The Baptism of Jesus: The Start of His Ministry

The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of his public ministry — a moment where the whole Trinity was revealed and the Father declared his love for his Son. Here's what happened and what it means.

Why Jesus was baptised

John the Baptist was baptising people as a sign of repentance, so it's striking that the sinless Jesus came to be baptised. He did it not because he needed to repent, but to identify with the people he came to save and to fulfil all righteousness. From the start, Jesus stood with sinners.

The Father speaks

As Jesus came up from the water, the heavens opened, the Spirit descended like a dove, and the Father's voice spoke: 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' It was a public affirmation of Jesus' identity and the Father's delight in him, before he had performed a single miracle.

The Trinity revealed

Jesus' baptism is one of the clearest pictures of the Trinity in Scripture: the Son being baptised, the Spirit descending, and the Father speaking — all present at once. It reveals the God who is three persons in perfect unity, at the launch of the Son's saving mission.

The baptism of Jesus launched his ministry with the Father's affirmation and the Spirit's anointing. It shows a Saviour who identified with sinners from the start, and it reveals the beauty of the Trinity. And there's comfort in the Father's words: before Jesus had done anything, he was the beloved Son. In Christ, we too are beloved children in whom the Father delights.