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Have you wondered why the holy spirit is a dove? You must have already heard the story of Jesus’ baptism at the Jordan River that finds mention in the Bible. To refresh our memory, and, to look for hidden clues this time, let us recount the story.

Jesus emerged out of the water after John the Baptist baptized him. The heaven split open, and the almighty spoke claiming Jesus as his dear son. All four gospels, namely, Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32, have included that in the event of the baptism, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus during the baptism “like a dove”. But why dove? Why not anything else? Allow us to explain.

Representation of Dove prior to Jesus’ Baptism

In the book of Genesis, the Dove finds mention towards the end when Noah sends it out to look for any signs of land. On the first occasion, the dove returns without anything. On the second occasion, the dove returns with an olive branch in its beak, thus signifying the presence of land. On the third occasion, the dove does not return thereby indicating the flood has receded.

In a similar event in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the hero Utnapishtim sends out a dove to look for land.

Dove is also mentioned in the Torah, where it received approval as a sacrificial bird. Only turtledoves or pigeons could be used for sacrificial purposes besides lambs and goats. According to Leviticus 5:7, regardless of wealth and status, God ensures everyone brings their best offerings before the Lord. Thus, doves were bought by people who could not afford a spotless lamb. In fact, several dovecotes that were found underneath the City of David and Jerusalem suggest this practice. Archaeologists have speculated that these dovecotes were used to rear doves.

The pagan religious culture used doves as consorts of Gods and Goddesses. Before the emergence of Judaism or Christianity, the Israelites worshipped the goddess Asherah, who was associated with the God Yahweh. Perhaps, there is a connection between the Asherah-worshipping Israelites and their descendants in that they wanted to restore the “feminine” connotations within spirituality. In fact, the word for “Spirit” is feminine in Hebrew. The dove, with its soft, feminine features is an ideal representation. As a matter of fact, the Babylonian Talmud picks up this strain and mentions that God’s spirit “hovers” like a dove watching over her offspring. This imagery finds reiteration in the Genesis too.

Symbolisms

The dove is a graceful white creature and it retains its uniqueness in its curved wings, which add to its charm. There is a serenity in its whiteness and disposition which could only be likened to the Holy Spirit. The law of Moses states that doves could be used for sacrifices. In the Talmud and the Targums, Isaac was likened to a dove as he stretched his neck and laid his life at the feet of God. So, the atoning quality of the Dove was already established even before the Baptism of Christ.

The dove as a symbol manifests itself in Jesus’ kindness toward his people, his purity, and finally his act of atonement for people’s sins. Some scholars suggest that the selection of the dove as a representative of the Holy Spirit is appropriate by virtue of its grace. It completes the trinity of God, the Holy Spirit, and the Son. During Jesus’ baptism, John hears the voice of God. Jesus is upheld as the Son. The Holy Spirit, which was traditionally compared to objects and creatures take the form of a dove.

Jesus here is the gentle Saviour, who brings peace to mankind through his Sacrifice like a dove.

Imagery of Dove used during other Biblical Events

We must consider other biblical references that were made before the Baptism and throughout the course of the Bible. For example, during the Annunciation, Mary received the news that she would bear the Son of God. In the old days many tabernacles containing the Eucharist recreated the image of a dove hovering over the altar.

According to the Protoevangelium of James, when the temple priests were assisting Mary in choosing a husband, a dove alighted on Joseph’s head. So, from the beginning we can see when it comes to divine selections, often a dove is chosen.

If you take into account the greater context of Jesus’ life, the Dove invokes a better understanding of the question, why is the holy spirit a dove. In the New Testament, a dove appears again when Jesus is about to send out his disciples to reveal the gospels. His words were, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matt 10:16).

Let us try to analyse the meaning of this statement. Christ is, of course, comparing the predatory wolves to those who would oppose the gospels. The job of the disciples would be to resist the enemies of the gospels and make sure the benevolent words of Christ, the saviour, are spread. Now, to make it happen the disciples should be shrewd or cunning as snakes in determining the enemies. However, their approach should be as benign as an innocent dove, above reproach and articulating the sensitivity that a dove often represents. Therefore, we can see how Jesus invokes the Holy spirit when the proclamation of the gospels comes to the fore.

Dove Symbolizes Purity

The symbol of the dove has had many poetic representations throughout the Old Testament. For example, in Psalms 68:13, we come across this verse,

“When you lie down among the sheepfolds, You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And its pinions with glistening gold”

Genesis mentions the Holy Spirit as one hovering over the face of the water. Scholars consider this line as an allusion to the Babylonian Talmud where a similar image was drawn in the accompaniment of a dove as the spirit to be hovering. That is why we can easily conclude that the Dove metaphor and its likelihood to the Holy Spirit in Christianity was not an accident.

Why is the holy spirit a dove?

Dove symbolizes peace and kindness and all the qualities due to the Holy Spirit.

Symbolisms

The dove is a graceful white creature and it retains its uniqueness in its curved wings, which add to its charm. There is a serenity in its whiteness and disposition which could only be likened to the Holy Spirit. The law of Moses states that doves could be used for sacrifices. In the Talmud and the Targums, Isaac was likened to a dove as he stretched his neck and laid his life at the feet of God. So, the atoning quality of the Dove was already established even before the Baptism of Christ.

The dove as a symbol manifests itself in Jesus’ kindness toward his people, his purity, and finally his act of atonement for people’s sins. Some scholars suggest that the selection of the dove as a representative of the Holy Spirit is appropriate by virtue of its grace. It completes the trinity of God, the Holy Spirit, and the Son. During Jesus’ baptism, John hears the voice of God. Jesus is upheld as the Son. The Holy Spirit, which was traditionally compared to objects and creatures, take the form of a dove.

Jesus here is the gentle Saviour, who brings peace to mankind through his Sacrifice like a dove.

Imagery of Dove used during other Biblical Events

We must consider other biblical references that were made before the Baptism and throughout the course of the Bible. For example, during the Annunciation, Mary received the news that she would bear the Son of God. In the old days many tabernacles containing the Eucharist recreated the image of a dove hovering over the altar.

According to the Protoevangelium of James, when the temple priests were assisting Mary in choosing a husband, a dove alighted on Joseph’s head. So, from the beginning we can see when it comes to divine selections, often a dove is chosen.

If you take into account the greater context of Jesus’ life, the Dove invokes a better understanding of the question, why is the holy spirit a dove. In the New Testament, a dove appears again when Jesus is about to send out his disciples to reveal the gospels. His words were, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matt 10:16).

Let us try to analyse the meaning of this statement. Christ is, of course, comparing the predatory wolves to those who would oppose the gospels. The job of the disciples would be to resist the enemies of the gospels and make sure the benevolent words of Christ, the saviour, are spread. Now, to make it happen the disciples should be shrewd or cunning as snakes in determining the enemies. However, their approach should be as benign as an innocent dove, above reproach and articulating the sensitivity that a dove often represents. Therefore, we can see how Jesus invokes the Holy spirit when the proclamation of the gospels comes to the fore.