The Son of Man and God

Luke 3:21-38

John Baptizes Jesus

21 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

23 Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, 27 the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Here Jesus was baptized at thirty years old by John as many others were also by John’s call for repentance. Jesus did not need to repent since as the Son of God He was divine and therefore perfect in holiness and righteousness in thought and deed.  As the Son of Man, however, He submitted to the same with all the temptations as with the devil in the wilderness, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).  Those wondering about these things found proof when the Holy Spirit of the living God came down from above in the shape of a dove for everyone to see with their eyes as a testimony of God on this Man who was like them but far more at the same time.  This was then God-Man, Jesus the Christ from both Nazareth and heaven above!  This one was the only to please God the Father completely and without fail because He was the Son of God Himself.  This event marked the beginning of the ministry of Immanuel, God among us as He began to reveal His true nature and purpose beyond that of a backwoods carpenter.  The genealogy also traced His lineage back to the beginning of mankind’s inception when God created Adam as a son of God as testified to those reading these words who knew the written accounts of the history and generations of their people as we see here.  This is further proof of Jesus of Nazareth and of God Himself out of heaven which He began to explain until He laid down His life and picked it up from the grave again (John 10:18).  He was in the beginning with God because He is God (John 1:1) and also man (John 1:14) as He created all things (Hebrews 1:2) and rules over the universe He spoke into existence as the very Word of God to keep all in His sovereign hands (Colossians 1:15-17).  He reigns as Creator and rules as the King of kings and Lord of all lords with divine authority.  This baptism was just His introducing Himself before the three year mission to bring deliverance from God’s due wrath on our sin (Romans 5:9-10), 1 Thessalonians 1:10) and its just punishment (Romans 6:23) alongside the disobedient angels who fell with the devil (Hebrews 2:2, 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6).  For these reasons Jesus who knew no sin and needed no repentance was baptized with we who all do need repentance (Luke 13:5, 24:46-47, Acts 2:38-39, Hebrews 9:27-28) and faith in His redeeming work to save us.  Thanks be to the Son of God and Son of Man (2 Corinthians 9:15) for such a gift of eternal and immeasurable worth!