4. Baptism - Anointing

[Pastor Ralph]

Please share your thoughts on one or more of the questions in this lesson. 

[haar]

1. What do you think Jesus was saying to the Father as he was praying after his baptism? (verse 21) Probably asking God to let His will be done in His mission to the world.

2. Why would Jesus be baptized along with all the sin-laden people at the river that day? To show us what humility requires  and teach his disciples and his followers an example to follow. Wasn't he in danger of mis-communicating to them who he was? I don't think so.

3. Why do you think God staged the dove to descend in a visible way? (verse 22)  To show the whole viewers that He is the One that commissioned Jesus for the mission He was about to embark upon

4. What was the significance of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at this time in his life?. To show that the Holy Spirit is part of the Mission Jesus came for to gives Jesus power the required.

5. How did Jesus interpret the Voice that sounded from heaven? As the confirmation that the Holy Trinity is together for His assignment here on earth.

6. Did Jesus become the Messiah at this point? No. He came to the world as the sent Messiah right from Heaven. Or become divine? Or how do you understand this decisive event?  No. Jesus was Divine from the the beginning to the end. But He also was human to live with humanity to feel our pain and challenges and finally to die on the cross for our sin as He could not have died if He was fully dine. He therefore needed the fortification of the Holy Spirit.

[Isaac L]

On 8/19/2020 at 9:06 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Please share your thoughts on one or more of the questions in this lesson. 

1. What do you think Jesus was saying to the Father as he was praying after his baptism? (verse 21)

As Jesus probably knew his ministry was to begin from this point on, he might be dedicating himself to God's service. Or (I'm just postulating) he might be praying, "Here I am: I have come to do Your will" (Hebrews 10:9) in fulfillment of Psalm 40:7-8. Since Scripture declares that Jesus did pray such a prayer, his baptism could have been an appropriate moment when he prayed thus.

1. Why would Jesus be baptized along with all the sin-laden people at the river that day? Wasn't he in danger of mis-communicating to them who he was?

Matthew 3:15 only gives a clue that he did so to fulfill all righteousness. Since God required all men to repent and be baptized, this could be a move to identify 100% with mankind in that Jesus did not neglect to fulfill even this requirement on mankind. By submitting to baptism, he could be declared 100% righteous because he had not missed out a single command that God gave to men.

Other men might have misunderstood him, esp. the Pharisees who in his later ministry complained that he ate with sinners and tax-collectors. There are times when it's wise to clear up misunderstanding, but if we are worried all the time about what men think, we will likely end up pleasing men and not God. In life there will always be people who misunderstand you, but as long as your conscience is right, you must keep on doing what you know is right.

Paul also said, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God?.. If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10) While we try our best not to stumble men, this cannot be done at the expense of disobeying God then.

1. Why do you think God staged the dove to descend in a visible way? (verse 22)

I doubt that the masses understood what they saw, but John did, because God had told John beforehand. So I think it was to confirm to John beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus was the One who was to come after him. That's why John subsequently directed his disciples to follow Jesus instead (John 1:29-31, 35-36).

1. What was the significance of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at this time in his life?

Although Jesus was God, he was also fully man at his incarnation. Like the kings, priests or prophets in OT days, he as a man needed the anointing of the Holy Spirit to be commissioned for God's mission. This event was an anointing and a commission.

1. How did Jesus interpret the Voice that sounded from heaven?

It was perhaps an assurance from God the Father that he was in the center of the Father's will. For his posture was "the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing." (John 5:19) This assurance would pave the way for a very difficult ministry leading ultimately to crucifixion.

The Father's voice constitutes a weightier testimony than the testimony of his forerunner, John the Baptist. (John 5:36-37)

1. Did Jesus become the Messiah at this point? Or become divine? Or how do you understand this decisive event?

No, Jesus was already the Messiah and divine at birth. That's why he was already called Immanuel, God with us, at birth. (Matthew 1:23)

I don't know whether his realization of this identity was immediate or came gradually, because how his humanity and divinity are blended is a mystery to me.

