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New Defender's Study Bible Notes
3:16 out of the water. The wording here shows clearly that Jesus was immersed in the waters of the river, going up “out of the water,” not out of the river.
3:16 like a dove. The dove is only a symbol of the Holy Spirit, of course, but it was vital that the people should get some confirmation here at the start of Christ’s public ministry, that John’s promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit would surely be fulfilled. The voice from heaven would provide this assurance from God Himself.
3:17 a voice from heaven. With the Father’s voice from heaven testifying of the Son, and the Spirit testifying through the dove, all three Persons of the Trinity were present at Jesus’ baptism.
3:17 my beloved Son. Jesus here was proclaimed as the Son of God for the benefit of the world in which He had come to dwell for a time. He did not become the Son at His baptism, however, as some have assumed, for the Father had loved the Son “before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). This heavenly testimony reflected that of Psalm 2:7: “The LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son.” Similarly, His anointing by the Spirit reflected the testimony of Isaiah 42:1: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold;…I have put my spirit upon Him.” He had eternally been the beloved Son, but had now come to be also the suffering Servant.