Bible Study series: Luke 3:21-22. Why did John, the decreasing prophet, baptize Jesus, the increasing Messiah and Son of God?
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In the next link to the original chapter, I comment more and offer the Greek text. At the bottom you will find a “Summary and Conclusion” section geared toward discipleship. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided for further study.
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Scripture: Luke 3:21-22
21 And so it happened that while all the people were being baptized, when Jesus also was being baptized and was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit in bodily appearance as a dove came upon him. And a voice from heaven sounded: “You are my beloved Son! I delight in you!” (Luke 3:21-23)
Comments:
This is a nice “family photo” of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. See v. 22 for more comments on the Trinity and some links.
21:
Here we have contemporaneous action. Jesus so identified with the people that while they were being baptized, so was he. Was he baptized for forgiveness of sins, when he was proclaimed to be sinless (John 8:45-46; Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 2:21-22; 1 John 3:5)?
Commentator Morris writes: “Since Luke depicts Jesus as without sin it is not obvious why he should have undergone baptism. But Jesus saw sinners flocking to John’s baptism. Clearly he decided to take his place with them. At the outset of his ministry he publicly identified himself with the sinners he came to save” (comments on vv. 21-22).
8. Do I Really Know Jesus? He Was Sinless
Jesus was in the water. He set the example for us.
He was not baptized for the forgiveness of sins, as the voice from heaven confirms. Rather, his baptism accomplished these truths, as follows:
His baptism is not for the forgiveness of sins, as the voice from heaven confirms. Rather, his baptism accomplished these truths, as follows:
First, this was his ministry launch. The Messiah was here for those who had eyes to see and ears hear. Second, his baptism was a public consecration by God, and a public declaration of God’s love and acceptance and delight in his Son. The crowds did not get that declaration, so his declaration was unique. Consecration means to be set apart from the unclean and common. Third, however, Jesus also identified with the crowds, as noted. He was about to become the people’s sacrificial offering (2 Cor. 5:21), so he had to get down in the water to show he too was a human. This shows a double imputation. Jesus’s righteousness goes to the people by identifying with them. And the crowd’s sins go to him. This will be developed in Paul’s theology. Fourth, Luke records that John’s family was Levitical, descendants of Aaron, the first high priest. So John is in a sense preparing a sacrifice. Jesus will live the life of sacrifice. Fifth, by being baptized, he put his stamp of approval on John’s ministry (BTSB). Sixth, typologically, Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, but Moses was not permitted to cross the Jordan. So Jesus surpasses Moses.
But there’s a seventh reason, which is relational.
Peter was Jesus’s lead apostle, and no doubt he observed this principle operating in his Lord’s life:
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.” [Prov. 3:34]
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (1 Pet. 5:5-6, NIV)
James was Jesus’s (half-)brother and he too saw the same virtue being lived out in his Lord’s life:
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (Jas. 4:10)
Were Jesus, James and John First Cousins? Was Clopas Jesus’ Uncle?
I believe that to fulfill all righteousness, Jesus had to temporarily submit and humble himself before John and his ministry of the baptism of repentance, before Jesus’s own ministry could be launched. He may have followed John for longer than we think, just reading Matthew’s Gospel. Recall that Phil. 1:5 says: “rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant.” John proclaimed that the one coming after was mightier than he was, and so he was surprised when his superior relative came down into the water.
Finally, Phil. 2:9-11 affirms:
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
It all began with Jesus humbling himself before his cousin in water baptism, whose ministry would not be as long-lasting and far-reaching as Jesus’s ministry. Now Jesus was exalted to the highest heaven, all because he humbled himself first.
4. Do I Really Know Jesus? He Took the Form of a Servant
Luke is the only Gospel writer who says Jesus was praying (HT Bock, p. 337, comment on 3:21). Prayer is a special emphasis in his Gospel, at critical moments in Jesus’ life: choosing the twelve (6:12); right before Peter’s confession (9:18); at the transfiguration (9:29); and in Gethsemane (22:41). The message: if Jesus prayed at critical junctures in his life, so should we.
Once again:
8. Do I Really Know Jesus? He Was Sinless
“praying”: I noticed here seemingly for the first time that Jesus was praying before, during and after his baptism. I wonder whether people pray around their time of baptism. Now let’s take an expansive look at the verb (and noun), to pray and prayer. Christians took over the word and directed it towards the living God; they leaned in toward him and prayed their requests fully expecting an answer. It is not a mere wish to a pagan deity.
