Matthew 3:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Similarly, during the time of Moses, many miracles, albeit lesser in scale, occurred, yet the people, after witnessing these acts along with voices, trumpets, and lightnings, fashioned a calf for themselves and turned to Baal of Peor. Those present at the baptism later witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus, yet they did not believe in Him who performed this miracle; instead, they repeatedly sought to take His life. If they remained entrenched in their disbelief even after witnessing the resurrection of the dead, what is so surprising about their rejection of the voice from above? When the soul is numb and corrupt, afflicted by the malady of envy, no miracle will persuade it. Conversely, a receptive soul embraces everything with faith, even without the need for specific miracles. Thus, rather than questioning why they did not believe, it is more prudent to reflect on whether everything necessary was done to lead them to faith. God Himself attests to this through the words of the prophet, defending all that He has done for their benefit.

This is not a different Son of Mine, nor another Son of Mary; rather, this is my beloved Son, both visible and understandable. This is my beloved Son, and I am pleased with Him, listen to Him (Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11). When He declares, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30), pay attention to His words. When He asserts, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9), heed Him. When He states, "The Father who sent Me is greater than I" (John 14:28) - align this proclamation with the purpose of creation. When He inquires, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" respond to Him, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:13). The human race was illuminated by these divine declarations, descending from the Father like thunder from the heavens. They understood the distinction between the Creator and the created, the Sovereign and the servant, the Creator and His creation, and rooted in their faith, they came to Christ, our true God, who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire. To Him be glory along with the Father, and the holy and life-giving Spirit, now and always, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

John Chrysostom responds, ‘Due to their hardened hearts; even during Moses’s time, they witnessed many miracles, yet after seeing voices, trumpets, and thunderbolts, they crafted a golden calf. The very people who witnessed Lazarus’s resurrection also chose not to believe. If they were so wicked after seeing the dead rise, how can we be surprised that they disbelieved the voice from on high? A soul ensnared in insensitivity, decay, and jealousy can find no conviction in any miracle.’ From that moment, our Lord Jesus Christ commenced His mission of salvation for humanity; from that point, John preached not of a future Messiah, but of the Messiah who had already come. Prior to the baptism of Jesus, His glory as the Savior was concealed from people; now, at His baptism, He was officially appointed by the Holy Spirit in His humanity to undertake His saving work, anointed before all creation, and proclaimed King, High Priest, and Prophet; hence, He is called Christ, which means the Anointed One. Beloved Christian! What was said over the Savior is similarly pronounced over you. At your baptism, the heavens are opened, and the Holy Spirit descends when you are immersed in water. Then God calls you to the exalted homeland. In holy baptism, the Holy Spirit does not transform us into angels or archangels, but into cherished sons of God. Therefore, live in a manner worthy of this high calling. Otherwise, your transgressions will merit not just the repercussions for a mere mortal, but for a son of God.

In Matthew's account: After Jesus was baptized, He immediately emerged from the water, and behold, the heavens opened, revealing the Spirit of God descending like a dove to rest upon Him. A voice from heaven declared, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Mark narrates that upon rising from the water, John saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending like a dove, and a voice from heaven said, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:10-11). Luke adds that when everyone had been baptized, Jesus was also baptized and prayed; the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit came upon Him in bodily form like a dove (Luke 3:21-22). John testifies that he observed the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and remaining on Jesus (John 1:32).

The first three Evangelists generally agree that when Jesus emerged from the water, the heavens opened, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and the voice from above was heard. However, they do not specify who witnessed this extraordinary event. John the Evangelist supplements their accounts by noting that John the Baptist informed those sent by the Sanhedrin, “I have seen the Spirit descending from heaven.” This testimony from John is particularly noteworthy because he was a disciple of the Baptist and likely heard it directly from him, possibly even witnessing the event during Jesus' baptism. It is clear that John the Baptist observed this remarkable occurrence, which is why the Russian translation of Matthew and Mark includes the name John after the word "saw," a detail absent from the Slavonic translation.

Yet, who else witnessed it? St. Chrysostom suggests that John’s companions at that moment might have seen the events unfold (Conversations on the Gospel of Matthew. 1:213). However, the Evangelists do not provide explicit evidence to support such a claim. Chrysostom posits that the spectators saw the sign but did not believe it due to their hardened hearts. Despite the overwhelming astonishment caused by the call to repentance from the new Prophet, the people flocked to confess their sins and receive baptism. Had they seen the heavens open and the Spirit of God descend, along with hearing the voice of God, it is likely they would have immediately recognized Jesus as the anticipated Deliverer. Even if not all present believed in Jesus due to their stubbornness, there would still have been several conversions. Moreover, even if those converts eventually turned away from Jesus, they should have initially followed Him given the extraordinary evidence. However, the silence of the Evangelists on this aspect suggests that the sign was not intended for the crowds, and they did not perceive it.

This miraculous sign was chiefly for Jesus Himself. As Matthew states, the heavens were opened to Him. Additionally, this sign served as a confirmation for the Forerunner, for according to his testimony relayed by John, he was told, “On whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining, He is the One who baptizes with the Spirit” (John 1:33). The Forerunner witnessed the Spirit in the form of a dove descending upon Jesus, leading him to realize that this Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Son of God.

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews (Heb. 10:5-9), mentions that the Son of God, upon entering the world, voiced the words once revealed to King David: “I have come to do Your will, O God” (Psalm 39:7-9). At that moment, as Christ concluded His prayer, three miraculous events took place: First, the heavens were opened. According to Innocent, the Archbishop of Kherson, the heavens above Jesus appeared to part dramatically, resembling the sudden brilliance of a lightning flash. Second, the Spirit of God descended upon Jesus in the likeness of a dove. All four Gospel writers describe the descent of the Holy Spirit using the simile of a dove. Even though Luke specifies that the Holy Spirit descended “in bodily form,” it does not imply an actual dove, as he further clarifies that the descent was akin to that of a soaring dove. Lastly, a voice resonated from heaven. This voice was heard by both Jesus and John.

To whom exactly was this voice addressed? Matthew's Gospel, in stating “This is my Son,” suggests it was directed to a third person, namely John. Conversely, the phrases recorded by Mark and Luke, “You are my Son,” indicate that the voice was addressed directly to Jesus. Critics of the Gospels may view this as a contradiction among the Evangelists; however, this is not the case. Both Jesus and John heard these words, but their implications referred solely to Jesus. John, aware that whoever he saw receiving the Spirit would be the One baptizing with the Spirit, recognized that the Spirit descending upon Jesus and the accompanying voice affirming His sonship convinced him that Jesus was indeed the Son of God, the Messiah. Meanwhile, as Jesus prayed and ended with, “I go to do Your will,” He heard His Father’s voice in reply to His plea, saying, “You are my beloved Son.” Thus, we acknowledge that the visible sign of the descending Spirit was primarily for John, and while John heard the divine voice, it was distinctly addressed to Jesus, signifying the Father’s approval in response to the Son’s vow to fulfill His will.

The Feast of the Lord's Epiphany is celebrated on January 6 (19) and is also known as Epiphany, commemorating the day when God the Father revealed Himself: by His voice affirming His favor towards His beloved Son; through God the Son’s baptism in the Jordan; and by the descent of God the Holy Spirit upon Jesus Christ.

This declaration, "This is my beloved Son," could easily be misconstrued as referring to John, since it simply states "This one" without adding "This one who is baptized." Given the remarkable stature of John the Baptist, listeners might naturally associate the title with him. However, the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove to signify that this affirmation pertained not to John, the baptizer, but to Jesus, the one who was baptized.