''fire'' due to this, but when the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, it appeared that several of its texts make the connection between ''Holy Spirit'' and wrath, and so most scholars now see the wording here as original, and the other portrayals as misinterpreted. See also Acts 2.

It is worth noting that John baptising by water and his successor by fire has parallels with Sumerian mythology. [[Enki]], who the Babylonians later knew as [[Ea (Babylonian god)|Ea]], had become known as [[Oannes]] by the time of John, and ''Oannes'' is almost identical to ''Ioannes'', which is how the name of John the Baptist is spelt in the original Greek of the New Testament. Enki/Oannes was the god of (pure) water, and although the first god, the god of creation, over time he lost significance, while the sun god grew more important. Hence in folklore of the period in the surrounding region, Oannes, god of water, was superseded by the god of the sun, the god of fire. That this folklore surrounding Oannes may have influenced a narrative built around a historic figure named Ioannes, is of course somewhat tenuous, though the connection is frequently made by those who question the [[Historicity of Jesus]].

==Non-canonical and heterodox accounts==
Jesus' baptism figures into noncanonical accounts and into some beliefs considered heretical by orthodox Christianity.

===Adoptionism===
[[Adoptionism]], the belief that the man Jesus was adopted as the Son of God, was one of two popular Christologies in the 2nd century. One type of adoptionism, such as that held by the Jewish Christian [[Ebionites]], held that Jesus became the Son of God at his baptism. The other type held that Jesus became the Son of God at his resurrection.

===Cerinthus===
The first-century proto-Gnostic [[Cerinthus]] taught that the Christ (a spirit) came to the man Jesus at his baptism, remained distinct from him (while guiding and teaching him), and then left him at the crucifixion.

==Historicity==
[[Image:Baptism of Christ by Tiffany.jpg|thumb|right|[[Stained glass window]] in [[Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church]], depicting Jesus' Baptism. The window is by [[Louis Comfort Tiffany]].]]
Scholars of the [[historical-critical method]], while questioning other elements of the Gospel narratives, generally agree that the [[historical Jesus]] was baptized by John. Like the crucifixion, it meets what they call the [[criterion of multiple attestation]] and the [[criterion of embarrassment]]. Even scholars who credit very little of the Gospel narratives, such as [[Paula Fredriksen]], affirm the historicity of Jesus' baptism.

*'''Multiple Attestation:''' Three canonical Gospels and various non-canonical sources agree that John baptized Jesus. The fourth canonical Gospel and other canonical and non-canonical sources also attest to John's ministry of baptism. [[Josephus]], for example, recounts John's ministry. Thus Jesus' baptism meets this criterion, while less well-attested elements of the Gospels, such as the [[Massacre of the Innocents]], do not.

*'''Embarrassment:''' Scholars of this method give special credence to Gospel accounts that are "dissimilar" to the image that early Christians generally portray of Jesus. This why some refer to this criterion as that of "dissimilarity". Since Jesus was said to be without sin (and not in need of baptism) and to be greater than John, early Christians would have had no motive to invent such a scene, which would have been an embarrassment to them. The last-written Gospel does not mention Jesus' baptism. Thus Jesus' baptism meets this criterion, while more glorifying elements of the Gospel narratives, such as his virgin birth, do not.

