Jesus Unfiltered — In the Beginning (Mark 1:1-8)

Bob Brannon, DPhil   -  

Do you like to travel?

There’s something about the freedom of the open road that beckons me.

It’s one of the reasons I love cycling country roads – I just can’t wait to see what’s over the next hill or around the next corner.

 

I’ll never forget my first international trip. As a 21 year-old college student, I spent an entire summer in Taiwan. Those ten weeks transformed my life.

You’ve had similar experiences, I’m sure. Whether it was a trip to the Holy Land, a vacation out west, a visit to Hawaii or Mexico or maybe the Caribbean, or perhaps you’re thinking of an exceptional time you had at the Outer Banks.

I invite you to join me on a journey.

Along the way we’re going to stop at interesting places and meet a lot of fascinating people. It’s going to be a great adventure, a life-changing trip.

We won’t be traveling alone. We’ll have a tour guide. His name is Mark. But don’t worry. Mark won’t be a bother. You’ll hardly notice him. He’ll be too busy directing our attention elsewhere.

Grab your Bible and join me as we begin a journey through the Gospel of Mark. Along the way, we’re going to see and hear Jesus in his own words. I’ve called the journey, Jesus Unfiltered: Meditations on the Gospel of Mark.

 

Author

Although his name is not mentioned in the book, most think it was written by a young man named John Mark.  It was a brand new kind of book. No one had ever written anything like it before. Far more than a memoir of the man called Jesus, the book was meant to persuade people that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God.

John Mark appears several times in the New Testament. His mother, Mary, was a wealthy woman who lived in Jerusalem. We learn in Acts 12 that her large house was used as a gathering place for prayer. The Apostle Paul & Mark’s cousin, Barnabas, took young Mark along on their first missionary journey. But he bailed out partway through, causing a rift between the two missionaries (which was later repaired). Paul later referred to Mark as one of his fellow workers (Philemon 24). Later Mark became an associate of the Apostle Peter, who affectionately referred to him as my son Mark (1 Peter 5:13).

It appears that Mark relied heavily on the firsthand knowledge of Peter to compile his fast-paced account of Jesus’ life. You can see Peter’s personality coming through in many places. For example, nearly half of all New Testament usages of the term immediately are found in Mark. Everything seems to happen immediately, without delay. That sounds an awful lot like Peter, doesn’t it?

 

Audience

Mark’s specific audience is not identified, but since there are few Old Testament citations or references to Jewish traditions, it’s likely the book was written primarily – but not exclusively, for a Gentile (non-Jewish) audience.

 

Theme

So, what’s the big picture of Mark’s Gospel? What is his main focus or theme? It’s Jesus, the Son of Man [who] did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many (10:45)!

Mark crafts a crisp, fast-moving account of the life of Jesus. With few editorial comments, Mark lets the narrative speak for itself as it unfolds the story of the Jesus the Servant who is constantly on the move, preaching, teaching, healing, and ultimately dying for sinners.

 

Setting

Many believe Mark compiled the narrative while he was ministering in Rome and that it is the earliest New Testament book we have. The exact date cannot be identified, but most scholars believe he wrote it sometime in the 60’s, which was a very difficult period for the fledgling church. Reading the history of that period sounds eerily similar to our own times. Listen to Tacitus’ grave description of the late 60’s.

The history on which I am entering is that of a period rich in disasters, terrible with battles, torn by civil struggles, horrible even in peace. Four emperors fell by the sword; there were three civil wars, more foreign wars, and often both at the same time…Italy was distressed by disasters unknown before or returning after the lapse of the ages…Beside the manifold misfortunes that befell mankind there were prodigies in the sky and on the earth, warnings given by thunderbolts, and prophecies of the future, both joyful and gloomy, uncertain and clear. 

You can understand, then, why there was such a need for a record of Jesus’ life and ministry. The church desperately needed to conserve and stabilize the teachings and traditions of Jesus. Remember, there was no New Testament to rely on at this point.

