Thus with v. 29 the Evangelist uses the word ‘immediately’,
stressing the very next day, that is the second day of what, as we shall see,
appears to have been a three day event, the first being the interrogation of
the Baptist, when unfolds now the second day and later we shall see the events
of the third day.
All woven together like a catechetical tapestry.
Within the aforementioned theme of urgency the Baptist is
described as seeing Jesus ‘coming toward
him.’
Was this Jesus emerging from the Jordan? Unlikely as the
text would seem to indicate this was later as from the descriptive it would
appear most of those listening to the Baptist had not been observers at the
event with Jesus in the Jordan.
Perhaps it was indeed the next day.
There are another two threads which weave themselves
throughout St. John’s Gospel and indeed in the Synoptics as well: 1] much toing
and froing, which is lots of movement going places, people heading to meet
Jesus, Jesus going to them, to meals, to healings, exorcisms; 2] proclamations
which are sometimes parable teachings, other times glimpses by Jesus into who
He really is, to responding to challenges from those who ultimately want to
kill him.
Jesus certainly knew by approaching the Baptist for their
encounter in the Jordan, and here, that He, Jesus, was irrevocably entering
this ‘public’ life.
There would be no turning back.
His face now set firmly towards Jerusalem, which meant as
well towards the garden of Gethsemane, the hill of Calvary, the awaiting tomb.
Like the echo of the exaltation which caused him to shudder
with joy in his mother’s womb when he first encountered Jesus [cf. Lk.1:41],
the Baptist in this instance [v.29,30] cannot contain himself and cries out,
shouts, indeed commands: “Behold! The
Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said,
‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me! I did
not know Him, but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefor I came
baptizing with water.’”
BEHOLD! – Nowadays we rarely use that expression, more
likely we shout: “LOOK!” - or perhaps
nonetheless seeking someone to pay attention would more mutedly ask: “Did you
see THAT!”
Granted some persons, usually the very young, do go rather
nuts when a celebrity of some type is within view, older people most often
reserve their excitement for the head of state, Catholics certainly get excited
when the Pope is in view – but here, in this instant, on this day, it is Jesus
Christ, our Lord and our God who has come into view, more is publicly entering
history in a way which through the millennia to this very moment, continues.
For several decades, and it is most sad, there have been and
continue to be struggles in Catholic parishes about when and if to kneel, or
not!
Really!
Jesus in all His Risen glory is in our midst, in every Holy
Mass, every Holy Communion more than in our midst, in our very beings and He
resides with us in the Tabernacle.
We have not simply lost a capacity for wonderment, for
BEHOLD!, we seem to have lost an appreciation, a humble, childlike love for
Him.
One woman crawled on her belly just to touch the hem of His
garment, another knelt at His feet washing them with her tears and kissing them
with love and gratitude.
The Magi knelt to lean into the manger to love and adore
Him.
Jesus is such radiant love and mercy not merely does the
question pose itself, why not kneel, but pushes further, why not prostrate and
await His loving touch where He says: arise!
This ‘behold’ moment was the moment all creation, all
humanity, the People of the Promise in particular had been waiting for across
the millennia, the advent of the promised Messiah, the Christ.
The Baptist’s urgency is to call our attention to this
tremendous advent, the import of the moment, the wonder of the One for whom
this moment is: Jesus.
Something I have wondered about, for it is not explicit in
the text, did the Baptist at this juncture suspect that soon Herodias would
seek to have him killed?
None of the Gospels tell us precisely when he challenged
Herod about his adultery but we do know ultimately this would cost St. John the
Baptist his life.
It just seems to me perhaps some premonition added urgency,
clarity, to his words about Jesus.
Certainly here he wastes no time further fulfilling his
mission as the precursor of the Messiah, imbued as he is with the spirit of
Elijah.
Again the Evangelist stresses that: “John bore witness, saying….”
In these verses 32-34 the Baptist reminds those who
witnessed the event with Jesus in the Jordon, and informs those who did not,
the reality both of what unfolded and the truth of the One now among us.
V.32- “I saw the
Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.”
When we are Baptised the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within
us, making us at the one and the same time: disciples of Christ, children of
the Father, temples of Himself, the Holy Spirit and immersion in Baptism is to
receive the gateway sacrament opening to us the life of sanctifying grace in
all the other sacraments.
Jesus, second Person of the Holy Trinity, true God and true
Man, always in communion/union of love with the Father and the Holy Spirit did
not suddenly be taken up into that Trinitarian reality at the descent of the
Holy Spirit upon Him in the Jordon.
Rather this event is for our eyes confirmation of the always
existing union of Jesus and the Holy Spirit and affirmation of the Spirit’s
being with Jesus in His human life – just as in Baptism the Holy Spirit gifts
Himself to us for our lives: clothing us with Christ, empowering us to cry
Abba! Father!, teaching and sanctifying us.
v.33 – “I did not
know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you
see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with
the Holy Spirit.”
THEOPHANY: This is
the English of the Greek word theophania,
which means God revealing Himself, God appearing.
In the accounts of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordon found
in Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22 we find details not present in
the Baptist’s teaching above, namely the voice of the Father affirming Jesus is
His Son and we must listen to Jesus.
Yet even in the Baptist’s words we have a theophany teaching
for it is the Father who both has sent St. John the Baptist, indeed given him
his Forerunner mission, tells him what to say/teach in this moment and, of
course, the Baptist testifies also to seeing the Holy Spirit descending upon
Jesus, God in human nature yet remaining true God, Second Person of the Holy
Trinity.
From this moment on, with absolute certainty, we know the
one true God is one, yet a trinity of persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
St. John the Evangelist concludes with an explicit
testimony, surely with the great behold still echoing in our hearts, from the
Baptist, v. 34: “And I have seen and
testified that this is the Son of God.”