''The Logia of Yeshua'', by Guy Davenport and [[Benjamin Urrutia]], footnote 2, pages 50-51, commenting on the [[Gospel of the Hebrews]], a non-canonical gospel extant only in fragments quoted by other writers, in which, according to Jerome, Jesus' family suggested that he be baptized ("The mother of the Lord and his brothers said to him, 'John the Baptist baptizes for the forgiveness of sins; let us go and be baptized by him.' But he said to them, 'In what way have I sinned that I should go and be baptized by him? Unless, perhaps, what I have just said is a sin of ignorance.'"),<ref>[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/gospelhebrews-throck.html The Gospel of Hebrews from Throckmorton and Barnstone<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> says: "Many early Christians seem to have been embarrassed by the fact that Yeshua ( [[Jesus]] ) was baptized by Yohannan ( [[John the Baptist]] ). The Gospel of John neglects to mention this baptism ... The [[Synoptic gospels|Synoptics]] try several ploys. Yohannan says ''he'' should be baptized by Yeshua, and not the other way around. Misleading hints are given that someone else, not Yohannan, performed the Immersion. Scholars in general (except for [[Robert Graves]] and Joshua Podro ...) take for granted that the story of Mariam [ [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Mary]] ] and Yeshua's brothers persuading a reluctant Yeshua to be baptized belongs to the same category ... [but] this story would ''add'' to the embarrassment ... The idea for this very important step in Yeshua's life comes from somebody else ... Yeshua changes his mind. He admits he may be guilty of a sin after all."

==References==
<references/>

==Books==
*[[William F. Albright|Albright, W.F.]] and C.S. Mann. "Matthew." ''[[The Anchor Bible Series]].'' New York: Doubleday & Company, 1971.
*Clarke, Howard W. ''The Gospel of Matthew and its Readers: A Historical Introduction to the First Gospel.'' Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2003.
*[[Guy Davenport]], and [[Benjamin Urrutia]], ''The Logia of Yeshua''. Washington, DC: Counterpoint, 1996.
*France, R.T. ''The Gospel According to Matthew: an Introduction and Commentary.'' Leicester: Inter-Varsity, 1985.
*[[Robert H. Gundry|Gundry, Robert H.]] ''Matthew a Commentary on his Literary and Theological Art.'' Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982.
*Guthrie, Donald. ''The New Bible Commentary.'' Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1970.
*Hill, David. ''The Gospel of Matthew''. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1981
*Hurtago, Larry W. "Generation of Vipers." ''A Dictionary of Biblical Tradition in English Literature.'' David Lyle Jeffrey, general editor. Grand Rapids: W.B. Eerdmans, 1992.
*Jones, Alexander. ''The Gospel According to St. Matthew.'' London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1965.
*[[The Context Group|Malina, Bruce J. and Richard L. Rohrbaugh]]. ''Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels.'' Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003.
*Murray, John. ''Christian Baptism.'' Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Pub., 1962.
*[[Eduard Schweizer|Schweizer, Eduard]]. ''The Good News According to Matthew.'' Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1975
*[[Pastor Jong]]'' [[Are You Truly Born Again Of Water And The Spirit]].'' Korea Hephziba Publishing
* Anderson, Mark "See, here is water: A case for believer's baptism" Barratt Publications, 2004. ISBN 978-1904592105

==External links==
{{commons|Baptism of Jesus}}
*[http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=254&letter=J&search=Jesus#997 Jewish Encyclopedia: Jesus: Influence of John the Baptist]
*[http://bjnewlife.org/english/bstudy/terms_07.php The New Life Mission's explanation of baptism]
*[http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1556/ UNESCO: The Baptismal Site (Bethany beyond the Jordan)]
*[http://www.tenthousandfilms.com/ The Baptism of Christ - Uncovering Bethany beyond the Jordan - 47 min Documentary]

<center>
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- bgcolor="FFD700"
|colspan=3|<Center>'''Baptism of Jesus<br>[[Gospel harmony|Life of Jesus]]'''
|- bgcolor="white"
|<Center>{{resize|Preceded by<br><small>Ministry of [[John the Baptist]],<br>further preceded by</small><br>[[Finding in the Temple|Boy Jesus at Jerusalem]]'''}}
|<Center>{{space|3}}'''[[New Testament]]{{space|3}}<br>Events'''
|<Center>{{resize|Followed by<br>'''[[Temptation of Jesus]]'''}}
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[[Category:Jesus]]
[[Category:Baptism]]
[[Category:Baptism]]
[[Category:Birds in religion]]
[[Category:Christian terminology]]
[[Category:Gospel episodes]]
[[Category:Gospel of Luke]]
[[Category:Gospel of Mark]]
[[Category:Gospel of Matthew]]
[[Category:John the Baptist]]
[[Category:Luminous Mysteries]]
[[Category:Luminous Mysteries]]
[[Category:Gospel episodes]]
[[Category:Holy Spirit]]
[[Category:Biblical criticism]]
[[Category:Jesus and history]]
[[Category:1st century in religion]]
[[Category:New Testament history]]