One thing for sure - the Father must declare this word to His Son as fulfillment of Scripture, for God said in Psalm 2:7, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father."  Hebrews 1:5 claims that this was fulfilled in Jesus. So when was this word fulfilled? At Jesus' baptism. It cannot be missed out. Jesus himself said, "ALL MUST BE FULFILLED (capitals mine) that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." (Luke 24:44) What happened at this point is yet another confirmation that he is Messiah.

 

[hanks]

1.    What do you think Jesus was saying to the Father as He was praying after His baptism? (verse 21) 
Christ as the Son of Man was ever dependent on God the Father. In the gospels we often read about Jesus praying, and here we read that He prayed at the outset of His public ministry. We can only imagine what He prayed: that the Father’s will be done, that the Father be glorified, as He prayed for the salvation of the world. 
 

[hanks]

2.    Why would Jesus be baptized along with all the sin-laden people at the river that day? Wasn't He in danger of mis-communicating to them who He was? 
Jesus was baptized to fulfil all righteousness; to do what God required to be done in a perfectly righteous life. We know that Jesus died on the cross not only to bear our sins, but also that God would credit to our account the perfect life of Christ, and treat us as if we lived His perfect life. That is the wondrous reality of grace and imputed righteousness. Jesus Himself said “it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness" (Matt 3:15). Jesus is not a sinner, but He wanted to do everything that God defined as righteous. To be baptized by John was what righteous people were to do, what God asked them to do. Since Jesus would live a life of perfect righteousness He went to be baptized by John. He would satisfy the demands of divine justice and provide a righteous basis by which sinners could be justified. There was no danger of them not understanding who He was, because at the very time that Jesus is praying and coming up out of the water, the Holy Spirit comes down, and out of heaven they hear God’s voice "You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased." They now knew that He is the promised Messiah. 
 

[hanks]

3.    Why do you think God staged the dove to descend in a visible way? (verse 22) 
It is a symbolic act for all to see that the Holy Spirit is involved in Jesus’ life – that His ministry is in the power of the Holy Spirit. Here God used a visible symbol, a dove, for the invisible Spirit. In this way all would know that the Spirit of God was on Jesus. Also, God spoke to John the Baptist and told him he would know the Messiah - when baptized the Spirit will descend on Him and remain on Him. This is exactly what happened. When all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove. This was the confirmation - the fulfillment of the prophecy that was given to John the Baptist, as recorded in John’s gospel (John 1:33). 
 

[hanks]

4.    What was the significance of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at this time in His life? 
This is a symbolic act indicating the Spirit's involvement in Jesus’ life. And this was done for all to see so that they will know that His ministry is in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was given the Spirit with unlimited power. This is not telling us that up to this point the Son of God was without the Holy Spirit, not at all. With the divine nature of Jesus, we know that the Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit are One. It is the same on the human side we know that the Holy Spirit was with Jesus from conception. 
 

[hanks]

5.    How did Jesus interpret the Voice that sounded from heaven? 
“You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased”. This was the acknowledgement and encouragement He needed from His heavenly Father for the task ahead. 
 

[hanks]

6.    Did Jesus become the Messiah at this point? Or become divine? Or how do you understand this decisive event? 
When Jesus came into the world and started His ministry, He set aside the independent use of His divine attributes. He didn't cease to be God, He didn't stop being what He was, He just set aside any independent use of His own attributes and He yielded Himself to the power of the Holy Spirit. 
He did not have a beginning Himself, but existed from all eternity. He never was created. In Isaiah 42:1 we read: "Here is My servant, whom I uphold, My chosen One in whom I delight; I will put My Spirit on Him and He will bring justice to the nations”. The Jewish people knew this as a messianic prophecy. And here He was for all to see. On the day that Jesus is inaugurated into His ministry, God symbolically sends the Holy Spirit who comes upon Him in a form that is visible to all. In Isaiah 61:1 we read: “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners”. Both say that when the Messiah comes He will have the Holy Spirit upon Him. And that is exactly what happens, and it's critical that it happened to fulfil messianic prophecy. So, we have the testimony of the Old Testament prophets fulfilled indicating this is the Messiah. We also have the testimony of John, who says this is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Then we have the testimony of the Holy Spirit, and we have the testimony of God the Father affirming the messiahship of Jesus. 
 

