Then Jesus came from out of Galilee
to where John baptised* (where the Jordan ran),
to be baptised* himself, washed clean and free;
but John then tried to stop him. He began:
‘I need for you to clean me up. Yes you
are who should baptise me, we know that much.
And do you come to me?’ Jesus said to
him, ‘Let it be so. For cleansing as such
does not besmirch who's cleaned up, or who cleans.’
Then John said "Ok, once again you're right."
He did the ritu'l washing. Next was seen:
some thing, as he prayed (came from Hea'n to sight
of some on Earth who saw what angels try
to see): the one who brooded at the start
of ev'rything, came down as dove from sky
to us through curtains ripped, to bare God's heart..
And God, who's often qui-et, could not keep
so, with that tearing, tearing up, he spoke
up once again, this time he did not weep,
except in joy maybe, 'n'says of this bloke:
"Well loved! My son! Well pleased, I am. My choice!"
And like ol' Noah^ who received a dove
of peace to offer heaven's help (with voice);
a new start with a new son of God's love
was witnessed by some one, or must be two.
So now he could both wash and recreate,
as flood, and ark with disembark, renewed.
John got excited. Now he'd speak, and wait!
* the Greek word (βαπτίζω) transliterated into English letters as baptidzo, means "to wash" and it is so translated by most English versions in Mark 7; but where it refers to a ritual maintained in various forms by the Christian Church over the millennia since Christ [the Common Era (C.E.)], most translators have maintained a traditional practice of leaving the Greek word, transliterated (simply spelling out the sounds of the Greek word with English letters), to minimize sectarian rivalry as to whether it meant bath-ing, or showering. It turns out that it would have been better to keep the core of the meaning, to wash clean. And since the story of the flood lived in the Jewish mindset as both a washing of the world, but also then, and maybe more importantly, a new start at culturing human-ness… In this way Noah may be the model for Yeshua, and Yeshua spoke afterwards of his crucifixion as a further "baptism" he was yet to undergo (Mark 10:38-40)
^ The story of Noah, was a washing away of sin, by washing away the people who held it within them, and then a second chance at culturing humanity (with an Adam-like covenant). And it was well known, even memorized, by nearly all Jewish children in the First Century C.E. (Gen 6:5-9:17)
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, ‘I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?’ Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’ Matthew 3:13-17 NIVUK [Matthew 3:17 (Greek, then 4 other English translations)]
And this was his message: ‘After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’ Mark 1:07-11 NIVUK
When all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’ Luke 3:21-22 NIVUK
The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, “A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.” I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptising with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.’ Then John gave this testimony: ‘I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptise with water told me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptise with the Holy Spirit.” I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.’ John 1:29-34 NIVUK