[[ca:Baptisme de Jesús]]
[[es:Bautismo de Jesús]]
[[it:Battesimo di Gesù]]
[[ja:イエスの洗礼]]
[[pl:Chrzest Pański]]
[[ru:Крещение Господне]]
[[sr:Исусово крштење]]
[[zh:耶稣受浸]]

Latest revision as of 10:00, 30 November 2024

"Baptism of Christ" redirects here. For other uses, see Baptism of Christ (disambiguation).

Baptism of Jesus
The Baptism of Christ by Andrea del Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1475
DateEarly 1st century AD (most likely in c. AD 28/29)
LocationPresent-day Al-Maghtas, Jordan
ParticipantsJesus, John the Baptist

The baptism of Jesus, the ritual purification of Jesus with water by John the Baptist, was a major event described in the three synoptic Gospels of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark and Luke)[a]. It is considered to have taken place at Al-Maghtas (also called Bethany Beyond the Jordan), today located in Jordan.

Modern biblical scholars view the baptism of Jesus as a historical event to which a high degree of certainty can be assigned.[1][2][3][4][5] Along with the crucifixion of Jesus, biblical scholars view it as one of the two historically certain facts about him, and often use it as the starting point for the study of the historical Jesus.[6]

The baptism is one of the events in the narrative of the life of Jesus in the canonical Gospels; others include the Transfiguration, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension.[7][8] Most Christian denominations view the baptism of Jesus as an important event and a basis for the Christian rite of baptism (see also Acts 19:1–7).[9] In Eastern Christianity, Jesus's baptism is commemorated on 6 January (the Julian calendar date of which corresponds to 19 January on the Gregorian calendar), the feast of Epiphany.[10] In the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Churches and some other Western denominations, it is recalled on a day within the following week, the feast of the baptism of the Lord. In Roman Catholicism, the baptism of Jesus is one of the Luminous Mysteries sometimes added to the Rosary. It is a Trinitarian feast in the Eastern Orthodox Churches.

In the Synoptic Gospels

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Mark, Matthew, and Luke depict the baptism in parallel passages. In all three gospels, the Spirit of God — the Holy Spirit in Luke, "the Spirit" in Mark, and "the Spirit of God" in Matthew — is depicted as descending upon Jesus immediately after his baptism accompanied by a voice from Heaven, but the accounts of Luke and Mark record the voice as addressing Jesus by saying "You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased", while in Matthew the voice states "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:13–17;[11] Mark 1:9–11;[12] Luke 3:21–23).[13][14][15][16]

After the baptism, the Synoptic gospels describe the temptation of Jesus, where Jesus withdrew to the Judean desert to fast for forty days and nights.

Matthew

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Matthew's account is unique in several respects: He asserts that Jesus left Galilee for the purpose of being baptized by John (πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην τοῦ βαπτισθῆναι ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ). He includes a conversation between John and Jesus: In v. 14, John said: "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Nevertheless, Jesus convinces John to baptize him "to fulfill all righteousness" (v. 15).[16][17] Matthew records that the voice from heaven says "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased", but does not indicate who is addressed.

