Mark 1:1-15

The beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ

Hello, welcome to the second episode of this podcast, Bible Wisdom Today, and our second lesson in the book of Mark. In our first episode, we had an introduction to the book of Mark, including its historical background and the narrative structure of the book. Now, we begin a study of the biblical text itself with this episode entitled, “The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ.”

Today we will discuss chapter 1, verses 1-15. This is the prologue or introduction of Mark. Here, Mark presents Jesus as the protagonist of his story and begins telling us the primary truths he intends to develop in his book. Let me give you those four bullet points. First…

• Jesus is the Messiah. Second…
• Jesus is the Son of God. Third…
• Jesus will bring God’s kingdom to reality. And finally…
• Jesus battles with Satan.

As we continue to study Mark’s gospel together, we will see how Mark develops all these points. 

Mark’s thesis (1:1)

When I was in High School, I remember vividly being taught how to write a thesis paper. First, we started with a stimulating introduction, which would capture the readers’ attention and draw them forward to the thesis statement, which was placed at the end of the opening paragraph. I have continued to use that basic pattern in much of my writing throughout my life. Mark follows a somewhat different approach, however. He does have an introduction, and he does have a thesis statement, but he places his thesis right at the top of his first paragraph. This is the first verse of Mark.

The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
 (Mark 1:1, NIV 1984)

In this statement, Mark tells us what he wants us to conclude after reading his Gospel. Since this is Mark’s topic sentence, it is chock-full of important words that need explanation.

Gospel
First, is the word “gospel.” This is the Greek word evangelion, which literally means “good news.” This word was commonly used in the Roman Empire to describe an urgent announcement, such as to report victory in battle or announce the birthday of the Caesar. It was the ancient equivalent of a news flash. As far as we know, this word had never been applied to a longer literary work before. In using the word in this way, Mark began a new literary genre, and other gospel writers followed his footsteps. Mark carries the word’s original character of immediacy into his work through his quick moving narrative. He also uses the very word “immediately” 47 times in his gospel, 11 times in the first chapter alone.

In addition to its use in the Greco-Roman world of Mark’s day, the word “gospel” was also used in the Greek translation of the Hebrew prophet Isaiah. In chapter 52, Isaiah says

“How beautiful on the mountains 
 are the feet of those who bring good news (that is our word “gospel”), 
 who proclaim peace, 
 who bring good tidings,
 who proclaim salvation,
 who say to Zion,
 ‘Your God reigns!’” 
 (Isaiah 52:7)

And again, in chapter 61 we read,

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
 because the LORD has anointed me
 to proclaim good news (gospel) to the poor. 
 He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
 to proclaim freedom for the captives 
 and release from darkness for the prisoners,
 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor” 
 (Isaiah 61:1-2)

For Mark, the coming of Jesus was the beginning of the fulfillment of the good news announced by Isaiah. This good news was not just a set of beliefs, but a person, a person anointed by God to proclaim salvation.

The author Mark, and the other gospel writers, chose their details in order to communicate the theological meaning of the events. There were many events Mark could have included, but he chose these particular details to convey his chosen message. Mark did not always organize his details in chronological order. Certainly, some chronology was involved. Jesus was arrested before his crucifixion and buried before his resurrection, for example, but Mark felt free to place deeds and teachings in an order that suited him. Topical arrangements like this were considered absolutely normal in ancient biographies and we should accept them as part of the Holy Spirit’s inspired organization.

Jesus
In addition to the word “gospel,” I should comment on the name, “Jesus.” Like so many names in Jewish tradition, “Jesus” was more than just a name and Jesus Christ was not the only man to carry that name. In the Old Testament, the man who succeeded Moses and led the tribes of Israel into the promised land also shared the same name. We know him by the name, Joshua. This is closer to the Jewish original, Yeshuah, rather than the Greek variant, Jesus. In whatever form the name is known, however, the name means “The LORD saves,” a very apt name given his work of salvation for the world.

