Mark 1:1-8

INTRODUCTION

Author: Mark via Peter's Sermons & Recollection

Theme: The revelation of Jesus as the Son of God and Suffering Servant, who demonstrates His authority through His deeds and calls His followers to a life of discipleship and faith in the face of suffering.

Date of Writing: 65-70 AD (before the destruction of Jerusalem)

Background: Mark is also the Gospel of vividness. Graphic, striking phrases occur frequently to allow the reader to form a mental picture of the scene described. The looks and gestures of Jesus receive unusual attention. There are many Latinisms in the Gospel (see 4:21; 12:14; 6:27; 15:39).

Mark places little emphasis on Jewish law and customs, always interpreting them for the reader when he does mention them. This feature tends to support the tradition that Mark wrote for a Gentile, Roman audience.

In many ways, Mark emphasizes the Passion of Jesus so that it becomes the gauge by which the whole of Jesus’ ministry and the ministry of His disciples may be measured: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (10:45). Jesus’ entire ministry (miracles, table-fellowship with sinners, choice of disciples, teaching on the kingdom of God, etc.) is set within the context of the self-giving love of the Son of God, climaxed in the Cross and Resurrection.

Mark’s Gospel teaches that the life of discipleship means following Jesus along the same path of misunderstanding and rejection that He encountered. For followers of Jesus in all ages the warning and promise are sure: “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it” (8:34, 35).

Mark underscores the need for faith in the person, message, and power of Jesus to help those in need (see 1:15; 2:5; 4:40; 5:34, 36; 6:6; 9:19; 11:22–24). The opposite of such faith can be seen in the motif of hard hearts (see 3:5; 7:14–23; 8:17). The incarnate Christ that Mark describes is One who is willing and able to help those in extreme need.

Finally, Mark’s Gospel assures Christian workers of all generations that the same attesting miracles that accredited the ministries of the apostles will continue as characteristic features of God’s people under the New Covenant (16:17, 18).

This book is not a biography, but a concise history of redemption accomplished through the atoning work of Christ. Mark substantiates the messianic claims of Jesus by emphasizing His authority as a Teacher (1:22) and His authority over Satan and unclean spirits (1:27; 3:19–30), sin (2:1–12), the Sabbath (2:27, 28; 3:1–6), nature (4:35–41; 6:45–52), disease (5:21–34), death (5:35–43), legalistic traditions (7:1–13, 14–20), and the temple (11:15–18).

The opening title of Mark’s work, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (1:1), provides his central thesis concerning the identity of Jesus as the Son of God. Both the Baptism and the Transfiguration testify to His sonship (1:11; 9:7). On two occasions evil spirits confess Him to be the Son of God (3:11; 5:7; see also 1:24, 34). The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers alludes to Jesus’ divine sonship (12:6). Finally, the narrative of the Crucifixion concludes with the centurion’s confession, “Truly this Man was the Son of God” (15:39).

The title that Jesus uses most frequently for Himself, a total of fourteen times in Mark, is “Son of Man.” As a designation for the Messiah, this term (see Dan. 7:13) was not as popular among the Jews as the highly nationalistic title “Son of David.” Jesus chose the title “Son of Man” both to reveal and to conceal His messiahship and to relate Himself to both God and man.

Mark, with his eye upon discipleship, suggests that Jesus’ disciples must possess a penetrating insight into the mystery of His identity. Even though many people misunderstand His person and mission, while demons confess His divine sonship, Jesus’ disciples must see through to His mission, take up their crosses, and follow Him. The Second Coming of the vindicated Son of Man will fully unveil His power and glory.

Along with the other Gospel writers, Mark records the prophecy of John the Baptist that Jesus “will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (1:8). Believers would be just as thoroughly immersed in the Spirit as John’s candidates were in the waters of the Jordan River.

The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus at His baptism (1:10), empowering Him for His messianic work in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Is. 42:1; 48:16; 61:1, 2). The account of the subsequent ministry of Christ bears witness to the fact that His miracles and teaching resulted from the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Mark graphically states that “the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness” (1:12) to be tempted, suggesting the urgency of meeting and defeating Satan’s attempts to defile Him before He embarked on a mission of breaking the enemy’s power in others.

The sin against the Holy Spirit is set in contrast to “all sins” (3:28) for these sins and blasphemies can be forgiven. The context defines the meaning of this frightening truth. The scribes blasphemed against the Holy Spirit in that they attributed Jesus’ Holy Spirit-effected exorcisms to Satan (3:22). Their prejudiced vision made them incapable of true discernment. Mark’s explanation confirms this as why Jesus makes this severe pronouncement (3:30).

Jesus also refers to the Holy Spirit’s inspiration of the Old Testament (12:36). Of particular encouragement to Christians facing the hostility of unjust authorities is the Lord’s assurance that the Holy Spirit will speak through them when they testify of Christ (13:11).

In addition to explicit references to the Holy Spirit, Mark employs words associated with the gift of the Spirit, such as power, authority, prophet, healing, laying on of hands, Messiah, and kingdom.*

(*Excerpt from, The New Spirit Filled Life Bible Notes, by Jack Hayford)