And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased"

 

Baptism in the Jordan, 15th century, Kythera. Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens, Greece. (Author photo)

 Now as the people were in expectation and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."  And with many other exhortations he preached to the people.  

 

But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.

When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.  And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."

 

- Luke 3:15–22 

 

 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.  And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying:

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.  Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'" Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'  For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.  And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees.  Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."  So the people asked him, saying, "What shall we do then?"  He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise."  Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?"  And he said to them, "Collect no more than what is appointed for you."  Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?"  So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages."   

 

 Now as the people were in expectation and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."  And with many other exhortations he preached to the people.   Note, as we did in yesterday's commentary, the people were in expectation not only because the fulfillment of prophecy was at hand (as the ruling family are sons of Herod the Great, a non-Jew who claimed to be king of Judea - see the prophecy of Jacob at Genesis 49:10), but also clearly because of preaching of John the Baptist, who was held is wide esteem as a holy man.  My study Bible comments on this passage that fire, in the context in which John speaks as that which distinguishes the Baptism of Christ, has the primary meaning of the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is given to the world at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).  Moreover, this also declares the judgment of Christ, in which the faithless will burn (see 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; 2:8).  It is important to understand that this fire is one.  It is the same Power and the same Spirit which both enlivens the faithful and destroys the faithless.  

 

 But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.  My study Bible explains here that Herod (also known to us as Herod Antipas) had divorced his own wife and married his brother Philip's wife Herodias while Philip was still living.  

 

When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.  And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."  My study Bible comments that Jesus Himself does not need baptism.  In being baptized, however, our Lord accomplished several things.  First of all, He affirmed the ministry of John the Baptist, whom we know as the greatest of the Old Testament type prophets.  Second, He was revealed by the Father and the Holy Spirit to be the Christ, God's beloved Son.  Additionally, He identified with His people by descending into the waters with them; and He prefigured His own death -- thereby giving baptism its ultimate meaning.  Jesus also entered the waters, and thus sanctified the water.  Moreover, He fulfilled the many "types" given in the Old Testament, such as when Moses led the people from bondage through the Red Sea (Exodus 14), when the ark of the covenant was carried into the Jordan so that the people could enter the Promised Land (Joshua 3; 4).  Finally, through His Baptism, Jesus opened heaven to a world separated from God through sin.

There is quite a lengthy note in my study Bible regarding Jesus' Baptism which is worth reporting here.  His Baptism is celebrated on January 6th in the Orthodox world, and is commonly known as Epiphany ("manifestation" or "showing forth"), or more properly, my study Bible says, Theophany, which means "God revealed," or "manifestation of God."  The Son is revealed by the descent of the Holy Spirit and by the voice of the Father.  This is the greatest and clearest public manifestation of God as Trinity in human history, as in the words of a hymn of this occasion, "The Trinity was made manifest."  My study Bible adds that the words spoken by the Father also apply to everyone who is baptized and lives faithfully, as sonship (implying "heirs" regardless of gender) is bestowed by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7).  The Holy Spirit appearing as a dove is not an incarnation.  It is rather a visible sign for the people.  This appearance further fulfills the type prefigured at the Flood (Genesis 8:8-11).  Theophylact is quoted:  "Just as a dove announced to Noah that God's wrath had ceased, so too the Holy Spirit announces here that Christ has reconciled us to God by sweeping sin away in the flood waters of baptism."  It's worth noting here also that in the very early Church, both the Nativity and Baptism of Christ were celebrated on the same day, January 6th (a practice which continues in the Armenian Apostolic Church today).   We can see the idea of the manifestation of God in the world -- an "appearing" to the public gathered of Father, Son, and Spirit -- and the birth of Jesus Christ coming into the world in the flesh, as being celebrated in one event.  Moreover, this event is the birth of Christ's public ministry in the world, the coming forth of the gospel message to all.  In that sense, it is truly the "revelation of God," God showing forth into the world, and we are prepared to follow Him on His journey, His way to teach us the way.