Monday, July 29 He saw God’s spirit descending like a dove and coming upon him.​—Matt. 3:16.

[Áine]

Monday, July 29

He saw God’s spirit descending like a dove and coming upon him.—Matt. 3:16.

 

Imagine what it was like to listen to Jesus teach. How often he referred to the Holy Scriptures from memory! It was at the time of his baptism and his being anointed with holy spirit that Jesus’ memory of his prehuman existence was evidently restored to him. In his first recorded words after his baptism and in some of his last words before his death, Jesus quoted from the Scriptures. (Deut. 8:3; Ps. 31:5; Luke 4:4; 23:46) And during the three and a half years between those two events, Jesus often publicly read and quoted from the Scriptures and explained them. (Matt. 5:17, 18, 21, 22, 27, 28; Luke 4:16-20) Years before he began his ministry, Jesus read and heard God’s Word repeatedly. At home, he no doubt heard Mary and Joseph quote from the Scriptures. (Deut. 6:6, 7) Also, Jesus attended the synagogue every Sabbath with his family. (Luke 4:16) While there, he must have listened carefully as the Scriptures were read. w23.02 8 ¶1-2