The Beginning:
John the Baptist is baptizing in the Jordan, calling Israel to repentance and preparing the way for the Lord. Jesus comes from Galilee to John to be baptized. John hesitates, recognizing that Jesus is greater and saying he needs to be baptized by Jesus instead.
The Middle:
Jesus insists that it is fitting “to fulfill all righteousness,” and John consents. After Jesus is baptized, He comes up from the water. The heavens are opened, and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him in visible form, described like a dove.
The End:
A voice from heaven declares Jesus to be God’s beloved Son, with whom He is well pleased. John later testifies that this sign confirmed Jesus’ identity, and he points others to Jesus as the One sent by God. The baptism publicly marks the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and His mission in obedience to the Father.
Jesus’ baptism reveals His willing identification with the people He came to save, even though He is not portrayed as confessing sin. It functions as a public commissioning: the Father’s declaration and the Spirit’s descent present Jesus as the promised Son and Spirit-anointed servant, inaugurating His messianic work. The event also displays the coordinated action of Father, Son, and Spirit, emphasizing that Jesus’ ministry is carried out under divine approval and empowerment.
Ritual washings were familiar in Second Temple Judaism, used for purification and preparation for worship (seen in practices associated with mikva’ot, ritual immersion pools, and other water rites). John’s baptism, however, is presented as a distinctive, once-for-repentance act in the Jordan that symbolized a decisive turning to God and readiness for the coming kingdom.
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” — Matthew 3:17
Answer the questions below. When you choose an option, you will see the result and an explanation.
1. Why did John the Baptist hesitate when Jesus came to be baptized?
2. What did the voice from heaven declare after Jesus was baptized?