The Spirit And The Dove

Καὶ εἶδε τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ καταβαῖνον ὡσει περιστερὰν... Ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν δὲ, διὰ τὸ ἄκακὸν καὶ πρᾶον· καὶ ὅτι καθαρώτατόν ἐστιν ἡ περιστερά, καὶ ἔνθα δυσωδία ἐστὶν, οὐ παραμένει οὕτω καὶ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Νῶς, περιστερὰ ἤγγειλε τὴν λύσιν τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ, κάρφος ἐλαίας φέρουσα· οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, δηλοῖ λύσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν. Ἐκεῖ κάρφος ἐλαίας, ἐνταῦθα δὲ ἔλεος Θεοῦ. Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς , ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα· τουτέστιν, Ἐν ᾧ ἀναπαύομαι, ἐν ᾧ ἀρέσκομαι. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον, Κεφαλὴ Γ' Source: Migne PG 123.179a

And He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove... 1 As a dove, on account of innocence and meekness, and because a dove is most pure and does not come to rest where there is any uncleanliness, so was the Holy Spirit. And as it is said that it was a dove that announced to Noah that the flood was passing away by the bearing of an olive branch, 1 so even here the Holy Spirit manifests Himself for the passing away of sins. And that olive branch is the mercy of God. 'This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.' That is, in whom I rest, in whom is my joy. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Chapter 3 1 Mt 3.16 2 Genes 8.10-11