John saw something that looked like a dove. I take it he saw the Spirit in the form of a dove.
The scriptures do not say the Spirit was in the form of a dove.
Like Stove Bolts pointed out, the scriptures say "like a dove".
JLB
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https://christianforums.net/threads/without-the-holy-spirit-we-can-do-nothing.109419/
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John saw something that looked like a dove. I take it he saw the Spirit in the form of a dove.
It's something you can not attain ie. Jesus did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. Phil. 2:5-7 RSV
It means he was in the form of God. Being in the form of God means he had the appearance of the Father.
The scriptures do not say the Spirit was in the form of a dove.
Like Stove Bolts pointed out, the scriptures say "like a dove".
JLB
Why do you think Matthew says descending like a dove which seems to disagree with how you are reading Luke and John's account.There's no getting around it JLB. John saw something, and it looked like a dove. If he didn't see a dove, then what did he see?
Matthew 3:16
And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him;
Luke 3:22
and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.” RSV
John 1:32
And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.
Why do you think Matthew says descending like a dove which seems to disagree with how you are reading Luke and John's account.
It is one thing to be as a dove, and another to descend like a dove dont you think?
here's no getting around it JLB. John saw something, and it looked like a dove. If he didn't see a dove, then what did he see?
Does that mean it WAS a dove? You sound like you're saying all three Gospel writers state that this was, factually, a dove.
Ok, got it!I'm not saying it was a dove. I'm saying it had the appearance of a dove. John saw a dove.
He saw the Holy Spirit, descending like a dove.
JLB
How could he see the descent if he did not see the dove? John saw the dove.
See: Luke 3:22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove ....To be fair, while John does plainly say that what he saw was the Holy Spirit, I don't read it saying so plainly that the descent was likened to a dove, but the appearance was not. Is there something in Greek or Aramaic that clarifies this?
See: Luke 3:22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove ....
OH! OkI'm aware, but I need your exposition in order to understand your point. Hopefully with relation to my post #473?
I'm saying it had the appearance of a dove.
I could also make a statement that in my last airplane flight we landed like a dove. In so saying, my intention would be that the landing was soft.How could he see the descent if he did not see the dove? John saw the dove.