4. The Baptism of Jesus (Mark 1:9-11)

When John the Baptist lifted Jesus out of the waters of baptism, a new creation event as momentous as the original creation unfolded, inaugurated in the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. As a dove descended over the waters and into Jesus, there was a dramatic echo of the way in which Spirit had 'brooded' over the waters of the original creation. Mark's brief but powerful account of the incident highlights its significance, and provides context for Christian baptism, a rite that Jesus commanded as part of his last commission to his followers before his ascension.