Luke 3:22

22 and ¹the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and ²a voice came from heaven, ³"You are my beloved Son;^[a] with you I am well pleased."^[b]

Luke 3:22 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 3:22

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) (See Gill on Matthew 3:17) (See Gill on Mark 1:11).

Luke 3:22 In-Context

20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.

21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened,

22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,

24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

Cross References

• 1. [Luke 4:18, 21; Acts 10:38]
• 2. John 12:28
• 3. [Luke 9:35; Psalms 2:7; Isaiah 42:1; Ephesians 1:6; Colossians 1:13; 2 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:9]

Footnotes

• [a]. Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved
• [b]. Some manuscripts beloved Son; today I have begotten you