The Father’s Praise for Jesus
As I conclude this series on Jesus’ praise for imperfect people I thought it would be good to visit the two times that God, the Father, praises Jesus!
Mark 1:9-11 paints the scene of Jesus coming to John, His cousin, to be baptized. John says that he didn’t know that Jesus was the Messiah until the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus in power in the visible form of a dove and remained on Him (Jn 1:33). John says that this was the sign that would reveal the One who would take away the sins of the world (vs 29).
As Jesus comes up from being baptized, John sees the Holy Spirit descend on Him and the Father speaks from Heaven directly to Jesus saying, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (Mk 1:11).
Have you ever wondered if Jesus developed the capacity to praise people because the Father praised Him? Sometime we focus so much on the fact that Jesus is God that we over look that He was also human. Jesus was 100% God and 100% human. I am not sure it would be accurate to say that Jesus needed praise from the Father, but I suspect that it was part of what was happening all the time via the Holy Spirit. There is communion, fellowship and deep love that passes back and forth between the Father, Son and Spirit. Here we get a little glimpse into that.
Mark 9:7 reveals a second “recorded” time (there may have been others) where the Father praises Jesus. He takes Peter, James and John up a high mountain and is transformed before them. Moses and Elijah meet Jesus and discuss His departure (Lk 9:31). Peter offers to build 3 tabernacles or shelters. Peter is possibly connecting the revelation that Jesus is the Messiah (Matt 16:16) to the festival of Tabernacles as a Coronation event and therefore offers to build the shelters. Regardless, after this offer, the Father speaks from Heaven about Jesus, praising Him saying, “This is My Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!”
It is another deep affirmation to Jesus directly from His Father!
We can discredit the Father’s praise for Jesus saying, “Well, Jesus was perfect and He was God, of course the Father praised Him!” Don’t do that. Don’t minimize the interaction and deep love between the Father and the Son. It is based on relationship not performance or works.
If it was important for Jesus to receive praise from the Father, how important is if for you to receive praise from God, the Father? If you are a Christian, your identity is a son of daughter of God. His praise of you is based on your new birth, not your perfect performance as a slave under the law (Rom 8). The key to being able to legitimately praise and even delight in imperfect people around you, is your ability to receive praise from the Father!
How important do you think it is for your children to receive praise from you? How important is it for your spouse to receive praise from you? What about your friends or coworkers? (Note: we cannot engage in flattery regarding things that are not really true. We must be honest in our praise. We can only praise one another for legitimate things – even if they are imperfectly done.)
Mark 1:9-11 “At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from Heaven; ‘You are my Son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased.’”
Mark 9:7 “Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!’”
