A SCEPTICAL ATHEISTIC BIBLE STUDY – THE
BAPTISM OF JESUS CHRIST
After much looking at John The Baptist preparing the way, Jesus finally appears in the Gospels for the first time as an adult, to be baptized and commence his ministry in earnest.
MATTHEW’S ACCOUNT - Events begin with a rather confused squabble between the two religious leaders. Jesus wants to be baptized, but John seeing Jesus as someone rather special, wants Jesus to baptize him instead (leaving some question as to why John was never baptized before).
Jesus gets his way and gets baptised by John, and witnesses conveniently see the soaked figure blessed by God in the apparition around Jesus of some doves. This gains Jesus an immediate body of followers before he has uttered a word.
MARK – A verbatim repeat of the above.
LUKE – much as given above, but with additional material, concerning Jesus’ lineage, tracing back Joseph’s bloodline over many generations. This bloodline is useless given that Jesus is born of a virgin, seeded by God. The impressive pedigree simply severs with Joseph, and Jesus emerges from nowhere.
Interesting, even at the age of 30, Jesus himself is described as believing he to be Joseph’s son. This creates huge theological problems. As a living incarnation of God, he should be all knowing. Also, given that even Jesus isn’t told, who informs the authors of the Gospels of the Virgin conception and nativity? Joseph has seemingly lied to his son here.
JOHN – In the 4th Gospel, John The Baptist doesn’t recognize the baptee as the new Messiah until he sees the vision of the doves. In the other accounts, John recognizes Jesus’ divinity instinctively even seeing him approaching the Jordan from the shoreline. It is only the other witnesses who are taken by surprise when the doves appear.
Recognizing a messiah when he sees one, John quickly declares Jesus to be the one – the Son of God.
Having now discovered the Messiah he has been searching for all his life, John The Baptist continues preaching and baptizing Andrew, the first apostle, is described by John’s Gospel as being one of the Baptist’s converts (whether from before or after Jesus’ baptism is unclear). John, referred to as a Rabbi, seems unconcerned by the competition. The Baptist encourages his followers to go to follow Jesus. However, that would have been difficult at first as Jesus vanished for 40 days and nights after his baptism, on his adventures in the Wilderness.
© Copyright. Arthur Chappell
LINK TO THIS PAGE http://arthurchappell.me.uk/bible-jesus-baptism.htm
E-mail arthur@chappell7300.freeserve.co.uk
LINKS TO OTHER PEOPLES PAGES UPDATES MYSPACE - http://www.myspace.com/arthurchappell
FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/arthur.chappell
FACEBOOK BLOG http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blogpage.php?blogid=85623
FACEBOOK FAN PAGE http://www.facebook.com/pages/ARTHUR-CHAPPELLS-WRITING-POETRY-MODELLING-PHOTOGRAPHY-FAN-PAGE/366778907731?ref=mf
MY BOOKS - http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=952521
MY FLIXYA PHOTO PAGES http://www.flixya.com/user/arthurchappell
MY TWITTER
PAGE - http://twitter.com/arthurchappell
PHOTOS OF ME & GENERAL PHOTOGRAPHS
MY WOOPHY
PHOTO SHARING PAGE - http://www.woophy.com/member/Arthur+Chappell
MY FLICKR PAGE http://www.flickr.com/photos/arthurchappell/
MY MODEL MAYHEM PAGE http://www.modelmayhem.com/arthurchappell
MY MODEL URL WEB PAGE http://modelurl.com/arthurchappell
BOOK REVIEWS AND ABSTRACTS - http://www.shvoong.com/writers/arthurchappell/
MY SHARE A LINK PHOTO PAGES http://www.shareapic.net/user/arthurchappell
Shetoldme – Website summaries portal – many reviews of my pages - http://shetoldme.com/referral/7368b651
YOUGOV SURVEY PAGES - http://my.yougov.com/go.aspx?id=83d4324b-e38d-4022-af7d-44ee3ab4f4c9