What happensPermalink
John the Baptist begins his ministry of preaching repentance, of not relying on decending from Abraham for salvation, of generosity to the poor, and of the coming Messiah. John baptizes Jesus. The genealogy of Jesus through Joseph.
Why it mattersPermalink
Luke, with the benefit of hindsight, connects John the Baptist to Elijah. John’s sermons prefigure Jesus’s message. God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all take part in Jesus’s baptism.
Key versePermalink
…and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”