1:32
The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus at His baptism (Matt 3:16), this was also the time when God declared from heaven that Jesus was His Son and that we should listen to Him. John's gospel is the only one that mentions that the Spirit remained on Him. John is alluding to Isaiah 11:2 which speaks of the Spirit resting on the Messiah.
Why the significance of the Holy Spirit? The Messiah had to be working closely with the Holy Spirit. The remaining of the Spirit signifies the relationship between Jesus and the Spirit. There is also direct application to ourselves as well. The New Testament speaks of have promised Holy Spirit, an essential part of becoming a Christian is being born of the Spirit, and being filled with the Spirit. Our relationship with the Holy Spirit is important too.
1:33
We now learn how John knew that Jesus was the Messiah. The Father had told him that the one he saw the Spirit descend upon would be the one who would baptise with the Holy Spirit. Remember that John was reluctant to baptise Jesus, so the descending of the Spirit confirmed to him that he had indeed done the right thing in agreeing to baptise Jesus.
Water baptism cleanses from the past, Holy Spirit baptism prepares for the future. And it is Jesus who baptises us. We should meditate on the fact that we have been baptised by Jesus with the Holy Spirit. We may want to hear a great preacher or teacher, or to be prayed for by some prophet or pastor. All of us have been baptised by Jesus, what a privilege!
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