After his baptism, Jesus prays and, while at prayer, the contemplative Jesus experiences God's presence. As the Spirit of God comes upon him in bodily form, like a dove, Jesus hears God say, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." These consoling words transform Jesus, speak of God's affirmation and confirmation, encourage Jesus in his life of intimate fidelity to God and set him on fire in the Spirit of God. Most of all, these words announce to Jesus who he is. By the Jordan river, he discovers his identity. He is "the beloved of God." For the rest of his life he will understand himself and his mission in the light of this revelation.
— John Dear, Jesus the Rebel