In the Holy Ghost thus designating Jesus of Nazareth, we are informed, according to John's testimony, that he "saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him";[A] and to this the other evangelists agree, except that St. Luke emphasizes the account by adding "in bodily form." "The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him."[B] The incident has been the occasion of much and varied comment. Can it be that the Holy Ghost takes on varied and really physical forms? And is that "spiritual personage," such as we have represented the Holy Ghost to be in these Lessons, really a permanent, personal spirit-personage, or is he an evanescent one? Appearing now in this form, now in that? Now, perhaps, as "burning bush"; now as a "dove"; now as "cloven tongues as of fire"; and now "in form of a man?" It is more in keeping with the dignity of this Divine Personage, as I conceive the revelations describing him, to think of him as a spirit-personage, permanent as to his spirit, individual form; which would lead us necessarily to the conclusion that these other forms of "dove" and "cloven tongues as of fire," were but manifestations of his presence only, not really he, himself; these other forms were but insignia of him. [Footnote A: St. John i:32.] [Footnote B: St. Luke iii:22. The International Revision Commentary on the New Testament, says of the passage: "This statement, in which all four evangelists agree, is to be understood literally. A temporary embodiment of the Holy Spirit occurred to inaugurate our Lord as the Messiah." "In bodily shape;" "that is," says the Commentary of Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, on the passage in Matthew iii:16--"that is, the blessed Spirit, assuming the corporeal form of a dove, descended thus upon his sacred head." "And in this form because the emblem of chastity, purity, meekness, gentleness, beauteousness," Dummelow's Commentary says: "As he (the Christ) rises from the baptismal waters, the Holy Ghost, the living bond of love and unity in the Godhead descends. The appearance of the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove was a symbolic vision, and, as spiritual things are spiritually discerned, the vision was probably seen only by our Lord and the Baptist. The dove is the type of the Spirit because of its innocence, gentleness and affection. (Dummelow Commentary, p. 632).]