The Bible says that the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and lit up and rested upon Him.
"When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him." - Matthew 3:16
The beautiful imagery is very reminiscent of the words of Isaiah the prophet concerning the Messiah:
"And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD." - Isaiah 11:2
The heavens opened up and the Holy Spirit descended like a glowing dove and rested upon Jesus. Jesus was anointed for his public ministry and the world would get to know his life, his thoughts, his miracles, and his words for a few years. After this He would "set his face" to go to Jerusalem and give his life for the sins of the world.
"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" - John 1:29
Painting of a Dove Descending
Painted Illustration of A Peaceful Dove Descending
The Baptism of Jesus, Jesus Appears at the Jordan River, Jesus and Righteousness, Jesus is Baptized, The Heavens were Opened, A Dove Descends out of Heaven, The Dove is Lit and Rests Upon Jesus, The Voice of God out of Heaven
The Baptism of Jesus
And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." - Mark 1:11
The New Testament - A Brief Overview
| Brief History of
the Baptism of Jesus Scriptures and Topics Covered: Jesus Appears at the Jordan River (Mat 3:13; Mk 1:9; Lk 3:21). Jesus and Righteousness (Mat 3:15; Is 11:5). The Baptism of Jesus (Mat 3:16; Mk 1:9; Lk 3:21;Jn 1:32-33). The Heavens were Opened (Mat 3:16; Mk 1:10; Lk 3:21; Jn 1:32-33). A Dove Descends Out of Heaven (Mat 3:16; Mk 1:10; Lk 3:22; Jn 1:32-33). The Dove is Lit and Rests Upon Jesus (Mat 3:16; Mk 1:10; Lk 3:22; Jn 1:32-33). The Voice of God Out of Heaven (Mat 3:17; Mk 1:11; Lk 3:22) |
"Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being
governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip
tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch
of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto
John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness."
Luke 3:1-2
Jesus Appears at the Jordan River
According to the Bible Jesus now makes his first public appearance where John was baptizing at the Jordan River. Jesus is thirty years of age, and He comes to John and requests to be baptized. You can almost hear the calmness in John's powerful voice, "I have need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?"
All of History Waiting for This Moment
Every great event that ever happened in the history of the world pales in comparison to this powerful moment when the God of the universe, the creator of all things, the Word of God in a human body is being anointed for His mission and about to speak to the world.
"Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Matthew 3:15
Jesus had never sinned and therefore had no need to repent, yet he saw in John's baptism the righteousness of God. It is interesting why Jesus would be so concerned with righteousness, the reason can be found in the words of Isaiah about the Messiah:
"And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins ." - Isaiah 11:5