Luke 3:15-22 "The Baptism of Christ"

This past Sunday was "Epiphany 1 - or the Baptism of Christ" and the verses in Luke's Gospel found in the Lectionary are of course those that mention Christ's baptism by John the Baptist.  These verses also mention the relationship of Herod Antipas and his second wife Herodias, and how John's criticism of this marriage caused John to be imprisoned by Herod Antipas.

To fully understand the revulsion that the Jewish people had towards Herod's and Herodias' wedding we need to realize that Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus, son of Herod the Great and Mariamne, her mother was Hyrcanus. Also, Herodias' first husband was Philip I, son of Herod the Great and Mariamne, so she married her own uncle, by whom she had a daughter, Salome. Salome you'll remember was the dancer who pleased Herod Antipas and whom Herodias used to destroy John the Baptist. When Herod Antipas visited Rome, he was entertained by Philip and Herodias. Herod abducted his royal brother’s wife. His own wife, an Arabian princess, was an obstacle to an illicit marriage, so he divorced her, and Herodias became queen in her stead. The corroding immorality of Herod’s family shows itself in his marriage with Herodias his brother’s wife, and his own niece, along with his discarding of his first wife and all the other wreck-less offenses thereby given to Jewish sensibilities. 

The Lectionary eliminates the verses mentioning Herod (18&19), but I believe that the Author of Luke fully intended for us to be able to contrast the 'immersion' of Herod into his worldly sins, and the 'immersion' of Christ and the symbolic washing away of all earthly sins.  Then, of course, we have the acceptance of the Holy Spirit by Christ contrasted to the embrace of human ego by Herod.

Take a listen to the sermon below and hear more about this contrast made by the Author of Luke.

Be a blessing to someone today!

In His Grace,
Roy

Luke 3:15-22 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,[a] 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. 19 But Herod the ruler,[c] who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added to them all by shutting up John in prison.

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

Footnotes:
a) Luke 3:15 Or the Christ
b) Luke 3:16 Or in
c) Luke 3:19 Gk tetrarch
d) Luke 3:22 Or my beloved Son

e) Luke 3:22 Other ancient authorities read You are my Son, today I have begotten you