Newborn Christians needed to know about the origins of their faith.

How could they defend themselves against deceptions and misrepresentations without a solid understanding of their Founder and Savior?

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Mark compiled his Gospel to do just that, to encourage Christians facing trying circumstances by informing them about the foundation of their faith.

Some things never change.

The specifics may differ, but we have the same kinds of struggles and battles today; like civil unrest, a global pandemic, and political and social division. On top of that, we’re seeing growing suspicion & hostility toward biblical Christianity.

Like the early church, we desperately need to be firmly established on the foundation of our faith.

We need to shore up our convictions in order to boldly proclaim Jesus as the hope of the world.

In Nehemiah 8, we find the people demanding that Ezra the scribe bring the Word of God to the assembly. Ezra and his colleagues stood on a raised wooden platform. The text says Ezra and those assisting him read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understood what was being read (Neh. 8:8).

That’s our pattern for this journey. Week by week, we’re going to gather together to read from God’s Word (Mark’s Gospel) and try to understand what it means for our lives. So let’s buckle up and begin.

 

In the Beginning (1:1)

Mark starts off at the beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The question is, when did the gospel begin? Each of the four gospel writers brings their own unique perspective to that question.

Matthew is a gospel written by a Jew to Jews about a Jew (Jesus). Naturally, then, Matthew begins his gospel by tracing the genealogy of Jesus all the way back to the patriarch Abraham (Matt 1:1-17).

Wanting to emphasize the universal appeal of Jesus, Luke, a Gentile physician, traces the beginning of the gospel back even further, all the way to Adam & Eve (Luke 3:21-37).

John goes back further still, describing the eternal origins of Jesus, whom he calls the Word of God made flesh (John 1:1-14).

Unlike the other (later) gospels, Mark forgoes details surrounding Jesus’ human origins and childhood. He plunges straight into the earthly ministry of Jesus. The good news begins with the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is what makes discipleship possible.

Mark tells his readers who Jesus is in this first sentence. His name is Jesus (the Greek transliteration of Hebrew Joshua, which means, Jehovah is Salvation).

His title is Christ (the Messiah or Anointed One who will deliver his people).

And he is the Son of God.

Jesus is the embodiment of the good news.

That’s what Mark wants his readers to know from the start.

 

Preparing the Way (1:2-3)

Long before Jesus’ arrival, God’s people were taught to look forward to one who would come to usher in the age of salvation. Drawing from two prophets, Malachi & Isaiah, Mark cites prophetic texts announcing a messenger who will precede the coming Messiah. His voice will be calling in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’ (1:3).

So Mark begins his narrative of Jesus’ life with a voice off stage reading from Scripture, a prophecy about the arrival of the Lord. As one scholar noted, “While John and Jesus seem to appear out of the blue, this citation of Scripture makes it clear that they appear out of the blueprint of God’s plan.”

 

John’s Ministry & Message (1:4-8)

In direct fulfillment of prophecy, a man in the mold of the prophets burst onto the scene in the desert regions around Judah.

Mark says John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (1:4). At this point, baptism was reserved for proselytes to Judaism and for those who have been defiled (See 2 Kings 5:13). For John to preach a message of repentance and to call God’s people to be baptized implies that all of Israel was defiled in some way. But people flocked to hear him.

It was like a great revival. 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 (1:5). People everywhere left their cities, their homes, their work and recreation, and they trekked through rugged and dangerous territory to hear a country preacher. Some probably had to walk 20 to 30 miles to get there.

 John was out of step with the mainstream – to say the least. He wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he had a rather odd diet. He preferred all natural foods, like locusts and wild honey. What did all this mean?

The Jews were well schooled in Israel’s history and would easily recognize the symbolism of John’s strange dress and diet. Just like we would quickly pick up on someone wearing Daniel Boone’s coonskin cap or Abraham Lincoln’s stovepipe hat and beard, they would have clearly recognized John’s strange appearance as symbolic of Elijah the prophet.

