When Brightness Blinds

There are moments in Scripture when the ordinary world seems to open just enough for something greater to be seen. The baptism of Jesus is one of those moments. It unfolds along the Jordan River, in a landscape more rugged than impressive, among people who have come carrying their questions, their hopes, and their need for forgiveness. Nothing about the scene suggests divine revelation. And yet, in this unremarkable place, the heavens open, the Spirit descends, and the deepest truth of the Gospel is spoken aloud: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Mt. 3:17).

Few events in Jesus’ life hold such quiet grandeur. There are no crowds pressing in, no miracles unfolding, no parables being told. Jesus stands in the water beside sinners who have come to repent. Then the sky is torn open, and the truth that has always been true is declared for all time: He is beloved. That single word will shape everything He does.

It is…