Christ
The third important term in this weighty sentence is the word Christ. Generally, when we read the name “Jesus Christ,” we take it simply as some sort of double name, but Christ also has an important meaning of its own. “Christ,” which comes from Greek, and “Messiah,” which comes from Hebrew both mean “the anointed one.” In the Old Testament, prophets, priests, and kings were all anointed with oil to point out their chosen position. When the Davidic monarchy finally fell to Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC, an expectation grew in Israel that God would raise up another king even greater than David. The prophet Jeremiah declares,

"’The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will raise up to David a righteous branch, a King, who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land’”
 (Jer 23:5)

The Old Testament does not use the actual term, “Messiah,” nor fully develop a formal doctrine. This remained true during the intertestamental period, where the common concept of Messiah was still fairly general. He would be chosen by God to establish an everlasting kingdom over all the earth, delivering Israel from its enemies and establishing peace. Following the disappointment and disillusionment of the seizure of Jerusalem by Pompey in 63 BC, messianic expectations began to rise and become more specific. He would be holy, the final anointed one and true king of Israel who would destroy God’s enemies, deliver Jerusalem from the Gentiles, and rule in justice and glory. This was the popular concept of the Messiah in Jesus’ day. Now, Mark says that he is here, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

Son of God
The final term that we need to examine in this thesis statement is the term, “Son of God.” The Greco-Roman world had many people called “son of god.” It was a term that was often applied to poets or other artists, for example. Mark, however, uses the term much more specifically. “Son of God” was his blue-chip title for Jesus and surpasses all other titles, Messiah, Son of Man, prophet, teacher, or Lord. Calling Jesus “Son of God” means that he was authorized by God, and he was the beloved Son of the Father God (1:11; 9:7). Throughout his gospel, Mark will continue to flesh out the details of what this supreme title means.

When we put all these important terms together, then, we are presented with this sentence, “the beginning of the good news about ‘The LORD saves,’ the anointed one, the Son of God.” This is the main point which Mark intends to make. It also is his confession of faith which he will continue to explain throughout his gospel, this good news story.

John the Baptist: Jesus’ forerunner (1:2–8)

After this theologically dense opening statement, Mark goes on to tell of John the Baptist, who came as a forerunner of Jesus. In order not to begin in the middle of the sentence, I will begin reading again with verse 1 and continue through verse 3:

“The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God”  
 (Mark 1:1, NIV 1984)

“as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
 ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
 who will prepare your way —
 a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
 “Prepare the way for the Lord,
 make straight paths for him.”’” 
 (Mark 1:2-3, NIV 2011)

This Old Testament quotation is remarkable, not only for what it says, but because Mark used so few Old Testament quotations. In fact, this is the only place in Mark where he says that a particular passage in the Old Testament was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Mark wrote primarily for Roman Gentiles and proof texts from Hebrew prophecy would not have had the same weight of authority as they would have had for a Jewish audience. In using a quotation, here, Mark telegraphs his intention to show that the ministry of Jesus was based on God’s predetermined plan.

Mark begins this quote with the authoritative formula, “It is written.” This was frequently used in the Hellenistic world to introduce laws or declarations having legal force. It was also used in the Old Testament to designate the mandate of God, the authority of his word, or of his prophet.

Mark identifies this quotation as coming from Isaiah but actually Mark stitches together two Old Testament passages. The first comes from the book of Malachi, the final prophet in the Old Testament, where he says in chapter 3, “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me (Mal. 3:1).” The remainder of Mark’s quotation is a direct quote from Isaiah 40 verse 3, “make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” The entire combined statement is attributed to Isaiah because he contributed its defining element and also because of the way the Hebrew Bible was organized. One of the sections of the Hebrew scripture was called “latter prophets,” which began with Isaiah and ended with Malachi. Often references to this section were simply cited as “Isaiah,” since he was first, even if the specific reference might be to another prophet in that division. This is the sort of generalized citation Mark makes here.

