Luke 3:21-22 21Now it happened when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily appearance like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.”
Luke is also brief when it comes to describing the baptism of Jesus. In one long sentence, Luke summarizes one of the most significant yet difficult to understand events of Jesus’ life. The question that is often asked is, Why did Jesus need to be baptized, especially since John was preaching a baptism of repentance? The early church affirmed that Jesus did not sin (Hebrews 4:15); therefore, he had nothing from which to repent. Matthew 3:14-15 makes this point through the words John spoke to Jesus on this occasion. Grammatically, this sentence uses several articular infinitives and genitive absolute constructions. This style creates a vivid and succinct sequence of events one after the other.
Jesus did not begin his public ministry in Jerusalem before the great crowds around the temple but humbly along the Jordan river by identifying with those who were sincerely seeking God’s salvation. The time was right. People were longing for the good news that he could provide. Many sincere people were looking for the Messiah and thought that maybe John was he. Jesus’ baptism was not one of repentance but identification and incarnation. He humbled himself to the human level. His baptism also marked the passing of the prophetic baton. John would decrease after this, although people continued to follow him or claim him as their teacher, even after his death (Acts 18:25).
Luke also notes that Jesus was praying. Luke, more than any other New Testament writer, mentions prayer. Jesus is the model for prayer. He began his ministry in prayer and prayed just before dying on the cross. Everything in Jesus’ ministry and life was covered by prayer. There is an intimacy between Jesus and the Father that appears many times in Luke. God the Father responded to Jesus’ prayer in three ways. First, the heavens opened in a visible way. The description is too brief to know what this may have been like, but other passages in the Bible refer to visions of heaven and God’s throne (Ezekiel 1:1; John 1:51; Acts 7:56; 10:11; Revelation 19:11).
Second, the Holy Spirit descended in a way that people could see. This reference is significant in several ways. One is that Jesus was filled and led by the Spirit from the very beginning of his ministry. His experience is a model for all believers who are also given the Holy Spirit when they put their faith in Jesus. To be Christlike means to be filled with the Spirit. The Spirit was Jesus’ connection with the Father, the crucial link between humanity and divinity, God’s holy presence among people. Second, the coming of the Holy Spirit came in bodily form like a dove. Doves are known for being harmless and peaceful birds. They were the only bird offered in sacrifice (Leviticus 1:14). A dove brought the message of peace and wellness to Noah. Later in 4:18-19, Jesus will read from Isaiah 61:1-2, which begins with, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me.”
Third, a voice of confirmation came from heaven. It is obviously assumed that the voice is God’s. It is not clear who heard the voice: Jesus, John, or the crowd. The key point is the confirmation of the identity of Jesus. The identity of Jesus is made clear as God’s Son (in fulfillment of the prophetic words in 2 Samuel 7:14 and Psalm 89:27). Jesus had a unique relationship with God. No one was ever conceived and born like Jesus. Jesus did not become God’s Son at this point but was always this (1:32–35; 2:49). The Father/Son relationship is the best example of the definition of love. Jesus could go into his ministry knowing that God, his heavenly Father, loved him. Finally, only with Jesus can God be well-pleased because only Jesus is truly righteous. He would face many temptations but would overcome them because of his total trust in his heavenly Father. God can be pleased with us only when we hide behind the cross and are washed clean by Jesus’ sacrifice (1 Peter 2:5).
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