Lamb of God: A Novel

Chapter 5

Somewhere in the Jordan River

"You children of snakes! Who has prompted you to seek refuge from the coming judgment?"

These words come from John the Baptizer, as his knees are under the torrent of the Jordan River, on the east side. He is addressing some Pharisees and Sadducees who came to John. He can see them on the land.

People are surrounding John to undergo baptism. They believe he is some prophet sent from God. "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," he says.

The Pharisees and Sadducees show their surprise at John's stern rebuke. Then they exclaim, "Why?"

A Sadducee adds, apparently trying to gain relief, "My lord, have I sinned?"

But the preacher, in fiery zeal for the Lord, keeps addressing them. "Let your lives prove your repentance; and do not begin to say among yourselves 'Abraham is our father,' for I tell you that out of these stones God is able to raise descendants for Abraham! Already, indeed, the ax is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."

Some gasps come as the people consider this warning. They want to be saved from this "coming judgment" John spoke about. They want to evade getting "cut down and thrown into the fire". Shouts of "What must we do?" echo to John from the crowd.

John, the son of a priest, turns to them and says, "Pride leads many away from God! Be willing to be humbled."

Someone asks, "In what way?"

"Let anyone who has two coats," says John, "share with the person who has none; and anyone who has food do the same."

The long line of people, coming for baptism, waits for the preacher to baptize. John is wearing a garment of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist.

John turns to one now, and hearing his confessions of offenses, he says, "I baptize using water for repentance, but one coming after me is greater than myself! He will baptize using the Holy Spirit and fire."

Then John lowers the person down and buries him under the water. Then John raises the person up. The person praises God and heads back up to the land.

Then some tax collectors come. One says, "Sir?"

John turns to him as he says, "Teacher, we are tax collectors. What are we to do?"

John knows that tax collectors generally cheat the people of their money. He doesn't tell them to quit their jobs; he says to them, "Do not collect more than you have authority to demand."

"And we, sir," says a Roman soldier, "what are we to do?"

John's response: "Never use violence or exact anything by false accusation, and be content with your pay." He adds, "Your own wages should be enough for you."

Then some Galileans arrive at the set. They watch from a distance. John is baptizing more people. What a sight!

Some people are placing their hope on John. "Perhaps he is the Messiah."

John is not aware of these thoughts until someone tells him, and he is stunned. "No, no, I am not the Messiah," he speaks loudly for all to hear. "I am only baptizing you using water for repentance, but there comes one more powerful than I. Why, I am not fit even to unfasten his sandals. He will baptize you using the Holy Spirit and using fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand so that he may clear his threshing floor, and store the grain in his barn, but the chaff he will burn with a fire that cannot be put out!"

Some Pharisees and Sadducees turn away, deciding in their hearts, Report him to the Sanhedrin.

As this occurs, among those Galileans that arrived is Jesus. He's watching for a while. So THIS is my cousin. He is such a fired-up prophet. I wonder if he will recognize me.

So Jesus turns to a companion. "Hold this for me," he says, as he is removing from himself that tunic.

The companion says, "But you do nothing wrong, Jesus! What sins do you have to confess?"

Jesus folds the tunic neatly. "Nothing. I just want to be an Example."

What did he mean, "an Example"? thinks the man.

But Jesus gives his tunic to the man, and he goes in the growing line, waiting to see John the Baptizer. Cousin, cousin...

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After an hour or so—since there are so many people wanting the baptism for the remission of sins—, Jesus is almost next in line. Jesus can hear John still preaching repentance from sin and turning back to God. And it gets louder and louder as Jesus is coming closer and closer.

John is saying it's not enough to say, but they should act and prove their repentance. A woman says "Glory" as her baptism is over. As she turns, Jesus can see the preacher close-up.

Finally, Jesus stands face-to-face with John.

When John looks upon this 30-year-old Galilean, he pauses all of his movements. John is awe-inspired at the presence of Jesus. There is something holy about this man. These are the thoughts of the wilderness prophet. He asks himself, Who is this? This has to be the Savior long-awaited.

John had seen lots of people, but something about this person is unique. John quietly asks, "Jesus?"

So he has some knowledge of his cousin up in Nazareth.

"It is," says Jesus. Seeing his cousin quiet, Jesus says, "It's alright. Baptize me."

"But I need to be baptized by you, Jesus," exclaims John, drawing back. John says he isn't qualified. "So why have you come to me?" To John, this is unthinkable—that he, a sinner, baptizes the Sinless One.

Jesus speaks to John firmly but gently. "This is the way it should be for now, because we should do everything that God requires."

John looks Jesus in the eyes and exhales. Nodding, he says, "Very well, Jesus."

So the cousin of Jesus puts his hand on Jesus' back and sinks him backward under the river. For a brief moment, Jesus remains under the water. Then John gently revives Jesus from the water.

As Jesus rises out of Jordan, he understands that a new era has started for him. Jesus walks toward the riverbank and kneels to pray to his heavenly Father. He is considering what will happen to him in the time to come. "Abba, I will meet conflict indeed," he says ardently, facing the heavens. "So I pray to you for power to overcome the unbelief of men and to break their spiritual chains of sin. Good Abba, I also pray for your witness."

Jesus just finishes praying earnestly when white beams of light burst from the sky. It is as if the skies split open. Then Jesus sees a dovelike form coming down from the light and lighting on his head. He knows what it was: the Holy Spirit.

The Baptizer also sees and is amazed. Those around Jesus also observe and take their steps back as they grasp the scene. Then a loud voice echoes out of the blue, "This is my dearly beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!"

In this way, Jesus is just anointed by the Holy Spirit; John sees it as such.

John acknowledges this as the voice of God. So he just baptized the Messiah! So he turns to the crowd, points to Jesus, and cries out, "Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"

Those that hear this statement do not understand. Not even John realizes the meaning of what he said.

But Jesus gets the meaning of "Lamb of God".

So Jesus gets up, filled up with the Holy Spirit of God, and turns to the person who is still holding his tunic.

"Je... Jesus, what's going on?" asks the person.

Jesus says nothing. He simply takes back his light-blue tunic and throws it on himself again. Then he walks off westward.

"Where is he going?" asks someone. "Who was that?"