When Mark says that a messenger is coming to “prepare the way for the Lord,” he is not being subtle. Mark is declaring that the next person to follow, who we now know was Jesus, is God himself. Jesus is not an afterthought to the work of God, but rather his ministry is only understood as prepared and foretold by the prophets of old. 

In addition to showing that Jesus’ coming was part of God’s plan, Mark also uses this quotation to introduce the motif of journey, which we discussed in our last episode. Here the word “way” or “path” occurs three times. Throughout his gospel, Mark will refine this theme, ultimately leading all the way to the cross.

Let me continue reading in verse 4:

4 “And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 
 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 
 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 
 7 And this was his message: ‘After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 
 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’”
 (1:4-8)

Immediately after announcing that a messenger will prepare the way for Jesus, Mark introduces John. Mark often expects his readers to draw the obvious conclusion, and this immediacy identifies that John is that divinely ordained forerunner. Mark gives less detail about John than the other gospel writers, keeping his picture focused on John’s role as a messenger of preparation for Jesus. 

Baptism was so characteristic of John’s ministry that he became known as John the Baptist. The Greek word for baptism means “to dip fully or immerse.” Judaism practiced various types of baptism including the mikvah washing for ritual purification and proselyte baptism for initiation into the Jewish faith, but the baptism of John was something new. The mikvah washing was self-administered whereas John’s baptism was administered by John. The purpose of John’s baptism was not ritual purification or initiation but moral and spiritual renewal. It is possible, then, that John’s baptism was not intended as a reflection of the water-rite practices of his time, but a recollection of God’s foundational covenant with His people, when he called them to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19:6). In preparation at that time, He had told Moses to consecrate the people and have them wash their clothes (Ex. 19:10). This washing symbolized their moral and spiritual transformation, allowing them to enter into covenant with God.

John’s baptism was a symbol of the people’s repentance, which means “to change one’s mind.” Repentance is not so much a feeling of remorse but a willful act to live a new life. It is a change of direction. The result of this repentance, according to Mark, is “forgiveness of sins.”

In verse 5, we read that “the whole Judean countryside…went out to him.” John’s notoriety was impressive. This is obviously hyperbole, but it signifies the great interest in this new prophet from God. 

The description of John’s camel’s hair garment, leather belt and diet was nearly as unusual in John’s day as in ours. In this way, Mark associates John the Baptist with the Old Testament prophet Elijah. Malachi, the prophet just quoted, also mentions that Elijah will come before the day of the LORD (Mal. 4:5).

John makes clear his relative unimportance in relation to the one to come, “the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie (1:7).” Untying sandal straps was a menial task. Only a servant would perform this task, and John says that he is not even worthy to be a servant of Jesus.

In verse 8 John says, “I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” The washing of water symbolized repentance, as we just said, but it was a provisional symbol until the permanent reality came. Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was the permanent reality, allowing full participation in the new life Jesus offered. In the Old Covenant, only God could give the Holy Spirit , so by assigning this power to the one who would come after him, John declared that his successor was truly God.

Baptism of Jesus (1:9–11) 

Following his introduction to John the Baptist, the messenger who would prepare the way, Mark turns immediately to introduce the next person to come. Mark writes in verse 9,

9 “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.’”
 Mark 1:9-11

Mark begins this paragraph with “At that time,” and we believe that Jesus began his ministry about AD 27, when He was 30 years old. He also says that Jesus came from Nazareth. This is the only reference to Jesus’ hometown by name in Mark. Mark displays his skill as an author by switching to the passive voice, “[Jesus] was baptized by John,” rather than saying “John baptized Jesus.” In this way Mark moves John the Baptist to a mediating role and makes Jesus the prominent subject, the position he will retain throughout the book.

