Introducing Jesus to the Public

Luke 3:21-23

While Jesus’ birth was announced to a number of people, the general public had no realization of who he was. John spent most of his ministry as the advance man. Calling people to repentance and telling them that Messiah was coming. When John baptized him, God introduced him publicly to the world as his own son. Each of the gospels identify this as the real beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry.

“Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age,” (Luke 3:21-23)

John was a distant cousin of Jesus. He had heard the prophecies by his father as well as the Old testament prophecies. When he saw Jesus, he had no question as to who he was. Even before the baptism, he identified him as the Messiah, and the reason for his own ministry, in John 1:29-31.

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.”

Knowing who Jesus was, and that he had done nothing to repent of, John felt that he needed to baptized by Jesus, rather than to baptize him. Jesus asked him to do it anyway because it was fitting that he do everything others did in obedience. Others were baptized as a sign of repentance and their commitment to do right, somewhat like someone taking an oath of office or signing a pledge, and it was proper that Jesus should set the example. When he did so, God clearly identified him as his own son.

“Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13-17)

This is almost the only time we find God the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit simultaneously present, making it cleat that while they are all God, they function as separate beings. That the observers took special notice is apparent from the fact that while the writers obtained their reports different ways, all of them record the same event, with only a few differences in minor detail.

“And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:9-11)

John 1:32-34 records John the Baptist’s statements about what he had seen, and some of what the holy Spirit had revealed to him as proof of Jesus being the Messiah. He declares that that is exactly what he saw.

“And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:32-34)

John then records an event which none of the other writers mention. While we know the identity of one of the two mentioned, there is no identification of the other. It is possible that it was the apostle, John, who never speaks of himself in his writing, but is clearly identified by other writers in other situations.

“Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.” (John 1:35-37)

That it was John seems to be indicated as well by Johns statements in I John 1:1-4. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. "