[Lisa Daley]

6. Did Jesus become the Messiah at this point?

"You are my Son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased." Lk 3:22b

I used to beieve that Jesus was simply a man while on earth, a man anointed by the HS at the baptism at the River Jordan. And it was the HS who gave him, as a mere man, the power to perform miracles. I was actually likening Christ to me in hopes that I too could walk in God's power of miracles. But God did not allow me to continue with this way of thinking, for a common confession of my mouth is, "Truth will always prevail." God showed me by the HS and the Word that Jesus was, is, and shall always be God (John 1:1-2). Also we opened with Luke 3:22 where God calls Jesus his Son which reveals Jesus' family divinity.

Dr Wilson brought out an interesting observation of Jesus coming into self-realization of Who He was during the ages of birth to 12 yrs. I liked that analysis because I too at times have found myself walking in a grace that I did not understand with my intellect. I have had the grace to walk in obedience for the Call God has on my life, but I did not have an understanding intellectually nor could I explain it. The understanding came with prayer and submission, listening and obeying. So I identify with Jesus in this. 

I now believe Jesus was always God, which kept him from sin, and that he grew to understand Who He was in God. As Dr Wilson so beautifully depicted, Jesus experienced ALL for us - a baptism and the blessing of a Father, which is so very, very, very important to the heart of wholeness in Man.

[Irmela]

1. What do you think Jesus was saying to the Father as He was praying after His baptism? (v21) 

Lead and guide me as You will. 

(2) Why would Jesus be baptized along with all the sin-laden people at the river that day? 

To fulfill God's plan to identify with people, He humbled Himself still further and was baptized. He obeyed completely. He did not leave out anything. 

Wasn't He in danger of mis-communicating to them Who He was? 

No. The Voice from Heaven also confirmed Who He was. The by-standers had no excuse, they heard clearly. 

(3) Why do you think God staged the dove to descend in a visible way? (v22) 

Nothing was hidden. There was a visible manifestation of the Spirit descending upon Him as a dove. In John 1:32-34, John testifies that it was revealed to Him that he would know for certain, without a shadow of a doubt that the One upon whom he will see the Spirit descend and remain is He Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit a d he adds, "My testimony is that this is the Son of God." 

4. What was the significance of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at this time in His life? 

It was almost as though confirming that this was the official time of the start of His ministry. 

5. How did Jesus interpret the Voice that sounded from Heaven? 

Words of encouragement from His Heavenly Father for what lay ahead. 

6. Did Jesus become the Messiah at this point?  No

Or become divine? No

Or how do you understand this decisive event? 

Jesus came as the Messiah, and was already this, in Bethlehem and was there already worshiped as Immanuel, God with us; acknowledged as the King by the Wise Men from afar; as Messiah by the shepherds; as God's anointed by Simeon etc. He just lay aside these attributes for a season. He emptied Himself, and was fully man. Now in continued obedience He showed Himself to be part of the crowd of humanity in the humbling experience of being baptized (washing and cleansing from sin) even though He had no sin. The Holy Spirit descending upon Him visibly and the voice which was heard was then confirmation that what had been done to this point, God was pleased with. (He was not in this walk alone) 

[Maggz]

1.   What do you think Jesus was saying to the Father as He was praying after His baptism.

Jesus and the Father were one, and He knew the Father's will for Him.   He might have been saying, like Samuel in the Temple, "Here I am, send Me",  or He might simply have been praying for strength for the task ahead.

