JESUS IS GOD’S BELOVED SON

Passage: Luke 3:21-38

Key verse: 22

NIV

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

21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying,(C) heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him(D) in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son,(E) whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”(F)

23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.(G) He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,(H)

the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat,

the son of Levi, the son of Melki,

the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos,

the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,

the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath,

the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein,

the son of Josek, the son of Joda,

27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa,

the son of Zerubbabel,(I) the son of Shealtiel,

the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melki,

the son of Addi, the son of Cosam,

the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,

29 the son of Joshua, 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 Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna,

the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,(J)

the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse,

the son of Obed, the son of Boaz,

the son of Salmon,[a] the son of Nahshon,

33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,[b]

the son of Hezron, the son of Perez,(K)

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,(L)

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,(M) the son of Shem,

the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,(N)

37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch,

the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel,

the son of Kenan,(O) 38 the son of Enosh,

the son of Seth, the son of Adam,

the son of God.(P)

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 3:32 Some early manuscripts Sala
  2. Luke 3:33 Some manuscripts Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni; other manuscripts vary widely.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when (A)Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, (B)the heavens were opened, 22 and (C)the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and (D)a voice came from heaven, (E)“You are my beloved Son;[a] with you I am well pleased.”[b]

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

23 Jesus, (F)when he began his ministry, was about (G)thirty years of age, being (H)the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, (I)the son of Zerubbabel, the son (J)of Shealtiel,[c] the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, 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 Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of (K)Nathan, the son of David, 32 (L)the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 (M)the son of Jacob, (N)the son of Isaac, (O)the son of Abraham, (P)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 Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 3:22 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved
  2. Luke 3:22 Some manuscripts beloved Son; today I have begotten you
  3. Luke 3:27 Greek Salathiel
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 was also baptized by John the Baptist. But his baptism was quite different. Jesus was divinely identified in 2 ways. First, the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove. Second, God spoke from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” God rarely speaks from heaven, even in the Bible. So, this was an important declaration, announcement, and identification.

Jesus is not a normal, fallen man. Jesus is a prophet, but even more than a prophet. Jesus is God’s beloved Son, well-pleasing to God, and anointed by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was about 3

years old when he began his ministry (thanks to Luke for telling us this). Luke traced Jesus’ descent through David and Abraham all the way back to Adam, the first man whom God created. Jesus was fully human. He came as the Savior of not only the Jews but of the whole human race.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you came as a man, yet you are God’s beloved Son, fully anointed by the Holy Spirit. I trust you for my salvation, direction and purpose. May my life bring you honor and praise.

One Word: Trust and obey Jesus, God’s beloved Son