When Jesus came up from the water, he saw the Holy Spirit descend like a dove upon Him. He was anointed for His mission and God spoke an amazing Word right out of heaven, "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased". This statement by the Father about Jesus is very powerful, and the Bible makes it is clear that Jesus pleased His Father in every way. There is an interesting parallel in the prophecy of Isaiah which speaks of the Father loving the Messiah His Servant, in whom His "soul delights." This is also a very powerful expression of love in the Hebrew language:
"Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him: he shall bring forth righteousness to the Gentiles." - Isaiah 42:1
The prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament were sometimes the Father talking to the Son, or the Son talking to the Father:
"I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." - Psalms 2:7-8
Other times it is a declaration about who the Messiah is and what He will be like, or what He will do:
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful.." - Isaiah 9:6
Or it is the Messiah Himself talking:
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound" - Isaiah 61:1
This was the testimony of John the Baptist:
And John bore witness, saying: "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. "I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' "And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." - John 1:32-34
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