The Dove in the Story of Jesus’ Baptism: Early Christian Interpretation of a Jewish Image

Abstract

The expression “like a dove” in Mark 1.10 is syntactically related either to “Spirit” or “descending.” Although a dove was often interpreted as the symbol of the Spirit in later Christian tradition, such imagery is not found in Jewish and early Christian texts of the first century. In my paper I demonstrate that this expression resonates with Gen 1.2; 4Q521; Odes of Solomon 28:1; the Babylonian Talmud tractate Ḥagigah 15a; and Genesis Rabbah 2.4 as connected with the description of how the Spirit hovers (like a bird) over the righteous. This symbolism was adopted by the pre-Gospel tradition about Jesus’ baptism to specify the manner in which the Spirit descended upon Jesus.