Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 1:10
And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
10. straightway ] This is St Mark’s favourite connecting word, and constantly recurs; comp. Mar 1:12; Mar 1:28, Mar 4:5; Mar 4:15, Mar 8:10. Mar 9:15, Mar 11:3, and other places.
he saw ] i. e. Jesus, while engaged, as we learn from St Luk 3:21, in solemn, prayer. We find solemn prayer preceding (i) our Lord’s Baptism, (ii) His choice of the Twelve (Luk 6:12), (iii) His Transfiguration (Luk 9:29), (iv) His Agony in the Garden (Mat 26:39).
opened ] Lit rent, or rending asunder, one of St Mark’s graphic touches: see the Introduction. The same word in the original Greek is applied to “the old garment rending the new piece” (Luk 5:36); to the veil of the Temple rent in twain at the Crucifixion (Luk 23:45); to the rending of the rocks at the same time (Mat 27:51); and of the net in the Lake after the Resurrection (Joh 21:11).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mar 1:10
The heavens opened.
The Divine Trinity
This was the inauguration and proclamation of the Messiahs, when He began to be the great Prophet of the New Covenant. And this was the greatest meeting that ever was upon the earth, where the whole cabinet of the mysterious Trinity was opened and shown, as much as the capacities of our present imperfections will permit; the Second Person in the veil of humanity; the Third in the shape, or with the motion, of a dove: but the First kept His primitive state; and as to the Israelites He gave notice by way of caution, Ye saw no shape, but ye heard a voice, so now also God the Father gave testimony to His Holy Son, and appeared only in a voice, without any visible representment. (Bishop Jeremy Taylor.)
The Spirit like a dove.
Like a dove
A most captivating symbol. The eagle, too, was in our Lord; everything about Him was mingled with the sublime; but the dove was predominant. Not only while on earth, but all along the ages, it is the power of His gentleness and tenderness and meekness-His love, in short, that has been victorious. He has wooed and won. (J. Morison, D. D.)
Dovelike properties in Christ
I. Innocent and harmless (Heb 7:26).
II. Loving and tender hearted (Eph 3:19).
III. Meek and gentle (Mat 11:29). This is matter of singular comfort to the faithful members of Christ: for Christ being innocent and harmless like the dove, yea, pure from all spot of sin, this His purity and holiness is imputed to so many as truly believe in Him; and by it they are accepted, as holy and pure through Christ, though in themselves they are polluted and sinful. Again, Christ being also a loving, gentle, and meek Saviour, He will not deal with us in rigour or wrath; but in compassion, love, and gentleness, accepting our weak endeavours in His service, pardoning our wants and infirmities, and cherishing in us the smallest beginnings of grace (Isa 42:2-3). Strive we to imitate our Saviour Christ in these properties of the dove. (G. Petter.)
The dove temper in the Church
The Holy Spirit came as a dove, a gentle, joyous creature, with no bitterness of gall, no fierceness of bite, no violence of rending claws, loving human houses, associating within one home; nurturing their young together; when they fly abroad, hanging in their flight side by side; leading their life in mutual intercourse; giving in concord the kiss of peace with the bill; in every way fulfilling the law of unanimity. This is the singleness of heart that ought to be in the Church; this is the habit of love that must be obtained. (Cyprian.)
How to improve our baptism
To quicken you to improve your baptism consider-
I. Baptism is a perpetual bond obliging us to repentance and a holy life (Rom 6:2-4; Col 3:8-9).
II. The improvement of baptism is the best preparation of the Lords Supper (Joh 13:8). Before the Church, none but baptized persons have a right to the Lords Table; before God, none but those who have the fruit of baptism have a right to the benefit thereof.
III. If we improve it not, baptism will be a witness against us. One Elpidophorus relapsed into Arianism, and the deacon who baptized him showed him the garments in which he had been baptized, and said, These shall be a witness against thee to all eternity. But how shall we improve it?
1. We must personally and solemnly own the covenant made with God in infancy. What was then done for us must now be done by us.
