Ver. 16.-The dove-Spirit on Ohrist. "Descending like a dove, and lighting upon him." Comparing the accounts given by the evangelists, it still remains uncertain whether what was seen by John actually had the form of a dove, or hovered or brooded as a descending bird does. But for our fixed associations, and the familiar comments, we should be more willing to see that the brooding, resting, abiding of the Spirit on Jesus, is the thing intended to be set prominently before us by the figure. It will be safer, perhaps, to fix attention on both the explanations. I. THE SPIRIT ON CHRIST UNDEB THE novE-FIGUBE. "The gift of supernatural power and wisdom brought with it also the perfection of the tenderness, the purity, the gentleness, of which the dove was the acknowledged symbol" (see Matt. x. 16). "Harmless as doves;" and compare the Baptist's figures, "Behold the Lamh of God ! " Seeley says, "There settled on his head a dove, in which the Baptist saw a visible incarnation of that Holy Spirit with which he declared that Christ should baptize." "According to the symbolism of the Bible, certain mental characters appear expressed in several animals, as in the lion, the lamb, the eagle, and the ox. In this system of natural hieroglyphics the dove denotes purity and sincerity, and hence the Spirit of purity may be most fittingly compared with the dove. The coming of the Spirit like a dove denotes, consequently, that the fulness of the Spirit of purity and sincerity was imparted to Jesus, whereby he became the Purifier of mankind." IL THE SPIRIT oN CHRIST UNDEB THE nnooomG FIGURE. The impression to be made both on John and Jesus was of the abiding, permanent endowment of Christ with the precise spiritual power needed for his Messianic mission. We are to distinguish carefully between the Divine nature of Christ, which was unaffected by this brooding Spirit, and the precise gift needed for the Messiahship. The Spirit dwelt in hiru.-R. 'l'.
EXPOSITION. period(cf.John i.19; and BishopWestcott's CHAPTER IV. note). At the very commencement of his Vers.1-11.-TRE TEID'TATION. (Parallel official life the Lord is led consciously to passages: Luke iv. 1-13; a summary in realize that he has entered on 11 path o( Me.rk i. 12, 13.) The Fe.tber's acceptance complete trust (even as his brethren in the of the Lord's consecration of himself for the flesh, Heh. ii. 13) for all personal needs, a. work of the kingdom does not exclude path which required great calmness and temptation, bnt rather necessitates it. common sense, nnd a.long which he must Psyr.hologice.lly, the reaction from the ecstasy take his orders for final victory, not from of joy in heo.ring the announcement of eh. worldly principles, but direct from God. In ili. 17 was certain ; ethically, such testing Luke the order of the second and third D.B would accumpany the reaction we.a desir- temptations is reversed. Against the sup- able. Even the Baptist we.s. e.s it seeIDB, not po2ition of Go<let and Ellicott, tho.t St. Lnko without e. special lemple.tion during this is bistorically correct, tho "Get thee henco en. rv. 1-25.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 103