Matthew recounts that after Jesus was baptized and emerged from the water, the heavens opened before Him, and John witnessed the Spirit of God descending like a dove upon Him. A voice from heaven proclaimed, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:16-17). Mark similarly states that as Jesus ascended from the water, John saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending like a dove upon Him. A voice then proclaimed, "You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Luke adds that when all were baptized and while Jesus was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove upon Him, accompanied by the voice declaring, "You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Luke 3:21-22). John, meanwhile, affirmed that he witnessed the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and remaining on Him (John 1:32).
The first three Gospel writers concur that when Jesus was rising from the water, the heavens opened, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and a heavenly voice was heard. However, they do not clarify who exactly perceived this extraordinary event. John the Evangelist, who is known for providing additional context in his Gospel, confirmed that John the Baptist testified to those sent from the Sanhedrin, saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending from heaven." This assertion from John holds particular significance as he was a disciple of the Baptist and may have heard this from him directly, possibly even witnessing the Baptism of Jesus. It is clear that John the Baptist observed this miraculous event; hence, in the Russian translation of Matthew and Mark, the name John is included after the mention of seeing, which is absent in the Slavonic translation.
Who else might have seen this? St. Chrysostom suggested that those present with John at that moment also witnessed the event. Nevertheless, neither the first three Evangelists nor the fourth provide evidence to support this idea. Chrysostom indicated that while the people saw the sign, their hardened hearts prevented belief. However, given that the people were deeply moved by the new Prophet's call to repentance, swarming to confess their sins and receive baptism, had they truly witnessed the heavens opening, the Spirit of God descending, and the voice of God resonating, it is likely they would have immediately acknowledged Jesus as the awaited Messiah. Even if some in the crowd were initially resistant, many would have undoubtedly converted, and even those who later abandoned Jesus might have begun following Him in large numbers due to such extraordinary evidence. Yet, the Gospel writers remain silent concerning this matter. It must therefore be recognized that this divine sign was primarily for Jesus Himself. This is why Matthew notes that the heavens were opened to Him—for Him. Additionally, this sign also served the Forerunner. As conveyed by John, the one who commissioned him to baptize instructed him that the person upon whom he observed the Spirit descend and remain would be the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33). Upon witnessing the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descending on Jesus, John understood that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Son of God.
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews (Heb. 10:5-9), relays that upon entering the world, the Son of God proclaimed the sentiments already revealed to David: "I have come to do Your will, O God" (Psalm 39:7-9).
As Christ concluded His prayer, three remarkable events unfolded: 1. The heavens were opened, resembling the momentary opening seen during intense lightning, according to Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson. 2. The Spirit of God descended upon Jesus like a dove, an image consistently used across all four Gospels to describe this divine descent. While Luke noted the Spirit's bodily form, he clarified this was likened to a dove, signifying the Spirit's descent was akin to that of a soaring dove. 3. A voice resonated from heaven. Both Jesus and John heard this voice, but to whom was it directed? The declaration, "This is my Son," found in the Gospel of Matthew, implies that it was intended for John rather than Jesus. Conversely, the phrases "You are my Son," stated in Mark and Luke, indicate that the voice was directly addressing Jesus. Critics who seek to discredit the Gospels perceive a contradiction here, but in truth, no such contradiction exists. Jesus and John both heard the words; while they pertained to Jesus, John, possessing the understanding that the Spirit's descent identified the Messiah, was finally convinced of Jesus' divine sonship upon witnessing the Spirit descend and hearing the proclamation of His beloved status. Moreover, Jesus, who was praying at that moment and affirmed his commitment to fulfilling God's will, received this declaration from His Father as a personal response: "You are my beloved Son!"
Thus, the visible sign of the Spirit's descent was primarily for John, while the voice of God, despite being heard by both, was directed specifically and personally to Jesus, affirming the Father’s approval of His commitment to fulfilling His mission. The Feast of the Epiphany, celebrated on January 6 (19), is named for the revelation of God in this moment: God the Father manifested by His voice affirming His love for the Son, God the Son through His baptism in the Jordan, and God the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus Christ.
THEOSIS