Luke 3:21
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
At the Jordan at thirty years old Jesus came to John and was baptized as the inauguration and start of His public ministry and mission while the people were being baptized, and as He came up from the water He bowed on the bank and prayed. In answer to His prayer heaven was opened and divine glory and light came down, and the Holy Spirit descended and rested upon Him in dovelike form of purest light as a fit emblem of His meekness and gentleness, glorifying His upturned face. The Father Himself answered from the throne with a voice declaring Him His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased, attesting His divine character and close relation to God. This was the promised sign by which John could recognize and proclaim Him as the Messiah, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, given to strengthen Jesus for His mission and to inspire faith in the witnesses. As humanity's representative and the believer's example, His prayer and the opened heaven assure that God accepts humanity through the merits of His Son, so that earth is connected with heaven and humble, earnest, persevering prayer brings strength, light and power to resist the enemy and live victoriously.
Baptism, Prayer, Open Heaven
Luke 3:21 belongs to John's ministry directing faith to the coming Christ, and it marks the start of Jesus' public ministry and mission when at thirty years old He came to the Jordan and was baptized by John as His inauguration, while the people were being baptized. The baptism is presented as the occasion of prayer and heavenly revelation, with the anointing by the Holy Spirit and power.
As He was baptized and came up from the water, Jesus bowed on the river bank and prayed, pouring out His soul with a glance penetrating heaven. Though sinless He sought support, strength and power from the Father for the toil, conflict, suffering and death ahead, as humanity's representative and the believer's example beginning His public work as Messiah after a quiet life of ordinary duties and work. He pleaded to overcome unbelief, to break Satan's fetters, to conquer the destroyer, and to endure the coming conflict with Satan, and asked to receive the witness that God accepts humanity in Him, knowing how sin had hardened hearts and how few would discern His mission or accept salvation.
In answer heaven was opened and divine glory and light came down upon Him, with God's glory shining around Him. The Holy Spirit descended and rested on Him in a dovelike form of purest light hovering over the Saviour, a fit emblem of Him as the meek and lowly One whose appearance represents meekness and gentleness, bathing His form in the light surrounding God's throne and glorifying His upturned face beyond any human face. The Father Himself answered directly from the throne, at times in thundering tone, with a voice declaring Jesus His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased, proclaiming Him the Son of the Infinite Father and Son of the Eternal, attesting His divine character and close relation to God, confirming His Sonship and that God had sent Him.
The baptism was the promised occasion for the sign of His divine identity so John could recognize, proclaim and clearly recount Him as the Messiah, the Lamb of God and Saviour who takes away the sin of the world, and with the Spirit's power resting on John in Jesus' presence testified that Jesus of Nazareth was the Promised One. The words were given to strengthen Jesus for His mission even while the sins of a guilty world were laid on Him in fallen human nature, and to inspire faith in witnesses. Yet of the vast throng few except John discerned the vision though solemnity of the divine presence rested on the silent assembly gazing, while all who witnessed it were convinced by the infallible testimony and many expected an immediate demonstration of power, whereas the Pharisees heard not the voice and saw not the Spirit's form and failed to receive the greater witness than John's.
The baptism immediately preceded His being led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where the Holy Spirit fitted Him for fierce temptations. There He fasted forty days and forty nights, becoming physically weakened yet having to fulfill His work, before meeting Satan's temptations.
Humanity Accepted Through Prayer
Jesus prayed at the Jordan as humanity's representative and as the believer's example as He began His public mission. The opened heaven and the Father's approving voice assure that God accepts humanity through the merits of His Son. Through Jesus earth is connected with heaven, and humanity is exalted in Him, so that people separated by sin may approach God, be connected with Him, and be accepted in the Beloved. That acceptance comes to those who meet the conditions in His word, for baptism is a step in conversion but does not complete the Christian life. By taking humanity and joining it to His divine nature, He made it possible for people to share the divine nature and escape the world's corruption.
The opened heaven marks the restoration of communication cut off when sin divorced this world from the eternal world. Christ had been the means of communication between heaven and earth, and when He came in human flesh the Father communicated with humanity in Christ. In giving His Son and His life He connected humanity with heaven again. That access endures, by which angels carry prayers to the Father and bring blessings of hope, courage, health and life. Through His merits those separated by sin can be connected with God, have access to Him, and need not remain in sin.
His prayer was the greatest prayer ever to fall on mortal ear, by which His arm grasped heaven's throne. It displays the Father's love in giving His Son for the human race, though men did not know Him. It marked the end of His quiet life of ordinary duties and work and the beginning of a new, demanding era of arduous duties and trials. In His sinless humanity He was strengthened for duty and trial by grace given in answer to prayer.
His example shows the way to seek strength and power to resist the enemy and live victoriously. Humble, earnest, persevering prayer can reach heaven, and communication between God and humanity is established through His righteousness. Prayer is necessary for a successful Christian life, and communion with God brings strength for service, for He regularly sought solitude to pray, especially before important work, and sometimes prayed through the night. Prayer may be offered in expectation of God's blessing, and coming to God as He did brings open heaven and God's blessing resting on the one praying. When the mind is wholly fixed on God and not divided between God and self, light and power are given so that open heaven attends prayer.
His baptism and prayer demonstrated the steps required in conversion and were given for comfort and hope. Baptism is a step but does not complete Christian life; prayer and continued learning from Christ are essential.