“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
John the Baptist saw how people came to him to be baptized and confess their sins. He called the Jews to immerse themselves in the Jordan River as an expression of repentance, announced the approach of the kingdom of heaven and predicted the imminent coming of the Messiah, that is, the One who would baptize “with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
After believing it inappropriate to baptize the immaculate Lamb of God, John relented and did so, in response to the Messiah’s argument: “Do it this way for now, because we must comply with what God commands.” When Jesus came out of the water, and while He was praying, the sky opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove. Then a voice came from heaven and said, “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.” This episode from Matthew presents the first clear appearance of the Trinity recorded in the Bible. The Father confirms the Son as Mediator; The Son solemnly takes charge of the work, and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him so that He can then communicate it to the people. Outside of Christ, God is a consuming fire; in Christ, a benevolent Father. (See Matthew 3:11,13-17, Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-22).
