Verse 10
This is the first of Mark’s 42 uses of the Greek adverb euthys ("immediately") that give his narrative a feeling of rapidly moving action. Mark used this word more than the other three evangelists combined.
"As the story progresses, the frequency of the word ’immediately’ drops off, but reappears later to reinforce how quickly the arrest and trial of Jesus take place. And the tempo varies. Whereas early in the narrative the action shifts rapidly from one location to another, the end of the journey slows to a day-by-day description of what happens in a single location, Jerusalem, and then an hour-by-hour depiction of the crucifixion. Because the whole narrative moves toward Jerusalem and toward crucifixion, the slowing of the tempo greatly intensifies the experience of this event for the reader." [Note: Rhoads and Michie, p. 45.]
Mark described Jesus seeing the heavens opened, though John at least saw this too (John 1:32-34). He used the vivid word schizomenous, meaning tearing or rending. This word recalls Isaiah 64:1 where the prophet called on God to rend the heavens and come down (cf. Psalms 18:9; Psalms 18:16-19; Psalms 144:5-8). God now answered Isaiah’s prayer. The descent of the Spirit on Jesus constituted His anointing for ministry (cf. Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38). He was God’s anointed servant ("Christ;" cf. David, another anointed of the Lord).
The dove is a bird that symbolizes the humble self-sacrifice that characterizes it. It was a bird that poor Israelites’ offered in sacrifice to the Lord. The same spirit of humble self-sacrifice indwelt Jesus.
The Spirit coming on Jesus here does not imply that Jesus had lacked Holy Spirit empowering previously. Here the Spirit came to empower Jesus specifically for His messianic ministry, which began now.
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