The end of the period of preparation.
It was the day of the baptism. Jesus had completed the years of preparation for His ministry of service. We know very little of what He did during the eighteen years from the time of His first visit to the temple to the time of His baptism. The historian Luke tells us that Jesus went down to Nazareth with His parents and was subject to them. "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." The day of the baptism was momentous, however; for it was the day on which the special witness of Jesus made special recognition of Him as the Christ.
The testimony at the baptism.
John the Baptizer was performing the ordinance of baptism in the river Jordan for all those who requested it. Thither, then Jesus went; for He, too, wished to be baptized. But when Jesus approached, John felt that in Him was One greater than he; just such a One as he had himself predicted, whose shoestrings he was unworthy to untie. When, therefore, Jesus asked for baptism, John replied, "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 fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered Him.
"And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straight-way out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and he (John) saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him. And, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased."
John's testimony.
A little later, John bore testimony to those assembled about him, thus: "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."
Who the Comforter is.
Now, this Spirit that John saw descending like a dove and lighting upon Jesus was the same Spirit that Jesus later promised—as we learned in the preceding chapter—and that was to testify of Him. Concerning this Spirit Jesus said also just before His crucifixion, "I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you."