my beloved Son
Matthew 3:17
3:17 my beloved Son. Jesus here was proclaimed as the Son of God for the benefit of the world in which He had come to dwell for a time. He did not become the Son at His baptism, however, as some have assumed, for the Father had loved the Son “before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). This heavenly testimony reflected that of Psalm 2:7: “The LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son.” Similarly, His anointing by the Spirit reflected the testimony of Isaiah 42:1: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold;…I have put my spirit upon Him.” He had eternally been the beloved Son, but had now come to be also the suffering Servant.