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Matthew 3 · a question people ask

"This is my beloved Son" (3:17). Who was the voice speaking to?

In the text

Matthew says that when Jesus was baptized, "the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him" (3:16). Then "a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”" (3:17). Matthew doesn't say who else saw or heard. Mark and Luke give the voice's words with "You are": "You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mark 1:11), and "You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased" (Luke 3:22). In John's Gospel, John says, "I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him" (John 1:32). The Gospels word it differently. These notes set their words side by side, don't merge them, and don't say whom the voice spoke to or who heard it.

The verses

“Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.””
Matthew 3:16-17 · World English Bible
“Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.””
Mark 1:10-11 · World English Bible
“Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus also had been baptized and was praying. The sky was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form like a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying “You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.””
Luke 3:21-22 · World English Bible
“John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him.”
John 1:32 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Matthew 3

Matthew 3: The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand

In Matthew, John says it first: his first words, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" (3:2), are the words Jesus preaches when he begins (4:17), and John's "You offspring of vipers" (3:7) and his words on the tree that is "cut down, and cast into the fire" (3:10) come back from Jesus too (12:34, 7:19).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions