登陆注册
5448100000032

第32章 Chapter 11(1)

The Baptism

Tidings of the wilderness prophet and his wonderful announcement, spread throughout Galilee. The message reached the peasants in the remotest hill towns, and the fisher folk by the sea, and in these simple, earnest hearts found its truest response. In Nazareth it was told in the carpenter shop that had been Joseph's, and One recognized the call. His time had come.

Turning from His daily toil, He bade farewell to His mother, and followed in the steps of His countrymen who were flocking to the Jordan.

Jesus and John the Baptist were cousins, and closely related by the circumstances of their birth; yet they had had no direct acquaintance with each other. The life of Jesus had been spent at Nazareth in Galilee; that of John, in the wilderness of Judea. Amid widely different surroundings they had lived in seclusion, and had had no communication with each other.

Providence had ordered this. No occasion was to be given for the charge that they had conspired together to support each other's claims.

John was acquainted with the events that had marked the birth of Jesus. He had heard of the visit to Jerusalem in His boyhood, and of what had passed in the school of the rabbis. He knew of His sinless life, and believed Him to be the Messiah; but of this he had no positive assurance. The fact that Jesus had for so many years remained in obscurity, giving no special evidence of His mission, gave occasion for 110doubt as to whether He could be the Promised One. The Baptist, however, waited in faith, believing that in God's own time all would be made plain.

It had been revealed to him that the Messiah would seek baptism at his hands, and that a sign of His divine character should then be given. Thus he would be enabled to present Him to the people.

When Jesus came to be baptized, John recognized in Him a purity of character that he had never before perceived in any man. The very atmosphere of His presence was holy and awe-inspiring. Among the multitudes that had gathered about him at the Jordan, John had heard dark tales of crime, and had met souls bowed down with the burden of myriad sins; but never had he come in contact with a human being from whom there breathed an influence so divine.

All this was in harmony with what had been revealed to John regarding the Messiah. Yet he shrank from granting the request of Jesus. How could he, a sinner, baptize the Sinless One? And why should He who needed no repentance submit to a rite that was a confession of guilt to be washed away?

As Jesus asked for baptism, John drew back, exclaiming, "I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me?" With firm yet gentle authority, Jesus answered, "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." And John, yielding, led the Saviour down into the Jordan, and buried Him beneath the water. "And straightway coming up out of the water," Jesus "saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him."Jesus did not receive baptism as a confession of guilt on His own account.

He identified Himself with sinners, taking the steps that we are to take, and doing the work that we must do. His life of suffering and patient endurance after His baptism was also an example to us.

Upon coming up out of the water, Jesus bowed in prayer on the river bank. Anew and important era was opening before Him. He was now, upon a wider stage, entering on the conflict of His life. Though He was the Prince of Peace, His coming must be as the unsheathing of a sword. The kingdom He had come to establish was the opposite of that which the Jews desired. He who was the foundation of the ritual and economy of Israel would be looked upon as its enemy and destroyer. He who had proclaimed the law upon Sinai would be condemned as a transgressor. He who had come to break the power of Satan would be denounced as Beelzebub. No one upon earth had understood Him, and during His ministry He must still walk alone. Throughout His life His mother and His brothers did not comprehend His mission. Even His disciples did not understand Him. He had dwelt in eternal light, as one with God, but His life on earth must be spent in solitude.

As one with us, He must bear the burden of our guilt and woe. The Sinless One must feel the shame of sin. The peace lover must dwell with strife, the truth must abide with falsehood, purity with vileness. Every sin, every discord, every defiling lust that transgression had brought, was torture to His spirit.

同类推荐
  • 秽迹金刚说神通大满陀罗尼法术灵要门

    秽迹金刚说神通大满陀罗尼法术灵要门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 史佚书

    史佚书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 十诵羯磨比丘要用

    十诵羯磨比丘要用

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 叶天士医案精华

    叶天士医案精华

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Spell of Egypt

    The Spell of Egypt

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 今天开始当道长

    今天开始当道长

    抱着暴富的念头,我决定辞职干起道长这个行当,可谁知道钱没赚着,还差点把自己小命搭进去。
  • 天地至圣

    天地至圣

    武道之极,可入深渊,踏九霄,与天争锋。登临至圣,方纳五行,混阴阳,执掌乾坤。风云尽在心中藏,天地为尊我自狂,人间处处波澜起,武行圣道至极强。原本家族中被视为废材的少年,却是身怀传说的逆天五行体质。七年未进,一朝激发,便在这以武为尊的世界中,一路披荆斩棘,逆转命运,踏遍十天九地,成就至圣传奇……
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 隐遁的社会:文化社会学视角下的中国斗蟋(田野中国)

