The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~ Part 3

Yeshua’s Baptism

¹³ Then Yeshua came from the Galil to the Yarden to be immersed by Yochanan. ¹⁴ But Yochanan tried to stop him. “You are coming to me? I ought to be immersed by you!”

I ought to be immersed by you! This is the first recorded public encounter between Yochanan the Immerser and Yeshua. Yochanan – recognizing the more powerful one – attempts to dissuade Yeshua from being baptized.

¹⁵ However, Yeshua answered him, “Let it be this way now because we should do everything righteousness requires.” Then Yochanan let him.

We should do everything righteousness requires. Yeshua Himself did not have to be immersed for His sins because He committed none (Messianic Jews 4:15). Some have suggested He was fully identifying with sinful humanity, who did need purification (Romans 8:3, Philippians 2:6–8). On what it is that God’s righteousness requires, turn to Romans 3:24–26.

¹⁶ As soon as Yeshua had been immersed, he came up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, He saw the Ruach of God coming down upon Him like a dove,

Many believed that the Ruach was no longer available in their time; others believed that the Ruach simply did not work as forcefully as in the prophets’ days until the time of the end. That the Ruach comes on Yeshua indicates the inauguration of the Messianic Era and marks Yeshua out as the Ruach-bearer and hence Messiah (3:11).

¹⁷ and a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; I am well pleased with him.” ^[1] ~ Mattityahu 3:13-17

The Temptation of Yeshua

¹ Then the Spirit led Yeshua up into the wilderness to be tempted by the Adversary. [2] ² After Yeshua had fasted forty days and nights, He was hungry. ³ The Tempter came and said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, order these stones to become bread.” ⁴ But He answered, “The Tanakh [3] says,

‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of Adonai'” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

⁵ Then the Adversary took Him to the holy city and set Him on the highest point of the Temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “jump! For the Tanakh says,

He will order his angels to be responsible for you.…
They will support you with their hands
so that you will not hurt your feet on the stones.'” (Psalm 91:11-12)

⁷ Yeshua replied to him, “But it also says, ‘Do not put Adonai your God to the test.'” (Deuteronomy 6:16)

⁸ Once more, the Adversary took Him up to the summit of a very high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in all their glory, ⁹ and said to Him, “All this I will give you if you bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰ “Away with you, Satan!” Yeshua told him, “For the Tanakh says, ‘Worship Adonai your God and serve only him.'” (Deuteronomy 6:13-14)

¹¹ Then the Adversary let him alone, and angels came and took care of him. ~ Mattityahu 4:1-11 (see also Mark 1:12-13 and Luke 4:1-13)

Oh, that we can be as prepared as Yeshua was to cite Scripture back to HaSatan as Yeshua was able. One of many reasons why we need the Ruach in our daily lives.

In our next post, we will examine Yeshua Calls His First Talmid and Performs His First Miracles.

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^[1] Where appropriate, I will highlight the Father’s Words in Purple.

[2] The Adversary. Greek diabolos (usually transliterated “devil”) translates Hebrew satan, “adversary, opponent, rebel.” In Isaiah 14:11–15, between the lines of a taunt against the king of Babylon, can be read the downfall of a creature who was once both powerful and beautiful but who in pride rebelled against God and came to oppose him; Ezekiel 28:11–19 is similar. (JNTC)

[3] The Tanakh, the Old Testament – rendered “Scripture” or “it is written” in most translations. The Hebrew word Tanakh is an acronym formed from the first letters of the three parts of the Hebrew Bible:

• Torah (“Teaching”) – the Five Books of Moshe or Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy).
• N’vi’im (“Prophets”) – the historical books (Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings), the three Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel), and the twelve Minor Prophets.
• K’tuvim(“Writings”) – Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the “five scrolls” (Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther), Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicles.