Archive for the ‘Gospel of Mark’ Category

“Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15 (KJV)

This is one of the major transitions in the Gospel of Mark. In typical Mark fashion he lets us know that John is no longer the main focal point of the time. In fact he deals with this issue so simply that it seems as though Mark expected the reader to anticipate John’s imprisonment from the beginning. In this account we do not get any of the details of why John was imprisoned, we just get the simple statement that he was.

Mark now turns our attention back to Jesus. It is quite likely that Jesus’ actual message was much longer than what we have recorded, but Mark certainly captures the essence of what Jesus was preaching.

Jesus begins his message by setting the stage so to speak, recognizing that “the time is fulfilled.” If we aren’t careful we can gloss right over these four words and miss a great deal of their meaning. We must remember that at this point Jesus is speaking to the Jews, God’s chosen people, who until the time of John the Baptist had not “heard” from God in several hundred years. When Jesus begins speaking about the time being fulfilled, those that heard his message would have understood it in the context that it was given. All of the preparation that the Old Testament speaks of regarding the Messiah has occurred, and in fact was unfolding before their very eyes, whether or not they recognized that fact. This wasn’t your standard introduction, and we shouldn’t picture the Pastor standing up and saying “Ok, let’s get started”. These four words would have grabbed the Jewish listeners attention, and they would have understood that something significant was occurring.

Now that Jesus has their attention, His next statement would really grab them! “And the Kingdom of God is at hand!” Again, we have to try to put ourselves in the mindset of the Jews at this time in order to truly grasp the significance of this statement. Not only had God again spoken to His chosen people through John, now here comes Jesus saying that the Kingdom was at Hand! I do not think that we can really fully understand the excitement, and dare I say skepticism, that the audience would have felt when hearing this statement. We are simply too far removed from the event to really be able to understand it. But we can certainly see some of the significance, not only to the Jews that heard this statement, but to our own lives today.

What is this Kingdom that Jesus spoke of so often? There has been a great deal of theological debate over this topic for several hundred years, and I won’t suggest that I have the answer completely figured out. The Bible seems very clear to me that at some point God is going to work mightily and establish a new reign, and I’m sure that is part of the Kingdom that Jesus spoke of. But if we look at the terminology that Jesus used, it seems pretty clear that Jesus was not speaking only of something in the far off future, but of something immanent and immediate. Richard Deibert has this to say in The Interpretation Bible Studies series “Mark”: Jesus does not choose the common Greek word for linear, chronological time as the clock sees it (chronos). Jesus chooses the special Greek word for seasons, appointed-though-unpredictable time, as the Clockmaster sees it, perhaps best translated “time-within-time” (kairos). To make matters muddier, Jesus chooses to speak with a wonderfully rich tense in Greek, the perfect tense, which is used to indicate that the effects of a past action are still continuing in the present.”

Clear as mud, right? I think the key phrase that Deibert provides is that these effects continue in the present. The Kingdom of God is here and available to us today! How do we enjoy this Kingdom here and now? Jesus is about to tell us!

The key words in this next passage are a common theme in Jesus’ messages: repent and believe. Those two simple words sum up the entire Gospel message! We like to make things much more difficult than they are, but here we have Jesus himself giving us two very direct steps that we must take. We must first repent. That is the key that unlocks the Kingdom. Until we reach the point that we are able and willing to admit that we have been wrong, that we have not lived our lives the way that God intended, and to turn away from our sins, we are unable to enter the Kingdom. Truth be told, until we reach that point we aren’t even thinking about the Kingdom at all, so this just makes sense. Repentance is much more than just saying I’m sorry. It has to move beyond lip service, into a truly repentant heart. (Note: see http://heleadstheway.hesavedus.com/2009/12/25/true-repentance/ for related information). A truly repentant heart longs not only for forgiveness but for a sincere and life altering change in direction.

Once we have repented, the next step is to believe! Jesus doesn’t give us some endless list of rules that we have to obey, or things that we have to do, in order to “qualify” for citizenship in the Kingdom of God. All He requires of us is that we believe the Gospel! For many of us today this seems to be one of those “if it sounds too good to be true” moments. We are used to working for everything we have, and live in a society that reinforces the belief that we only get what we earn. But here Jesus is telling us that “all” we need to do is believe! The simplicity eludes us sometimes. But if we think about it, it has to be this simple. Why? Because we can not save ourselves! If we could, then there would have been absolutely no reason for Jesus to come to Earth and die as the ultimate sacrifice. Since we couldn’t save ourselves, Jesus paid that price for us, and all He asks in return is that we believe in Him!

