John's baptism of Jesus is the first event in the latter's life which
all four evangelists unite in recording. The earlier events related by
Matthew and Luke--Mark and John either do not know, or do not believe,
or do not deem worth recording.
John begins his preaching about the year A. D. 26 (Luke III:1).
Apparently Jesus was "about thirty years of age" when He was baptized
(Luke III:23). The four Gospels describe at some length, and with
substantial agreement, the preaching of John and the incidents of the
baptism (Matt. III, Mark I, Luke III, John I).
Matthew's narrative covers seventeen verses, and John recognizes Jesus,
for he says, "I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to
me?" (Matt. III:14).
It does not appear that any one but Jesus saw the dove descending from
heaven, or heard the voice (Matt. III:16-17).
Mark's narrative is the most concise, covering eleven verses, and
omitting one or two points of John's preaching and his recognition of
Jesus, as given in Matthew (Mark I:1-11). It does not appear that John
knew or greeted Jesus in any way, or that any one but Jesus saw the dove
or heard the voice.
Luke expands the story to twenty-two verses (Luke III:1-22), adding some
points of John's preaching not given in Matthew or Mark. The baptismal
ceremony is condensed into two verses, and, as in Luke, it does not
appear that John recognized Jesus, or that any one but Jesus saw the
dove or heard the voice.
John's account covers twenty-two verses (John I:15-36), and differs
quite markedly from the other three. This Gospel adds a material point
to John's preaching not in the others (John I:15-18), and omits certain
points appearing in the others. The actual baptism itself is not
described, but John speaks of it as an event that had occurred. He did
not recognize Jesus on first meeting Him (contrary to Matthew's
version): "And I knew Him not" (John I:31, 33). But "I saw the spirit
descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon Him" (John I:32).
And "He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon
whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, the same
is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost" (John I:33). On account of
this sign, therefore, he accepted Jesus as the "Lamb of God."[13]