It had been a long time since a good old fashioned prophet appeared in Israel.

This prophet’s appearance could mean only one thing.

Something big was about to happen.

Luke said the people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ (Luke: 3:15). They didn’t want to miss out so they ran out into the desert to get themselves ready.

So what was John’s message? And this was his message: ‘After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit’ (1:7, 8).

If you were to summarize his message, it might be “it’s not about me.” He was there to prepare the way for Jesus and to announce his arrival. That’s all. He knew that he wasn’t the main actor. He didn’t even have a supporting role. He was merely there to clear the way and announce the entrance of the one who would take center stage.

Though downplayed by John himself, and certainly by Mark, John’s notoriety was widespread and impressive. Two or three decades later (around 55 AD), the apostle Paul met some of John’s disciples in faraway Ephesus (Acts 19:1-7). And writing near the end of the first century, the Jewish historian, Josephus, devotes more attention to John than to Jesus (Ant. 18.116-19). In other words, John’s attraction and influence were history making. John’s intention, though, was not to draw attention to himself but to prepare people for one more powerful to come.

So what can we take away from this passage? What did we learn from our short trip today?

 

Travel Notes

 

Desert Dead End

 Mark is meticulous about details. Nothing is included in his narrative without a specific purpose. So the question is, why does he describe the location of John’s ministry?

Why did John preach out in the boonies? Why didn’t he go into Jerusalem or other cities where the people lived to present his message? Why the desert wilderness?

It’s because wilderness is symbolic. The desert is a picture of humanity – of us. Of our barren and dry lives. It represents the weariness and sheer boredom of life without God, the aching sense of loneliness and abandonment. It’s where we face isolation and temptation (like Jesus – 1:12-13).

It’s a spiritual wilderness.

A desert where we find no rest or refreshment and feel dry and weary.

Do you ever get the strange feeling that your life is on a dead-end road?

If you were to describe the landscape along the road you’re traveling right now, what would it look like?

Are you wandering backroads in the wilderness?

Do you feel weary from life, parched and dry spiritually, like David when he cried out for relief in a dry and weary land where there is no water (Ps 63:1)?

Are you looking for somewhere you can find refreshment?

Mark has good news for you!

 

The Right Road

 As one commentator put it, the gospel is not good advice about how to live, it is good news about a Person! It’s the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!

Mark proclaims the good news that Jesus came to provide another way, to take us on another road.

He is the way.

He is the Son of God sent to pave the way for you to go in an entirely new direction.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). The desert road leads only to destruction, and it is wide and well-travelled. But Jesus is the narrow road that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14). Oh, my friend, isn’t that good news! God sent his Son to put you on a new path, the road to eternal life.

But to get on that road you have to turn around.

U Turn

That’s what repentance means.

John came preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sin. To repent is to turn around, to turn and go in a different direction.

It involves a change of mind that results in a change of behavior.

That’s what John was preaching, and that’s what people came from far and wide to do – to make a you-turn with their lives. They confessed their sins and were baptized by John.

Do you need to make a U turn today? Do you need to repent of your sin? Will you confess your sins and turn to Jesus? Knowing and following him is an adventure like no other.

Want to know more about how to turn to Jesus? Read this.


Blog post adapted from the message by the same name delivered on Sunday, September 19. Prefer to listen? You can hear the message here.


Sources used

The NIV Application Commentary, David E. Garland.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary Series: The Gospel According to Mark, James R. Edwards.

Believer’s Church Commentary: Mark, Elmer A. Martens & Willard M. Swartley, editors.

Let’s Study Mark, Sinclair B. Ferguson.

Reformed Expository Commentary: Luke, Volume 1: Chapters 1-12.

The Harmony of the Gospels, Robert L. Thomas and Stanley N. Gundry.