Baptism According to Matthew 3:13-17 and the Martutuaek’s Rite

Abstract

This study examines if the story of Jesus’ baptism according to the Gospel of Matthew 3:13-17 is read and interpreted by someone who knows the rite of martutuaek in the tradition of Batak Toba’s community. Baptism is one of the special ceremonies used to accept and enter outsiders into a particular community or group as full members with all their obligations and rights. This ceremony is called "initiation". The word "initiation" comes from the Latin terms "inire" or "initiare," which mean: to enter or join into a group; or also accept someone into a group. Martutuaek is an initiation rite in the Batak Toba community, while Matthew 3:13-17 narrates Jesus’ baptism. The dialog between Jesus’ baptism and martutuaek would be fruitful in interpreting the Scriptures hermeneutically. Culture can pave the way for contextually sharpening Scripture, and Scripture provides illumination and fulfillment for culture. The martutuaek’s rite can be seen in the light of Jesus’ baptism according to Matthew 3:13-17. However, for Christians, as the Scripture’s text, Matthew 3:13-17 has a higher position than martutuaek since it is about God’s revelations.