Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

Matthew 3:17

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

KJV

καὶ ἰδοὺ φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα.

Greek NT

Et ecce vox de cælis dicens : Hic est Filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi complacui.

Vulgate

and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

ASV

And behold a voice from heaven saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

15 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
εὐδοκέω
eudokeo
verb · 21×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
λέγω
lego
verb · 2256×
οὐρανός
ouranos
noun · 274×
οὗτος
outos
demonstrative · 1380×
υἱός
uios
noun · 375×
φωνή
phone
noun · 139×
ἀγαπητός
agapetos
adjective · 61×
ἐγώ
ego
pronoun · 1720×
ἐκ
ek
preposition · 915×
ἐν
en
preposition · 2743×
ὁ
o
article · 19778×
ὁράω
orao
verb · 682×
ὅς
os
relative_pronoun · 1404×

Intertextual echoes

This verse quotes or alludes to 3 earlier texts.

  • Isa 42:1 · adapted
    "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles."
    Isaiah's servant song adapted at Jesus' baptism: my beloved Son
  • Ps 2:7 · adapted
    "I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee."
    Psalm 2 combined with Isaiah 42 at the baptism declaration
  • Gen 22:2 · allusion
    "And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."
    Genesis: your only beloved son — echoed at Jesus' baptism

Themes

Theophany

Historic Christian voices

15 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§444The Gospels report that at two solemn moments, the Baptism and the Transfiguration of Christ, the voice of the Father designates Jesus his "beloved Son".53 Jesus calls himself the "only Son of God", and by this title affirms his eternal pre-existence.54 He asks for faith in "the name of the only Son of God".55 In the centurion's exclamation before the crucified Christ, "Truly t…
§535Jesus' public life begins with his baptism by John in the Jordan.228 John preaches "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins".229 A crowd of sinners230 - tax collectors and soldiers, Pharisees and Sadducees, and prostitutes - come to be baptized by him. "Then Jesus appears." the Baptist hesitates, but Jesus insists and receives baptism. Then the Holy Spirit, in the f…
§713The Messiah's characteristics are revealed above all in the "Servant songs."82 These songs proclaim the meaning of Jesus' Passion and show how he will pour out the Holy Spirit to give life to the many: not as an outsider, but by embracing our "form as slave."83 Taking our death upon himself, he can communicate to us his own Spirit of life.
…and 2 more from this source.
1. The Parable of the Tares: the House of Jesus. Then He left the multitudes and went into His house, and His disciples came unto Him saying, Declare to us the parable of the tares of the field. Matthew 13:36 When Jesus then is with the multitudes, He is not in His house, for the multitudes are outside of the house, and it is an act which springs from His love of men to leave t…
10. Which of the two theologies sets forth our Lord Jesus Christ as God and Son of the Father, this which you vomited forth, or that which we have spoken and maintain from the Scriptures? If the Saviour be not God, nor Word, nor Son, you shall have leave to say what you will, and so shall the Gentiles, and the present Jews. But if He be Word of the Father and true Son, and God …
15. But if on the other hand, while they acknowledge with us the name of 'Son,' from an unwillingness to be publicly and generally condemned, they deny that the Son is the proper offspring of the Father's essence, on the ground that this must imply parts and divisions ; what is this but to deny that He is very Son, and only in name to call Him Son at all? And is it not a grievo…
11. For God creates, and to create is also ascribed to men; and God has being, and men are said to be, having received from God this gift also. Yet does God create as men do? Or is His being as man's being? Perish the thought; we understand the terms in one sense of God, and in another of men. For God creates, in that He calls what is not into being, needing nothing thereunto; …
Can any created intellect see the essence of God? Is the essence of God seen by the intellect through any created image? Can the essence of God be seen by the corporeal eye? Is any created intellectual substance sufficient by its own natural powers to see the essence of God? Does the created intellect need any created light in order to see the essence of God? Of those who see G…
Q. Since there is but one God, why do you speak of three: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? A. Because that is how God has revealed himself in his Word: these three distinct persons are one, true, eternal God.
All these things we know from the testimonies of Holy Scripture as well as from the effects of the persons, especially from those we feel within ourselves. The testimonies of the Holy Scriptures which teach us to believe in this Holy Trinity are written in many places of the Old Testament, which need not be enumerated but only chosen with discretion. In the book of Genesis God …
We believe and teach that God is one in essence or nature, subsisting in himself, all-sufficient in himself, invisible, incorporeal, immense, eternal, Creator of all things both visible and invisible, the greatest good, living, quickening and preserving all things, omnipotent and supremely wise, gentle or merciful, just and true. And we detest the multitude of gods because it i…

Cross-references

  • 2Pet 1:17 — For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
  • 2Pet 1:17 — For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
  • 2Sam 7:14 — I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
  • Col 1:13 — Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
  • Col 1:13 — Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
  • Dan 4:31 — While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
  • Deut 4:12 — And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.
  • Eph 1:6 — To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
  • Eph 1:6 — To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
  • Esth 6:6 — So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than
  • Gen 41:55 — And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
  • Heb 10:6 — In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
  • Isa 42:1 — Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
  • Isa 42:21 — The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
  • Isa 42:21 — The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
  • Isa 53:10 — Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall
  • Jer 30:21 — And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his hea
  • Job 42:8 — Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I
  • John 1:34 — And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
  • John 5:20 — For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
  • John 5:37 — And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
  • John 5:37 — And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
  • John 6:27 — Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
  • John 8:29 — 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 12:28 — Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
  • John 12:28 — Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
  • Luke 3:22 — And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
  • Luke 3:22 — And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
  • Luke 9:35 — And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
  • Luke 9:35 — And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
  • Luke 20:13 — Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.
  • Mark 1:1 — The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
  • Mark 1:11 — And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
  • Mark 1:11 — And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
  • Mark 9:7 — And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
  • Mark 9:7 — And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
  • Mark 12:6 — Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
  • Matt 4:3 — And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
  • Matt 12:18 — Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
  • Matt 12:42 — The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greate