Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

In my opinion, Jesus was always indwelt by the Holy Spirit (just as He was also always the Son of the Father). The appearance of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove at the time of His baptism (along with the Father's voice from heaven) merely represented the other Persons of the Trinity testifying to His identity as the Messiah and the Son of God.

If John the Baptist (even though conceived naturally) was indwelt by the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb (as Gabriel informed Zechariah (Luke 1:15), and as also indicated by his reaction in the womb in response to Mary's greeting of Elizabeth (Luke 1:41-44)), then surely the Holy Spirit (who, as the Nicene Creed says, proceeds from the Father and the Son) was also present in God's own incarnate Son from the moment of His miraculous conception.

May 18 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Steve Nearman A sinner saved by grace. Fredericksburg, VA

The scripture clearly teaches that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one. So they are always together with one exception, when Christ was on the cross, taking on all sin and became sin to redeem mankind. Psa. 22:1; Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34

One of the purposes of John's water baptism was to reveal Christ, the lamb of God, to the nation Israel. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit and God saying Jesus is His Son achieved that goal.

Matt. 17:5
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

May 22 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Kenneth Heck

My opinion is that the Holy Spirit was with Jesus continually from the moment of his conception. However, the fullness of the Holy Spirit came to him at his baptism, when it was poured out without measure (John 3:34). This is why no one withstood Jesus during his ministry. 

The dove residing on Christ as a symbol of the Holy Spirit goes all the way back to the time Noah released the dove to see if the land was dry. The dove didn't come back after the third release, but ultimately did discover Christ in its search for what is truly good on the earth. The raven released first represents only the spirit of the world and of satan.

December 28 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Myron Robertson Seeking God's heart

The Bible gives us enough information in various prophecies to answer this question definitively, and very clearly he was overshadowed or indwelt by the Holy Spirit on some level from the moment of his conception. 

The primary prophecy of how this works is the three major feast days of Israel, yet the matter is illustrated by a very large number of other stories and laws if the prophetic symbolism is followed throughout scripture.

These feasts are Passover (and the associated feasts of Unleavened Bread and Barley Harvest) The Feast of Weeks-Wheat Harvest (Pentecost), and Tabernacles-Ingathering-Grape Harvest.

Passover represents justification by faith. From the NT we know that this means being born again. At this point we receive the first level of the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us this receiving actually happened when they were baptized by passing through the red sea. Pentecost was first performed by Israel at Sinai. Here the main issue was hearing God's voice (not speaking in tongues as most will tell you; you cannot speak if you have not first heard.) As we see 1480 years later when this was fulfilled it is another outpouring of the spirit, which Paul calls the earnest (down payment). Because Israel refused to hear they were not able to fulfill the last two feasts as they had done the first. The third feast was to be fulfilled by entering into the land; it failed because you cannot receive the fullness of the spirit without first receiving the down payment.

When scripture is properly translated we see that Jesus called this initial level of receiving the spirit being begotten from above. Begat means either birth or conception depending on whether it is what the mother or the father does. Being begotten from above is something God does as our father, therefore this is speaking of conception. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, not by Joseph. Therefore, he had the Holy Spirit at some level from the moment of his physical conception. If the ritual representing this is done lawfully everyone else goes through the conception by the Holy Spirit on the 8th day after their birth or conversion, depending on whether they were born into a believing family or not. 

Many denominations will tell you there is no biblical basis for infant baptism, but this is the basis for that rite. The misunderstanding is that there is only one baptism. In fact there are three. John's baptism is described as a baptism of justification and repentance. It is therefore the fulfillment of Passover, and the 8th day christening ceremony which included circumcision of the male child. This is the first step in becoming a son of God. 

The next baptism was the baptism of spirit and fire. This is the baptism of Jesus given at Pentecost; it is also related to the Bar Mitzvah, a ceremony not actually described in the bible. At this time the youth (not man) enters his fathers service and begins learning his father's business (Lk 4:49). This is also represented by the dedication of the average priest, another ceremony not fully described in scripture.

The final baptism is the receiving of the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Of people born on earth only Jesus has received this baptism. It is also referred to in scripture as adoption of the fully mature son. In this ceremony the father stated that his son had full authority to conduct the father's business in his name and was given the father's signet. We see this ceremony twice in Jesus ministry, at his baptism and in the transfiguration a few weeks before his crucifixion. On both occasions the voice from heaven said, This is my son in whom I am well pleased." This baptism is also illustrated in the dedication of the high priest when approximately a gallon of anointing oil is poured over his head.

So on some level Jesus had the Holy Spirit from conception where the rest of us can only receive this "new conception" after we are born.

December 29 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report