2.   Why would Jesus be baptized along with all the sin-laden people on the river that day?   Wasn't He in danger of mis-communicating to them who He was?

Jesus was baptized to fulfil all righteousness - although He had no sin, He was identifying with sinful humanity.    We see throughout His ministry that often people misunderstood who He was, and this might have been the first time, but His preaching and teaching were aimed at showing them who, in fact, He was.   Only when Peter made His confession of faith at Caesarea Philippi was there the beginning of understanding of who Jesus was, and even that was followed by Palm Sunday, when they greeted Him as a conquering king.

3.   Why do you think God staged the dove to descend in a visible way?

Human beings need to see before they can understand so often, and the dove was a sign, just as were the tongues of fire at Pentecost, which made the descent of the Holy Spirit obvious to the bystanders.

4.   What was the significance of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at this time in His life?

Jesus was about to begin His earthly message, and the voice of the Father and the dove representing the Holy Spirit showed the Trinity in action together, supporting Him at this time.

5.   How did Jesus interpret the Voice that sounded from heaven?

It was the voice of the Heavenly Father, setting the seal of approval on His ministry, and showing the Father's support and pride in Him.

6.   Did Jesus become the Messiah at this point?   Or become divine?   Or how do you understand this decisive event?

Jesus was, is and always will be divine, the second person of the Holy Trinity, so there was no question of becoming   divine.   He was the Messiah from His incarnation (Immanuel, which means "God with us".   When Simeon saw Him as a baby in the Temple, he hailed Him as the salvation which God had prepared, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to His people Israel.   (Luke 2: 30-32).   This event marked the beginning of His public ministry, but His divinity had already been hailed by the angel Gabriel, Simeon and Anna, to name only three.

[t-c]

 

1. Did Jesus become the Messiah at this point? Or become divine? Or how do you understand this decisive event?

 

As John baptizes Jesus, God introduces and affirms Jesus audibly to the world in front of countless witnesses. Father, Son and Holy Spirit all present in perfect unity of purpose. 

Was He always Messiah or Devine before this time, I think so. But God brings all things to light in His perfect timing. This was the God ordained first step, setting the stage for Jesus to begin His ministry as Messiah  

 

[sally607]

Q3. We humans need a physical sign. Could it be that it was a wind or a breeze that descended on Jesus filling him with the Holy spirit? Every one heard the voice of God. And God wanted all to know that Jesus was his son. It could also be the dove encircled Jesus as he came out of the water. We will not know till we get to heaven. But we do know that God was pleased with his son.

[Abe Malema]

On 8/19/2020 at 3:06 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Please share your thoughts on one or more of the questions in this lesson. 

Christ was asking  God for guidance and strength I think as he was to start on His ministry 

[Abe Malema]

Jesus's baptism was to fulfil the prophecy & to put what you & I could call a stamp on approval  for the church .It was also on outward sign that baptism saves an its His

[kreilly]

Why do you think God staged the dove to descend in a visible way? 

I never really thought it was a dove.  I always thought it was the Holy Spirit visibly coming down out of heaven, descending like a dove.  I always thought the dove part was more just explaining how it came down, descending from up above, the way a dove would gently fly down from the sky and land.  I don't know, maybe I'm wrong.  I know the Holy Spirit was visible and everyone could see it, I guess I just thought maybe it looked more like the transfiguration or something, like Jesus being glorified by the Holy Spirit from heaven.  Either way, I believe the reason for it was to testify that Jesus is the Messiah.  

What was the significance of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at this time in his life?

I think the significance is that Jesus baptism is the beginning of His public ministry.  As we discussed in an earlier lesson, when Jesus came to earth, he set aside His divine power.  As mentioned in the lesson, "You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached -- how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him." (Acts 10:37-38).  It seems that after this point, Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit to heal and perform other miracles, in order to show that He is indeed the messiah.  

