Matthew 3:16

Verse 16. He … went up, and so forth Christ was in the river when he was baptized. As soon as he went out, and was praying, says Saint Luke, (3:21,) the heavens were opened to him, or in favour of him; and he saw the Spirit of God descending: that is Christ himself saw the shape of the dove, which was also seen by the Baptist, as we find, John 1:33. And it was perhaps seen by all that were present.—As a dove, or like a dove in a bodily shape. The dove was an emblem of Christ’s meekness and innocence. Witham.—Calmet supposes that it was Saint John that saw the Spirit of God descend thus upon Jesus Christ. The Greek text is favourable to this interpretation. But the Vulgate supposes it was Jesus Christ himself. Saint John declares that he saw the Spirit; (John 1:32,) but this apparent disagreement is easily cleared, by supposing that both saw the shape of the dove, and also the surrounding crowd, and that they all heard the voice of the Father, as it was heard by the disciples in the transfiguration on Mount Thabor, (chapter 17,) and by the crowd in the temple. John 12 Tirinus.