Mark 1:10

“And straightway coming up out of the water, etc..] 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…”

“See the notes at Matthew 3:13-17. return to 'Top of Page'”

“1:10 The expression the heavens splitting apart indicates Jesus’ unique access to God the Father; in 15:38, the same verb includes believers in that access through Jesus’ death. • All four Gospels refer to the Spirit descending on him like a dove. The Spirit, who was involved in the first creation, acted with Jesus in bringing the new creation (Gen 1:2; Rom 8:15-17; 1 Cor 6:11; Eph 1:13-14; 2 Thes 2:13).”

“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 Mark 1:11”