Question: My preacher said that when the Lord Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the man Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. But the Bible declares that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Trinity) are three in one and working side by side. My understanding was always that His baptism was a “confirmation” that He (Jesus) was truly the Messiah of Isaiah 53 and other places in the Old Testament.
Response: Concerning the Messiah to come, Isaiah wrote, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots” (Isaiah:11:1And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
See All...). Isaiah:11:2And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
See All... tells us, “And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him...of wisdom and understanding,...counsel and might,...knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” The Hebrew meaning is “to rest, settle down, and remain.” The word “rest” indicates a permanent dwelling.
The anointing of the Holy Spirit came “upon” Jesus when He was baptized, giving a visible testimony witnessed by those present. John the Baptist was reluctant to baptize Jesus because he knew who He was, but Jesus insisted. “John [said], I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” (Matthew:3:14But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
See All...). Jesus said, “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness” (3:15). Jesus wasn’t being baptized to receive the Holy Spirit but to “fulfill all righteousness.”
John the Baptist was “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Luke:1:15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
See All...) before he was born: “For he shall be great...and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.” John testified of Jesus, “There cometh one mightier than I after me...whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose” (Mark:1:7And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
See All...). If the forerunner of Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit prior to his birth, can we not conclude that the One who “is mightier” would also be?