The scripture today is another one of those interesting passages from John, this time giving us John’s version of the story about Jesus being baptized. The other gospel writers tell the story in fairly clear ways, describing what Jesus and John said and did. After reading their stories, we can close our eyes and see what it must have been like.

And then John writes his version and instead of telling us about the river, he says things like, “This is the man I told you about who comes after me and would end up going past me because he had already been here before me the entire time.” And suddenly, the image of the two guys standing in the middle of the river with a dove flying over their heads turns into a “HUH?”

But to be honest with you, that line doesn’t really bother me all that much.…