Luke 3:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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."

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

NASB: and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came from heaven: 'You are My beloved Son, in You I am well pleased.'

CSB: and the Holy Spirit descended on him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased."

NLT: 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. '

KJV: And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

NKJV: And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

Here, Luke provides the few details he gives about Jesus' baptism. Other gospel writers give more information about this event (Matthew 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11). John adds details especially relevant to Luke's purpose here: that the Holy Spirit descended to Jesus, as God delivered a message of approval (John 1:32–33). These signs support John the Baptist's claim that the One whom he heralds is "greater" than John himself (Luke 3:16). John's role is to prepare the people, and once Jesus arrives, his ministry naturally begins to fade (John 3:28–30).

All four gospels refer to a dove when explaining the Holy Spirit's descent to Jesus. This has resulted in the traditional image of a dove—the small white bird—sitting on Jesus' shoulder in artwork over many centuries. It's worth noting that while Scripture says the Holy Spirit had some "bodily form," most references about the dove are applied to how the Spirit came down, not what it looked like. That is, the Bible doesn't explicitly say, "the Holy Spirit appeared like a dove and landed on Jesus." It came to rest on Him in a dovelike way—perhaps implying a floating, settling, gentle manner.

The voice from heaven, like the other signs, establishes that Jesus of Nazareth is the One predicted by prophecy (Isaiah 9:6–7) and proclaimed by men like John (Malachi 3:1; 4:5–6).

Luke 3:7–22 is a relatively brief explanation of John the Baptist's ministry. John's preaching calls on people to repent and turn from their sins. At the same time, he is careful to declare that he is not Christ—John is only a herald of the Messiah. Luke's account quickly summarizes this message, John's conflict with Herod the Tetrarch, and the baptism of Jesus. Parallel accounts are found in Matthew 3, Mark 1:1–11, and John 1:19–34.

The early part of Luke's gospel shifts back and forth between the histories of Jesus and John the Baptist. Chapter 3 starts with historical and prophetic context about John. It then depicts some of John's interactions with local religious leaders. Luke gives only a brief description of Jesus' baptism. He also touches on John's criticism of Herod the Tetrarch, which would eventually result in John's execution (Matthew 14:10–12). The chapter ends with a genealogy of Christ.

Chapters 1 and 2 provided early history for both John the Baptist and Jesus. Chapter 3 establishes John's preaching ministry and its connection to Jesus Christ. The chapter ends with a genealogy which some believe runs through Mary's side of the family. Chapter 4 transitions from Jesus' baptism into His public ministry, by describing His fasting in the wilderness and temptation by Satan.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.