2. Renew often the sense of obligation to God, and keep a constant reckoning of obedience (2Pe 1:9).
3. Use frequent self-reflection to know whether you are indeed washed from the guilt and filth of sin (1Co 6:11).
4. Use it as a great help in all temptations (1Co 6:15). Dionysia comforted her son Majoricus, an African martyr, with this speech, Remember, my son, that thou art baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and be constant. Luther, when tempted to despair, used to say, I am baptized, and believe in Christ crucified. (T. Manton.)
After baptism
I. New revelations gained-The heavens were opened.
II. New gifts imparted-The Spirit.
III. New witness enjoyed-Thou art My beloved Son.
IV. New trial imposed-Tempted of Satan.
V. New triumphs secured.
VI. New privileges conferred-And angels ministered unto Him.
VII. New work assigned-Preaching the gospel.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 10. See Clarke on Mr 1:9.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And straightway coming up out of the water,…. Not John, as many think; though it was true of him, that he came up out of the water, as the administrator of the ordinance of baptism to Christ, but Christ himself; who having descended into the water, the river of Jordan, and being baptized by immersion in it by John, came up out of it; not from the river side, and up the declivity to it, but out of the river itself: when
he saw the heavens opened; or “cloven”, or “rent”; this may be understood, either of John, who was the spectator of all this, which was done for the manifestation of the Messiah to him, and the confirmation of his faith in him, and that he might bear record of him; and so the Persic version reads, “John saw”, c. see Joh 1:30, or of Jesus Christ himself, who came up out of the water and when he did, saw the heavens part,
and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him. The position of these words here, is a little different from that in Mt 3:16, there it is, “the Spirit of God descending like a dove”; which seems rather to point out the manner of his descent, than the form in which he descended: here it is put, “the Spirit like a dove descending on him”; which seems rather to incline to such a sense, that the Spirit appeared in the form of a dove, as well as descended like one; and both may be designed, and indeed the latter follows upon the former: if it was the form of a dove the Spirit of God descended in, it was a very suitable one: the dove is a very proper emblem of the Spirit of God: “the voice of the turtle”, in So 2:12, is by the Targum interpreted, the voice of the holy Spirit: he may be likened to a dove, for its simplicity and sincerity; he guides into all truth as it is in Jesus, and teaches to speak the word in all plainness, openness, and sincerity, and preserves the saints in the simplicity of the Gospel; and for its mildness and meekness; one of the fruits of the Spirit of God is meekness, Gal 5:23. And this it produces in converted persons, making them meek; humble, and gentle: and also for its harmlessness and innocence; and which appears, or at least should, in those who mind the things of the Spirit: hence that advice of Christ, “be harmless as doves”,
Mt 10:16. Likewise for its purity and cleanness; the Spirit of God is a Spirit of holiness, he is the author of sanctification; such as are washed, sanctified, and justified, are so in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, 1Co 6:11. The dove is a mournful and bemoaning creature; and the Spirit of God makes intercession for the saints, with groanings which cannot be uttered, Ro 8:26. To which may be added, that Noah’s dove bringing the olive leaf in its mouth, as a sign, of peace and reconciliation, fitly resembled the holy Spirit, one of whose fruits is peace, Ga 5:22, and which he produces, by leading to the blood, righteousness, and sacrifice of Christ, whereby peace is made, and reconciliation obtained: and his descending upon Christ here, points him out as the peacemaker, through whom was come peace on earth, good will towards men, and glory to God. Christ, on whom he lighted, is comparable to a dove; he is said to have doves’ eyes, So 5:12, and he has all the fruits and graces of the dove like Spirit of God, which rested on him; like the dove, he is humble, meek, and lowly; in which characters, he is to be followed and imitated by his people: and as that creature is a very loving one to its mate, so is Christ to his church; whom he has so loved, as to give himself for her: and as that is a lovely beautiful creature, so is Christ; he is altogether lovely; and especially his eyes of love, as they are set and fixed upon his church and people. With this descent of the Spirit as a dove on Christ, compare Isa 11:2;
[See comments on Mt 3:16].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Straightway
A favorite word with Mark. See Introduction.
Opened ()
Lit., as Rev., rent asunder: much stronger than Matthew’s and Luke’s, were opened.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And straightway coming up out of the water,” (kai euthus anabainon ek tou hudatos) “And immediately while going or coming up out of the water,” out of and away from the water where John had baptized (immersed or buried) Him. The term “straightway” or “immediately” means “as soon as,” without delay.
