THE BAPTISM AND TESTING OF JESUS

Passage: Mark 1:9-13

Key verse: 11

NIV

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus(A)(B)

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth(C) in Galilee and was baptized by John(D) in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.(E) 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son,(F) whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”(G)

12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days,(H) being tempted[a] by Satan.(I) He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

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Footnotes
  1. Mark 1:13 The Greek for tempted can also mean tested.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Baptism of Jesus

9 (A)In those days Jesus (B)came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he (C)saw (D)the heavens being torn open (E)and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And (F)a voice came from heaven, (G)“You are my beloved Son;[a] with you I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of Jesus

12 (H)The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 (I)And he was in the wilderness forty days, being (J)tempted by (K)Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and (L)the angels were ministering to him.

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Footnotes
  1. Mark 1:11 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan. He followed God’s order for people and humbly received baptism from John the Baptist, even though Jesus was the sinless son of God. As Jesus came out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. Just as there were heavenly hosts and angels praising God at Jesus' birth, now there was a great joy when Jesus began his salvation ministry on earth.

Verse 11 says, “And a voice came from heaven: ‘ You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’"” When we accept God's mission for us and humbly obey and follow him, God is pleased with us. Is our life following the will and vision of God?

Jesus' mission did not start as a stress-free, easy-going mission. Rather, Jesus went into the wilderness and was tempted by Satan for forty days. We sometimes complain, Why do we experience trouble or difficulty after accepting Christ? But even God tested Jesus forty days before his ministry began. Through these hardships and temptations, God is training us and refining us to be fully equipped for his work and mission.

Prayer: Lord, please help us to trust you are making us ready to serve you better after hardship.

One Word: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased