In Luke 3:22, Mark 1:10, and Matthew 3:16, the Holy Spirit descended in the bodily shape of a dove upon Jesus of Nazareth at His baptism. The Apostle John records John the Baptist saying, “I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” John 1:31
John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” John 1:32-33
The baptism of Jesus by John was significant because it was necessary in identifying Jesus as the Christ; the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. John witnessed this holy sanctification of Jesus as he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. While baptizing with water, Jesus came to John to be baptized, although John resisted initially, Jesus said it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. (Matthew 3:15) Although sinless, it was necessary for Jesus to be baptized, to fulfill all righteousness. Jesus tells John it is suitable or proper for us to do this because of what it would reveal. In doing so, Jesus displayed obedience to the Father’s will, regarding how the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit would be revealed. For John, his witnessing of the Spirit descending and remaining on Jesus enhanced his ministry in being able to directly identify and point others in the direction of “The Lamb of GOD who takes away the sin of the world.” The baptism of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit afterwards allowed John to say, “I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” John 1:34
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