It’s pretty cool to see that my Pinterest board of Jesus’ baptism is seeing some traffic. Back in 2013, I created a board to collect together interpretations of Jesus’s baptism.

This board is seeing more traffic due to Jesus’ baptism being covered in January by most churches that use the lectionary schedule. The Sunday after Epiphany is when the readings for Jesus’s baptism are used by denominational churches.

For those on the three-year cycle, here’s the scripture reading used for each year:

Series A: Matthew 3:13-17

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ?I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?? But Jesus answered him, ?Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.? Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ?This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.?

Series B: Mark 1:4-11

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ?You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.?

Series C: Luke 3:15-22

As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, ?I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.?

So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ?You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.?