The description of what happened when Jesus came up out of the water would be ultra-dramatic to a first century reader, but we might easily miss the significance. In these few words, Mark describes three signs that Jewish tradition expected at the beginning of God’s kingdom. First the heavens would be opened. Mark says they were “torn open.” It is as if the sky were some great blue tent and someone reached down and ripped it open. The prophet Isaiah was the first to speak of the heavens being opened for the descent of the Messiah. In Isaiah 64 we read,

“Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, 
 that the mountains would tremble before you!”
 (Isaiah 64:1)

Subsequent Jewish tradition elaborated Isaiah’s imagery.

The second sign of the inauguration of God’s kingdom was the descent of the Spirit represented as a dove. The New International Version says “the Spirit descending on him,” but a more literal translation is “the Spirit was descending into him,” emphasizing Jesus complete filling for ministry. The descending of the spirit shows the power of God in Jesus, the one John had just called “more powerful” (v. 7). In the Jewish sacrificial system, a dove was a clean animal, worthy of being offered to God. The dove, then, was an appropriate symbol of the purity and sinlessness of Jesus, who would offer Himself as the ultimate sin sacrifice.

The final sign of God’s newly arrived kingdom which Mark describes at Jesus baptism was a heavenly voice which spoke to him, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (1:11). This declaration of God is full of Scriptural allusions. We hear echoes of Psalm 2, which was an enthronement psalm for Israel’s king,

“I will proclaim the LORD’s decree:
 He said to me, ‘You are my son; 
 today I have become your father’”
 (Psalm 2:7)

In the psalm, God calls the Davidic king His son. Here, Jesus, a descendant of David, is also called “son” by his heavenly father.

We also hear allusions to the description of the servant of the Lord in Isaiah 42.

“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
 my chosen one in whom I delight;
 I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations”
(Isaiah 42:1)

Perhaps these dramatic signs help answer a question that might be nagging in the back of your mind, “Why was Jesus baptized? Did he need to repent?” No, certainly not. While others were baptized for repentance, Jesus was baptized as an inauguration for ministry. It allowed God himself to dramatically announce Him by split heavens, a descending dove, and a heavenly voice saying, “with you I am well pleased.”

Testing of Jesus (1:12–13) 

The baptism of Jesus begins fleshing out what it means to be the Son of God. In His baptism, we see that being the Son of God means receiving the father’s love. In the next event, we see that it also means giving obedience as a son.

I will begin reading in Mark 1, verses 12 and 13:

“At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him” (1:12-13).

Mark begins, here, with “at once.” I already mentioned that this is distinctive of Mark’s writing style. This is the first instance of Mark’s 47 uses of this word which is often translated “immediately.”

The same spirit who descended on Jesus at his baptism now “drives” him to confront Satan. The temptation was not an unfortunate hardship, but part of the divine plan. It showed that Jesus had freedom to choose God’s will for his own.

The “40 days” of Jesus in the wilderness looks back to the 40 days Moses spent with God on Mount Sinai, the 40 days Elijah ran from God, and the 40 years of Israel’s wandering. All of these took place in the wilderness. In the same way, Jesus began his ministry with a 40-day test, engaging Satan in combat. “Satan” is a personal name meaning “adversary.” This establishes that Jesus’ conflict with the evil spiritual world was not just a general battle of good versus evil, but deeply personal. This conflict is another important theme for Mark.

Mark’s description of Jesus testing is much shorter than either Mathew’s or Luke’s. His emphasis is on Jesus being kept safe, rather than the test itself. He also is unique in including a reference to wild animals. Perhaps this is another indication of the Roman background of Mark. The Roman Christians, who sometimes were compelled to face wild beasts in the arena of Nero, would surely find comfort in a Lord who also faced wild beasts. They also would be encouraged that the angels ministered to him, not after his testing, but during his trial.

Jesus announces the kingdom of God (1:14-15)

Mark now brings his prologue to an end with these words in verses 14 and 15.