1. Did Jesus become the Messiah at this point? Or become divine? Or how do you understand this decisive event?  Jesus is divine and the Messiah since forever, so, no, he didn't become anything.  As I mentioned earlier, I think it's more of a declaration of his public ministry and journey to the cross. 

 

 

[mary58]

1. What did Jesus say to the Father as he prayed after the baptism.

I had read the "he" of "he was praying" as being John as he performed the baptism ritual -- Jesus standing there in the crowd, in the water, singled out by the Holy Spirit and the acclamation of the Father.    Wilson sees it differently: baptism complete, it is Jesus who prays and Father God responds with words, and Spirit God anoints Jesus.
Well: this could mean the voice is an answer to the prayer, and so we know the prayer by what answers come:
Prayer: "Who am I?" Answer: "You are my son"
Prayer: "What worth do I have?" Answer: "I love you"
Prayer: "Am I sufficient for this work?"  Answer: "Yes, I am well pleased with you"

 

3. Why did God make the 'dove' visible?

So it could be seen !  (duh).  Seen by Jesus and seen by the people.  There is nothing secret going on; this is a public declaration with accompanying signs and wonders.

 

4. What is significance of the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus at this time in his life?

A dove comes down gently and alights.  (The dive-bomber look of the classic descending dove is wrong."  This wasn't "like a dove" because it was a bird, but like a dove in its gentle landing.  I picture it more as a garment settling over him, clothing him, equipping him for his public ministry.  It is now in his life because he will begin to teach publicly -- he is recognised by crowds because of this public-facing manifestation of the Spirit.  He is now set apart.  He was filled with the Spirit all along but now it can be "seen" --  has an effect on others.  This is what is needed for public ministry.

6. How did Jesus become the Messiah at this point?  Or become divine -- or how do you understand this event?"

Unclear on this one.  I don't believe he became Messiah, nor divine, at just this point.  He has always (from the beginning) been both of these things.  Now he is equipped to act on these things.  He takes up the job of Messiah.  This is called the start of his public ministry and that -- simply -- is it.

 

 

[Katy]

Q1.Jesus had just been baptised, this was the beginning of his public ministry. Maybe He was entrusting His public ministry to His Heavenly Father. Jesus was human and needed the help, leading and guiding of His Father, just as we do each day. We read in the New Testament of Jesus getting up before dawn or drawing aside from people to pray to His Heavenly Father.

Q2. Jesus wanted to fully identify with us human beings so that He could eventually take our place and redeem us by dying on the cross in our place. Jesus was only interested in doing what the Father wanted Him to do, He needed to fully identify with the people. He didn’t care what people thought about Him. 
Q3. Maybe it was a visible sign to John so he made no mistake that this man was Jesus the Messiah. John had been preparing the way for the Messiah. Maybe it was for the people to recognise Jesus as God Son. Jesus was identifying Himself with the people, but maybe God wanted them to know” This is my Son”. Maybe we as reader need the visual sign showing us that at this point, the beginning of Jesus ministry He was anointed with the Holy Spirit and this continued through His ministry.

Q4.Jesus was being sent out into His public ministry with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was fully human and needed the Holy Spirit to enable Him to carry out the will of His Father.

Q5.Jesus was fully human and knew all the struggles of being so. He had to learn and develop and grow just as we did. He also would have learnt how to pray and probably gradually learnt about His Heavenly Father and His mission to this earth. We know from scripture that He learnt obedience and submission. Jesus would have been encouraged to hear His Fathers voice saying”You are my Son, whom I love; with  you I am well pleased “ Luke 3v22.

Q6. Jesus was always the Messiah from the time He was born. He was still fully God and fully man. But He had emptied himself of everything. “Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Philippians 2v6-7. I understand this event to be about God filling Jesus with the Holy Spirit as He embarks on His very difficult three years of ministry. As He was human He needed that help and guidance for the difficult times ahead. He was misunderstood by many, reviled and rejected, ever before He came to His passion and death. He didn’t even have the necessities of life , a home , belongings, He was dependent on others for food etc. Maybe this didn’t worry Him as He knew His Father would provide for Him.

