Mark 1:2-8, John and Us

​Today we’re going to look at John the Baptist in Mark’s Gospel account! This is exciting as John is a very interesting character in the Gospel accounts. His ministry, as we will hopefully see, is similar to our ministry. As we consider what he was in relation to Jesus, let us also consider our places, relative to our Savior. 

​Starting in verse 2 of chapter 1, we get to prophesies about John. This alone should key us into the fact that John is a very important figure. Now the Hebrew Bible is similar to our Old Testament with some slight differences. It is called the Tanakh, which is a acronym for its composition: the Torah, which are the five books of Moses, the Nevi’im which is the prophets, and finally the Ketuvim, which is the writings. Within these lie some differences with our Old Testament such as Daniel being one of the writings, not within the prophets and Joshua, Judges, Kings, and Samuel being found within the prophets. This is all to say that when Mark refers to Isaiah in verse 2, he is quoting from the Nevi’im as a whole, as we can see from verse 2 being a quote from Malachi and verse 3 being a quote from Isaiah (3:1 and 40:3, respectively). Malachi also foretold that John would have the spirit of Elijah (4:5). 

​From these prophesies we see John’s mission, to prepare the way for Jesus and to make His paths straight. And so, in verse 4, we see John appearing in the wilderness preaching baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. This is interesting on many accounts. First, John is in the wilderness preaching this, not Jerusalem or the Temple or a synagogue or anywhere else we might normally expect. Second he’s telling them to repent. Now we know from Luke’s Gospel account that John as a Nazarite from birth. This interestingly puts a parallel between John and another famous Nazarite, Samuel. They both were Nazarites, they both preached repentance, and they both attempted to turn Israel back to God and eventually to their King (David and his descendant and Lord, Jesus). 

​Next in verse 5 we see all the country of Judea going and people of Jerusalem, to be baptized in the Jordan River (an Old Testament symbol for the baptism of the Israelites in Joshua). These people came confessing their sins and were so baptized. Now we know that baptism is a symbol of death and dying to self (Romans 6), and so these people were agreeing to die to themselves and repent (turn back to God). 

​Verse 6 tells us of the character and nature of John. He wore simple clothes of camel’s hair and a leather belt and ate locusts and honey. This is a very simplistic life. It shows first that he was not attached to the things of this world. Also it shows his dependence upon God. Surviving in the wilderness is no small task and locust and wild honey cannot be grown or produced (otherwise it wouldn’t be wild!). John was fully dependant on God to carry out God’s mission for John. 

​And he was preaching, in verses 7-8, that Jesus would come and be greater than John. So much so that John would be unable to even loose the thongs of His sandals. (What humility on John’s part, in spite of the many people coming to hear his message and to be baptized!) This coming person would baptize with the Holy Spirit, unlike John’s baptism of water. This shows not only that the Spirit is about to bring life in contrast to the water’s death, but also the magnificence of the person to come! By agreeing to this baptism the people were, in effect, agreeing to die to themselves and to follow whomever John pointed out as the one who would baptize with the Spirit. This is quite a confession! 

​It is amazing to consider the work that John performed and his unique ministry in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His was to be no small role and the prophecies of him reflect that. Yet our ministry is very similar to his. He was called to point people to Christ, we are called to point people to Christ. He baptized people who agreed to follow the one who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit, we the church, baptize people with water who have agreed to follow He Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. John had the people repent and confess their sins so they might be forgiven, as we do with new disciples today! Finally, John foretold the coming of the Messiah, and so we to are to foretell of the Second Coming of the Messiah of Israel. 

​Brothers and Sisters let us consider our role in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, albeit a minor one. We have such a privilege to share this Good News with others. We are to subsist purely on God for all of our needs. We need to point people to Christ in a similar way with as much humility as John. Remember, we too are not worthy to loose the thongs of His sandals. May we carry out our mission with reverence and humility and not lose sight of Jesus, who is coming again to rule and reign. Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Mark, Introduction

​We have decided to cover Mark’s account of the Gospel of Jesus Christ next! This is exciting as it is the first book study we’ve covered since this Lifegroup’s inception. It is only fitting that the first book we study as a fellowship of Christians is the life and ministry of Jesus the Messiah. In order to fully understand Mark’s Gospel, we should first of all cover who Mark was and why he chose to write the things in his account of the Gospel he did. Obviously, the Holy Spirit is the true author and Jesus is the Word incarnate, but there are things we can glean from studying the human author as well. 

