13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.”Jesus's baptism 'fulfils all righteousness.' Our salvation is ours in Christ. It is in Him that we are baptised; in Him that we are crucified; and, please God, in Him that we are resurrected.
Our own baptism, then, is the placing of us in Christ. Our daily taking up of the Cross is our own crucifixion. And in our dying whilst remaining in Christ will be our own Resurrection.
I have done nothing on this blog for a very long time - many years. I hope to put in the odd thought from time to time in future.
4 comments:
Please do!!!
Thank you for posting again, please keep posting.
Indeed, in Jesus we are baptized, crucified and resurrected, and this is the same Jesus for you and I and us all. We have someone amazing in common: he brings us together in himself!
God bless,
John from Canada
John from Canada: Yes. What struck me powerfully this morning, reading the Office of Readings for the Baptism of the Lord, was that phrase "to fulfil all righteousness." I think, when I was a Protestant, I read that just as, oh, Jesus said, look, this is the proper thing to do; I wouldn't want to be different; just do this for Me as for everyone.
I now believe I understand this phrase as being 'pregnant.' All righteousness is being fullfilled by Jesus, just as the Law is being fulfilled. Until Christ, we, and the world with us, was 'unclean.' Now it - and our own nature, corrupted by original sin - were cleansed by Christ's baptism - cleansed, that is, insofar as we are 'in Christ'. We believe - and are in Him.
Ah, but don't we have to be baptised, obey the law, etc? Yes, indeed. That is living faith.
I'm not being very clear - don't have time think it out too well :-) - but I like to phrase it like this: as a Protestant, I used to think that Jesus suffered and died so that I would not have to; I now, as a Catholic, believe that Jesus suffered and died (and, indeed, was baptised and resurrected) so that I could.
FWIW. Back to work!
jj
So that we could Yes, indeed. Love to you all.
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