Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan 

John the Baptist engaged in an extensive campaign of preaching and baptizing throughout the year 25 CE. His fame had spread and his message of repentance and baptism was very popular throughout all Palestine. Jesus spoke favorably of John and his message and this inspired the Zebedee brothers – John and James – to present themselves to John for baptism. And they kept Jesus apprised of John’s evangelical activities.

In January of 26 CE, Jesus’ brothers James and Jude, approached Jesus to discuss whether they should go to John for baptism, too. After a night of meditation and prayer, Jesus announced that his hour had come and told his brothers that the three of them would leave immediately for John’s encampment.

At noon on Monday, January 14, 26 CE, Jesus, along with his brothers, was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. It was a momentous occasion during which the group of four men standing in the water – Jesus, James, Jude, and John the Baptist – experienced a celestial voice that said “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus’ whole demeanor seemed to change following this experience and he came up out of the water and headed for the hills to the east. And no one saw him again for forty days.

John the Baptist had launched his campaign of preaching repentance and baptizing believers in March of 25 CE. Throughout that year, his fame grew. John gained many followers and his work was talked about by scores of people in all the towns around the Sea of Galilee. The Zebedee brothers – James and John – had presented themselves for John's baptism in December of that year and they kept Jesus informed of the Baptist’s work.

Early in January of 26 CE, Jesus' brothers in the flesh – James and Jude – approached Jesus as he worked at Zebedee’s boat shop and asked his advice about whether they, too, should go to John for baptism. Jesus asked them to wait until the next day when he would let them know. That night, Jesus was in close communication with his heavenly Father and did not sleep much.

The next day, Jesus’ brothers arrived with a lunch that they planned to share at the noontime meal. They waited for him in the lumber room until the appointed time.

Just before noon, Jesus laid his tools down and took his apron off, saying to the workmen in the room, “My hour has come.” With that, he went to the lumber room and repeated to his brothers: “My hour has come – let us go to John.” And the three left immediately for Pella, eating their lunch as they walked. They spent the night in the Jordan Valley and arrived at John’s camp around noon of the following day, Monday, January 14, 26 CE.

John the Baptist had just started performing baptisms for the day when Jesus and his brothers arrived on the scene. Many individuals who had embraced John's teachings about the impending kingdom were patiently waiting in line for their turn. Unexpectedly, Jesus and his two brothers joined this line of sincere men and women. John knew that Jesus had been making favorable remarks about his activities and because of this, he had expected to see Jesus show up at some point. But he never expected to see him lined up with the other individuals seeking baptism.

So, while John was busy with the details of accommodating this large group of believers, he did not notice Jesus standing in line until he was right before him. The ceremonies ceased for a moment while he greeted Jesus and asked, “But why do you come down into the water to greet me?” And Jesus answered, “To be subject to your baptism.” John replied, “But I need to be baptized by you. Why do you come to me?” And Jesus whispered to John: “Bear with me now, for it becomes us to set this example for my brothers standing here with me, and that the people may know that my hour has come.”

Jesus spoke with an air of authority and John said no more. But filled with a mixture of awe and excitement, he prepared himself to baptize Jesus of Nazareth in the Jordan River at noon on Monday, January 14, 26 CE. John administered the baptism to Jesus, as well as his two brothers, James and Jude. And then John dismissed the remaining candidates for the day, asking them to return at noon the following day. As the people began to depart, the four men who remained in the water were startled by an unfamiliar sound, and heard a voice declaring, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." In this moment, an apparition also appeared directly above Jesus' head, visible only to him.

A remarkable transformation came over Jesus' face, and emerging from the water without uttering a word, he began walking toward the eastern hills. John followed him for a short way, telling him of how the angel Gabriel had visited his mother before either of them had been born. He knew the story so well from his own mother, but this was the first time Jesus had heard it. He said to Jesus: “Now I know for certain that you are the Deliverer.” But Jesus did not reply.

From that moment, no one saw Jesus for a period of forty days.

Jesus was baptized during a time when John's powerful preaching had gripped Palestine, spreading the message that the kingdom of God was near. In this period, the Jewish people were deeply united in their sense of identity. They believed that the sins of one person could bring harm to the entire nation, and they sought to cleanse themselves through baptism. Jesus, though sinless, chose to be baptized like other devout Jews, not out of personal repentance, but to merely follow the example of others.

In the silence that followed, Jesus, still in the water, prayed to his heavenly Father, acknowledging his name and expressing the desire for his kingdom and will to be manifested on earth. After his prayer, the "heavens were opened," and Jesus had a vision that showed him as a Son of God, his previous state before coming to earth in mortal form, and his future state after completing his incarnated life. This heavenly vision was exclusively seen by Jesus.

When Jesus was baptized, he repented of no misdeeds and made no confession of sin. His baptism was one of devotion to carrying out the will of the heavenly Father. He heard his Father's unequivocal call, the ultimate summons to be about his Father's work, and he went into private isolation for forty days to ponder these numerous concerns.

In withdrawing from active contact with his earthly colleagues for a time, Jesus was following the same process that occurs in the heavenly worlds when an ascending mortal unites with their indwelling spirit of the Universal Father.

With his baptism, Jesus' purely human life came to an end. The divine Son had found his Father, and the Universal Father had found his incarnated Son.