 

[Old Jerry]

What do you think Jesus was saying to the Father as he was praying after his baptism? (verse 21)

 

I think that Jesus was just thanking him for the events of the day.

 

Why would Jesus be baptized along with all the sin-laden people at the river that day? Wasn't he in danger of mis-communicating to them who he was?

 

I think that Jesus was baptized along with all the sin-laden people because he wanted to show then that he was with them.

 

Why do you think God staged the dove to descend in a visible way? (verse 22)

 

God staged the dove to descend in a visible way to let the people that He was his beloved son.

 

What was the significance of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at this time in his life

 

The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus at this time because it was the beginning of his ministry.

 

How did Jesus interpret the Voice that sounded from heaven?

 

Jesus interpreted the Voice that sounded from heaven as a complement from God and that He was pleased in the Father eyes.

 

Did Jesus become the Messiah at this point? Or become divine? Or how do you understand this decisive event?

I think that Jesus did become the Messiah at this point because right after that we went into the wilderness to be tested.

[Bailey]

1. Bailey 2/3/21 What do you think Jesus was saying to the Father as he was praying after his baptism?  Oddly enough I had trouble with this question. What do you say to the creator of the universe, my dad, my all and all. I a, about to take great steps towards a future of my life to save mankind! The task is big, Lord am I ready ?  You know the answer to that, and thanks for your LOVE I really needed that and could you share a little John, its been rough and you know he's going to need a hug, his days are getting rough.  Thanks for your wisdom, guidance and the endurance that I will need in the upcoming days.  Dad I LOVE YOU TOO.
2. Why would Jesus be baptized along with all the sin-laden people at the river that day?  Wasn't he in danger of mis-communicating to them who he was?  Jesus had to be baptized along with the people, his people, because it was found in Jesus' destiny to redeem sinful mankind, to so closely identify with us that he takes our place.   Jesus was not concern what the people were thinking only his father.

[Bailey]

1. 6 hours ago, Bailey said:

   1. Bailey 2/3/21 What do you think Jesus was saying to the Father as he was praying after his baptism?  Oddly enough I had trouble with this question. What do you say to the creator of the universe, my dad, my all and all. I a, about to take great steps towards a future of my life to save mankind! The task is big, Lord am I ready ?  You know the answer to that, and thanks for your LOVE I really needed that and could you share a little John, its been rough and you know he's going to need a hug, his days are getting rough.  Thanks for your wisdom, guidance and the endurance that I will need in the upcoming days.  Dad I LOVE YOU TOO.
   2. Why would Jesus be baptized along with all the sin-laden people at the river that day?  Wasn't he in danger of mis-communicating to them who he was?  Jesus had to be baptized along with the people, his people, because it was found in Jesus' destiny to redeem sinful mankind, to so closely identify with us that he takes our place.   Jesus was not concern what the people were thinking only his father.

2. why do think God staged the Dove to descend in a visible?  John had been preaching that another would come and baptize with the Holy Spirit and this sign was really to back up what John had been preaching.  The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God John 1:32-34.
3. What was the significance of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at this time in his Life?  This was Jesus' anointing for ministry.  He was anointed with the Holy Spirit and Power.
4. How did Jesus interpret the Voice that sounded from heaven?  His Father's voice was the sound of strength and encouragement, Father you know me, so I trust you with my life and I walking in your victory cause your power is within me, you hold my hand and it amazes of your love.
5. Did Jesus become the Messiah at the point? or become divine?  Or how do you understand this decisive event?  When Jesus received the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit's anointing is a sign of Jesus' messianic role.  He is Messiah - which literally means, "the anointed one". In Acts 10:38 recalls David's anointing, 1 Samuel 16:13 the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in Power.

