The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 88

he not ho.vo come to the ba.ptism merely (tr,pun,p&); any member of the pigeon tribe; BB o.n individua.l, feeling the deepest interest chosen because a symbol of deliverance in this consecmtion to the co.nee of the (Gen. viii. 8), of purity (Lev. v. 7), of kingdom, notwithsto.nding the nniqne harmlessness (Matt. x. 16), and of en,lear- position in which he knew himself to stand ment (Cant. vi. 9). Thero is no evidence with regard to that kingdom? Bnt his ( cf. Edersheim, 'Life,' i. 287) that the dove volunto.ry consocrution of himself for what- wns at this peTiod interpreted by J ewe as a ever he might be guided to, was the oppor- symbol of the Holy Spirit. The Targurn on tunity taken by the Father for the outpouring Cant. ii. 12 paraphrasing "the voice of of the Holy Ghost, which bad us its imme- the turtle-dove" by "the voice of the Holy diate consequence the retirement into the Spirit," dates in its present form from the wilderness and the decision there come to. eighth to the tenth century. The dove May not, in other words, our Lord's descent mentionecl (though probably by interpola- into Jordan have been, not the first act of his tion) in the account of Polycarp's death, public life, but the last act of his private appears to be a symbol of the son! (cf. Biahop life-the former then being the withdrawal Lightfoot). Wichelhaus (as quoted by into the wilderness, in order there to have Kiibel) says snggestively, "lamb and dove uninterrupted communion with Lis Father, -no kingdom in the world has these a.nd to meet in his official churacter his emblems on its escutcheon." And; omit, with great adversary ( et: especially Edersheim, manuscripts. Lighting j coming (Revised • Life,' i. 279, eto.)? Version), because it is needless to tranij_late Ver.16.-AndJesus, whenhewasbaptized. a common Greek (ipx&µ,vov) by a rare Combining the statements of the synoptists, English word. Observe that it refers to the we may conclude that Jesus went up from the Holy Spirit, not to the dove as snch. Upon water at once, praying as he went, and that, him (so Lnke and John i. 32, 33; Mark while he was going up and praying, the more vaguely, "unto him"). heavens opened. Out of; from (Revised Ver. 17.-Lo; peculiar to St Matthew- Version); a,rJ; for, as it seems, he had not n reminiscence of Aramaic diction. A voice. gone fully out of the water. The heavens Similarly in eh. xvii. 5 (Transfiguration, were opened 11D.to him. So also the Revised cf. 2 Pet. i. 17, 18); John xii. 28 (like Version, but the Revised Version margin, thunder); [possibly Acts ii. 6, Penteccst]; with Westcott and Hort, rightly omits "unto Acts ix. 4 tP,rnl's conversion); x. 13, 15 him." 'fhe words were inserted because (Peter). Talmutlic and rabbinic writings it was thought that Jesus alone saw the often mention tho Bath-Qol a,i speaking manifesto.tion, as indeed we should have from heaven. The chnro.cter of the uccasiona ;iupposed if we had had only the account of on which the voice is heard in the New St. Mark, who reads," he saw" before" the Testament on the one hand, and in the heavens being rent asunder" (but cf. John Jewish writings on the other, shows the com- i. 32-34). 'l'o our Lord o.nd to the Baptist plete difference in the moral aspect of the the appenrance was as though the sky really two voices:. The latter is at best Ii ttle more opened ( cf. Ezek. i. 1 ; Acts vii. 56). The than a pnrodyoftheformer. (Fortho menning Spirit of God; recalling Gen. i. 2. "Messiah of the expression Bntli-Qol 'D'ide especially now enters on his pnblic olfice, and for Weber, p. 188; Edersheim, 'Life,' i. 285.) that receives, as true Man, the appropriute From heaven; out of the heavens (llevised gifts. The Spirit by whom men aro sub- Version), pointing to the phrnse in ver. 16. jectively united to God descends upon the Sc.ying. Wcstcrn authorities ndd, "unto Wlll'd made Fl~sh, by whom objectively God him," mostly reading the following wonls is roveulod to men" (Bishop Westcott, on in the second person (cf. Mark anti Luke). John i. 32). Like j as (Revised Version). This is my beloved Son. Very similnr if not 'l'he comparison is hardly to the gentleness identical worcls were spoken nt the Tran.- of the descent of a dove, but to a visible figuration (eh. xvii. 5), l\lntthew giving appearnnce " in bodily form, 11.8 a dove " precisely the same, Mnrk autl Luke only (see pumllel passage in Luke). Not, of omitting "in whom I om well plcasctl," course, that the Holy Spirit was thus at aud Luke also reading "chosen" instead of all incarnate, but that either the appear- "beloved." It would seem more natural to ance of a dove was seen by John's eyes suppose that the words spoken on tho two only ( cf. especially Theodore of l\Iopsuestia, occasions were really slightly different, uutl in Meyer), or, as is not unlikely ( eveu thnt therefore Matthew is the less accurate. though tho suggestion belongs ultimately My ... Srm (cf. Pa. ii. 7). My beloved to Paulus), a dove really fiew down and Son. The expression is probnbly based on lighted on the Lord (Luko), and that this, Isa. xiii. l (cf. infra, eh. xii. 18, note); but to ontsidors merely n curious incident this does not necessitate the punctnotion of (of. John xii. 29), wns to our Lord and the the Revised Version margin, nnd Westcott Baptist a sign of spiritoal blessing. A dove 11nd Hort mnrgin: "My Son ; my heloved  'i6 THE GOSPEL AOCORDING TO ST. MA.TTHEW. [ea, m.1--U.