Opening the Way

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 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. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” ¹² At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, ¹³ and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him (Mark 1:9-13).

¹⁰ As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open.  What a dramatic phrase – heaven being torn open.  What is being signified?  Why doesn’t Jesus just see the Spirit coming down?  There is a similar phrase in Isaiah 64:1 which goes like this: Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you!  Isaiah is calling to God up in heaven to come down and help his people.  Perhaps Mark is alluding to that passage, stating that in Jesus God did come down or that God came down to descend upon Jesus.

Now compare verse 10 with this passage in Mark 15:37-39: With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. ³⁸ The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  ³⁹ And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”  It is clear what the curtain being torn in two signified.  The curtain separated the Holy of Holies (God’s dwelling place) from the rest of the temple.  It was a statement that God could not be directly approached.  Jesus’ death removed the separation curtain and gave us direct access to God.

Now think.  When is heaven torn open?  Immediately after Jesus’ baptism.  What real baptism does this water baptism signify for Jesus?  His death.  When is the curtain torn in two?  Immediately after his death.  The same Greek word is used for torn in both places.  Mark seems to be demonstrating the direct access to God that Jesus possesses and that he will give through his baptism of death. At his baptism of death heaven was split open that there might not be anything between us and God.

When you come to your own baptism of death, do not be afraid. The curtain of heaven has already been opened for you by your Savior. He will be waiting for you in the Holy of Holies.