    隐遁的社会:文化社会学视角下的中国斗蟋(田野中国)

    作者选取在中国存在了千百年但却一直没能进入学术研究视野的斗蟋群体作为研究对象,通过七年多的参与式观察和持续田野调查,掌握了大量扎实的第一手资料,并以文化社会学的方法不断加深问题意识和延伸分析触角,揭示了相关群体的基本生存样态和内在行为的文化逻辑。这不仅体现了作者走近研究对象的努力和开拓研究领域的能力,更表达了作者对于学问的敬畏和追求。
  • 王御苍穹

    王御苍穹

    雷家少主雷修,本该继承雷家家主之位,可父亲离奇的死亡,使得雷修地位一落千丈,妹妹也被云城世家雪家少主所看上,冰冷的世家中,二叔雷无升为了一本功法,竟杀了他!阴差阳错,雷修重生!他怒指天空:“你欠我的!我誓要讨回!”(等级分为黄级,玄级,地级,天级,辰级,星级,月级,日级,亚圣,圣)
  • 妃太妖娆:殿下,别闷骚!

    妃太妖娆:殿下,别闷骚!

    【明天要面试,今天请假一天,不影响各位收藏哦】梧桐救了一流氓,他眨巴着好看的桃花眼道:“姑娘,我看见你的底裤了。”梧桐一脚踢过去后——“椒图乖,叫姐姐。”“姐姐好,姐姐渴了吗?弟弟这就去找水。”“好弟弟!”一月后……“哟,这不是梧桐姐姐吗?”“九殿下莫说笑,折煞小的了。”“梧桐姐姐,过来给弟弟我撑伞,怪晒的。”“好嘞,小的这就来。”“姐姐,你看弟弟我宫里佳丽三千,就缺个王妃,不知你感不感兴趣啊?”“休想,我梧桐就是喜欢猪也不会喜欢你,渣男!”“嗯,真香。”
  • 名动天下:暴君,溺宠无边

    名动天下:暴君,溺宠无边

    从小含着金钥匙长大的莫意,娇生惯养,光环无数,自诩聪慧过人,没想到竟遭身边亲信设计,惨死车轮下。一朝重生的莫意,看着四周苍凉的景象,那叫一个凄凄惨惨戚戚。被打入冷宫,她认!吃馊臭的剩饭,她认!但,这肚子里的小家伙是怎么回事?等等,她似乎找到了原主被打入冷宫的原因......敢给九五之尊戴绿帽,嗯,勇气可嘉,不亏是原主。本以为日子会因为这个肚子里的小家伙活得惨不忍睹,不曾想,这个世人皆闻之变色的狠厉“暴君”,居然三番五次地向她提出要当孩子父亲的意愿......
  • 冷情少东迟迟爱

    冷情少东迟迟爱

    此文有虐,请自备止疼药,让亲看着心疼不是我本意.此文不白不黑大雷没有小雷若干,雷不出人命.此文基本不搞笑,如果你看了却捧腹大笑,那么我去撞墙.此文是现实中的童话故事,童话故事中的现实.此文纯属虚构,如有雷同,实属巧合.可以加群:63271793(轩雅阁)--VIP会员群(敲门砖必须为会员名)★此文分为两部,初步设定写两个女孩的故事.★★第二部★(见内页)群号:63271793(轩雅阁)-----------VIP会员专群!敲门砖是你的会员名字,否则恕不开门.
  • 带着系统混海贼

    带着系统混海贼

    跟着路飞走,故事多,比较好写,还不用动脑。系统,跟着走。世界乱入到处跑。一个海贼王满足不了我中二的念头,所以~嘿嘿。
  • 萌妃在上:战神王爷好给力

    萌妃在上:战神王爷好给力

    那年落雪红梅,她铺十里红妆,送他上战场。他说:“此一役,若胜了,老子就回来娶你,若败了,你去给我收尸!”世人都说他是一代权臣,浮云翳日,权势滔天,说他以权谋私、祸国殃民,可谁又敢指着天对着地说一句,这天下不是他一刀一剑打下来的,这万里江山不是他浴血厮杀守住的?罗雁城这辈子穿过两次嫁衣,一次是送行,一次是送葬......“你所信的、你所忠的、你的天下、你的百姓,以后,我替你守!”