2) “He saw the heavens opened,”(eiden schizomenous tous ouranous) “He perceived the heavens being rent asunder, or having been opened,” the shutters of heaven were pulled back at once. The “He” who saw this was John the Baptist, as he lifted Jesus up from immersion, in the waters of baptism, Luk 3:21-22.
3) “And the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him:(kai to pneuma hos peristerarn katabainon eis auton) “And the Spirit as or like a dove coming down gently upon Him,” upon Jesus. This, John saw, and later related, as affirmed by both Matthew and John the Evangelist, Mat 3:15-17; Joh 1:28-34; Luk 3:21-22.
Our Lord prepared for Special events in His ministry preceded by solemn prayer at:
1) His baptism, Luk 3:21-22.
2) His ordination and call of the twelve, Luk 6:12.
3) His transfiguration, Luk 9:29.
4) His agony in the Garden, Mat 26:39.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(10) He saw the heavens opened.Better, as in the margin, rent open, St. Marks language here, as elsewhere, being more boldly vivid than that of the other Gospels. (See Notes on Mat. 3:16-17.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Like a dove At the creation the Spirit of God moved (in the Hebrew brooded) on the face of the waters. Gen 1:2. On which passage of Genesis Rabbi Ephraim (as quoted by Townsend) says the “Spirit brooded like a dove, which flies over its nest.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And coming up out of the water straight away he saw the heavens cleaving in half and the Spirit as a dove descending on him, and a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”.’
Here we have brought home to us Jesus’ self-awareness at His baptism. As He ‘comes up out of the water’, (either by rising from its depths or by walking towards the bank, depending on how John baptised), He is aware of activity in heaven. The idea of the heavens being opened (anoigo) as indicating heavenly activity was a regular one, but not in the vivid way in which Mark renders it (skizo). Perhaps he intends us to link it with the rending of the curtain in the Temple in Mar 15:38, another dramatic moment of divine revelation. Or it may be that Mark has in mind Isa 64:1 (in the Hebrew), ‘O that You would rend the heavens and come down’. For Isaiah 63-64 has a number of connections with the passage here. In Isa 63:11 the leaders of Israel came up out of the water (the sea) when God put in the midst of them His holy Spirit, and Israel were then led through the wilderness (Isa 63:13-14), only to fail in the end in their response to God’s Kingly Rule (Isa 63:19). So Mark may well have intended us to see that God was now rending the heavens as Isaiah had pleaded in expectation of a better result.
‘The heavens cleaving in half.’ This does not refer to a physical gap appearing but simply indicates that there was some unusual and dramatic activity in the heavens, resulting in this case in the fact that something other worldly was seen there.
‘And the Spirit as a dove descending on him.’ He was conscious of what seemed like some kind of physical presence (Luke specifically confirms this when he speaks of ‘a bodily form like a dove’ – Mar 3:22), which reminded Him of a dove and descended on Him, in the same way as the Spirit would descend on the coming King (Isa 11:1-4), the coming Servant (Isa 42:1-4, compare Mat 12:17-21) and the coming anointed Prophet (Isa 61:1-3). In John’s Gospel we learn that John the Baptiser was also aware of these things (Joh 1:32). What the crowds were aware of we are not told. The words, ‘ This is my beloved Son’ in Matthew might suggest that the crowds also heard the voice, but again it may have been seen as spoken only to John the Baptiser. All would have taken place in Aramaic so that both representations are reasonable translations into Greek. To Jesus, ‘You are My beloved son’, to John ‘this is My beloved son’. (The Aramaic may well have been simply ‘My Beloved Son’. The pronoun, as it so often was, would have to be understood).
So in His baptism Jesus identified Himself with the repentant people and received God’s mighty empowering (compare Luke’s ‘full of the Holy Spirit’ – Mar 4:1) and seal of approval, while John received confirmation that this was indeed the One Who had a unique relationship with God and will drench men in Holy Spirit (Joh 1:33) like refreshing rain (Isa 32:15; Isa 55:10).