“After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’” (1:14-15

This was Jesus’ first public announcement, his “press conference,” if you will.

The imprisonment of John the Baptist, which we will learn more about in chapter 6, was a decisive catalyst for the beginning of Jesus own ministry. The New International Version says that John was put in prison, a reasonable interpretation, but the Greek text actually says that John was “handed over.” This expression plays a significant role in Mark. Jesus foretells that He will be handed over (9:31; 10:33) and later in the passion narrative Jesus is described with these words eight times. For example, “So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate (15:1).” These references are sometimes translated by “arrested” or some other synonym, as you see here. Jesus also uses this term in describing the plight of Christian believers, “You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them (13:9).”

Associating the beginning of Jesus’ ministry with John’s arrest intentionally shows that the gospel began in adversity, not a time of comfort. As J.R. Edwards says in his commentary on Mark, “The Baptizer is the forerunner of Jesus not only in message but in fate, which includes suffering and death.”[1] John is not only a prototype for Jesus, but also the standard for Jesus’ disciples. Those readers who were enduring persecution under Nero could find encouragement that they were following in the same path as both John the Baptist and their Lord.

In this announcement, Mark summarizes Jesus’ entire life and ministry with the phrase, “The kingdom of God has come near.”

The Kingdom of God is an important concept in the Hebrew scriptures and in the common Jewish belief at the time of Jesus. We can summarize the Old Testament view of the Kingdom of God in three statements.

1)      First, God the King created the world.

2)      Second, God the king first showed his rule in bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt and giving the Law. And lastly,

3)      God the king will one day send a Messiah who will bring in the eternal heavenly reign of God.

In addition to this scriptural view of the Kingdom of God, which Jesus also affirmed, the Jewish people of Jesus’ day believed that the kingdom of God would only arrive after the faithful had proved themselves to be righteous and obedient. The people’s faithfulness was a prerequisite for God’s inauguration of His kingdom.

This final point was not supported by Jesus. He knew that it was not possible for humanity to be truly righteous and obedient by their own efforts. Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is a new state of being which is entered into by repentance and belief. At present it is hidden, because it is a kingdom in our heart but in the future, it will be seen in power and glory.

John preached a message of repentance; Jesus preached, “repent and believe.” “Repent” is a reference to what we turn from; “believe” refers to what we turn to. I sometimes summarize this by saying, “We say ‘goodbye’ to sin and ‘hello’ to Jesus.” In this way we turn from following our own way to following the way of Jesus. When Jesus declares, “the kingdom of God has come near,” He is declaring himself to be, our anointed king, our messiah. When we see Jesus, not just as our friend but as our king, that changed perspective transforms our lifestyle.

When he announces the kingdom of God, Jesus says, “the time has come.” This is the definitive moment of history. The time of prophecy has closed and the time of completion has begun. The Apostle Paul later speaks of this as “the fullness of time” (Gal. 4:4). This new era calls us to a new response, to repent and believe. This is the only way we can truly become righteous.

Mark begins his prologue with a reference to the good news in verse 1 and ends with another reference to “the good news” in v. 14. This “framing” technique is seen frequently in Mark. This frame helps us know how Mark outlined his gospel in his own mind. Mark has stated his thesis, introduced Jesus’ forerunner, introduced Jesus as the main protagonist, and begun to prove that Jesus is the Son of God. With verse 14 he brings his prologue to a close.

Closing Comments

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with you, today. Next time we will complete our study of chapter one as Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee. Mark begins his description of Jesus ministry with a quick succession of firsts, Jesus first disciples, first exorcism, first healing, and so on. The quick cuts from one scene to another drive home the conclusion that this story of Jesus is the greatest news flash of history. I can’t wait until we meet again.

[1] Edwards, J. R. (2002). The Gospel in a Nutshell. In The Gospel according to Mark (Ser. The Pillar New Testament Commentary). Chapter Two: Beginnings of the Galilean Ministry, Eerdmans.