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tween his baptism with that of the coming One who should follow him (v. 33). His own baptism was of an entirely subordinate character—he only baptized in water; the coming One should baptize in the Holy Spirit. V. 32. “And John hare record ^rather, witness), saying, I saw (rather, I have beheld) the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove (rather, descending as a dove out of heaven), and it abode upon Him.” It is better to read “witness” here than “record” because the same Greek word is used here as is trans lated “witness” elsewhere in the chapter, especially in the definition of John’s office in verses 7, 8, in the Introduction. The word translated “saw” in the Authorized Version and “beheld” in the Revised Version is a very strong word for seeing. It means “to view attentively,” “contemplate.” It sets forth the “calm, steady, thoughtful gaze” with which John the Baptist regarded the fulfillment of the sign which had been given to him. John had waited for this sign and now that the sign was given, he was going to be absolutely sure and take in not only its reality, but its full meaning. Having seen the sign and been sure that he saw it, having ob served it accurately, he now bears unhesitating testimony to it. The “as a dove” does not refer merely to the method of the Spirit’s descent, but teaches us that the Spirit Himself took at this time the form of a dove. The expression cannot be taken mere ly metaphorically, for Luke tells us that “The Holy' Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove upon Him.” It was an actual, literal, visible de scent of the Holy Spirit in this form. John says distinctly, “I have beheld the Spirit”— it was the Spirit he be held, Of course, spirit in its essence is invisible, incorporeal reality, but
this Person though essentially invis ible, can take upon Himself a visible form and did so in this instance. The dove, because of its tenderness, inno cence, gentle and tranquil movement, is a mose suggestive symbol of Him Who -is the Holy Spirit, and Whose fruit is “love, joy, peace, long-suffer ing, gentleness, goodness, faith, meek ness, temperance” (Gal. 5:22, 23). The word used of the Spirit moving on the face of the waters in Genesis 1 :2, “describes the action of a bird hovering over its brood and the phrase is explained in the Talmud “The Spirit of God was borne over the water as a dove which broods over her young.’ ” Jesus Christ Him self also saw the Spirit descending in the form of a dove (Matt. 3:16), and probably others did also, but to the rest while they may have regarded it as an interesting incident, it meant nothing, but to John it meant every thing; for he had been told that this sign would be given him. And it means everything to us, too, to whom John the Baptist bears witness that the sign had been given him and he actually saw it. The Spirit not only descended upon the Lord Jesus, but abode upon Him. The Spirit came to the prophets only from time to time (see 2 Kings 3:15), but with Jesus Christ He remained as an abid ing presence. It had been prophesied through Isaiah (Isa. 11:2) that the Spirit of Jehovah should thus rest upon the Messiah. Doubtless John the Baptist was familiar with this prophecy, so he had as the basis of his faith, not merely the directly-giv en sign from God, but the clear ful fillment of Old Testament prophecy. And through John’s testimony we have the same ground for our faith. This story could not have been made up—it would have required an in genuity to make this story up, that so perfectly fits into Old Testament
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