Prayer flows out of confidence before God that he will answer because we no longer have an uncondemned heart (1 John 3:19-24); and we know him so intimately that we find out from him what is his will is and then we pray according to it (1 John 5:14-15); we can also pray with our Spirit-inspired languages (1 Cor. 14:15-16). Pray!
What Is Biblical Intercession?
“opened”: it is the standard verb for opened up, but the reality is different: heaven itself was opened. God opened it.
22:
“came upon”: this is the standard verb and adverb “come” and “upon.” The Spirit is often said to “fall on” and “come upon” people.
Baptized, Filled, and Full of the Spirit: What Does It All Mean?
“bodily”: So the dove’s appearance was bodily, but the Spirit simply took that bodily form.
“appearance”: the noun means “form, outward appearance” (Luke 3:22; 9:29; John 5:37); “kind” (1 Thess. 5:22); “seeing, sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). Those are the only verses where the noun appears.
“beloved”: it is the adjective agapētos (pronounced ah-gah-pay-tohss), and it means “beloved” or “dear.” It can be used of children, friends, fellow-Christians (1 Cor. 4:17; Col. 4:14; 3 John 2, 5, 11). Of the Messiah it has the strong connotation of “only beloved” (Matt. 3:17; Luke 3:22). I believe the Shorter Lexicon is a little off on the latter meaning and right on about the former one. That is, the adjective can mean that we too have God’s love. We too are well-pleasing to God after we repent and receive the baptism for the forgiveness of our sins. Are we well pleasing and beloved of God before our repentance? No, not in the same way. Yes, God loves people before they are born again (John 3:16), but God’s judicial wrath also remains on them until they repent and ask for his forgiveness (John 3:36).
“Son”: Let’s briefly look into systematic theology. Jesus was the Son of the Father eternally, before creation. The Son has no beginning. He and the Father always were, together. The relationship is portrayed in this Father-Son way so we can understand who God is more clearly. Now he relates to us as his sons and daughters. On our repentance and salvation and union with Christ, we are brought into his eternal family.
6. Titles of Jesus: The Son of God
When Did Jesus “Become” the Son of God?
The announcement about the Son refers to Ps. 2:7: “You are my Son, and today I have begotten you.” No, Jesus was not begotten at his baptism, but it refers to the relationship between the Father and Son. The Psalm is an anointing psalm for the king. Jesus was being anointed by the Spirit. Also, Is. 42:1 says, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights.”
“delight”: First, in some contexts it means, “consider good, consent, resolve” (Luke 12:12; Rom. 15:26; 2 Cor. 5:8; Col. 1:19; 1 Thess. 2:8). Further, in other contexts it means “be well pleased, take delight (Matt. 3:17; 12:18; Luke 3:22; 1 Cor. 10:5; 2 Pet. 12:17); or “delight in, approve, like” (2 Cor. 12:10; 2 Thess. 2:12; Heb. 10:6, 8). So God thought well of his Son Jesus. The Father loved and liked his Son. The Father took delight in and approved of his Son. See Ps. 2:7 and Is. 42:1 for further study.
The baptism and the Father’s endorsement “signals ‘the beginning of Jesus’ messianic ministry, but not of messiahship.’ It represents ‘divine empowerment, not divine adoption.’ At the commencement of Jesus’ ministry, he is praying, the heavens open, the Spirit descends on him, and God announces that he is the beloved Son. At the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus prays, the temple veils splits, he commits his spirit to his Father (23:32, 45-46), and a centurion acknowledges that he is righteous (23:47)” (Garland on 3:22).
“In Acts, this term becomes a messianic title for Jesus, the ‘Righteous One’ (Acts 3:14-15; 7:52; 22:14). He is the ‘Righteous One’ because he did not seek to serve or save himself but was completely obedient to his Father” (Garland, comment on 3:22).
GrowApp for Luke 3:21-22
1. Jesus was in prayer during his baptism. Have you been baptized yet? What was your experience like?
2. God announced from heaven that his Son was beloved and he took delight in him. Do you believe this about yourself after your salvation and repentance? How would this biblical truth transform your life?
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