Jesus went to John at the river Jordan to receive baptism like others. John the Baptist was a preacher who baptized people in the river Jordan as a symbol of repentance for their sins. Jesus was sinless and did not need to repent, but he wanted to be baptized to identify with the people he came to save and to set an example for his followers. When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove, and a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This event marked the beginning of Jesus' public ministry.