This is what John proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Gospel Trivia:
When Jesus was baptized, did the heavens actually open? Did a dove appear, and was a voice heard from the heavens? Most likely not.
Mark was using a literary device to convey the significance of Jesus and the mission he was about to carry out. This is NOT to say that Jesus' baptism did not happen. That is an uncontroverted historical fact, if only due to it being recorded and accepted by early Christians. That John would baptize Jesus would have been embarrassing if not incomprehensible because, in baptism, the superior baptizes the inferior.
The opening of the heavens, together with the vision of the Spirit and voice from heavens are standard features of apocalyptic literature:
- the opening of heavens, or "the heavens being torn open", symbolizes the connection and communication between God and humanity;
- the Spirit descending like a dove is reminiscent of the Spirit hovering over primeval chaos in Genesis; note that the accurate translation is the "spirit descends like a dove descends", i.e. slowly descending and hovering;
- the voice which says, "You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased," connotes Psalm 2:7 ("You are my son, today I have begotten you") and Isaiah 42:1 ("My chosen one, in whom my soul delights").
Through this gospel passage, Mark conveys that Jesus is the beloved and specially anointed one of God and that his mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God has the seal of God's approval and blessing.
Reference:
*Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Manila: St. Paul Publications, 1988), pp. 8-9.
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