On paper it seems so simple, but as any experienced Christian will tell you, it certainly doesn’t stop at that moment of repentance and belief. In fact, that’s just the beginning of the journey. Once we believe the Gospel, I mean truly believe it and let it become the focal point of our lives, we begin to change. Not because God says we must, but because we want to, because we desire to live a life that is more pleasing to God. Jesus knew this already! He knew that if we would turn from our sinful ways and believe the Gospel that extraordinary changes would occur in our lives. I truly believe that is why He kept the plan so simple.

“And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.” Mark 1:9-13 KJV

The obvious question that this passages forces us to face is Why was Jesus baptized? Clearly it was not for the remission of sins, as He was sinless! Mark really does not address the reason for Jesus’ baptism, but if we look at Matthew 3:15 we find Jesus’ answer to this very question. As we see in Matthew, John was reluctant to baptize Jesus, no doubt having the same question we’re facing now. But Jesus answered by saying “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matt 3:15 KJV)

In addition to fulfilling righteousness, there are other reason’s that Jesus chose to be baptized. First, He was in essence giving his stamp of approval on John’s ministry. By subjecting Himself to the water baptism, he was quite clearly supporting the ministry that John was performing. Second, He was identifying himself with those that he came to save. Although Mark doesn’t expound on this, it is quite likely, based on other texts, that Jesus was confessing sins on behalf of others, as the great prophets of old had done. Third, He was giving us an example to follow, something that He would continue to do throughout His ministry. If we are to truly follow in His footsteps, then clearly water baptism should be part of our service to Him. And lastly, He was initiating His earthly ministry. This was the beginning of Jesus’ redemptive work on Earth.

As soon as the baptism itself is completed, we get our first glimpse of the Trinity at work. The Son was obedient and submitted to the rite of baptism. The Spirit descended from heaven, and the Father spoke, stating his pleasure at what the Son had done. Although Mark’s description is, typically, short and to the point, we still see all three aspects of God together. What joy the Father’s words must have brought to Jesus! As we see throughout the Gospel’s, Jesus lived to do the Father’s will. We too should live our lives with the ultimate goal of pleasing God. How different our lives would be if we truly put forth that level of effort! And how exciting, and dare I say humbling, will it be if one day we stand before Him and He says to us “I am pleased with you”!

The next two verses briefly discuss the temptation in the wilderness that Jesus went through. In typical Markian style, there is very little detail provided here. But we know from other Gospel accounts that Jesus fasted for forty days (in and of itself quite a feat!) and was then tempted by Satan. If we take nothing else from this short passage, we should recognize that even Christ was tempted by the adversary. We certainly should expect nothing less. But we can also take comfort in the fact that temptation in and of itself is not sin. Jesus was tempted, yet he remained sinless. When Satan comes against us we can resist the temptation and remain steadfast in our walk with God. It may not be easy, but it can be done!

Mark 1:4-8

“John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out until him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water; but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost” Mark 1:4-8 KJV

Having concluded his introduction, Mark now begins his gospel in earnest. It may seem a little strange for Mark to begin his Gospel with John the Baptist. Why not just get right to the point? In fact, Mark is getting right to the point, but once again we need to understand the historical implications in order to really understand. Recall from our last lesson that Mark began by quoting Isaiah and referencing the one that would come before, or in front, of Jesus. This “one” was none other than John the Baptist. Mark knew that his readers, both the Jews and the Romans, would have a significant interest in this individual. Recall that the Emperor would always be preceded by one or more people who’s job it was to prepare the roadway for him. Likewise Mark begins his Gospel with the story of Jesus’ way maker, the one who went before Him to prepare the way.

“John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Mark 1:4.

The second half of this verse puts us face to face with one of the more difficult passages of scripture. By virtue of the way that this phrase was translated into English it can appear, on the surface, that baptism brings forgiveness. Many theologians are convinced that this is what Mark is saying here. However, most scholars today point to the term eis which was translated a “for” and argue that the more accurate translation is “to or into”. The Strong’s Concordance says this of eis: a primary prepostition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered). The distinction between for and into is quite significant. If “for” is the right rendition, then baptism is the means by which God forgives us of our sins. Baptism then becomes a work that we must complete in order for God to forgive us. There are countless scriptures that clearly teach that we can not earn God’s grace and forgiveness. (Eph 2:5; Rom 3:22-24). Clearly when we examine this verse in context with other verses in the Bible we see that the term “for” may not be the best translation. If, however, the term eis is translated as “into” we have a different understanding all together, and one that is in agreement with scripture. Rather than baptism being the mechanism for forgiveness, it becomes, more appropriately, an outward sign of the “point reached or entered” already. As such, baptism is not a work that we must complete in order to be forgiven, but rather a demonstration that we have already been forgiven. The difference may, at first, seem minor, but it is just one example of the importance of “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15).

“And there went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.” Mark 1:5 KJV

Historically, when someone would convert to Judaism they would be baptized as a symbol of their conversion. However, it was virtually unheard of for a Jew to be baptized. Why would they be? They were already the “elect, the chosen one’s of God”. The fact that John baptized Jews is in and of itself significant, and no doubt caused quite a stir during that time.

The response that John’s preaching received was clearly significant! There has been a great deal of debate over the term “all the land” with one side arguing that this was a hyperbole that Mark was using, and another side arguing that it must in fact be all the land. I’ll leave that debate to others, and simply focus on the fact that Mark makes it very clear that a great many people responded to John’s message and were baptized as a result of it! This large response shows at least two things. First, God was working in a marvelous way in lives at this time. Second, there was a deep spiritual hunger in the world at this time. Oh that we would develop such a deep spiritual hunger in our world today!

“And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;” Mark 1:6 KJV

Let’s be honest. This description of John is a bit.. ummm… unique! If we were to see someone dressed like this today I am pretty sure our first response would not be “ohhhh a prophet”! But for the time and place this actually makes perfectly good sense! John was in fact dressed much like the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:8), again something that the Jews of the time would have recognized.

Further, his dress would cause a very obvious and distinct differentiation between himself and the religious leaders of the day who dressed in flowing robes made of the finest material. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if John intentionally chose to present himself as the opposite of how the religious leaders presented themselves, if only to prove a point!

Another conclusion that we can draw from this description is that John was clearly unconcerned with the material world that he was living in, and was much more focused on the world to come. While I’m certainly not going to suggest that we begin to dress like John, I do believe that if we could begin to follow his example of being less concerned about the materialistic world and pay more attention to the spiritual world our lives would be vastly improved!

“And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water; but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.” Mark 1:7-8 KJV

Talk about humility! John could have very easily gotten a serious case of “the big head”! He was the first real prophet in 400 years. He clearly had a large following, and his sermons were getting amazing results. Contrast that to some modern day preachers and consider how many of them would be willing to voluntarily take a back seat to someone else! John knew what his purpose was, and clearly understood that his ministry would decrease as Jesus’ began to increase.

The phrase “the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose” has some significant meaning. During John’s time one of the duties of a servant, or slave, was to remove the master’s sandals. John is indicating here that as successful as he was, and despite the fact that he was a chosen messenger of God, he was still not worthy to be a slave to Jesus!

The Baptism of the Holy Ghost concludes this portion of the text. John confirms that although his baptism was important, it was secondary to the one that Jesus would provide. As believer’s today it is this second baptism, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, that is so very critical. Anyone can go through the ritual of water baptism, and understandably the effectiveness of the baptism will rely significantly on the sincerity of the one being baptized. But only a truly born again believer can receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and it is this baptism that begins and continues that lifelong transformation that the Christian Journey is all about!

Gospel of Mark

Chapter 1:1-3

“The beginning of the gosepl of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way beforee thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” Mark 1:1-3

(1)   The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Mark begins his gospel with a very bold statement. In order to fully appreciate the opening statement in verse 1, we must remember that this gospel was originally addressed to those living in Rome. He begins with the term “gospel”. To you and me today the word has a completely different meaning than it would have had to the Jews of Mark’s day. The Jews were an oppressed people, under the rule of Rome at this time, but throughout their history they had been enslaved or governed by others. They had been waiting for several hundred years for a Messiah to come and free them from the bondage they were in. By using the term gospel Mark knew that his Jewish readers thoughts would turn to the prophets of old and recall the promises that God had given His people. By using the same terminology Isaiah used (auangelion) Mark was announcing to the children of Israel that the Promised One had arrived!

When you hear the word “Gospel” what comes to mind? According to Strong’s the term “gospel” means “to bring good news, to announce glad tidings”. It goes far beyond a story or book, as many of us today interpret the term. The gospel should be received with great joy, because it is the story of freedom and growth. How are we today receiving the gospel? Are we receiving it with joy, or are we so exposed to the stories that we are beginning to loose the joy and excitement that it should generate within us?

