The Father’s phrase with whom I am well pleased
in Matthew 3:17 links to Isaiah 42:1: about God’s servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights
—thus affirming that Jesus, his only-begotten Son (Psalm 2:7; Matthew 3:16), will complete the Servant of the Lord’s messianic task.
The word eudokesa, which the English Standard Version renders as well pleased,
refers to what dogmatics calls the Covenant of Redemption: the eternal agreement within the Trinity wherein Christ declared himself willing to become the Mediator between God and man. Now this Mediator’s public ministry must begin in obedience to his loving Father’s decree. Moreover, the voice from heaven uses clear, well-known words of Scripture, like Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1. Isaiah 42:1 is especially telling, for it also mentions the presence of the Spirit, showing why John the Baptist, at the descent of the dove, immediately thought of the Spirit.
The voice from heaven gives God’s affirmation for both John and Jesus that Jesus is forever the Son of God, and acts as Mediator in accordance with the Father’s good pleasure. The voice at the baptism foreshadows how the Father will affirm his pleasure in Jesus before Jesus’ actual suffering begins in Matthew 17:5.
The phrase with whom I am well pleased
in Matthew 3:17 reminds us of Isaiah 42:1, where God speaks of his servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights.
With this proclamation the Father affirms that Jesus is his only-begotten Son who will accomplish the task of the Messiah, which of course first and foremost entails the works of the Servant of the Lord (see Matthew 3:16).1
The word eudokesa, which the English Standard Version translates as well pleased,
refers back to what is in the field of dogmatics referred to as the eternal Covenant of Redemption: that is, the eternal agreement within the Trinity wherein Christ declared himself willing to become the Mediator between God and man. Now the public ministry of this Mediator must begin. Jesus will of course carry it out in perfect accordance with the decree, for the Father’s love rests upon him throughout. Moreover, the voice from heaven makes use of clear, well-known words of Scripture, which speak of the relationship of the Son to the Father, such as Psalm 2:7, and, with respect to the mediatorial work in particular (Isaiah 42:1). This latter passage is especially telling, for it also mentions the atonement of the Holy Spirit, which explains why John the Baptist, at the descending of the dove, immediately thought of the Holy Spirit.2
The voice from heaven constitutes divine support and affirmation, for it declares not only to John, but also to Jesus himself, that he, being Mediator and desiring to reveal himself as such, is and remains perpetually the Son of God, and as such Mediator in accordance with the Father’s good pleasure. The voice at the baptism stands on the same level as the voice of the Father that once again sounded before Jesus’ actual suffering began in Matthew 17:5.3
17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”