After Christ rose up from the water and from the hand of John, he walked out to the bank of Jordan, and bowed in the attitude of prayer. The eyes of John were fastened upon Christ with the deepest interest and amazement. His heart was stirred with emotion as he looked upon him thus bowed as a suppliant. Christ’s hands were raised upward, and his gaze seemed to penetrate Heaven. As the believer’s example, his sinless humanity supplicated support and strength from his Heavenly Father, as he was about to commence his public labors as the Messiah. Jesus poured out his soul in earnest prayer. A new and important era was opening before him. His former peaceful, quiet life is to here end. He had been happy in a life of industry and toil, while fulfilling the duties devolving on a son. He was an example to those in childhood, youth, and manhood. His deportment showed that he felt the importance and solemnity of the hour. He knew that trials, toils, conflicts, sufferings, and death, were in the path his feet had entered. He felt the weight of the responsibilities he must bear. He was about to engage in new and arduous duties. A sense of the sinfulness of men, and the hardness of their hearts, which separated them from God, convinced him that but few would discern his merciful mission, and accept the salvation he came from Heaven to bring them. {2SP 60.1}

Efter at Kristus var rejst op fra vandet og af Johannes hånd, gik han op på Jordans bred, og bøjede sig i en bedende stilling. Johannes øjne var fæstnet på Kristus i dyb interesse og forbavselse. Hans hjerte var oprørt af bevægelse da han så ham og bøjede sig som én der beder. Kristi hænder var løftet opad, og hans blik lod til at trænge ind i himlen. Som den troendes eksempel, bad hans syndfrie menneskelighed om styrke og støtte fra sin himmelske fader, idet han var ved at begynde sit offentlige arbejde som Messias. Jesus udgød sin sjæl i alvorlig bøn. En ny og vigtig tid åbnede sig op for ham. Hans tidligere fridfyldte, og stille liv skal her afslutte. Han har været lykkelig i et flittigt og slidsomt liv, medens han opfyldte de forpligtigelser der overgår til en søn. Han var et eksempel for dem i barndommen, ungdommen og manddommen. Hans optræden viste at han mærkede betydningen og alvorligheden i stunden. Han kendte til de trængsler, slid, konflikter, lidelser og død som var på den sti hans fødder gik ind på. Han mærkede vægten af de ansvar han måtte bære. Han var ved at gå ind i nye og vanskelige opgaver. En fornemmelse af menneskets syndighed, og hårdheden i deres hjerter, som adskilte dem fra Gud, overbeviste ham om at kun nogle få kunne se hans nådige mission, og acceptere den frelse han kom fra himlen for at bringe dem.