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THE KING’S BUSINESS
outward act of the baptism of Christ. It is true, it might be inferred from Luke’s account that they did. If such were the case, however, the experience of the people was similar to that of the companions of Saul on the Damascus road, who, while they heard and saw something, could not distinguish nor discern clearly the sight or sound (Acts ix. 7; xxii. 9) ; or like the people in John xii. 29, of whom it is said that when God spoke to Christ, “they thought it thundered” (and. note that this incident is mentioned in connection with one of the three occasions when God spoke from Heaven to His Son). Further, if the people had heard and seen these mirac ulous phenomena, would they not have hailed Christ as King? They certainly would not have taunted Him, as they did later, for a “sign from heaven,” if they had witnessed this wonderful sign. Jesus never refers to it as a sign of His Messiah- ship which the people could have recog nized. John refers to it only once as the evidence of the supernatural means afforded him in recognizing the Messiah. There is, further, a distinct statement in John v. 37 which would seem to preclude the idea of the people having heard the heavenly voice: “And the Father hath sent me, He hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.” It is probable that John and Jesus alone witnessed the supernatural phenomena at the baptism. Matthew says that the heavens were opened “unto him.” He omits the words, “Hear ye him,” which might lead us to think that the words were addressed to Christ only. In the transfiguration, an event which was clearly intended' for the disciples’ benefit, the words “Hear ye him” are mentioned. These words would not be needed at the baptism if the divine voice was for Jesus only, or even for John, too. That John witnessed the phenomena seems clear from his own testimony in John i. 30-36. Indeed these miraculous phenomena presented to him convincing
tion of the time when He should begin His Messianic work. The consecration of the priests into office was connected with a threefold anointing: first, there was the washing with water; then, the anointing with oil; and then, the application of blood. So was it in connec tion with Christ’s baptism: There was the water of the Jordan, the descending Holy Spirit, and, at the end of His life, the offer ing on the cross. “For there are three who bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and the three agree in one. This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is the truth” (1 John v. 6-8). In His baptism, then, Christ is presented as Mediator and Redeemer of His people. 3. Jesus Christ, by His baptism, was inagurated as the Head of the new and final dispensation. The prophets had preached until John; now the kingdom of God is preached. In the Lord Jesus Christ God has said His last and final word to the sons of men. Last of all, He has sent His Son. Before this He had sent prophets, minstrels, priests, and the Baptist. His last word will be spoken in His Son. Those who reject the Son have no hope. 4. In harmony with the purpose of Matthew’s Gospel we may say that at His baptism Christ was presented as the nation’s King. The baptism was, in a sense, the inauguration of the King. III. The Supernatural Phenomena in Connection with the Baptism of Christ. They are three: the open heaven, the descending Spirit, the heavenly voice. What is the significance of these divine and sup ernatural manifetsations ? First, let us ask to whom these revela tions were made. Who heard the heavenly voice, and saw the descending dove? In the answer to this question we may discern the purpose of these remarkable phenom ena. It may be questioned whether the people either heard or saw anything saving the
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