This section of the Bible contains the record of Jesus' entry into public ministry. Jesus began his ministry, we see, at the age of 30. This was in accordance with the age prescribed for priests to start their ministry (Num. 4:47).
Why was Jesus baptized? Baptism at this time was a ritual for Gentiles who converted to Judaism. For the Jews who were coming to John the Baptist, it showed that the Jew recognized his need of salvation being the same as that of the Gentile.
So why was Jesus baptized? He didn't have any sins He needed to repent of. Jesus was baptised in order to show that he was part of humanity, that He was undertaking His ministry fully as a man. He was fulfilling Isaiah 53:12 and choosing to be "numbered with the transgressors". In taking the position of one of the transgressors, He here began to bear our sins and would continue to be "numbered with the transgressors" to the end of His ministry. (Luke 22:37)
The genealogy in this section emphasizes Jesus's humanity. While Matthew's gospel, written primarily to the Jews, traces Christ's ancestry back to Abraham, the gentile Luke traces the genealogy all the way to Adam, showing that Jesus was a representative of not just the Jews, but the Gentiles as well. Adam is described in verse 38 as "the son of God". In a sense, Adam was the first son of God. He failed. Christ, as the only begotten Son of God came to succeed and bring the transgressors back into the original relationship as (adopted) sons of God. We are brought back to the Garden!
After Christ was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, "in bodily form like a dove". John testified (John 1:32) that the Spirit remained upon Him. In all the gospels it is made clear that Christ was filled with the Spirit and was exercising His ministry as a man in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is our example in His two acts of obedience described in this passage. First, in baptism, Christ showed His oneness with sinners. We show our oneness with Him when we are baptized.
Jesus' second act of obedience was prayer. Christ prayed and prayed repeatedly. How much more should we feel a need of being in fellowship with the Father! Are we in a ministry, to others or even just to our kids? Pray! Do we love others enough to pray for them, to bear their burdens? Does our sin drive us away from Christ, or towards Him in prayer, as it should?
The result of Christ's obedience was God's voice from heaven, telling Jesus He was well-pleased with Him, and that He was "beloved". God was saying, "I love You, Son." When we are in obedience and prayer, we can likewise feel God's love and know that He is pleased with our service to Him, flawed as it is.
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