The Eternal Thou
Read Mark 1:9-15
As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” –Mark 1:10-11
The story of Jesus’ baptism occurs in all four gospels. All four testify to the image of a dove descending from heaven and resting on Jesus. Three of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) report the words that God spoke from heaven. However, there is a crucial difference between Matthew’s gospel versus Mark & Luke. In Matthew’s gospel, God declared: “This is my beloved Son, with him I am well pleased.” Mark & Luke both reported God’s words differently: “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.”
While it’s a small difference, the shift in pronouns signifies a different meaning. In Matthew, God was making a public announcement of Jesus’ identity. But in Mark’s telling, God was speaking to only one person—God was affirming to Jesus that he was loved.
In the early 20th century, Jewish theologian Martin Buber published his seminal work, I & Thou. Buber described two different kinds of relationships. The first kind of relationship is the “I-It” relationship, where we perceive the “other” as an object to be used for our own purposes. This is the common, everyday way we interact with the world (for example, looking at a tree to see if it’s good for lumber).
In contrast to this, Buber described the “I-Thou” relationship, in which the “other” is perceived as a whole, unique being and not as an object. In an “I-Thou” relationship, meaning comes from the encounter itself, not from what can be gained from it. To use my earlier example, we see the tree as a living being, and we appreciate its beauty and strength, rather than estimating how many board feet we might harvest from it.
The problem with the modern world, Buber wrote, is that we have mixed up all these relationships: “People were created to be loved; things were created to be used. The reason why the world is in chaos is that things are being loved and people are being used.”
So let’s bring this back to Jesus’ baptism. In this moment, we get a quick glimpse of the “I-Thou” relationship between Jesus and the Father. The Father addressed Jesus directly; He told Jesus that He loved him; Jesus brought the Father joy. Jesus was not an object to be loved, but a “You” to be treasured.
You’ll also note that this is the way that Jesus related to others. When he encountered the disciples, he did not “use” them as his minions. He loved them as his friends. When Jesus encountered the sick, he didn’t use them to prove his powers or promote his popularity. He responded to their needs and restored them to wholeness. Every person Jesus saw was a “Thou” worth his attention and love.
God, according to Buber, is the “Eternal Thou”—the One through whom we all have our being. All other “I-Thou” relationships—whether with people, nature, or art—point us to the relationship we are invited to have with God. So spend a few moments today reflecting on your relationship with God. When was the last time you simply rested in the knowledge that God sees and loves you as you are? How might it shift your prayers to remember that God is the “Eternal Thou”—One to be worshipped and loved—and not just an “It” to prop up our beliefs or to grant us our wishes? Read again the words that God spoke over Jesus in his baptism. Imagine God saying those words over you (substituting “daughter” for “son” if necessary). Then substitute the word “God” for “son,” and say them back to God.
O God, You are my strength and my shield, my Savior and my friend. Quiet me down to hear Your voice. May the words I speak back to You reflect the truth of my soul. Amen.