Mark 1:10

1:9-13 Christ's baptism was his first public appearance, after he had long lived unknown. How much hidden worth is there, which in this world is not known! But sooner or later it shall be known, as Christ was. He took upon himself the likeness of sinful flesh; and thus, for our sakes, he sanctified himself, that we also might be sanctified, and be baptized with him, Joh 17:19. See how honourably God owned him, when he submitted to John's baptism. He saw the Spirit descending upon him like a dove. We may see heaven opened to us, when we perceive the Spirit descending and working upon us. God's good work in us, is sure evidence of his good will towards us, and preparations for us. As to Christ's temptation, Mark notices his being in the wilderness and that he was with the wild beasts. It was an instance of his Father's care of him, which encouraged him the more that his Father would provide for him. Special protections are earnests of seasonable supplies. The serpent tempted the first Adam in the garden, the Second Adam in the wilderness; with different success indeed; and ever since he still tempts the children of both, in all places and conditions. Company and conversation have their temptations; and being alone, even in a wilderness, has its own also. No place or state exempts, no business, not lawful labouring, eating, or drinking, not even fasting and praying; often in these duties there are the most assaults, but in them is the sweetest victory.

Mark 1:10 . Εἶδε , He saw) i.e. Jesus saw: although John also saw it, John 1:32 .— σχιζομένους , rent open ) σχίζεται , is rent open , is said of that, which had not previously been open. Christ was the first who opened heaven.— ἀνοίγειν , to open , Matthew 3:16 , is used in the general sense; whereas in the special sense it is used in antithesis to [as distinguished from] to rend , Acts 7:56 . See on the difference of these words, Matthew 27:51-52 .[7]— τὸ Πνεῦμα , the Spirit ) with which Jesus was about to baptize. [7] ἐσχίσθη is said of the rending in two of the veil: whereas ἀνεῴχθησαν is said of the opening of the tombs.—ED.

Mark 1:10 . εὐθὺς , straightway, a favourite word of Mk.’s, to be taken with εἶδε = as soon as He had ascended, etc., He saw . For similar usage in reference to εἶτα vide Hermann, Viger , p. 772.— σχιζομένους , being rent asunder, a sudden event; a stronger word than that used in Mt. and Lk. ( ἀνεῴχθησαν — ῆναι ). The subject of εἶδε is Jesus.— εἰς αὐτόν : this reading suggests the idea of a descent not merely upon ( ἐπὶ ) but into Him, as if to take up its abode; henceforth the immanent spirit of Jesus.

10 . straightway ] This is St Mark’s favourite connecting word, and constantly recurs; comp. Mark 1:12 ; Mark 1:28 , Mark 4:5 ; Mark 4:15 , Mark 8:10 . Mark 9:15 , Mark 11:3 , and other places. he saw ] i. e. Jesus, while engaged, as we learn from St Luke 3:21 , in solemn, prayer. We find solemn prayer preceding (i) our Lord’s Baptism, (ii) His choice of the Twelve ( Luke 6:12 ), (iii) His Transfiguration ( Luke 9:29 ), (iv) His Agony in the Garden ( Matthew 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” ( Luke 5:36 ); to the veil of the Temple rent in twain at the Crucifixion ( Luke 23:45 ); to the rending of the rocks at the same time ( Matthew 27:51 ); and of the net in the Lake after the Resurrection ( John 21:11 ).

Verse 10. - Straightway ( εὐθέως ) coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened ( σχιζομένους ); literally, rent asunder. The word εὐθέως occurs more than forty times in this Gospel, and is so characteristic of St. Mark that, in the Revised Version, it is uniformly rendered by the same English synonym, "straightway." He saw. Elsewhere we are told ( John 1:32 ) that St. John the Baptist saw this descent. The earliest heretics took advantage of this statement to represent this event as the descent of the eternal Christ upon the man Jesus for personal indwelling. Later critics have adopted this view. But it need hardly be said here that such an opinion is altogether inconsistent with all that we read elsewhere of the circumstances of the Incarnation, and of the intimate and indissoluble union of the Divine and human natures in the person of the one Christ, from the time of the "overshadowing of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Highest." The Spirit descending upon him at his baptism was not the descent of the eternal Christ upon the man Jesus. It was rather the conveyance to one who was already prepared for it as God and man, of office and authority as the great Prophet that should come into the world. St.

Luke says particularly ( Luke 3:21 ) that it was when Jesus had been baptized and was praying, that the Holy Spirit descended upon him; plainly showing us that it was not through the baptism of John, but through the meritorious obedience and the prayer of the Son of God, that the heavens were "rent asunder," and the Holy Spirit descended upon him. Mark 1:10