Depiction of the Baptism of Jesus in Axum, Ethiopia

Mark

[edit]

Mark's account is roughly parallel to that of Matthew, except for Matthew 3:14–15, which describes John's initial reluctance and eventual consent to baptize Jesus, which is not described by Mark. Mark uses an unusual word for the opening of the heavens, σχιζομένους, schizomenous, which means "tearing" or "ripping" (Mark 1:10). It forms a verbal thread (Leitwortstil) with the rending (ἐσχίσθη, eschisthē) of the Temple veil in Mark 15:38, inviting comparison between the two episodes.[18]

Luke

[edit]
See also: Nativity of St. John the Baptist

Luke 1 begins with the birth of John the Baptist, heralded to his father, Zacharias, by the angel Gabriel. Six months later Gabriel appears to the Virgin Mary with an announcement of the birth of Jesus (the Annunciation). Gabriel also announces to Mary the coming birth of John the Baptist to her kinswoman Elizabeth, who is the wife of Zacharias. Mary immediately sets out to visit Elizabeth and stays with her until John's birth. Luke strongly contrasts the reactions of Zacharias and Mary to these two respective births; and the lives of John and Jesus are intertwined.

Luke uniquely depicts John as showing public kindness to tax collectors and encouraging the giving of alms to the poor (as in Luke 3:11).[19] Luke records that Jesus was praying when Heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him. Luke clarifies that the spirit descended in the "bodily form" of a dove, as opposed to merely "descending like" a dove. In Acts 10:37–38,[20] the ministry of Jesus is described as following "the baptism which John preached".[21]

In the Gospel of John

[edit]
Jesus (left) is being identified by John the Baptist in John 1:29,[22][23] by Ottavio Vannini, 17th century.

In John 1:29–33,[24] rather than a direct narrative, John the Baptist bears witness to the spirit descending like a dove.[14][25]

The Gospel of John (John 1:28)[26] specifies "Bethabara beyond Jordan", i.e., Bethany in Perea as the location where John was baptizing when Jesus began choosing disciples, and in John 3:23[27] there is mention of further baptisms in Ænon "because there was much water there".[28][29]

John 1:35–37[30] narrates an encounter, between Jesus and two of his future disciples, who were then disciples of John the Baptist.[31][32] The episode in John 1:35–37[33] forms the start of the relationship between Jesus and his future disciples. When John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God, the "two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus".[21][34][35] One of the disciples is named Andrew, but the other remains unnamed, and Raymond E. Brown raises the question of his being the author of the Gospel of John himself.[25][36] In the Gospel of John, the disciples follow Jesus thereafter, and bring other disciples to him, and Acts 18:24–19:6[37] portrays the disciples of John as eventually merging with the followers of Jesus.[25][31]

In the Gospel of the Nazarenes

[edit]

According to the non-canonical Gospel of the Nazarenes, the idea of being baptized by John came from the mother and brothers of Jesus, and Jesus himself, originally opposed, reluctantly accepted it.[38] Benjamin Urrutia suggests that this version is supported by the criterion of embarrassment, since followers of Jesus would not have invented an episode in which Jesus changes his mind and comes to accept someone else's plan. Plus, the story came from the community that included the family of Jesus, who would have guaranteed the authenticity of the narrative.[39]

Location

[edit]
See also: Ministry of Jesus and New Testament places associated with Jesus
Part of the ancient Madaba Map showing Bethabara east of the Jordan River
The Al-Maghtas ruins on the Jordanian side of the Jordan River were the location for the Baptism of Jesus and the ministry of John the Baptist.

