Sunday of the Flood (GA)

Luke 3:18-23

¹⁸ So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. ¹⁹ But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, ²⁰ added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.

²¹ Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, ²² and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

²³ Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,

This text could easily be extended to include the entire lineage of Jesus. This lineage goes all the way back to Adam being the Son of God. Jesus is the true Son of God, not the son of Joseph as was supposed. John the Baptizer baptizes Jesus in the Jordan River. Here as Christ is baptized and heaven breaks open there is the dove that comes to him in the water.

This is the Baptism of our Lord. This could parallel the dove that brought to Noah the Olive branch, and now Jesus is revealed to us by the Dove. In some weird sense Jesus is the Olive branch that tells us in a short time we will be leaving the ark and walking on a refreshed earth.

You could also think of the various people who were baptized with Jesus. John baptized many, but it is the Voice from heaven and the genealogy that follows which leads one to think that maybe Jesus’ baptism was the baptism of all his ancestors. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were baptized with Jesus. If this is the case then likewise all Jesus’ descendants would be baptized with him.

Or is it just simply a lesson like St Peter would explain to us. Baptism parallels the Flood. Jesus is baptized just like in Noah’s time the entire creation was washed with water. The Genealogy helps to remind us that we are all sons of Adam and daughters of Eve. You have taken part in their sin. Likewise, we are all children of Noah and have been told his testimony. Now this Son of God comes to make the perfect Sacrifice, which was required of the Father of the promised son, as Abraham took Isaac up the mountain. Jesus goes to fulfill the entire history. He dies and rises again to forgive you all your sins, and restore his wondrous creation.