January 14th, 2023

This Sunday is the Second Sunday after the Epiphany, and the focus continues to be on manifestation of Jesus, and no matter what year of the three-year series, this Sunday is always dedicated to a manifestation or revelation of Jesus from the perspective of the Gospel according to John. It is always interesting to look at this gospel account that is so significantly different from the other three accounts. The eagle certainly has a different perspective from those things that remain on the ground.

Most recently though, we have been looking at the progression that has been occurring in the Gospel according to Matthew, and during these last weeks we have been looking at the historical presents in that account. And it is certainly significant that these historical presents have been occurring in pairs.

So, it is written twice (2:13 & 19) that an angel of the Lord APPEARS, instead of a text that would say he appeared, the simple past tense. It is also written (3:1) that John the Baptizer ARRIVES, not that he arrived. And a little while later (3:13) is also written that Jesus ARRIVES. And at this special arrival, Jesus was baptized.

What is the next pair? At the baptism of Jesus, at first John wants to be baptized by Jesus. But Jesus said that he should allow it so that they could fulfill all righteousness (3:15). The word ‘allow’ in the words of Jesus is in the form of a command. But then the text says this, that John then ALLOWS Jesus. That is the next historical present.

This verb, ‘to allow’, appears again in the historical present, but it is not the next historical present. In between are the historical presents that are within the temptation of Jesus. At the end of the three temptations of Jesus that are described in the text (he could have undergone many more than just these three), there is the last historical present of this section. The devil LEAVES Jesus (4:11).

It may be difficult to picture the action of allowing and leaving as the same word. Perhaps it may be helpful to think of the word in both situations as a type of RELEASE. John releases Jesus from his request of Jesus to baptize him. And the devil releases Jesus from his temptations.

Below is a somewhat-literal translation of the texts, along with their contexts, of these next two occurrences (3:13-17 & 4:10-11):
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Then he arrives, Jesus, from the Galilee, upon the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. So John forbade him saying, “I myself have a need by you to be baptized, and you yourself are coming to me?” So, answering, the Jesus said to him, “Allow now; for thus fitting it is to us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allows him. So having been baptized, Jesus immediately went up from the water; and, behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down as a dove, coming upon him; and, behold, a voice out of the heavens saying, “This is the son of me, the beloved, in whom I was well pleased.”

Then Jesus says to him, “Go away, Satan, for it has been written: Lord, your God, you shall worship, and him only, you shall serve.” Then he leaves him, the devil, and, behold, angels approached and ministered to him.

You may have seen another historical present at the beginning of the second text. There are others within that account, as was mentioned above, and we will look at that one and the rest of those in that special event next time, God willing.