The Gospel of John (John 1:28)[40] states that John was baptising in "Bethany Beyond the Jordan".[28][29] generally considered to be the town of Bethany, also called Bethabara in Perea, on the eastern bank of the Jordan river, near Jericho.[29] In the 3rd century, Origen, who moved to the area from Alexandria, suggested Bethabara as the location.[41] In the 4th century, Eusebius of Caesarea stated that the location was on the west bank of the Jordan, and following him, the early Byzantine Madaba Map shows Bethabara as (Βέθαβαρά).[41]

The biblical baptising is related to springs and a Wadi (al-Kharrar) close to the Eastern site of the Jordan River,[42] not the Jordan itself.[43] The pilgrimage sites, important for both Christians and Jews, have shifted place during history. The site of Al-Maghtas (baptism, or immersion in Arabic) on the East side of the River in Jordan has been deemed the earliest place of worship. This site was found following UNESCO-sponsored excavations.[44] Al-Maghtas was visited by Pope John Paul II in March 2000, and he said, "In my mind I see Jesus coming to the waters of the river Jordan not far from here to be baptized by John the Baptist".[45] The Muslim conquest put an end to the Byzantine buildings on the east bank of the Jordan River. The later reverence took place just across the river in the West Bank at Qasr el Yahud.[46] The valley around the Dead Sea, which the Jordan River flows into from the North, is also the lowest place on planet Earth.[47]

Chronology

[edit]
Main article: Chronology of Jesus

The baptism of Jesus is generally considered as the start of his ministry, shortly after the start of the ministry of John the Baptist.[48][49][50] Luke 3:1–2[51] states that:[52][53]

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea [...] the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

There are two approaches to determining when the reign of Tiberius Caesar started.[54] The traditional approach is that of assuming that the reign of Tiberius started when he became co-regent in AD 11, placing the start of the ministry of John the Baptist around AD 26. However, some scholars assume it to be upon the death of his predecessor Augustus Caesar in AD 14, implying that the ministry of John the Baptist began in AD 29.[54]

The generally assumed dates for the start of the ministry of John the Baptist based on this reference in the Gospel of Luke are about AD 28–29, with the ministry of Jesus with his baptism following it shortly thereafter.[52][53][55][56][57]

Historicity

[edit]
Stained glass window of Jesus's baptism by Tiffany

Nearly all scholars believe that John the Baptist performed a baptism on Jesus, and view it as a historical event to which a high degree of certainty can be assigned.[1][2][3][4] James Dunn states that the historicity of the baptism and crucifixion of Jesus "command almost universal assent".[6] Dunn states that these two facts "rank so high on the 'almost impossible to doubt or deny' scale of historical facts" that they are often the starting points for the study of the historical Jesus.[6] John Dominic Crossan states that it is historically certain that Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan.[5]

In the Antiquities of the Jews (18.5.2) 1st-century historian Flavius Josephus also wrote about John the Baptist and his eventual death in Perea.[58][59]

The existence of John the Baptist within the same time frame as Jesus, and his eventual execution by Herod Antipas, is attested to by 1st-century historian Flavius Josephus and the overwhelming majority of modern scholars view Josephus' accounts of the activities of John the Baptist as authentic.[60][61] Josephus establishes a key connection between the historical events he recorded and specific episodes that appear in the gospels.[60] The reference in the Antiquities of the Jews by Josephus to John's popularity among the crowds (Antiquities 18.5.2) and how he preached his baptism is considered a reliable historical datum.[62][63] Unlike the gospels, Josephus does not relate John and Jesus, and does not state that John's baptisms were for the remission of sins.[62][63][64] However, almost all modern scholars consider the Josephus passage on John to be authentic in its entirety and view the variations between Josephus and the gospels as indications that the Josephus passages are authentic, for a Christian interpolator would have made them correspond to the Christian traditions.[65][66]

One of the arguments in favour of the historicity of the baptism of Jesus by John is that it is a story which the early Christian Church would have never wanted to invent, typically referred to as the criterion of embarrassment in historical analysis.[4][5][67] Based on this criterion, given that John baptized for the remission of sins, and Jesus was viewed as without sin, the invention of this story would have served no purpose, and would have been an embarrassment given that it positioned John above Jesus.[4][67][68] The Gospel of Matthew attempts to offset this problem by having John feel unworthy to baptize Jesus and Jesus giving him permission to do so in Matthew 3:14–15.[69][70]

