Mark 1:10 - The Holy Spirit's Descent

The Verse (NIV)

10 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.


My paraphrase

As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, John saw heaven ripped apart, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him gloriously and peacefully--as if He were a dove.


My thoughts

If you read my last post, you will see that I believe Christ's baptism wasn't just "an act of obedience and example for future believers," but it was mostly a prophetic foreshadowing of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. That said, I believe this scene with the Holy Spirit coming on Him accomplished various things.

(1) I believe it was prophetic in that it showed what was to happen after Jesus left the earth. He would be glorified in heaven. I believe this scene was foreshadowing Christ's entire life, death, burial, resurrection, glorification--everything about His mission on earth and His standing in heaven.

(2) I believe the Holy Spirit was coming upon him at this moment was not only baptism with water, but also baptism of the Holy Spirit. That's pretty obvious, I think. Once He is Spirit-filled, He begins performing miracles. That's not to say He was limited before then, but I think this is the part where we as Christians are to follow in His example. We are called to the same Spirit-filled life.

(3) He purposely waits till this moment to begin undergoing His call as Messiah. For us, the need for baptism is called repentance--this newness of life--because we are sinners. For Christ, His "newness" was beginning His earthly ministry--because He is the perfect Christ.

(4) As He came up out of the water--and only after--the Holy Spirit came upon Him. I believe this is a picture of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit would descend on all those who dared to follow Jesus. Again, He pictures His death, burial, resurrection, glorification, but not only from His perspective. In this act, He also mirrors the timeline for Christianity: Christ would begin his ministry--get in the water; die for sins--immersion into the water; raise Himself from the dead and ascend to heaven--coming out of the water; and then the Holy Spirit would come upon those who follow Him--the dove-like descent.

(5) The fact that the Holy Spirit descends like a dove furthers the impact of humility. He didn't fall like fire from heaven. There were no earthquakes nor pomp and circumstance. The whole scene is just very peaceful and appropriate.

(6) John is the only one recorded as having seen this event which the Book of John explains was a specific sign from God to John the Baptist to point out who the Messiah would be. This sign had to happen for John the Baptist to "get it." It was a personal promise God made to him that God made good on.

(7) Heaven was ripped apart to allow the Holy Spirit to descend. I think this is also a prophetic picture of what would happen at Christ's death. Heaven was ripped apart in two ways: (a) God the Father had to turn His back on His Son. I'm sure that did some heavenly ripping. (b) But also--just like the veil to the Holy of Holies--the divide between human and divine was now bridged. Heaven was torn apart. . .in a really good way! 

I'm sure there are other ramifications and reasons for this scene, but those are the thoughts that struck me.