Answer
All four Gospels describe the Spirit of God descending like a dove upon Jesus after His baptism (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32). Immediately after John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, as Jesus came up out of the water, both John and Jesus (and probably bystanders, too) saw the Holy Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and settle on Jesus: “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’” (Matthew 3:16–17).
In John’s Gospel, the Holy Spirit descending like a dove on Jesus was the clear confirmation for John the Baptist that Jesus was indeed Israel’s promised Messiah. John bore witness: “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God” (John 1:32–34, NLT).
John the Baptist did not recognize Jesus as God’s chosen Messiah until God revealed it to him at the Lord’s baptism (see John 1:31). The descending of the Holy Spirit like a dove was the sign God had promised to give John. Luke recounts, “One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, 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 3:21–22, NLT).
The appearance of the Holy Spirit descending like a dove has other implications besides confirming Jesus as the Messiah. This scene in which heaven opens, the Spirit descends, and the voice of God speaks is reminiscent of Old Testament prophetic commissionings (e.g., Ezekiel 1:1–14, 26–28; Isaiah 6:1–8). The commissioning of a genuine prophet always occurred in God’s presence, underscoring the significance of this baptismal event and connecting it to the narrative of the Old Testament.
Was the Holy Spirit in the actual form of a dove? Usually, the Spirit is not visible to humans, but He was seen by people on this occasion. According to the four accounts (especially Luke 3:22 and John 1:32), the Spirit took on some physical qualities that resembled a dove. In each description, the descent from heaven revealed that the Holy Spirit had come from God’s presence. All three Persons of the Trinity were present. The Son was being baptized, the Spirit descended on Him, and the Father spoke from heaven, pronouncing His blessing, anointing, and empowerment. It was time for the doctrine of the Trinity to be revealed and for Christ’s public ministry to begin.
One commentary likens the scene to a divine family reunion or graduation ceremony with the three Persons of the Trinity cheering Jesus on and “manifesting their presence in such a way that bystanders could see or hear them. This was a testimony to human witnesses about the identity of Jesus, the Messiah. . . . It was also a personal affirmation from the first and third members of the Trinity to the Son. This fact reminds us of the emotional-relational side of the Godhead, a side we often forget. Even God the Son enjoyed personal affirmation from his family” (Weber, S. K., Matthew, Holman New Testament Commentary, vol. 1, Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000, p. 39).
The dove is often a symbol of purity, peace, and gentleness in Scripture (see Genesis 8:11; Matthew 10:16). The dove descending on Jesus at His baptism signified that He was God’s anointed Messiah and holy prophet commissioned to bring peace to humankind through His life, ministry, and sacrifice on the cross (Luke 4:18–19; cf. Isaiah 61:1–11; Isaiah 52:7; Romans 5:1).
