Pictorial Description:

Jesus is being baptized by John, His cousin, in the Jordan River.  Jesus and John stand in the water.  A cloud from which the Father spoke is above them.  A dove, the Holy Spirit, hovers above Christ’s head.  The riverside is in the background.

What’s Taking Place:

In order to take our place Jesus, the Sinless One, is baptized on our behalf.  The Father and the Holy Spirit are present, thus making this scene a most powerful witness to the Trinity.  Jesus is confirmed and commissioned as the promised Messiah to begin His public ministry.

Symbol:

The shell is a symbol of Baptism.  There are usually three drops of water coming from it which symbolize the three Persons of the Trinity, and the Trinitarian formula which is used when the rite of baptism is performed.  The shell can be off-white, white or an appropriate variegated brown as one of our common clams.  The water is usually blue.

Scriptural Reference:

Matthew 3:13-17

Mark 1:9-11

Luke 3:21-22

John 1:31-34

The Baptism of Jesus