This Is the Spirit's Entry Now

This Is the Spirit’s Entry Now

LSB #591

v. 1 - This is the Spirit’s entry now;
The water and the Word,
The cross of Jesus on your brow,
The seal both felt and heard.

v. 2 - This miracle of life reborn
Comes from the Lord of breath;
The perfect Man from life was torn
Our life comes through Christ’s death.

I wanted to write about this baptismal hymn because this second verse intrigues me! First of all, “Lord of breath” is an unusual phrase that grabs your attention. What is the author referring to? Is it the creation of Adam, when the Lord breathed life into the first man after forming him from the dirt? Or is it a reference to the Spirit? In Hebrew, the word for spirit and breath are the same word, and when Jesus appeared to His disciples on Easter evening in the upper room, He breathed on them and said “receive the Holy Spirit.” Or is it both? The breath of God that gave life to Adam is the is the same breath of Jesus is the same breath of God that gives us new life in Holy Baptism. And then the next phrase, “The perfect Man from life was torn,” could be a reference to Adam or Jesus! Both were perfect men from whom life was torn. But since the author capitalized “Man,” this leads us to understand this Man as Jesus, which the next line then unfolds for us, that this perfect Man from whom life was torn becomes in this very act (of crucifixion) our life. What theological riches are given us in so few words! But that is how Scripture works. It is woven together by its Divine Author so that we can never exhaust its riches and meaning. This Lenten season, look for those connections throughout Scripture and thank God for the breath, Spirit, and new life He has given to you in your Baptism.