ALIVE: Chapter 114, Epiphany
/In Judea twelve year old boys were boys no longer, but men. Young men. At twelve they went through a rite of passage, and in many cultures they still do. Childhood is over and it’s time to make one’s mark on the world.
On the day that Joseph and Mary found Jesus in the temple, like a young rabbi, He showed them that He was the man that Judaism said twelve year olds become.
In quiet subtle ways Jesus began to astound Mary and Joseph with His command of nature, small healings, walking on water. He wasn’t obvious and it wasn’t written, but He was who He was, from the day of His birth. The man Jesus was the second Adam. Adam was created in the image and likeness of God. The more one learns about the brilliance and power of God, the more one can understand the power and brilliance of Adam undefiled, and of Jesus. Yes, sadly, but purposefully Adam fell from grace; he was expelled from the garden of being God’s perfect image. His lack of trust, His disobedience separated him from his Creator and sent him away into a world of the knowledge of good and evil.
Jesus, the young man, was in the fallen world but not of that world. He retained the innocence of Adam which explains His ability to heal and even to resurrect people from the dead. Nature was created subservient to man, and Jesus demonstrated that.
Over and over again Jesus amazed His parents. This is why it was written that when Mary and Jesus were at the wedding at Cana, and they ran out of wine, Mary said, “Do what He tells you.” They call this His first miracle. It was the first written miracle. She said that because He had been doing things like that for years.
But Jesus was thoroughly human every moment He walked on earth. From twelve to thirty years old, he worked in the carpentry shop, came home and ate His mom’s delicious suppers. He hiked, He slept.
He was getting ready to show the world what God intended for mankind, and Most importantly, not to model it only, but He was getting ready to undo the expulsion from the Garden which resulted in death. His mission was to overcome death in humankind. He came to release the people in Hades from their prison, and to release the people on earth from the prison of ignorance, of evil, of powerlessness. There is only one Jesus, one Savior, one Messiah. One God. Jesus is His Son, and Jesus is God. Shocking, but true.
For eighteen years, from twelve years old to thirty years old He worked, He studied, He communed with His Heavenly Father.
Cousin John, Elizabeth’s son, grew up like a wild man who was obsessed with the great flood. After the flood, when God saw all the destruction, and Noah built an altar to the Lord and sacrificed burnt offerings to God, and He smelled the aroma, He vowed never to destroy the earth again. John pleased God by telling the people to go into the water as the doomed had during the Flood, but instead of dying, they should repent, and arise as reborn out of the water to change their ways of thinking and behaving. Baptism was the first step to undo death. It still is. Baptism is to be a victim of the Great Flood and to become a survivor of it as Noah and his family were, and to be blessed as God blessed Noah and his family, to go forth, be fruitful and multiply.
And the people came!!! They came in droves out in the wilderness that were the outskirts of Jerusalem to the Jordan River. Cousin John demanded their repentance and they agreed. He then submersed them in the River water and when they came back up for breath, it was their resurrection from what would have been a watery death.
…
“Mother, I am going to Jerusalem, to cousin John to be baptized.” announced Jesus one day. “I may not be back for a while.”
Mary replied, “But why? And why now my dear? Surely you don’t need to repent. Please don’t go. I will miss you.”
Jesus smiled because He knew that she didn’t really mean that. He walked over and gave her a big long hug. “Oh mama, my mama, I’ll never leave you. You know that. I live inside your heart. I’m there whenever you want me. Just call me.”
“But I won’t be able to feel your hugs when You go away.” she lamented.
At that Jesus gave her another bear hug and a big kiss on her cheek. “There, now remember that one!”
“Let me pack you some food for your journey.” said Mary to be practical as a refuge from her longing for Him to stay. Jesus had been near her, in her everyday world his entire life of thirty years, except for those missing days in Jerusalem and a couple of trips to the sea. It was going to be a great loss and she knew it.
“Make me a big bag of food, I don’t know when I’ll have a chance to eat again.” said Jesus to be kind and to give His mother something to do for Him.
“When will you leave? Have you told your father yet?”
“Yes, we discussed it.”
“Okay Son. I suppose it’s time for you to go to work.”
“Thanks mama. I love you.”
“I love you too Son.”
“Never forget it!” He added.
“I won’t.” she said and quickly turned to her kitchen to keep from descending into self pity.
The next morning Jesus was ready for His journey. He hugged and kissed His parents, and with satchel and backpack He set off for the morning caravan to Jerusalem. When they arrived several days later, Jesus asked if anyone knew where to find the Baptist.
“I am going that way, to the Jordan River, but upstream.” said Seth another young man who was going on his own, having just the night before, contemplated his life and determined that he desperately needed a fresh beginning.
“Good. Lead the way.”
The two men walked and talked and walked some more in silence until they heard in the distance the resounding voice of John. They followed the sound to see a small crowd of people, some wet who had just emerged and some getting ready, one by one to be submerged.
Jesus said good bye to Seth, and weaved his way to the bank of the river to wait His turn.
John spotted Jesus, who he knew. Jesus saw that it was His turn and approached. John said, “I need to be baptized by You! Are You coming to me?”
Jesus replied, “Yes, please allow me to be baptized, because it it fitting for me to fulfill all righteousness.”
John could not argue with Jesus, especially in front of everyone, although he still felt that he wanted Jesus to baptize him. So John put his right hand on Jesus forehead and forced him deep into the murky water. He let go and then waited for Him to surface.
Then, the most amazing thing happened. The crowd was in awe as they saw the few clouds that were in the sky suddenly part, and a flash of lightening broke through the sky. Then they saw, they actually saw with their eyes the Spirit, the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Jesus’ shoulder.
Suddenly and unexpectedly a booming voice was heard that said clearly for all to hear, “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased.”
The people were shocked. John silently bowed his head and closed his eyes. After a very few quiet moments, John heard the people murmur and he raised his head. Jesus was still standing waist deep in the water. The Spirit was no longer visible on His shoulder. The clouds returned to their normal position. Jesus looked at John, who was slightly dumbfounded, and flashed Jesus a look that said, “I told you so!” Jesus smiled knowingly and simply answered, “Thank you.” Then He walked out of the River. The people opened the path for Him. They didn’t know what to say or do, so they did nothing. Seth looked at Him dumbfounded, and let his companion pass.
Jesus picked up His backpack and satchel and walked away, many faces staring as he departed.
John went on and baptized the rest of the people waiting in line. John looked forward to the end of the day when He would pray and contemplate what had happened.
Seth looked at Jesus disappearing in the distance and grappled with competing desires to chase after Him or to remain to be baptized.
Many of the people who were there allowed the spectacle to dissipate in their minds, while others held it in their hearts but didn’t know what to do with it. They didn’t know what it mean for this young man to be the Son of God. Weren’t they all children of the Most High God?