So Mark begins by making it clear that what he is about to share with us is of immense importance. He then continues by identifying who he is writing about. The term Christ in the original Greek (Christos) meant “anointed one”. But its Hebrew counterpart (mashiakh) is even more enlightening, as this term is generally rendered as “Messiah”. Both translations and meanings clearly applied to Jesus, but it is the Hebrew term that would have grabbed the Jewish reader’s attention. “This is the one that you have been waiting for” is essentially what Mark is trying to convey. The Messiah has come!

In the second part of the first verse, Mark uses a phrase that was certain to get the Romans attention. The “Son of God” was a common title given to Roman emperors. Only the emperors would be announced and addressed with this term or title. But now here comes Mark declaring that Jesus, this man that he was writing about, was in fact the Son of God. In a not so very subtle manor Mark was saying “here is the true Son of God.”

We must also recall that the Roman’s worshipped numerous gods and goddesses. Just browse through any book on Roman Mythology and you will quickly see how many deities they believed in and served. In this announcement Mark is also indicating that Jesus is the Son of the true, supreme God. Theos is the Greek word that he used, and in the context of the rest of the statement, it is clear that Mark was demonstrating that Jesus was the Son of the True God, and thereby challenging the Romans to accept this God above all others.

So in his opening salvo, Mark manages to capture the attention of his readers, both the Jews and the Romans.

(2) It is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” (3) “a voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”

Now that Mark has his reader’s attention, he begins this great gospel story by first turning their attention to their most revered prophet, Isaiah. The quote in these two verses is actually compiled from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3, but Mark emphasizes Isaiah’s voice. Again, we must recall the original context in order to truly understand the significance of what Mark is saying. The children of Israel had a long line of prophets, chosen messengers of God, who they relied heavily upon for their identity and connection to God. At the time that Mark is writing, it has been approximately 400 years since Malachi, the last of the Old Testament prophets, had ministered to the Israelites. So in essence, at least as far as the Jews understood and believed, God had been quiet for 400 years! It would have been like returning to the wilderness for them, because they relied so heavily on the prophets to speak for God. And now here comes Mark, after 400 years of silence, telling the children of Israel that the quiet time was over! The terminology that he uses here is full of references used for prophets: “my messenger”, “prepare your way”, “a voice in the desert”. All of these terms would have immediately summoned memories on the part of his listener’s and caused them to recall the significance of God’s promise.

The term messenger, in the original Greek, means envoy, or one who is sent, or a messenger from God. Not only does Mark grab his readers attention by quoting Isaiah, he also chose a passage that would certainly excite his readers! A new messenger, a new envoy from God had arrived. Again I think today we tend to gloss over these opening statements, but it is very important that we truly understand the significance of what Mark is saying.

The quote continues on to show the messenger’s purpose; to “prepare your way”. These few words have significant implications, and again we must put them into a historical context in order to begin to fully understand what Mark is saying here. During this time in history, whenever a King would travel from city to city men would be sent ahead of the King in order to clear the road for his journey. They were expected to remove any debris that was in the way, clear out any crowds that may impede the journey, and even level or straighten the roads if necessary. That is what Mark is pointing to when he says “prepare your way.” From a historical perspective we know that Mark is referring to John the Baptist, the great messenger of God who prepared the way for Jesus’ earthly ministry. But if we take that one step further we can also see a subtle illustration of the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that prepares our hearts and our lives to receive the wonderful message of Jesus.

Just as John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ, we too as Christians today need to do our part to prepare the way for Him. People today are searching for truth, but the adversary has placed so many false idols in the world that people are understandably confused and frustrated, many to the point where they have essentially given up on finding that truth. We know the Truth! It is Jesus Christ and his birth, life, death and resurrection! We need to do our part by being good ambassadors of Christ, sharing the message with others, and more importantly living lives that are in compliance with our stated faith. You may be the only gospel that some people will see. What kind of message are you sending about Jesus Christ in the way that you live?

Gospel of Mark

This is the first of a series of posts that will take us through the entire Gospel of Mark. I hope that you find this information valuable, and welcome any comments . 

