Matthew Henry Commentary Matthew 3:13-17

"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffereth him. And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." — Matthew 3:13-17 (ASV)

Christ's gracious condescensions are so surprising that even the strongest believers at first can hardly believe them; so deep and mysterious that even those who know His mind well are inclined to raise objections against the will of Christ. And those who have much of the Spirit of God while here see that they need to apply to Christ for more. Christ does not deny that John had need to be baptized by Him, yet He declares He will now be baptized by John.

Christ is now in a state of humiliation. Our Lord Jesus looked upon it as fitting for Him to fulfill all righteousness, to acknowledge every Divine institution, and to show His readiness to comply with all God's righteous precepts. In and through Christ, the heavens are opened to the children of men. This descent of the Spirit upon Christ showed that He was endowed with His sacred influences without measure.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. At Christ's baptism there was a manifestation of the three Persons in the sacred Trinity: the Father confirming the Son to be Mediator; the Son solemnly entering upon the work; the Holy Spirit descending on Him, to be through His mediation communicated to His people. In Him our spiritual sacrifices are acceptable, for He is the altar that sanctifies every gift (1 Peter 2:5). Outside of Christ, God is a consuming fire, but in Christ, a reconciled Father.

This is the sum of the gospel, which we must by faith cheerfully embrace.