The gospels are not the only references to the baptisms performed by John. In Acts of the Apostles, Peter refers to how the ministry of Jesus followed "the baptism which John preached".[71][72] Another argument supporting the historicity of the baptism is that multiple accounts refer to it, usually called the criterion of multiple attestation.[70] Technically, multiple attestation does not guarantee authenticity, but only determines antiquity.[73] However, for most scholars, together with the criterion of embarrassment it lends credibility to the baptism of Jesus by John being a historical event.[70][74][75][76]

Commentary

[edit]

Justus Knecht answers the question of why Jesus let himself be baptized by John:

The baptism of Jesus depicted at the Cathédrale Sainte Trinité,
Port-au-Prince, Haiti

1. He did not require to do penance, because He was without sin; but He had taken our sins upon Him to atone for them; therefore He humbled Himself, placed Himself on a level with sinners, and obediently subjected Himself to be baptized, as He had submitted before to be circumcised, and presented in the Temple. 2. He gave us thereby a lesson in humility and obedience, and has taught us that we too must fulfil all justice, i. e. promptly obey all the ordinances of God. 3. By His baptism He sanctified water, and gave to it the power of purifying and sanctifying the soul of man. In other words, He instituted the Sacrament of Baptism by which, under the outward sign of water, we receive remission of our sins.[77]

He also notes that, "The opening of heaven signified that Heaven, which had been closed to man since the Fall, was now once more opened by Jesus."

Roger Baxter reflects on Christ's baptism in his Meditations:

The first act of Christ's public life was to present Himself to be baptized by His precursor, to teach us that those who are employed in the work of God should carry with them a pure and uncorrupted heart. He therefore takes leave of His divine Mother, who, although she grieved at the absence of such a Son, rejoiced that the redemption of Israel was at hand. He takes a long journey to the Baptist. The Lord goes to the servant to be baptized by him as a common sinner, among publicans and soldiers and the lowest order of the vulgar. Admire the humility of the Son of God, and convince yourself that humility is the best preparation for great works.[78]

Artistic depictions

[edit]

While the gospel of Luke is explicit about the Spirit of God descending in the shape of a dove, the wording of Matthew is vague enough that it could be interpreted only to suggest that the descent was in the style of a dove. Although a variety of symbolisms were attached to doves at the time these passages were written, the dove imagery has become a well known symbol for the Holy Spirit in Christian art.[79][80] Depictions of the baptismal scene typically show the sky opening and the Holy Spirit descending as a dove towards Jesus.[81]

Artists usually tried to show the whole body of Christ as he stood in the water, which could give them difficulties. The reasonably coherent 6th-century mosaic image in the Arian Baptistry, Ravenna, with the water hemmed in by two banks, when used in many generations of copies in Western Europe, by artists unskilled in depicting visual recession, led to images like that in the Psalter of Eleanor of Aquitaine, where there appears to be a standing mound of water.

At least one attendant archangel, holding Christ's robe, and often another with a towel, became usual in medieval images.

See also

[edit]
Events in the
Life of Jesus
according to the canonical gospels
Life of Jesus
Early life
Ministry
Passion
Resurrection
In rest of the NT
Portals: Christianity Bible