​Our first introduction of Mark (as many scholars believe) is in Mark’s own Gospel narrative! In chapter 14 of Mark’s Gospel account, we come upon Jesus’ arrest and betrayal within the Garden of Gethsemane. 

 

And they all left Him and fled. A young man was following Him, wearing nothing but a linen sheet over his naked body; and they seized him. But he pulled free of the linen sheet and escaped naked. Mark 14:50-52

 

​First we see Jesus’ disciples leaving Him en masse. However one person stayed behind: a nearly-naked youth. Literary critics believe this is Mark’s way of showing himself. In a similar fashion, John, in his Gospel account, refers to himself as ‘the beloved disciple’ or ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’. This was, as scholars tell us, a way for authors to show themselves within their text. 

​If this is Mark, however, what does this tell us about him? First it shows his faithfulness to follow Jesus even after His own disciples had left Him. It also speaks to Mark’s boldness as there was a massive cohort of individuals there to arrest Jesus, yet Mark persisted in following. It also shows peculiarly that Mark was underdressed, as it were. This may be an allusion to not yet having the Garments of Salvation, which Isaiah spoke of, but it certainly tells us that this youth made a brash and probably instantaneous decision to follow Jesus into the garden, and especially so to follow Him after He was arrested! 

​We also encounter Mark, also called John, in Acts 15:37-41, where Barnabas and Paul have a disagreement over Mark. Paul argues that Mark is unfaithful having deserted them in Pamphylia and does not wish to take Mark with them. Barnabas, however, being an encourager by nature, and someone who in the past encouraged Paul when Paul’s ministry first began, wishes to take Mark with them and encourage Mark along the way. The disagreement was so harsh (v. 39) that they had to separate and go their separate ways. While neither Barnabas or Paul was wrong in what they believed, per se, we (given the glorious benefit of hindsight and the completed Word of God) know that Mark went on to write one of the Gospel accounts of Jesus. 

​Also even Paul saw Mark’s usefulness later in life, as in his final epistle, written to Timothy, he writes and asks that Timothy should pick up Mark and bring him with Timothy because he is useful to Paul (2 Timothy 4:11). Mark, it appears has come quite a long way from being a naked youth, to a deserter, to someone useful to Paul. This takes us to the Gospel according to Mark. 

​First it should be known that Mark is writing his Gospel account primarily to Romans. Whereas Matthew wrote to Jews, Luke to Gentiles, and John to the church as a whole, Mark is writing to people whose culture and heritage was particularly Roman. This means that Mark places a lot of emphasis on things that would appeal to Romans. These include a sense of immediacy (he uses the word ‘immediately’ frequently), the sense of Jesus having a purpose or mission and carrying out that mission as a perfect soldier/servant, and finally it shows Jesus’ obedience to His Father. These things in particular would appeal to Romans whose chief exemplar of model citizenship would be a Roman soldier. 

​With this in view, let’s look at Mark’s introduction:

 

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark 1:1

 

​This simple introduction to Mark’s Gospel account actually says a lot. First off, he begins with the word beginning. This same word is found to begin both the book of Genesis and John’s Gospel. This is to show that this is a new beginning. A new start for humanity, found through Christ. Next he calls Jesus the Christ, which means ‘anointed one’ in Greek (or Messiah in Hebrew). This signifies that Jesus was anointed for His ministry. Christ has come to mean savior to many people, and they’re not entirely wrong to think that as Jesus was anointed to save, but it means anointed one. Finally Mark refers to Jesus as the Son of God. This denotes not only Jesus’ submission to God the Father (remember Romans seek obedience), but also His prophesied role (Proverbs 30:4 for instance) (and His mission).

​This is quite a thing to study and I simply cannot wait to get into Mark’s Gospel account. Let us take Mark’s example. Though he started out a brash youth without much fortitude, he ended up being useful to Paul and also God and went on to pen a Gospel of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. What an amazing journey! Consider dear friends, the same God who was at work in Mark’s life is in work in you. Though you may at times fail or desert your post, Jesus came to forgive you of your sins, so that you might carry on His righteousness and tell the world about the God News of Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel. Amen!