[pickledilly]

1. What do you think Jesus was saying to the Father as he was praying after his baptism? (verse 21) Pastor Ralph, thank you for such a beautiful perspective of this critical moment. It’s a fresh understanding for me of divine Jesus’ complete humanity. I never considered before that there had to be a crossroads moment in His life where He had to accept the burden of [our] sin and turn to the LORD in total reliance for redemption – just as every believer has a specific point in life of accepting the consequences of sin and turning in repentance to the only One who can save us. I imagine that as Jesus recognized the moment had come to begin His ministry, He humbled Himself in yielding to the mission and prayed for strength, courage, wisdom, and favor from the Father. He may have been praying for the full measure of the Spirit’s grace that would be required. He almost surely prayed that He would bring glory to the Father and God’s will would be done. In some ways, I can imagine this as the beginning of a prayer that would conclude 3 years later in the agony of the Garden of Gethsemane. Here we can clearly see triune God joined in total unity to begin the work of salvation as Jesus the spotless Lamb yielded to the plan, the Holy Spirit descended to visually consecrate and anoint Him, and the Father audibly confirmed His favor and spoke blessing over His beloved Son.

2. Why would Jesus be baptized along with all the sin-laden people at the river that day? Wasn't he in danger of miscommunicating to them who he was? Jesus came to serve as the sacrificial lamb of atonement for God's people by giving His own guiltless life for them. This plan was introduced with the Passover lamb and its blood applied over the doorposts (Exodus 12:11-13), where sin and its penalty were symbolically transferred onto a lamb's innocent life whose blood was then offered as atonement. While Jesus was blameless and holy, He came as Son of Man and had to fully identify with humanity in our need for repentance of sin and salvation from it so that He could fully secure our redemption. He likely knew He would be misunderstood, but His focus was on the will of God.

[pickledilly]

3. Why do you think God staged the dove to descend in a visible way? (verse 22)   Here, at the onset of Jesus’ ministry of redemption, “the heavens were opened” (vs.21) in a visible way for all to see the Spirit of God in a visible way as He descended to Jesus. This confirmed to John that his cousin Jesus was, without question, the Messiah that his own ministry had been preparing God’s people to receive.  God was fulfilling a prophetic promise He made to John that the One coming to baptize with the Spirit would be identified and confirmed when the Spirit visibly descended and remained on the Son of God [John 1:32-34].

4. What was the significance of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at this time in his life?   Having been covered by some measure of the Spirit all His life, Jesus was now filled by the Spirit in a new overflowing way that anointed Him with the spiritual power of God. The moment had come to begin the work of redemption, and this power was essential to enable Him to accomplish it.

5. How did Jesus interpret the Voice that sounded from heaven?   Jesus knew this was the voice of God the Father, who affirmed His love [and all that comes with pure love] and His pleasure in the Son’s obedience.  This had to be an incredible source of confirmation, encouragement, and courage!

[pickledilly]

6. Did Jesus become the Messiah at this point? Or become divine? Or how do you understand this decisive event? From the time Adam and Eve were expelled from the presence of God [I believe it was the incarnate Christ who enjoyed fellowship with them in Eden], the plan for redemption and Satan’s destruction was revealed (Genesis 4:15, Isaiah 7:14). That plan and its purpose rested on Messiah, who came as Emmanuel, God with us. 

When Jesus came to earth as Son of Man, He humbled Himself & set aside His equality with God in order to serve and glorify the Father (Philippians 2:5-8).  But His identity and divinity as a Person of Triune God never changed. I believe Jesus was always Messiah. When He came to be baptized, He was stepping into His role as Messiah, and the “Anointed One” received the promised anointing to enable Him in that role. I think the decisive event of baptism by the Spirit was, in a way, a moment of restoring His full access to divine power [still under control by the Spirit] to equip Jesus the Messiah for His earthly mission. And actually, that’s pretty much what we also receive in Holy Spirit baptism!