Luke 3:22

22 and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you." ¹

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 Then Herod did an even worse thing by putting John in prison.

21 After all the people had been baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened,

22 and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you."

23 When Jesus began his work, he was about thirty years old. He was the son, so people thought, of Joseph, who was 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. 3.22Genesis 22.2;Psalms 2.7;Isaiah 42.1;Matthew 3.17;Mark 1.11;Luke 9.35.