The Baptism of Jesus
Matthew 3:13-17
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Matt.3.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Τοτε: ADV
- παραγινεται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- απο: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- Γαλιλαιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- επι: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- Ιορδανην: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- προς: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- Ιωαννην: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- βαπτισθηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
- υπ᾽αυτου: PREP+PRON,gen,sg,m,3
Parallels
- Mark 1:9 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel: Mark likewise reports Jesus coming from Nazareth/Galilee and being baptized by John at the Jordan, matching Matthew’s basic narrative move.
- Luke 3:21-22 (structural): Parallel episode in Luke: Jesus is baptized (Luke omits the Galilean‑to‑Jordan detail) and the heavenly affirmation follows, forming the same baptismal scene.
- John 1:29-34 (thematic): John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus coming to him and being identified by the descent of the Spirit parallels Matthew’s account thematically and provides Johannine perspective on the same event.
- Acts 10:37-38 (allusion): Peter recalls John’s baptism and God’s anointing of Jesus with the Spirit and power, alluding to the significance of Jesus’ coming to John at the Jordan described in Matthew 3:13.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
- Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
Matt.3.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- Ιωαννης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- διεκωλυεν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- λεγων·Εγω: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,m+PRON,nom,sg,1
- χρειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εχω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υπο: PREP
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- βαπτισθηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
- και: CONJ
- συ: PRON,nom,sg,2
- ερχη: VERB,pres,act,sub,2,sg
- προς: PREP
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
Parallels
- Matthew 3:15 (structural): Immediate literary response to 3:14 — Jesus answers John's objection, explaining why he must be baptized to 'fulfill all righteousness.' Direct continuation of the same episode.
- Mark 1:7-8 (verbal): John's declaration about 'one more powerful' who will baptize with the Spirit parallels Matthew's portrayal of John's humility and his awareness that Jesus is the greater baptizer; Mark omits the explicit protest found in Matthew 3:14.
- Luke 3:16 (thematic): Luke records the same Johannine teaching that someone greater is coming who will baptize with the Holy Spirit, echoing the theological reason why John regards Jesus as superior and why baptism by Jesus would be fitting.
- John 1:26-27 (verbal): John the Baptist's assertion 'I baptize with water... the one coming after me is preferred before me; I am not worthy to untie his sandals' expresses the same humility and sense of unworthiness found in Matthew 3:14's protest.
- Luke 3:21-22 (structural): Parallel account of Jesus' baptism that omits John's objection; useful for understanding Matthew's unique addition (3:14) and how Matthew shapes the narrative to highlight John's recognition of Jesus' superiority.
Alternative generated candidates
- But John sought to restrain him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
- But John tried to prevent him, saying, 'I have need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?'
Matt.3.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αποκριθεις: PART,aor,pass,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- προς: PREP
- αυτον·Αφες: PRON,acc,sg,m
- αρτι: ADV
- ουτως: ADV
- γαρ: PART
- πρεπον: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ημιν: PRON,dat,pl
- πληρωσαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- πασαν: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- δικαιοσυνην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- τοτε: ADV
- αφιησιν: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 1:9-11 (structural): Parallel account of Jesus’ baptism (the same scene of coming to John, baptism, and heavenly voice); Mark omits the explicit phrase 'fulfill all righteousness' but recounts the same events.
- Luke 3:21-22 (structural): Luke’s version of Jesus’ baptism (similar sequence: Jesus baptized, heaven opens, Spirit descends, voice from heaven), paralleling Matthew’s narrative context for the line about fulfilling righteousness.
- John 1:29-34 (thematic): John the Baptist’s testimony identifying Jesus (including reference to the Spirit descending) parallels the baptismal identification of Jesus and the Baptist’s role, providing eyewitness/thematic overlap with Matthew’s account.
- Matt.5:17 (verbal): Jesus’ statement here ('fulfill all righteousness') echoes Matthew’s broader theme of Jesus fulfilling the Law and the Prophets ('I did not come to abolish but to fulfill'), linking the baptism to fulfillment language in Matthew’s Gospel.
Alternative generated candidates
- Jesus answered him, "Permit it now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.
- Jesus answered him, 'Allow it now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.' So he permitted him.
Matt.3.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- βαπτισθεις: VERB,aor,pass,part,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ευθυς: ADV
- ανεβη: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- απο: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- υδατος·και: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- ιδου: INTJ
- ηνεωχθησαν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- ουρανοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- ειδεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- πνευμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- καταβαινον: VERB,pres,act,part,acc,sg,n
- ωσει: ADV
- περιστεραν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ερχομενον: VERB,pres,act,part,acc,sg,n
- επ᾽αυτον·: PREP,acc,3,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 1:10 (verbal): Mark's account closely parallels Matthew: after Jesus is baptized the heavens open and the Spirit descends on him 'like a dove' (near verbal agreement with Matthew's wording).
- Luke 3:21-22 (verbal): Luke likewise describes the heavens opening and the Spirit descending bodily on Jesus, linking the same baptismal scene and heavenly affirmation of Jesus' identity.
- John 1:32-34 (verbal): John the Baptist's testimony explicitly reports seeing the Spirit descend 'like a dove' and remain on Jesus, identifying him as the one on whom the Spirit rests.
- Isaiah 11:2 (allusion): The prophetic motif of the Spirit resting on the messianic figure ('the Spirit of the LORD... will rest on him') parallels the Gospel emphasis that the Spirit comes upon Jesus at his inauguration.
- Genesis 1:2 (structural): The image of God's Spirit moving/hovering over the waters in creation echoes the Spirit's descent at Jesus' baptism, suggesting a new creation or inauguration theme in the baptismal event.
Alternative generated candidates
- And as soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him.
- And when Jesus had been baptized, he came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
Matt.3.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ιδου: INTJ
- φωνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εκ: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- ουρανων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- λεγουσα·Ουτος: PART,pres,act,nom,sg,f+PRON,dem,nom,sg,m
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- υιος: NOUN,voc,sg,m
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- αγαπητος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- ω: PRON,rel,dat,sg,m
- ευδοκησα: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
Parallels
- Mark 1:11 (verbal): Nearly identical baptism scene: a voice from heaven declares Jesus 'My beloved Son'—a close verbal parallel to Matthew's wording.
- Luke 3:22 (verbal): Luke's parallel account repeats the heavenly voice and the formula 'You are my Son; today I have begotten you'/'My beloved' language, closely matching Matthew's report.
- John 1:34 (thematic): John the Baptist's testimony identifies Jesus as 'the Son of God,' thematically echoing the heavenly affirmation of Jesus' sonship in Matthew 3:17.
- Psalm 2:7 (allusion): OT royal-son language ('You are my Son; today I have begotten you') provides the background for New Testament declarations of Jesus' divine sonship, which Matthew's heavenly voice evokes.
- Isaiah 42:1 (allusion): Isaiah's phrase about the Servant—'my chosen, in whom my soul delights'—parallels Matthew's 'my beloved, in whom I am well pleased,' connecting Jesus' mission to the Servant tradition.
Alternative generated candidates
- And a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
- And behold, a voice from heaven said, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to hinder him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.
When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water. Behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."