Dove statue

Part 8 of 35 The dove and the voice

When Jesus was about thirty, his relative John was baptizing people in the Jordan River, calling them to turn away from their sins. When John saw Jesus coming, he said: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).

Jesus asked John to baptize him too. "As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!'" (Matthew 3:16–17).

Then Jesus went into the wilderness, where he fasted for forty days and was tempted by the devil. Each time, he answered with God's word: "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).

Imagined The statue

A golden dove rises from a marble pedestal, wings open, as if setting off to carry peace across the city.

Real world Where Jesus was baptized

On the east bank of the Jordan River, archaeologists have uncovered churches, pools and caves at a place called Bethany beyond the Jordan, where Christians have remembered the baptism of Jesus since early times. In 2015 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Real world Doves in our world

Doves and pigeons are expert navigators: homing pigeons can find their way home from hundreds of kilometers away, and they carried messages in both World Wars.

Think about it

1. Why do you think John called Jesus "the Lamb of God"?
2. What did the voice from heaven say about Jesus?
3. How did Jesus answer when he was tempted?

Key words

Baptize

To dip in water or pour water over someone, as a sign of a new start with God.

Wilderness

Wild, empty land where few people live.

Tempt

To try to get someone to do wrong.