Luke 3:22

3:21,22 Christ did not confess sin, as others did, for he had none to confess; but he prayed, as others did, and kept up communion with his Father. Observe, all the three voices from heaven, by which the Father bare witness to the Son, were pronounced while he was praying, or soon after, Lu 9:35; Joh 12:28. The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and there came a voice from heaven, from God the Father, from the excellent glory. Thus was a proof of the Holy Trinity, of the Three Persons in the Godhead, given at the baptism of Christ.

And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape,.... In a corporeal form, in a visible manner, and was seen with bodily eyes, at least by John the administrator; to whom this was a signal of his being the Messiah, and a fresh confirmation of it: like a dove upon him; either in the form of a dove, or this corporeal form, whatever it was, descended and hovered on him as a dove does: and a voice came from heaven; at the same time the Holy Ghost came down upon him; which said, thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased: and was the voice of the Father; and the whole of this was an answer of Christ's prayer; See Gill on Matthew 3:16, Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11.

(22) In a bodily shape. —The words are peculiar to St. Luke, and tend to confirm the traditional symbolism which finds in the dove the emblem of the Holy Spirit. They, at least, fall in naturally with this view; but the other construction, that the Holy Spirit descended, after the manner of a dove, first hovering and then resting, in a bodily form (undefined) of some sort, is, at least, not excluded.

22 . in a bodily shape ] This addition is peculiar to St Luke, and is probably added to shew the distinctness and reality of what Theodoret calls the ‘spiritual vision’ ( πνευματικὴ θεωρία ). like a dove ] The expression ὡς or ὡσεὶ used by each of the Evangelists, and St John’s “and it abode upon Him” ( John 1:32 ), sufficiently prove that no actual dove is intended. The Holy Spirit is symbolised by a dove from early times. The Talmudic comment on Genesis 1:2 is that “the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters like a dove ”— “And with mighty wings outspread Dovelike sat’st brooding on the vast abyss.” Milton ( Par. Lost , i. 20). Comp. 2Es 5:26 , “of all the fowls that are created thou hast named thee one dove.” Matthew 10:16 . A mystical reason was assigned for this in some fathers, because the numerical value of the letters of the Greek word peristera , ‘a dove,’ amounts to 801, which is also the value of Alpha Omega. We are probably intended to understand a dovelike, hovering, lambent flame descending on the head of Jesus; and this may account for the unanimous early legend that a fire or light was kindled in Jordan (Just. Mart. c. Tryph. 88, and the Apocryphal Gospels). a voice came from heaven, which said ] Rather, out of heaven . The last words should be omitted with the best MSS. This Bath Kôl or Voice from heaven also occurred at the Transfiguration ( Matthew 17:5 ) and in the closing week of Christ’s life ( John 12:28-30 ).

Lu 3:21, 22. Baptism of and Descent of the Spirit upon Jesus. (See on [1561]Mt 3:13-17.) 21. when all the people were baptized—that He might not seem to be merely one of the crowd. Thus, as He rode into Jerusalem upon an ass, "whereon yet never man sat" (Lu 19:30), and lay in a sepulchre "wherein was never man yet laid" (Joh 19:41), so in His baptism He would be "separate from sinners."

In a bodily shape - This was a real visible appearance, and was doubtless seen by the people. The dove is an emblem of purity and harmlessness, and the form of the dove was assumed on this occasion to signify, probably, that the spirit with which Jesus would be endowed would be one of purity and innocence. The "Holy Spirit," when he assumes a visible form, assumes that which will be emblematic of the thing to be represented. Thus he assumed the form of "tongues," to signify the miraculous powers of language with which the apostles would be endowed; the appearance of fire, to denote their power, etc., Acts 2:3 .

[Bible] 3:17. Whose fan is in his hand: and he will purge his floor and will gather the wheat into his barn: but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. 3:18. And many other things exhorting did he preach to the people. 3:19. But Herod the tetrarch, when he was reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done: 3:20. He added this also above all and shut up John in prison. 3:21. Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also being baptized and praying, heaven was opened. 3:22. And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, as a dove, upon him. And a voice came from heaven: Thou art my beloved Son. In thee I am well pleased. 3:23. And Jesus himself was beginning about the age of thirty years: being (as it was supposed) the son of Joseph, who was of Heli, who was of Mathat, Who was of Heli... St. Joseph, who by nature was the son of Jacob, (St. Matt. 1. 16,) in the account of the law, was son of Heli. For Heli and Jacob were brothers, by the same mother; and Heli, who was the elder, dying without issue, Jacob, as the law directed, married his widow: in consequence of such marriage, his son Joseph was reputed in the law the son of Heli. 3:24. Who was of Levi, who was of Melchi, who was of Janne, who was of Joseph, 3:25. Who was of Mathathias, who was of Amos, who was of Nahum, who was of Hesli, who was of Nagge, 3:26. Who was of Mahath, who was of Mathathias, who was of Semei, who was of Joseph, who was of Juda, 3:27. Who was of Joanna, who was of Reza, who was of Zorobabel, who was of Salathiel, who was of Neri, 3:28. Who was of Melchi, who was of Addi, who was of Cosan, who was of Helmadan, who was of Her, 3:29. Who was of Jesus, who was of Eliezer, who was of Jorim, who was of Mathat, who was of Levi, 3:30. Who was of Simeon, who was of Judas, who was of Joseph, who was of Jona, who was of Eliakim, 3:31. Who was of Melea, who was of Menna, who was of Mathatha, who was of Nathan, who was of David,