‘As a dove.’ Not literally but in impression. It reminded those who saw it of a dove. It is possible that the picture was intended to connect with the Holy Spirit hovering like a bird over the coming creation (Gen 1:2), the symbol of a coming creative work of God, this being linked in Mark’s mind with the dove who brought back the symbol of the olive leaf to the ark in the time of Noah, which demonstrated that God was in mercy allowing man to begin anew in a new creation (Gen 8:11-12). It was a symbol of mercy and hope and new life. It may even connect with the fact that in the Song of Solomon the dove is a description of ‘the beloved’ (Mar 2:14; Mar 5:2; Mar 6:9). And we may well connect it with Jesus words about the ‘harmlessness of doves’ (Mat 10:16), the point being that He had not come as a warrior Messiah (see also Mat 21:5). But it is a mistake in saying this to suggest that it differentiated Him and His preaching from that of John in that John was somehow more judgmental and fierce. Jesus’ words could be even more fierce than John’s and John’s fierceness is often overemphasised. As with Jesus he was ‘fierce’ with those who deserved it, while his heart was compassionate towards the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
‘And a voice came from the heavens.’ The Rabbis spoke of a ‘bath kol’, (daughter of a voice), a distant voice that filtered through from God as He spoke in the heaven of heavens, but was inferior to the direct word of God to the prophets, but this was no bath kol, this was God speaking directly and firmly, authenticating Jesus’ mission. The heavens had been opened. He was fully involved in what was happening.
‘You are my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased.’ This echoes Psa 2:7, a Psalm originally reflecting the adoption of the Davidic king by God, and Isa 42:1, words spoken to God’s coming Servant to the nations. By it God confirms that Jesus is the true Son of David, the expected Messiah, and God’s faithful Servant. Note that the empowering of the Spirit was promised both to the coming king (Isa 11:2) and on the coming Servant (Isa 42:1) and anointed Prophet (Isa 61:1), and it was part of the Messianic expectation among the Jews. But the words go deeper than that for they reveal Jesus as God’s own beloved Son in a way never suggested of the Davidic kings.
In Psalms 2 the original reference was to the king of Judah as adopted by God, probably at his coronation and possibly in a yearly renewal ceremony. It expressed the confidence that the Davidic kingship, chosen and adopted by God, would one day rule the world as His chosen king. Psa 2:7 is literally, ‘you are my son, today have I begotten (i.e. adopted, made my son) you’. However the change to ‘beloved’ reflects the fact that Jesus was not adopted like the others but was unique. It practically reflects the same idea as the ‘only begotten’ – it is used in LXX to indicate Abraham’s ‘only son’ and Jephthah’s ‘only daughter’ – but was especially suitable as distinguishing Jesus from the earlier Davidic kings, as the One Whom God essentially and uniquely loved, His only beloved Son (compare Mar 9:7; Mar 12:6).
The quotation from Isa 42:1 links Jesus with the Servant of Isaiah. We should especially consider here Matthew’s quotation from Isa 42:1 which also contains reference to him as ‘beloved’. Initially referring to Israel, and then to the faithful in Israel (Isa 49:3) who would restore ‘Jacob’ and ‘Israel’ (the peoples of Judah and Israel), and bring the nations to God, the Servant narrowed down to a unique prophetic figure who would suffer at the hands of His enemies who refused to hear him (chapter Isa 50:3-8), and who would be offered up for the sins of God’s people (chapter Isa 52:13 to Isa 53:12). While not directly linked with the Davidic kings he had royal qualities (Isa 52:13), and Jesus later linked Himself with this suffering Servant (Luk 22:37) as well as claiming to be the Messiah (explicitly in Joh 4:25-26 in a place where the title was not misleading to the hearers), the Son of David, and the suffering Son of Man.
So Jesus became aware that the moment when He must reveal Himself as Son and Messiah and Servant of God had arrived. His mission of service, and suffering, and royal authority must now begin. And this inevitably resulted in His going apart into a quiet place to consider all the implications involved. How human this revealed Him to be, yet how divine.
