Mark 1:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

NIV: Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

NASB: And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Him;

CSB: As soon as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

NLT: As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove.

KJV: And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

NKJV: And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.

John's baptism follows the rules of the Jewish mikveh—full immersion in natural water—which is still performed for women after childbirth or menstruation and for converts to Judaism. When Jesus arises from the water, John sees "the heavens" tear open. The Greek root word used here, ouranos, can mean the sky, outer space, or the place where God dwells. Since the Holy Spirit descended, it was likely both the sky and the place where God dwells. It's interesting to note that the heavens tore open. The Greek word used in this verse comes from the term schizo, and means "to cleave or rend." Its matching prophecy is in Isaiah 64:1: "Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down…" The root word schizo is also used at the crucifixion of Christ when "the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" (Mark 15:38). The violent, passionate action gives us a glimpse of how much God longs to be with us.

The Spirit descending "like a dove" has been a phrase of much controversy. Many film depictions of this event use a literal dove coming down to Jesus. However, this is not specifically stated. In some physical manner (Luke 3:22), the Spirit came down upon Jesus in a way somehow similar to a bird. In this way, He was "anointed" for His public ministry directly by God.

The phrase "immediately he saw…" has caused Bible scholars confusion. The NASB capitalizes the word "He," inferring that it was Jesus who saw the heavens open. The Amplified Bible says, "he (John) saw the heavens torn open, and the Spirit like a dove descending on Him (Jesus)." John, himself, clears things up in John 1:32 when he later reports, "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove."

This passage is one of the few which mentions all members of the Trinity. God the Father speaks (Mark 1:11), Jesus is physically present, and the Spirit comes upon Him. All three persons of the Trinity are working independently at the same time, yet in perfect harmony. Each person of the Trinity is divine and yet in perfect community with one another.

Mark 1:1–13 rapidly introduces the ministry of Jesus, as introduced by John the Baptist. While other Gospels include many details, the Gospel of Mark briefly sets the stage for Jesus' baptism by John. In a few short verses, we are told that John preached a message of repentance, that Jesus came to be baptized, and that Jesus spent forty days being tempted in the wilderness. The narrative quickly moves on to describe Jesus' miraculous healings.

John the Baptist is introduced as a figure preparing the world for the arrival of the Messiah. John's baptism teaches people about their need for repentance. When Jesus arrives, and is baptized, it signals the coming of God's fulfillment and the need of people to recognize their Savior. Mark briefly notes Jesus' baptism, desert temptation, and the calling of the first four disciples. After this, Jesus begins teaching in the synagogue and performs miraculous healings which spread His fame around the region.

The first chapter of the Gospel of Mark sets the tone for the rest of the story. Mark's writing is concise, action-packed, and short on details. Within a few verses, Mark establishes the transition from the wilderness ministry of John the Baptist to the healing and preaching of Jesus Christ. This first chapter includes the calling of Jesus' earliest disciples, His early miracles, and His early teaching. This establishes the pattern shown throughout the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus mingles His teaching with miraculous signs.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.