Jesus Is Baptized

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, 'I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?'

Jesus replied, 'Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.' Then John consented.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'

This moment marked the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. All three persons of the Trinity were present—the Son being baptized, the Spirit descending, the Father speaking. Jesus had no sins to confess, yet He identified with sinful humanity, foreshadowing His ultimate identification with us at the cross.

John had been preparing the way, calling people to repentance. Now the One he had announced was here. 'Look,' John would say, 'the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'