In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus comes to His baptism with a winnowing fork in His hand (Matt. 3:12). The Messiah arrives to gather and divide, to separate wheat from chaff. The kingdom He brings advances by division before victory.

There is no victorious warfare without separation. At the baptism of Jesus, we are given several glimpses of this biblical pattern.

Jesus is baptized in the Jordan. Originally, the Jordan itself was divided. Its waters ceased to flow so that Israel could cross on dry ground before entering the land in conquest. But that crossing came only after another division: an unfaithful generation perished in the wilderness, while their children inherited the promised land. Death and separation preceded dominion.

Now, the heavens themselves are opened. A King is ordained according to the order of Melchizedek. Jesus, the baptized God-man, does not lead His people anywhere He has not first gone Himself. He is baptized to "fulfill all righteousness," His first spoken-words in Matthew.

The Spirit descends as a dove. Here is the new creation. The old world is passing away, and new life is now found in this Man. A voice declares the King: “This is my beloved Son.” Immediately, the Spirit leads Him into the wilderness to be tempted.

The King of heaven, born of a virgin, anointed in the waters - returns to the wilderness to confront Israel’s failure, Adam’s failure, and humanity’s disobedience under temptation. Even the Incarnation itself is a division: the beginning of a new humanity. From this point forward, all things will be either in Christ or outside of Him.

The church today finds herself amid real divisions, both from the world and within her own body. Jesus is a King who divides in order to purify and strengthen what belongs to Him. He separates the church from the world - but He also brings judgment and pruning within the church itself, not to destroy her, but to clarify allegiance, prune, expose bad fruit, and advance the growth of His kingdom.

After His victory over temptation, Jesus ascends and sits on a mountain and begins to teach His disciples.

As Christ has gone before us, so Epiphany calls us to remember our own baptismal calling. Christians are those who have been baptized into Christ Jesus. He is now living out His story through us. The veil has been torn; the heavens are open. We have access to the Father, Son, and Spirit through the work of the baptized King.

When tempted, remember Jesus. Fight with His weapons. Rebuke the devil. Teach the nations the words of the Word, instructing them to obey all that Christ has commanded.

And do not expect victory without division. Put away the old man. Kill sin. Deal honestly with chaff. Some chaff is future-wheat, but separation comes with the harvest.

Divide and conquer.