Introduction

The Gospel of Mark was, at the time that it was written, trendsetting. Prior to this endeavor, stories about Jesus, and any other great man for that matter, were communicated verbally. In our modern day it is hard to imagine not having written accounts of events available for us to review. We are used to being able to pick up a book, magazine, newspaper, or access any number of websites, and have all sorts of information right at our fingertips. But in the early days of the Church, stories were not written down; they were memorized and conveyed to listeners verbally. So when Mark began to record the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he was venturing in to brand new territory. Prior to this Gospel, this form of literature simply did not exist. Mark pioneered this form of writing.

Although the third Gospel to appear in the New Testament, historically Mark is the first of the four gospels, and along with some of Paul’s writings, the earliest record we have available regarding Jesus Christ. It is generally accepted that Mark was written sometime between 55 and 65 AD. Bear in mind that although this is the earliest gospel to be written, it was still composed some twenty to thirty plus years after the death of Jesus. Unlike today, Mark did not sit down as I am right now with several pages of notes in front of him. Mark had to rely on his memory, on the events that he had seen, and no doubt on the stories that he had heard.

In order to better appreciate, comprehend, and apply the Gospel of Mark, or any other book of scripture for that matter, it is important to put it into historical context. At the very least we need to understand who the author was and who the primary audience was. This knowledge will assist us in better understanding what the author is telling us.

The author of the Gospel is John Mark. Mark was tutored by three of the pillars of our faith; Peter, Paul and Barnabus. His mother, Mary, would open her home to the apostles and early disciples (Acts 12:12), and his cousin Barnabus was one of the early church leaders. So it is apparent that from an early age Mark was exposed to the teachings about Jesus. He accompanied Paul and Barnabus on their first missionary journey, but for reasons which are unknown, he left his two mentors in the middle of the journey.  It is clear that Paul disapproved of Mark’s decision, and when he and Barnabus were preparing for their second missionary journey, Paul refused to take John Mark with them. Barnabus chose to continue working with Mark and the two set off to Cyprus, while Paul and Silas carried out Paul’s second missionary journey. (Acts 15:37-41).

Mark eventually settled in Rome, and worked closely with Peter. So closely in fact, that Peter referred to him as “my son Mark” (1 Peter 5:13). Two of the early church fathers, Papias and Clement, both reported that Mark worked closely with Peter. Papias reports “Mark, having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately, though not indeed in order, whatever he remembered of the things said and done by Christ.” (Fragments of Papias)  Clement says “As Peter had preached the Word publicly at Rome, and declared the Gospel by the Spirit, many who were present requested that Mark, who had followed him for  along time and remembered well what he had said, should write them out.” (Fragments of Clement). We do not know for how long Mark worked with Peter, but it appears to have been for some time, considering the recordings of Clement, and the fact that Peter referred to him as his son.

In addition to what we are able to gather from scripture and the writings of the early church fathers, there are some interesting traditions regarding John Mark that may shed further light into the author of the Gospel. In his Commentary on the Whole Bible, Matthew Henry writes “Though it is true Mark was no apostle, yet we have all the reason in the world to think that both he and Luke were of the number of seventy disciples, who companied with the apostles all along (Acts 1:21), who had a commission like that of the apostles (Luke 10:19, Mark 16:18), and who, it is highly probable, received the Holy Ghost when they did, so that it is no diminution at all to the validity or value of this gospel, that Mark was not one of the twelve as Matthew and John were? St. Jerome saith that, after the writing of this gospel, he went into Egypt, and was the first that preached the gospel at Alexandria, where he founded a church, to which he was a great example of holy living.”

Tradition further suggests that Mark was one of the servants at the Marriage at Cana, and may have been the one who poured the water that Jesus turned into wine.  He was possibly the man mentioned in Mark 14:13 carrying water into the house that would host the Last Supper. Most scholars seem to agree that Mark was referring to himself when he spoke of the young man who ran away naked after Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:51-52). And traditions further suggest that it was his home to which the resurrected Jesus visited. Although these traditions are certainly difficult to prove, the fact that they have remained for so many years, and that they fit into a logical background, leads us to at least consider if they are in fact true.

As for the audience that Mark was addressing, it appears to be two-fold. First he was writing to the Roman Christians and providing an account of the life and death of Jesus Christ. Second he was writing to those in Roman who had not yet headed the gospel message. At this time in history, Rome was a vast and mighty power. They worshipped many gods, and revered the Caesar as the son of god. So Mark undoubtedly set out to demonstrate that Jesus was the Son of the True God, thereby challenging many of the widely held beliefs and customs of the day. It is against this backdrop that the Gospel of Mark was written.