Baptism of Jesus

Biblical Text and Content

The baptism of Jesus is recorded in Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, and Luke 3:21-22. The Gospel of John does not depict the baptism itself. Instead, in John 1:29-34, John the Baptist testifies that he saw the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon Jesus.

According to Mark 1:9, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee to the Jordan River and was baptized by John. In Matthew, John at first tried to prevent him, but Jesus answered, "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness" (Matthew 3:14-15). As Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended like a dove. Then a voice from heaven was heard, calling him "my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

The Gospel accounts differ slightly in their details:

• Mark and Luke record the voice as addressing Jesus directly ("Thou art").
• Matthew records it as addressing those standing by ("This is").
• Luke adds that this took place while Jesus was praying.

All three Gospels follow this event immediately with the temptation in the wilderness.

Background

John's baptism was a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4). The Greek word translated "baptism," baptisma, derives from the verb baptizō, meaning "to dip" in water. John 1:28 identifies the place where John baptized as "Bethany beyond the Jordan." Scholars differ on its exact location.

Significance in the Broader Biblical Context

It is widely held that the heavenly voice echoes Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1. Acts 10:38 states that "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power." Many interpreters connect this verse with the baptism and regard the event as Jesus' anointing as the Messiah and the inauguration of his public ministry. Because the voice of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit appear together in a single scene, the passage is also frequently cited as a key text illustrating the Trinity.

Interpretations and Points of Debate

• Why the sinless Jesus received a baptism of repentance: Explanations include that Jesus identified himself with sinners, that he set an example for believers, and that the baptism marked the public start of his ministry.
• Mode of baptism: Baptists cite the phrase "went up straightway out of the water" (Matthew 3:16) as support for baptism by immersion. Presbyterians, Methodists, and others who also accept sprinkling or pouring hold that the expression does not necessarily mean that Jesus was submerged. They further explain that John's baptism is distinct from the baptism administered by the church. For details, see the article Baptism and Immersion.
• Adoptionism: This is the view that Jesus was adopted as the Son of God only at his baptism. The early church rejected it as heretical.
• The text and later embellishments: Scripture states only that the Spirit descended "like a dove" (Luke: "in a bodily shape like a dove"). The familiar image of John pouring water on Jesus' head comes from artistic tradition and does not appear in the text.

In the Korean Church

Some churches that follow the liturgical calendar observe the first Sunday after Epiphany as the Sunday of the Baptism of the Lord and read this passage on that day. Korean Bibles generally render the term as serye (baptism). Baptist churches, however, refer to the event as Yesu-ui chimnye ("the immersion of Jesus").