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Jesus’ baptism

One of first major clues as to who Jesus thought he was comes right at the start of his mission, in one of the most powerful events of his life – his baptism. The Gospels say a man named John was baptising Jews in the river Jordan. And as a young man Jesus travelled to see him, to be baptised himself. The accounts say, as the water fell something incredible took place. Jesus is said to have seen the heavens torn open, and the Spirit descend upon him like a dove. And he heard a voice from heaven, saying,

“You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.”

The baptism is thought to be the moment when Jesus' ministry began. And it's certainly not an incident that would have been invented by the Gospel writers. For them it was a difficult episode to explain, because it suggested that by baptising Jesus, John was his superior. It's an account that risked undermining the image of Jesus, and because of this Biblical scholars believe it has the ring of truth.

So, by interpreting the symbolism of the Gospel accounts, we can get closer to understanding how the experience affected Jesus. The image of the heavenly dove is an unprecedented one in Jewish mysticism and the meaning of the words "You are my son" is unambiguous. The baptism comes across as a mystical transformation where Jesus feels he's being singled out by God. It seems that at this moment he understood that his life had a purpose. He changed from being a peasant from Galilee to being a man on a mission from God.

He certainly underwent a profound experience. But did he really come to believe he was God's son at his baptism and act that way for the rest of his life?

Well, it isn’t quite that simple. What the Gospels say happened next suggests Jesus was not at ease with what was happening to him. Because after his baptism he didn’t just head out and begin God’s work.

Instead, the Gospels say he fled to the wilderness, to be alone for 40 days and 40 nights. And it’s here that he’s said to have been confronted by a terrifying force – Satan - something anthropologists think can provide us with another glimpse into Jesus’ state of mind. They find that this sort of withdrawal from society is common among people who have had an intense mystical experience. It’s their way of coming to terms with what’s happened to them, and to decide what they’re possessed by – a force for good? Or for evil?

Jesus’ retreat into the wilderness bears the hallmarks of a genuine religious experience. He must have been bewildered and frustrated by what was happening to him. If he felt he’d been touched by God then nothing would be the same again. And if he thought his life was going one way, it was now radically turned to a new direction.

The gospels claim that at the end of his time in the desert, Jesus had resisted the temptations of the devil. But of course, however close he felt to God, it doesn’t mean that he believed he was divine. Even though his baptism had been a powerful moment, his confusion afterwards suggests he wasn’t setting out on a straightforward journey.

So did Jesus ever believe, as the Church has taught, that he was divine? Or was he just like any other Jewish mystic throughout history who felt close to God. If there is an answer, it lies back where we began, in the details of his miracles.