‘And straightway.’ This is the first occurrence in Mark of a constantly repeated word, ’euthus. It means ‘immediately, straight away’, but it is at this stage more a literary device to move the action on quickly and to connect different passages than an indication of time specifically. It is especially prevalent in Mar 1:9 to Mar 2:12 where it rapidly takes us through, and connects together, Jesus’ initial activity, doing it in one smooth forward movement.
Excursus: Was John’s Baptism A Ritual Washing?
It is suggested by many that John’s baptism was intended to be seen as a ritual washing. But while the faith of Israel encouraged ritual washing, such washing was only ever preliminary. It was never seen as directly cleansing, for it is regularly followed by the statement ‘and shall not be clean until the evening’. Thus it was not seen as being itself the ‘cleansing’ agent. It merely washed away the earthiness of man preparatory to his approach to, and waiting on, God for cleansing. What cleansed was the waiting on God in obedience, and in the end the shedding of blood. For in Old Testament times water was not so much looked on as being for washing. It was rather what fed the ground and was life-giving, and was what satisfied the thirst of men.
Seeming exceptions to this suggestion that water does not indicate ‘cleansing’ found in Psa 51:2; Psa 51:7 probably refer to washing in ‘blood sprinkled water’, for it is paralleled by ‘purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean’ which is a sacrificial reference. He is there speaking of being ‘washed’ in blood sprinkled water. Hyssop was used to sprinkle water purified with the ashes of a sacrifice, which was ‘a sin offering’ (Num 19:9; Numbers 17-19). So David probably has in mind being ‘washed’ in the ‘water for impurity for the removal of sin’, which was water containing the ashes of sacrifice, and was sprinkled to remove uncleanness. Notice in Num 19:19 how the careful distinction is made. First the person is cleansed with the sprinkling of the ash-connected water, for the removal of ceremonial defilement, then they wash their clothes and bathe themselves in ordinary water, then they wait for the evening when they become clean. Water is not itself seen as directly ‘cleansing’, it follows atonement and, removing earthly taintedness, prepares for cleansing.
So in the Old Testament the washing and bathing simply with water is carefully separated from the idea of cleansing, and seems to have more to do with becoming physically made ready to meet God, as a result of the removing of their earthiness and earthly odours. It is preparatory to cleansing. It is rather the water sprinkled with the ashes of the heifer which removes the ceremonial defilement and this is connected with the sin offering. Ezekiel also connects the sprinkled ‘purified’ water (seen as purified with the ashes of the heifer) with the purifying of Israel in a passage connected with the coming of the Spirit (Eze 36:25-27). Notice there that God will use ‘clean water’, i.e. water that has, as it were, been cleansed.
Josephus sees this distinction between physical washing and spiritual cleansing clearly. He too misunderstood John’s baptism (as possibly did some Pharisees, the extreme ritual cleansers, but see comment below) and said of John that he was ‘a good man who bade the Jews to cultivate virtue by justice towards one another and piety towards God and come together for baptism; for immersion, he said, would be acceptable to God only if practised, not as an expiation for specific offences, but for the purification of the body, when the soul had been thoroughly cleansed by righteousness’. By this the baptism is degraded into an outward ceremony which washes the body after it has been truly cleansed rather than as being an essential element in the cleansing by righteousness. Josephus rightly recognises the secondary nature of ritual washing, and wrongly associates it with John’s baptism. (We must always remember that Josephus has a propaganda aim. He writes so as to ingratiate the Jews with their Roman masters).
But the baptism of John was central, not secondary. Attention was centred on it. It was the focal point of his ministry. And it was closely connected with repentance and admission of sin and its consequent forgiveness. It was hardly likely then that it indicated a mere ritual activity after the main event. It rather represented the very source of the life that produced righteousness.
Because of these difficulties reference is often made to proselyte washing, the initial washing which a proselyte to Judaism underwent on entering Judaism. But while that was sometimes, in passing, given a more significant meaning by one or two later Rabbis, that too was from all points of view a ritual washing, a leaving behind of the ritual defilement of the Gentile world. And there the proselyte washed himself, whereas it appears that here John administered the baptism (‘baptised by John’). Indeed to wash Jews in this way would have raised an outcry of which there is no evidence in the account. While the Pharisees questioned his right to perform a significant ceremony, they did not cavil at it by saying that such a baptism was intended only for Gentiles. Rather did they see it as an ‘end of the age’ event connected with the Messiah, Elijah or the Prophet, all expected figures of the end times (Joh 1:25). This fits well with their seeing it as signifying the idea of the pouring out of the Spirit at the end of the age.
