Ep. Mark 1:9–11 The Baptism of Jesus
- Dwaine C. Senechal
- Aug 28
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 14
It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:9–11 NKJV)
From Nazareth to the Jordan
Jesus comes out of Nazareth — a place so ordinary people used it as a punchline: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” He steps into the Jordan where John has been baptizing. The crowds had come from Jerusalem, Judea, and the countryside. Luke even says it was while “all the people” were being baptized. That means Jesus wasn’t alone. There were witnesses.
That detail has always made me stop and ask: who exactly was there that day? Was it just John and his disciples? Was it a huge crowd from Jerusalem? And if so, what did they see?
John’s Resistance and Jesus’ Reply
Matthew gives us a private exchange between Jesus and John. When Jesus steps forward, John pushes back: “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” The wording in the original shows John didn’t just say it once. He kept trying to stop Jesus, almost stubbornly resisting. That makes sense to me. Baptism was for people who had sins to confess. So why would the sinless one need to go into the water?
Jesus answers: “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” I’ll be honest — I’ve been a Christian for years, but I never really understood what that meant. “Fulfill all righteousness” always sounded churchy and vague. But the word for “fulfill” carries the idea of filling something up to the brim, bringing it to completion. In other words, this wasn’t about Jesus repenting. It was about completing God’s plan. By stepping into the water, He was identifying Himself with sinners, obeying the Father’s will, and setting out on the path that would end at the cross.
The Father’s Voice
Mark says that as Jesus came up from the water, the heavens were “torn open.” That’s a strong word — not just a polite opening, but a ripping apart. Almost as if the barrier between heaven and earth was being violently removed.
The Spirit descends like a dove and rests on Him. John’s Gospel tells us this was the sign John the Baptist had been given: “The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is He.”
Then comes the voice: “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Here’s another question I’ve always had — did everyone hear that? For years I imagined the whole crowd gasping in amazement, running off to spread the news. But when I look at the Gospels closely, it’s not so clear. Mark writes it as though the voice was for Jesus Himself: “You are My Son.” John seems to suggest it was also for John the Baptist. Maybe the crowd didn’t hear or understand at all. Maybe this was a commissioning moment for Jesus and confirmation for John, not a show for the masses.
What This Means for Us
Before Jesus preached, healed, or called a disciple, the Father’s voice declared His delight: beloved Son. The verdict came first.
And that’s what gets me. Most of us live as if approval comes after performance. Once we’ve done enough, once we’ve proven ourselves, then maybe God will be pleased. But Jesus begins His ministry with the verdict already spoken. He stands in the water with sinners, fulfilling God’s plan, and the Father says: beloved.
So what does that mean for us? What if the word spoken over Him still echoes through Him to us? What if we really believed that our lives begin not with earning, but with God’s declaration? Would that change the way we face our own wilderness, our own testing?
The heavens were torn, the Spirit descended, the Father spoke. That’s where Jesus’ ministry begins. And maybe, if we’re paying attention, that’s where ours begins too.
References
Parallel Gospel Accounts
Matthew 3:13–17 — John resists baptizing Jesus; Jesus says it must be done “to fulfill all righteousness.”
Luke 3:21–22 — Notes that “all the people” were being baptized when Jesus was baptized; the Spirit descends in bodily form like a dove.
John 1:29–34 — John testifies he saw the Spirit descend and remain on Jesus; declares Him the Lamb of God.
Old Testament Echoes
Psalm 2:7 — “You are My Son; today I have begotten You.”
Isaiah 42:1 — “My Servant… in whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon Him.”
Key Word Colouring (Greek)
“John tried to prevent Him” (Matthew 3:14) — διεκώλυεν (diekōlyen), Strong’s G1254 — imperfect tense, meaning kept on hindering, repeatedly resisted.
“Fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15) — πληρόω (plēroō), Strong’s G4137 — to fill completely, bring to completion, accomplish fully.
“Righteousness” (Matthew 3:15) — δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē), Strong’s G1343 — God’s way of doing what is right; covenant faithfulness, not just moral purity.
“He saw the heavens parting” (Mark 1:10) — σχίζω (schizō), Strong’s G4977 — to tear, split, rip apart. Used again for the tearing of the temple veil in Mark 15:38.
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