Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship - Day 4

 Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

We here this phrase many times throughout the various dispensations of time. I look forward to remembering the various times Father has introduced our Savior!

Matthew 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

I like the idea of listing here different times when the Lord has said "this is my beloved son". There are quite a few verses that touch on this.

Mark 9:7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

This quote comes from when Jesus to Peter, James and John to the mount of transfiguration. What would it be like to here that introduction, that witness? Did Peter act differently after this? Did he not already know Jesus was the Son of God? And yet, I still feel like he would perceive Jesus differently going forward. Maybe as a follower of Jesus, the relationship became very familiar, and less formal, and Peter took for granted that this was still God's Beloved Son. A reminder of the witnesses he had received of Jesus' divine sonship.

Luke 9:35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, this is my beloved Son: hear him.

So this is the same mount of transfiguration moment, just from Luke. I still can't help but wonder how many times in the Earth's existence has Father come down and said those words to introduce His Son.

2 Peter 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

This passage refers to what Peter experienced and reassuring the people that he was a witness of Jesus Christ. 

2 Nephi 31:11 And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.

Each of these situations where we can clearly see the Son's divine sonship is also a moment where we realize Father wants us to understand by what authority Jesus does what He does.

3 Nephi 11:7 Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name--hear ye him. 

So this is when Jesus visits the Americas, and by the language we can see that it is after He has been crucified and resurrected as that is how He glorified God!

Joseph Smith--History 1:17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other--This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

This feels like my favorite. Because I know it so well? Because it happened most recently? Because I have testified of it to others? I don't know all of the reasons, and they are many, but I praise God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ for their visit to the young Joseph Smith and what that moment has brought about for the rest of humanity.