17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son,
17 And along with the Spirit, a voice: "This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life."
17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy."
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
6 He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.
(Read Ephesians 1:3-8)
Spiritual and heavenly blessings are the best blessings; with which we cannot be miserable, and without which we cannot but be so. This was from the choice of them in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that they should be made holy by separation from sin, being set apart to God, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, in consequence of their election in Christ. All who are chosen to happiness as the end, are chosen to holiness as the means. In love they were predestinated, or fore-ordained, to be adopted as children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and to be openly admitted to the privileges of that high relation to himself. The reconciled and adopted believer, the pardoned sinner, gives all the praise of his salvation to his gracious Father. His love appointed this method of redemption, spared not his own Son, and brought believers to hear and embrace this salvation. It was rich grace to provide such a surety as his own Son, and freely to deliver him up. This method of grace gives no encouragement to evil, but shows sin in all its hatefulness, and how it deserves vengeance. The believer's actions, as well as his words, declare the praises of Divine mercy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 3:17
Commentary on Matthew 3:13-17
(Read Matthew 3:13-17)
Christ's gracious condescensions are so surprising, that even the strongest believers at first can hardly believe them; so deep and mysterious, that even those who know his mind well, are apt to start objections against the will of Christ. And those who have much of the Spirit of God while here, see that they need to apply to Christ for more. Christ does not deny that John had need to be baptized of him, yet declares he will now be baptized of John. Christ is now in a state of humiliation. Our Lord Jesus looked upon it as well becoming him to fulfil all righteousness, to own every Divine institution, and to show his readiness to comply with all God's righteous precepts. In and through Christ, the heavens are opened to the children of men. This descent of the Spirit upon Christ, showed that he was endued with his sacred influences without measure. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. At Christ's baptism there was a manifestation of the three Persons in the sacred Trinity. The Father confirming the Son to be Mediator; the Son solemnly entering upon the work; the Holy Spirit descending on him, to be through his mediation communicated to his people. In Him our spiritual sacrifices are acceptable, for He is the altar that sanctifies every gift, 1 Peter 2:5. Out of Christ, God is a consuming fire, but in Christ, a reconciled Father. This is the sum of the gospel, which we must by faith cheerfully embrace.