Indeed the difference is significant. All Jewish washings were carried out by the person themselves. It was they who prepared themselves. All concentration was on their efforts. But John’s baptism was not self-administered. It was done by another in God’s name. It looked away from men’s own actions to God.
A better comparison might be Isa 1:16. ‘wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do well.’ But this does not refer to ritual washing. Isaiah had for the time being ‘done away’ with ritual (Mar 1:11-15). It is a command to become clean in life, and ‘washing’ is there a picture of the activity involved in a practical getting rid of sin. This would certainly partly fit John’s position, but it will be noted that it was still to be self-applied and such an idea is not taken up by John. Indeed, unless we do connect it with the fruitfulness he describes, then he seemingly gives no indication of the significance of his baptism, something which would surely be quite remarkable. But if his baptism is a picture of the outpouring of Holy Spirit, of the pouring out of spiritual rain which produces fruitfulness, he explains it quite clearly. ‘I drenched you with water, He will drench you with Holy Spirit’, the first the symbol the second the reality.
This is further confirmed by the fact that later on baptism will be seen as a dying/rising again event, dying in Christ and rising with new life in the Spirit, a concept regularly connected in the Old Testament with the rain pouring from the heavens (e.g. Isa 44:1-5). And Peter specifically excludes the idea of removal of the defilement of the flesh from the significance of baptism (1Pe 3:21). It is even questionable whether the words of Ananias to Paul, ‘arise, and be baptised, and wash away your sins calling on the name of the Lord’ (Act 22:16) directly connects the washing with the baptism. The construction of the sentence separates the two, making them two distinct actions, and rather connects the ‘washing’ with the following phrase, the ‘calling on the name of the Lord’ (see Jer 4:14), although he would no doubt make a connection between the two. It is also significant that he uses ’apolouo, which signifies washing by natural means (Job 9:30 LXX), not the louo which means ritual washing. He has in mind verses such as Isa 1:16 not ritual washing.
Had Ananias meant that the baptism directly symbolised the washing he would surely have said, ‘Arise and be baptised, washing away your sins (rather than ‘and wash away your sins’), and call on the name of the Lord’. But as mentioned Ananias in fact may well have had Isa 1:16-18 in mind where ‘washing’ means turning away from sin. However, whatever the case there, there is no other place where washing and baptism are closely connected. In Tit 3:5 it is ‘regeneration’ that is seen as ‘washing’ while in Eph 5:26 the washing of water is with the word. Thus in Acts Ananias may have had primarily in mind response to the word and the regenerating activity of God.
So the emphasis of the New Testament, when thinking of baptism, was not that it washed men, removing ‘dirt’ (even spiritual dirt), but that it fed their souls giving refreshment and life. It represented a pouring out on them of spiritual rain, so that out of their innermost beings might flow rivers of living water (Joh 7:38). It gave them life and made them life-giving in the same way as rain does the earth and drinking water does to men.
