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| The Baptism of Jesus, by Norma Boeckler |
http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/t/j/c/tjctcolo.htm
To Jordan came our Lord the Christ,
To do God’s pleasure willing,
And there was by Saint John baptized,
All righteousness fulfilling;
There did He consecrate a bath
To wash away transgression,
And quench the bitterness of death
By His own blood and passion;
He would a new life give us.
So hear ye all, and well perceive
What God doth call baptism,
And what a Christian should believe
Who error shuns and schism:
That we should water use, the Lord
Declareth it His pleasure;
Not simple water, but the Word
And Spirit without measure;
He is the true Baptizer.
To show us this, He hath His Word
With signs and symbols given;
On Jordan’s banks was plainly heard
The Father’s voice from Heaven:
This is My well-beloved Son,
In whom My soul delighteth;
Hear Him. Yea, hear Him every one
Whom He Himself inviteth,
Hear and obey His teaching.
In tender manhood Jesus straight
To holy Jordan wendeth;
The Holy Ghost from Heaven’s gate
In dovelike shape descendeth;
That thus the truth be not denied,
Nor should our faith e’er waver,
That the Three Persons all preside,
At baptism’s holy laver,
And dwell with the believer.
Thus Jesus His disciples sent:
Go teach ye every nation,
That lost in sin they must repent;
And flee from condemnation:
He that believes and is baptized,
Obtains a mighty blessing;
A new-born man, no more he dies,
Eternal life possessing,
A joyful heir of Heaven.
Who in this mercy hath not faith,
Nor aught therein discerneth,
Is yet in sin, condemned to death,
And fire that ever burneth;
His holiness avails him not,
Nor aught which he is doing;
His inborn sin brings all to naught,
And maketh sure his ruin;
Himself he cannot succor. [GJ - Omitted by WELS.]
The eye of sense alone is dim,
And nothing sees but water;
Faith sees Christ Jesus, and in Him
The Lamb ordained for slaughter;
She sees the cleansing fountain red
With the dear blood of Jesus,
Which from the sins inherited
From fallen Adam frees us,
And from our own misdoings.
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http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/Chorale106-Eng3.htm
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Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam
Nach seines Vaters Willen, Von Sanct Johann's die Taufe nahm, Sein Werk und Amt zu 'rfüllen. Da wollt' er stiften uns ein Bad, Zu waschen uns von Sünden, Ersäufen auch den bittern Tod Durch sein selbst Blut und Wunden, Es galt ein neues Leben. |
Christ our Lord came to the Jordan
in accordance with his father’s will, he received baptism from Saint John, to fulfil his work and ministry. By this he wanted to establish for us a bath to wash us from our sins, to drown also bitter death through his own blood and wounds. This meant a new life. | |||||||||
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So hört und merket alle wohl,
Was Gott heißt selbst die Taufe, Und was ein Christen glauben soll, Zu meiden Ketzer Haufen: Gott spricht und will, das Wasser sei Doch nicht allein schlecht Wasser, Sein heiligs Wort ist auch dabei Mit reichem Geist ohn Massen, Der ist allhie der Täufer. |
Therefore hear and mark well
what God himself calls baptism and what a Christian should believe to avoid a load of heresies: God says and means, there is water but not just water alone, his holy word is also present with the rich, measureless Spirit – He is here the one who baptises. | |||||||||
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Solchs hat er uns beweiset klar,
Mit Bildern und mit Worten, Des Vaters Stimm man offenbar Daselbst am Jordan hörte. Er sprach: das ist mein lieber Sohn, An dem ich hab Gefallen, Den will ich euch befohlen han, Daß ihr ihn höret alle Und folget seinen Lehren. |
This he has shown clearly to us
with pictures and with words, the Father’s voice was openly heard in that very place at the Jordan. He said: this is my dear son in whom I have delight, concerning him I give orders to you that you should all listen to him and follow his teaching. | |||||||||
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Auch Gottes Sohn hie selber steht
In seiner zarten Menschheit, Der heilig Geist hernieder fährt In Taubenbild verkleidet; Daß wir nicht sollen zweifeln dran, Wenn wir getaufet werden, All' drei Person getaufet han, Damit bei uns auf Erden Zu wohnen sich ergeben. |
Here also God’s son himself stands
in his gentle humanity, the holy spirit comes down here clothed in the image of the dove; so that we should have no doubt when we are baptised all three persons have baptised, thereby with us on earth they give themselves to dwell. | |||||||||
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Sein Jünger heißt der Herre Christ:
Geht hin all Welt zu lehren, Daß sie verlor'n in Sünden ist, Sich soll zur Busse kehren; Wer glaubet und sich taufen läßt, Soll dadurch selig werden, Ein neugeborner Mensch er heißt, Der nicht mehr konne sterben, Das Himmelreich soll erben. |
Christ the Lord calls his disciples:
go and teach all the world, so that those who are lost in sin may turn to repentance; who believes and is baptised shall thereby become blessed, he is called a newborn man who can die no more but shall inherit the kingdom of heaven | |||||||||
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Wer nicht glaubt dieser großen Gnad,
Der bleibt in seinen Sünden, Und ist verdammt zum ewgen Tod Tief in der Höllen Grunde, Nichts hilst sein eigen Heiligkeit, All sein Thun ist verloren. Die Erbsünd machts zur Nichtigkeit, Darin er ist geboren, Vermag ihm selbst nichts helfen. |
whoever does not believe in this great mercy
remains in his sins, and is condemned to everlasting death deep in the depths of hell. His own holiness is of no use, all that he does is lost, it is nullified by original sin in which he is born, he is unable to help himself at all. | |||||||||
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Das Aug' allein das Wasser seiht,
Wie Menschen Wasser gießen, Der Glaub im Geist die Kraft versteht Des Blutes Jesu Christi, Und ist für ihm ein rothe Fluth Von Christi Blut gefärbet, Die allen Schaden heilen tut Von Adam her geerbet, Auch von uns selbst begangen. |
The eye sees only water
when the water is poured, faith in the Spirit understands the power of the blood of Jesus Christ and for him it is a red stream coloured with Christ’s blood that heals all the injuries we have inherited from Adam and also those we have brought upon ourselves | |||||||||
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