Mark 1:11
Have
you ever had to leave a voicemail when you really needed to talk directly to
the person because the news was so important? I want people to leave me a
message when they call and I can’t answer for some reason. If it was important
enough to call, isn’t it important enough to leave a message? The message can
simply be, “Please call me back, I have something important to tell you.” Or “I
was thinking about you, but nothing important.” I really do listen to
voicemails and respond.
When Jesus is baptized by
John the Baptist something happens out of the ordinary after Jesus comes out of
the water. We get the impression that many people have been baptized by John
and Jesus is just the next in line. I can imagine that this became fairly
routine for John. They step into the water, John takes their right hand, talks
to them for a moment, looks up to heaven, eases them into the water and then
helps lift them back to their feet, releases their hand and directs them back
to the shore. We all establish routines. We put our clothes on in the same
order every day. So John getting in a routine is nothing unusual.
What does break up his
routine is heaven ripping open, the Holy Spirit entering into Jesus and then
this voice, God’s voice speaking to Jesus. John knew Jesus was someone special,
unique, but I can imagine his heart rate increasing rapidly as these events
took place in rapid succession.
So what did God say about Jesus?
First He says that Jesus is my Son. This expression brings up the Old Testament
prophecies, predictions about the future, that mention the role of the Son (Ps. 2.7, Isa. 42.1; cf.
also Gen. 22.2, Isa. 44.2, 62.4).There is a unique relationship that God has
with Jesus. No one else is God’s son or daughter in this way. There is only one
Son of God and the position has been filled!
Notice,
also, that it is stated as a fact, not as something that will happen at a
future moment, after accomplishing something, or waiting out the clock for some
future time. Jesus is already the Son. He doesn’t have to wait until His
mission is completed before being crowned Son. He already is the Son. This
uniqueness is reinforced with the next phrase, whom I love, or beloved in some
translations. This phrase really means unique, one of a kind, only, favorite.
It does not mean the one who gets the most kisses and hugs. He is the only and
unique Son of God, not that He is loved is some superabundant way. It means
there is only one Son and Jesus is it. It is a shame that most English
translations seem to miss this simple point.
The next
phrase that God speaks during this moment, well pleased, shows the God’s
pleasure in Jesus’ actions and character. This is where God’s approval gets
expressed. The only Son, gets His official introduction with these events. This
was an event every media outlet wishes they could have covered, but none did.
We don’t have any video. We only have these accounts.
So,
what should we take from this passage? Jesus is unique. He isn’t just a special
person, He is God in every sense that God is God, and only God is God. Any
attempt to water down who He is violates the Truth. He is not “sweet little
baby Jesus, laying in a manger.”