End of Excursus.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
v. 10. And straightway coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him;
v. 11. and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. “In those days,” while John was having such marvelous success with his message and with his baptizing, in the days when the crowds that resorted to him were largest. Note. Jesus does not expect John to look for Him, though He might have expected that of one who, by his own confession, was lower than Himself. The King goes forth to seek the herald. From Nazareth Jesus came: there He had lived with His parents during all those years of preparation, concerning which we have only the most meager accounts, Luk 2:51-52. His fellow-citizens in that little mountain town had no idea of the greatness of Him whom they were harboring in their midst, whom they knew only as the carpenter, the son of Joseph. The evangelist adds the geographical note “of Galilee” on account of his Roman readers, who might be unfamiliar with the location of towns in Palestine. The various incidents of the story are omitted by Mark; for his purpose the statement as to the fact of Christ’s baptism is sufficient. But the miracle which followed the baptism is important. For when Jesus ascended the bank of the river, as He was leaving the water, there was a manifestation of the Trinity, of which the Christians of all times should know. Jesus had just set foot upon dry ground, when the heavens were cleft open above Him, as though cut apart by a knife. This Jesus saw distinctly; it was a revelation for His benefit. He, who had just received baptism unto the remission of sins, not for His own, but for those of the world that were resting upon Him, was shown the open heaven. It was a manifestation to strengthen Him at the beginning of His ministry, in which He must work out the redemption of mankind. This was further emphasized by the fact that the Holy Spirit, coming down out of the open heavens, descended not merely upon Him, but literally into Him. He was here, in the truest sense of the term, baptized with the Holy Ghost and with power. God, His God, here anointed Him with the oil of gladness, above His fellows, Psa 45:7; Heb 1:9. Therefore the Spirit abode in Jesus, filled His heart and mind, made Him ready, according to His human nature, to perform the work for which He had been born into the world. Here Christ really began to be Christ, as Luther remarks. And His weak human nature needed the assistance of the Spirit. The works peculiar to the redemption of the world were of a nature which no mere man could hope to perform. In the same way there was also a definite reason for the assuring words from heaven when the Father called down: Thou art My beloved Son. The prophet like unto Moses, out of the people of Israel, was about to take up His life-work. But this prophet was, at the same time, the Son of the Most High, beloved of His heavenly Father, who took pleasure in Him, who here publicly declared His complete approval of the work undertaken by Jesus. It was an assurance which stood the Savior in good stead more than once in the course of His ministry and His Passion. Note also: John the Baptist saw and heard all these occurrences as well as Jesus Himself, Joh 1:32-34. He was a witness for the sake of himself and for the sake of his further message to the people. It is a matter of great consolation to us to know that the Triune God, and all the persons of the Godhead, has a definite share in our salvation, that Jesus entered upon His ministry with the approval and cooperation of the Spirit and the Father.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
Ver. 10. He saw the heavens opened ] The visible heavens, so that the Baptist saw something above the stars: so did Stephen; so could Christ when he was upon the earth. It is a just wonder that we can look up to so admirable a height of the starry sky, and that the eye is not tired in the way; some say it is 500 years’ journey to it. a Other mathematicians tell us, that if a stone should fall from the eighth sphere, and should pass every day 100 miles, it would be 65 years or more before it would come to the ground.
a Burton on Melancholy.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
10. ] , or – , is a favourite connecting word with Mark. St. Mark has here taken the oral account verbatim, and applied it to Jesus, ‘ He saw ,’ &c. and must mean Himself : otherwise we must understand . before , and take . as pendent , which is very improbable.
The construction of the sentence is a remarkable testimony of the independence of Mark and Matt. even when parts of the narrative agree verbatim. See note on Mat 3:16 .
., peculiar to Mark; and more descriptive than , Matt. Luke.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 1:10 . , straightway, a favourite word of Mk.’s, to be taken with = as soon as He had ascended, etc., He saw . For similar usage in reference to vide Hermann, Viger , p. 772. , being rent asunder, a sudden event; a stronger word than that used in Mt. and Lk. ( ). The subject of is Jesus. : this reading suggests the idea of a descent not merely upon ( ) but into Him, as if to take up its abode; henceforth the immanent spirit of Jesus.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
straightway = immediately. See note on Mar 1:12.
out of = away from. Greek. apo, App-104. But all the texts read ek = out of (App-104.)
heavens. Plural. See note on Mat 6:9, Mat 6:10
opened = parting or rending asunder.
the Spirit. Greek pneuma. With Art. See App-101.
like = as.
upon. Greek. epi, App-104.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
10.] , or -, is a favourite connecting word with Mark. St. Mark has here taken the oral account verbatim, and applied it to Jesus, He saw, &c.-and must mean Himself: otherwise we must understand . before , and take . as pendent, which is very improbable.
The construction of the sentence is a remarkable testimony of the independence of Mark and Matt. even when parts of the narrative agree verbatim. See note on Mat 3:16.
