What does “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” mean in Matthew 3:17?

Answer

At the baptism of Jesus, a voice from heaven declares, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” «and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.», (Matthew 3:17, ESV). In this verse, Jesus is confirmed as the divine and eternal Son of God cf: John 1:1,14. This revelation is significant for several reasons:

The baptism of Jesus signifies the beginning of His public ministry. Although baptism, as administered by John the Baptist, was a sign of repentance see Matthew 3:6,11, the baptism of Jesus was unique because He is sinless and did not need to repent (2 Corinthians 5:21;1 Peter 2:22-24). His baptism, therefore, signaled His identification with sinners and the start of His redemptive work.

Each member of the Godhead is present for the baptism of Jesus. After emerging from the Jordan River, God the Son “saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him” «And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: », (Matthew 3:16, ESV). At that moment, the Father spoke from heaven and said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (verse 17, ESV).

The Father’s declaration that Jesus is “my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” echoes Old Testament prophecies about a coming Messiah. In Isaiah 42:1, for example, God says, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.” Jesus, then, is the long-awaited Messiah.Jesus is the promised Messiah (Matthew 3:11-12) who consistently pleases the Father: “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” (John 8:29).

The term beloved Son signifies a unique bond between the Son and the Father, distinct from other father-son relationships. Unlike believers, who become God’s children through adoption: “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15), Jesus is God’s Son by nature, sharing the same divine essence. The Jews sought to kill him because he not only broke the Sabbath but also referred to God as his Father, equating himself with God (John 5:18; ESV; cf: John 20:17).

The Father’s delight in the Son underscores Jesus’ perfect obedience to the Father’s will. In John 4:34, Jesus declares, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (ESV). Furthermore, in John 6:38–39, Jesus states, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me” (ESV).

Due to Jesus’ obedience, the Father “has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11; ESV).

In summary,

Matthew 3:17 provides a historical record of Jesus’ baptism and offers a theological explanation of His identity as the eternal, divine, and beloved Son of God.