Bible & Christianity › Jesus › John the Baptist
Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan
c. AD 28 (Mark 1:9–11)· Event· Bible story & events
Mostly agreed by scholarsMost historians agree; some details uncertain.
Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River, the event that launches his public ministry in the Gospels.
See it on the Bible & Christianity map →What it is
Mark 1:9–11 tells how, as Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn open and the Spirit descending like a dove, and a voice said, 'You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.' Matthew adds John's protest that Jesus should baptize him instead (3:14). Jesus then spends forty days tempted in the wilderness. Christians see the Trinity shown here, Father, Son and Spirit; Orthodox churches celebrate it as Theophany on 6 January.
Why it matters
It marks the start of Jesus' public work and is the model for Christian baptism, the entry rite of nearly every church.
Sources and history
Most historians accept it as fact by the 'criterion of embarrassment': early Christians would hardly invent their Lord submitting to a lesser figure's baptism 'for the forgiveness of sins'.
Questions and debates
The exact spot is disputed: Al-Maghtas on the river's eastern side (a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2015) and Qasr al-Yahud on the western side both claim it.
Connections (3)
▸John the Baptist performed Baptism of Jesus in the JordanMostly agreed by scholars
The connection
Jesus came from Nazareth to John at the Jordan to be baptized. Matthew 3:14 says John objected, 'I need to be baptized by you', but Jesus insisted, 'to fulfill all righteousness'. John's Gospel has the Baptist testify that he saw the Spirit descend and remain on Jesus (John 1:32–34).
When and where
The Jordan River, c. AD 28; John 1:28 names the place 'Bethany beyond the Jordan'.
How do we know?
Most historians count it among the surest facts about Jesus, precisely because it was awkward for early Christians to explain.
Questions and debates
Why Jesus, sinless in Christian belief, accepted a 'baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins' (Mark 1:4) has been discussed since the 2nd century.
▸Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan modeled the rite listed among The sacraments (baptism, Eucharist and the seven)Faith & scripture
The connection
The Gospels tell how John baptized Jesus in the Jordan, the Spirit descended and a voice called him 'my beloved Son' (Mark 1:9–11). Christians see it as the model for their own baptism, commanded in Matthew 28:19, which nearly all churches count as a sacrament (Baptists say 'ordinance').
When and where
The Jordan River, about AD 28, told in Mark 1, Matthew 3, Luke 3 and John 1. Ignatius (c. 110) wrote that Jesus' baptism purified the water.
How do we know?
Jesus' baptism by John is widely accepted as historical; its tie to Christian baptism is an interpretation of faith.
Questions and debates
John's baptism was for repentance, so why Jesus received it puzzled early Christians (Matthew 3:14). How John's rite relates to Christian baptism is debated.
▸Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan is read as an early picture of The Trinity: Father, Son and Holy SpiritFaith & scripture
The connection
At the Jordan, Jesus comes up from the water, the Spirit descends 'like a dove', and a voice from heaven says, 'You are my beloved Son' (Mark 1:10–11). Christians read this as Father, Son and Spirit appearing together. Orthodox churches call the feast (January 6) 'Theophany', the revealing of the Trinity.
When and where
The Jordan River, around AD 28; the Trinitarian reading appears in writers like Tertullian (c. 200) and the 4th-century Cappadocian bishops.
How do we know?
An interpretation, not a historical link. Historians consider the baptism by John very likely; the voice and dove are matters of faith, and the Gospels never say 'Trinity'.
Questions and debates
Whether the Gospel writers meant anything like later doctrine is debated; some early Christians ('adoptionists') read the baptism as the moment Jesus became God's Son.