., peculiar to Mark; and more descriptive than , Matt. Luke.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 1:10. , He saw) i.e. Jesus saw: although John also saw it, Joh 1:32.-, rent open) , is rent open, is said of that, which had not previously been open. Christ was the first who opened heaven.-, to open, Mat 3:16, is used in the general sense; whereas in the special sense it is used in antithesis to [as distinguished from] to rend, Act 7:56. See on the difference of these words, Mat 27:51-52.[7]- , the Spirit) with which Jesus was about to baptize.
[7] is said of the rending in two of the veil: whereas is said of the opening of the tombs.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
coming: Mat 3:16, Joh 1:31-34
opened: or, cloven, or rent, Isa 64:1
the Spirit: Isa 42:1, Luk 3:22, Joh 1:32
Reciprocal: Luk 3:21 – the heaven Joh 1:51 – Hereafter Act 7:56 – I see Act 8:39 – were Rev 4:1 – a door
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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If Jesus came up out of the water, then he had gone down into it. That was made necessary for the body to be baptized which was done by immersion. He (John) saw the Spirit descending upon him (Jesus). John had been previously told that he would see such a thing take place (Joh 1:33).
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 1:10. Straightway. A favorite expression in this Gospel.
He saw, i.e., Jesus Himself, though John also saw it (Joh 1:32).
Rending. A stronger expression than that used by Matthew and Luke.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
Uhhh, LOGIC BREAK. If Christ came “up out of the water,” he must have been down in it – IMMERSION seems the LOGICAL conclusion.
Mat 3:16 “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him”
Luk 3:21 “Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.”
One is hard pressed to understand the pictures that have been produced, and the teaching that have been taught that all around Christ saw this event. They may have, but the text does not tell us that. The text could well read that Christ only saw the events contained in these verses. Is there any other passage that would suggest that others saw the event other than the physical baptism of the Lord?
To answer the question let us read from Joh 1:19 “And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 22 Then said theyunto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23 He said, I [am] the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. 24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 8 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. [Bethabara is not a known location. One places it about 25 miles from Nazareth while most suggest it was east of Jerusalem and “beyond Jordon” – People were mentioned as coming from Jerusalem so most assume this locates the area in the southern part of the Jordon River rather than the northern part.]
It would seem that at least John and Christ saw the events following Christ’s baptism but whether the people did or not is up for debate.
We also see further information about what John knew. In verse 32-34 it is revealed that God spoke directly to John at some time about his ministry as well as the coming of one that is mightier. Only by seeing the dove descending was John to know the Christ.
I think we have seen the importance of looking at all four gospels to gain the entire picture.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
1:10 {5} And straightway {g} coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
(5) The vocation of Christ from heaven, as head of the Church.
(g) John, who went down into the water with Christ.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
This is the first of Mark’s 42 uses of the Greek adverb euthys ("immediately") that give his narrative a feeling of rapidly moving action. Mark used this word more than the other three evangelists combined.
"As the story progresses, the frequency of the word ’immediately’ drops off, but reappears later to reinforce how quickly the arrest and trial of Jesus take place. And the tempo varies. Whereas early in the narrative the action shifts rapidly from one location to another, the end of the journey slows to a day-by-day description of what happens in a single location, Jerusalem, and then an hour-by-hour depiction of the crucifixion. Because the whole narrative moves toward Jerusalem and toward crucifixion, the slowing of the tempo greatly intensifies the experience of this event for the reader." [Note: Rhoads and Michie, p. 45.]
Mark described Jesus seeing the heavens opened, though John at least saw this too (Joh 1:32-34). He used the vivid word schizomenous, meaning tearing or rending. This word recalls Isa 64:1 where the prophet called on God to rend the heavens and come down (cf. Psa 18:9; Psa 18:16-19; Psa 144:5-8). God now answered Isaiah’s prayer. The descent of the Spirit on Jesus constituted His anointing for ministry (cf. Luk 4:18; Act 10:38). He was God’s anointed servant ("Christ;" cf. David, another anointed of the Lord).
The dove is a bird that symbolizes the humble self-sacrifice that characterizes it. It was a bird that poor Israelites’ offered in sacrifice to the Lord. The same spirit of humble self-sacrifice indwelt Jesus.
The Spirit coming on Jesus here does not imply that Jesus had lacked Holy Spirit empowering previously. Here the Spirit came to empower Jesus specifically for His messianic ministry, which began now.