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The Gospel of John does not directly describe Jesus' baptism.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b The Gospel of Matthew by Daniel J. Harrington 1991 ISBN 0-8146-5803-2 p. 63
  2. ^ a b Christianity: A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Guide by Glenn Jonas, Kathryn Muller Lopez 2010, pp. 95–96
  3. ^ a b Studying the Historical Jesus: Evaluations of the State of Current Research by Bruce Chilton, Craig A. Evans 1998 ISBN 90-04-11142-5 pp. 187–98
  4. ^ a b c d Jesus as a Figure in History: How Modern Historians View the Man from Galilee by Mark Allan Powell 1998 ISBN 0-664-25703-8 p. 47
  5. ^ a b c Who Is Jesus? by John Dominic Crossan, Richard G. Watts 1999 ISBN 0-664-25842-5 pp. 31–32
  6. ^ a b c Jesus Remembered by James D. G. Dunn 2003 ISBN 0-8028-3931-2 p. 339
  7. ^ Essays in New Testament Interpretation by Charles Francis Digby Moule 1982 ISBN 0-521-23783-1 p. 63
  8. ^ The Melody of Faith: Theology in an Orthodox Key by Vigen Guroian 2010 ISBN 0-8028-6496-1 p. 28
  9. ^ Acts 19:1–7
  10. ^ Богоявление и Рождество Христово
  11. ^ Matthew 3:13–17
  12. ^ Mark 1:9–11
  13. ^ Luke 3:21–23
  14. ^ a b Jesus of History, Christ of Faith by Thomas Zanzig 2000 ISBN 0-88489-530-0 p. 118
  15. ^ Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible by James D. G. Dunn, John William Rogerson 2003 ISBN 0-8028-3711-5 p. 1010
  16. ^ a b The Synoptics: Matthew, Mark, Luke by Ján Majerník, Joseph Ponessa, Laurie Watson Manhardt 2005 ISBN 1-931018-31-6 pp. 27–31
  17. ^ The word δικαιοσύνη ("righteousness"), missing in Mark and used only once in Luke, is characteristic of Matthew. See 5:6, 10, 20; 6:1, 33; 21:32.
  18. ^ David Rhoads, Joanna Dewey, and Donald Michie 2012, Mark as Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel, 3rd ed. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 48.
  19. ^ Luke 3:11
  20. ^ Acts 10:37–38
  21. ^ a b Jesus of Nazareth by Duane S. Crowther 1999 ISBN 0-88290-656-9 p. 77
  22. ^ John 1:29
  23. ^ The Lamb of God by Sergei Bulgakov 2008 ISBN 0-8028-2779-9 p. 263
  24. ^ John 1:29–33
  25. ^ a b c The Gospel and Epistles of John: A Concise Commentary by Raymond Edward Brown 1988 ISBN 978-0-8146-1283-5 pp. 25–27
  26. ^ John 1:28
  27. ^ John 3:23
  28. ^ a b Big Picture of the Bible – New Testament by Lorna Daniels Nichols 2009 ISBN 1-57921-928-4 p. 12
  29. ^ a b c John by Gerard Stephen Sloyan 1987 ISBN 0-8042-3125-7 p. 11
  30. ^ John 1:35–37
  31. ^ a b The People's New Testament Commentary by Eugene M. Boring and Fred B. Craddock 2010, Westminster John Knox Press ISBN 0-664-23592-1 pp. 292–93
  32. ^ New Testament History by Richard L. Niswonger 1992 ISBN 0-310-31201-9 pp. 143–46
  33. ^ John 1:35–37
  34. ^ The Life and Ministry of Jesus: The Gospels by Douglas Redford 2007 ISBN 0-7847-1900-4 p. 92
  35. ^ A Summary of Christian History by Robert A. Baker, John M. Landers 2005 ISBN 0-8054-3288-4 pp. 6–7
  36. ^ The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved by J. Phillips 2004 ISBN 0-9702687-1-8 pp. 121–23
  37. ^ Acts 18:24–19:6
  38. ^ Jerome, quoting "The Gospel According to the Hebrews" in Dialogue Against Pelagius III:2.
  39. ^ Guy Davenport and Benjamin Urrutia, The Logia of Yeshua / The Sayings of Jesus (1996), ISBN 1-887178-70-8 p. 51.
  40. ^ John 1:28
  41. ^ a b Jesus and Archaeology by James H. Charlesworth 2006, Eedrsmans ISBN 0-8028-4880-X pp. 437–39
  42. ^ The Synoptics by Jan Majernik, Joseph Ponessa and Laurie Manhardt 2005 ISBN 1-931018-31-6 p. 29
