{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.
Acts 10:34-43
{34} Then Peter began to speak to them: "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."
Matthew 3:13-17
{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."
Analysis and Reflection
The contrast between the old and the new is a consistent feature of the New Testament. Everything before Jesus is "old;" he came the usher in the "new." This is expressed both by what Yahweh does—law in the past, love now—as well as how he does it—sending prophets in the past, the Son in the present. The notion is picked up in the Gospel; in the past Jesus would have baptized John, but now John, "to fulfill all righteousness" baptizes Jesus.
The Gospel reflects the celebration of Jesus’ baptism. The other lessons extend the point made by the Gospel, that Jesus is God’s Son. As God’s Son and therefore without need for repentance, he has identified himself with the needs of his sinful people by participating in John’s baptism for the forgiveness of sins. He has further identified himself with all who believe in him, even a Roman Centurion, who must as a part of his military service, honor gods and engage in acts that were repugnant to the God of Israel.
If we see ourselves as Gentiles, then we will know that God’s love and mercy is ours only by his gift, not by our deserving. If we think of ourselves as God’s chosen people today, then, too, we are God’s because he chose us. In either case, our lives will reflect who we are and whose we are.
Submitted by Dick Nelson
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