Our Gospel reading is Matthew’s version of the story of Jesus’ baptism.
The Collect of the Day
Father in heaven, who at the Baptism of
Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your Beloved Son and anointed him with
the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are
baptized in his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess
him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one
God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
1st Reading: Isaiah 42:1-9
In our
first reading, Second Isaiah (the prophet of the end of the Exile of Judah in
Babylon whose voice begins at 40:1) speaks the first of what are known as “The
Servant Songs.” “The Servant” is most
likely meant to be Israel, although Christians have always heard resonances of
Jesus in them. Israel is about to be
redeemed, released from exile. Now it is
time to return to life as the covenant people, establish justice, and be “a
light to the nations,” which Isaiah proclaims is Israel’s chief calling.
42:1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul
delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the
nations. 2 He will not cry or lift
up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 a
bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he
will faithfully bring forth justice. 4 He
will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the
earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching. 5
Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and
what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those
who walk in it: 6 I am the Lord,
I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring
out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8 I am the Lord,
that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols. 9 See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.
Psalm 29
Psalm 29
is an obvious psalm for this Sunday when we read the story of Jesus’
baptism. Here we have the heavens open
and the voice of God on the waters, all images contained in the baptism
story. One thing that distinguishes this
psalm is its use of the divine name “Yahweh” (translated, “the Lord”) 18 times. In addition, the term “voice” is heard seven
times. It’s a reminder that the psalms
are poetry!
1 Ascribe to the Lord, you gods, *
ascribe to the Lord
glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his Name; *
worship the Lord
in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
the God of glory thunders; *
the Lord is upon
the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; *
the voice of the Lord
is a voice of splendor.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; *
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
6 He makes Lebanon skip
like a calf, *
and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire;
the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; *
the Lord shakes
the wilderness of Kadesh.
8 The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe *
and strips the forests bare.
9 And in the temple of
the Lord *
all are crying, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned above the flood; *
the Lord sits
enthroned as King for evermore.
11 The Lord shall give strength to his people;
*
the Lord shall give his people the blessing
of peace.
2nd Reading: Acts of the Apostles 10:34-43
Our
second reading is a portion of the long story of Peter and Cornelius, which
includes Peter’s epiphany (revelation) that God has accepted the Gentiles as
fellow believers, going against long-accepted Jewish tradition. In his brief sermon, Peter mentions Jesus’
baptism and the revelatory announcement at it.
10:34 Peter began to speak to Cornelius and the other Gentiles: “I truly understand that God shows no
partiality, 35 but in every nation
anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 You know the message he sent to the people
of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 37 That message spread throughout Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who
were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in
Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40 but God raised him on the third day and
allowed him to appear, 41 not to
all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and
drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He
commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained
by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All
the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives
forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Gospel Reading: Matthew 3:13-17
Our Gospel reading is Matthew’s version of
the story of Jesus’ baptism. Matthew’s
version is the only version in which the voice from heaven publicly proclaims
that Jesus is the beloved Son of God.
Matthew is also careful to explain the place of John the Baptist, for
those who may be troubled that Jesus submitted to his baptism. But this is truly an epiphany event: Jesus is revealed as the beloved Son of God.
3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, 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 it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus had been baptized, just as
he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw
the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my
Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
The
Scripture quotations (except for the psalm) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ
in the U.S.A. All rights reserved. The Collect of the Day and the Psalm
translation are from The Book of Common
Prayer. Commentaries are copyright ©
2020, Epiphany ESources, 67 E. Main St., Hornell, NY 14843, www.epiphanyesources.com. All
rights reserved. Permission is given to copy for group study.
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