As the waters of Jordan bisect the Holy Land, so does our Lord’s baptism biseect his holy life. In that act he had identified himself with the world’s sin; and now, as the High Priest who was to deal with sin and sinners, he must be “in all points”? tempted and tested “like as we are.”

He took into the wilderness a perfect humanity of flesh and blood, made in all points like his brethren, though without sin. He elected to fight his great fight,

not by the use of the divine attributes, but as Son of man. Where the first Adam fell, the second must stand.

First, he could not use his native power for his own gratification. Second, he would abide strictly within the limitations of the world he had entered, Heb. 2:16, 17. Third, he would win his kingdom by the Cross.

What a flutter in Mary’s heart when she saw her son sitting in the teacher’s place of his native synagogue! How gratified at the reception given to the opening sentences! What a sword pierced her heart at the sudden revulsion of feeling! They were jealous that he performed only a few private miracles; but he could not do more because of their unbelief. See Mark 6: 5.

Note that our Lord here sounded forth the silver trumpet of jubilee. Seizing on the imagery of the gladdest festival of Hebrew life, he likened himself to a priest proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord. Not yet the day of vengeance! Compare v. 19 with Iso. 61:1, 2. This is Christ’s program for the present age.