heaven

In the Gospel According to John 1:32 (RSVCE), the evangelist John reports of Jesus that “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him.” In this context, the word heaven has multiple meanings, and based on common English usage in a religious context, it’s easy to miss the primary one.

The Greek word used here for heaven is οὐρανός (ouranos), and it literally means “the sky.” That’s how the word οὐρανός is translated in the Gospel According to John 1:32 (NABRE). In this passage, we see a dove coming from the sky, which has happened previously in the Bible in the eighth chapter of the book of Genesis. Consider whether this association might change the way that you think and pray about this passage.

related topic: kingdom of heaven

you also may like our two-part study of the psalms
Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church provides an in-depth look at all 150 psalms based on The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, a translation prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and endorsed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). This translation is being included in new Liturgy of the Hours books. Volume I currently is available only in a digital format. Click on these links to view a sample first lesson from Volume I and another from Volume II.

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