Catholic Commentary on Matthew 3

"This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17)

The Voice in the Desert

John the Baptist appears in the wilderness proclaiming a baptism of repentance, fulfilling Isaiah 40:3: a voice crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord. His clothing, camel's hair and a leather belt, deliberately evokes the prophet Elijah; Jesus will later confirm that John is Elijah who was to come. John stands at the threshold between the old covenant and the new, the last and greatest prophet of the old order, preparing the way for something entirely beyond what prophecy alone can accomplish. He does not spare the religious establishment: a brood of vipers must produce fruit worthy of repentance. God can raise up children of Abraham from the stones. The axe is already at the root of the trees.

The Baptism of Jesus

Jesus comes from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. John tries to prevent him: I need to be baptised by you. Jesus answers: Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness. He submits not because he has sins to repent of but because he is identifying himself completely with sinful humanity. This is the pattern of the whole Incarnation: he takes on what is ours so that we may receive what is his. As Jesus comes up out of the water, heaven opens, the Spirit descends like a dove, and the Father speaks: This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. The declaration draws on Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1: Jesus is both the Messianic King and the Suffering Servant. The Catechism calls the Baptism of Jesus the anticipation of our own Baptism: we are plunged into his death and resurrection, and the Father's voice over him is extended to every baptised person by adoption (CCC 536).

The Trinity at the Jordan

Three persons of the Holy Trinity are present and distinct at the Jordan: the Son in the water, the Spirit descending as a dove, the Father speaking from heaven. This is the supreme Trinitarian manifestation in the New Testament, and it is the basis of the formula used at every Christian Baptism: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. St. Hilary of Poitiers wrote that at the Jordan, the mystery of the Trinity is publicly proclaimed for the first time: not an abstraction debated in schools, but a living reality breaking into human history in water and sound and light.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the Father said over Jesus at his Baptism: this is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased. In your own Baptism, that declaration was extended to you by adoption. You are a beloved child of the Father. Not because you have earned it, but because you have been plunged into the death and resurrection of the one over whom those words were first spoken. Live from that identity today.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, at the baptism of your Son you declared your love and sent your Spirit. Renew in us the grace of our own Baptism. Let the same Spirit rest upon us, and let us live as beloved children in whom you are well pleased, not by our own merit but by the merit of your Son. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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The Mission of John the Baptist
(Isaiah 40:1–5; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–20; John 1:19–28)
1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
 
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for Him.’ ”* 3:3 Isaiah 40:3 (see also LXX)
 
4 John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region around the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
 
7 But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
 
11 I baptize you with water † 3:11 Or in water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.‡ 3:11 Or in the Holy Spirit and in fire 12 His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
The Baptism of Jesus
(Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22; John 1:29–34)
 
13 At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”
 
15 “Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him.
 
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened,§ 3:16 NA, BYZ, and TR the heavens were opened to Him and He saw * 3:16 Or and he saw; see John 1:32–33. the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”

*3:3 3:3 Isaiah 40:3 (see also LXX)

†3:11 3:11 Or in water

‡3:11 3:11 Or in the Holy Spirit and in fire

§3:16 3:16 NA, BYZ, and TR the heavens were opened to Him

*3:16 3:16 Or and he saw; see John 1:32–33.

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