  43. ^ Noack, Rosemarie (22 December 1999). "Wo Johannes taufte". Die Zeit. Rosemarie Noack. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  44. ^ Staff writers (28 July 2011). "Israel will reopen (Israeli) site of the baptism of Jesus". AsiaNews.it. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  45. ^ John Paul II (22 March 2000). "Visit to Al-Maghtas Speech of the Holy Father". Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012.
  46. ^ "No evidence, but UN says Jesus baptized on Jordan's side of river, not Israel's". The Times of Israel. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  47. ^ "Lowest Places on Earth - Death Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
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  49. ^ Christianity: An Introduction by Alister E. McGrath 2006 ISBN 978-1-4051-0901-7pp. 16–22
  50. ^ The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum 2009 ISBN 978-0-8054-4365-3 po. 140–41
  51. ^ Luke 3:1–2
  52. ^ a b Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible 2000 Amsterdam University Press ISBN 90-5356-503-5 p. 249
  53. ^ a b The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Matthew-Luke, Volume 1 by Craig A. Evans 2003 ISBN 0-7814-3868-3 pp. 67–69
  54. ^ a b Luke 1–5: New Testament Commentary by John MacArthur 2009 ISBN 0-8024-0871-0 p. 201
  55. ^ The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum 2009 ISBN 978-0-8054-4365-3 p. 114
  56. ^ Christianity and the Roman Empire: Background Texts by Ralph Martin Novak 2001 ISBN 1-56338-347-0 pp. 302–03
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  58. ^ Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible 2000 ISBN 90-5356-503-5 p. 583
  59. ^ Behold the Man: The Real Life of the Historical Jesus by Kirk Kimball 2002 ISBN 978-1-58112-633-4 p. 654
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  64. ^ Claudia Setzer, "Jewish Responses to Believers in Jesus", in Amy-Jill Levine, Marc Z. Brettler (editors), The Jewish Annotated New Testament, p. 576 (New Revised Standard Version, Oxford University Press, 2011). ISBN 978-0-19-529770-6
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  66. ^ Eddy, Paul; Boyd, Gregory (2007). The Jesus Legend: A Case for the Historical Reliability of the Synoptic Jesus Tradition. ISBN 0-8010-3114-1. p. 130
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  69. ^ Matthew 3:14–15
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  71. ^ Acts 10:37–38
  72. ^ Who is Jesus?: An Introduction to Christology by Thomas P. Rausch 2003 ISBN 978-0-8146-5078-3 p. 77
  73. ^ Jesus and His Contemporaries: Comparative Studies by Craig A. Evans 2001 ISBN 0-391-04118-5 p. 15
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  75. ^ Who is Jesus? by Thomas P. Rausch 2003 ISBN 978-0-8146-5078-3 p. 36
  76. ^ The Relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth: A Critical Study by Daniel S. Dapaah 2005 ISBN 0-7618-3109-6 p. 91
  77. ^ Knecht, Friedrich Justus (1910). "XII. Jesus is baptized by John and tempted by the Devil" . A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture. B. Herder.
  78. ^ Baxter, Roger (1823). "Christ's Baptism" . Meditations For Every Day In The Year. New York: Benziger Brothers.
  79. ^ Clarke, Howard W. The Gospel of Matthew and its Readers: A Historical Introduction to the First Gospel. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2003.
  80. ^ Albright, W.F. and C.S. Mann. "Matthew". The Anchor Bible Series. New York: Doubleday & Company, 1971.
  81. ^ Medieval Art: A Topical Dictionary by Leslie Ross 1996 ISBN 978-0-313-29329-0 p. 30
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baptism of Jesus Christ.
Baptism of Jesus
Preceded by
Ministry of John the Baptist,
further preceded by
Finding in the Temple
 New Testament
Events 		Succeeded by
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