Luke 3:22

22 and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy. ”

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 So Herod put John in prison, adding this sin to his many others.

21 One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened,

22 and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy. ”

23 Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry. Jesus was known as the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Heli.

24 Heli was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. Levi was the son of Melki. Melki was the son of Jannai. Jannai was the son of Joseph.

Footnotes

• [a] Some manuscripts read my Son, and today I have become your Father.