Baptism of the Lord

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,baptizing and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Then Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented to do God’s will. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him, and he saw God’s Spirit descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from the heavens said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

—Matthew 3.13-17

As Isaiah prophesied: “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. ‘Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.’”

John the Baptizer bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on Him. I myself did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

Peter spoke of “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. When he received honor and glory from God the Father, the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’”

The Psalmist said, “I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’”

Paul gave “praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son”

The Apostle John testified, “If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son.”

“Then I said, ‘I delight to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work, O my God; your law is within my heart. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.’”