The Gospel of Mark - Introduction
(Mark 1:1-20) The Preparation of the Way of the Lord
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets:
“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.”
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make His paths straight.’ ”
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him. Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.
In the Gospel of Mark, the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is God, a divine person in the Trinity of God; in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit works, for example, in creation or on individuals. The Holy... More presents the Lord Jesus in all His humble graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More as the Servant of Jehovah. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that the One who humbles Himself to become the obedient Servant never ceases to be the Divine Person that He is, despite taking on the likeness of men. Thus, to preserve His glory, the Gospel opens with a sevenfold witness to the greatness of His Person.
(V. 1) The first witness is the author of the Gospel, Mark, who, inspired by the Holy Spirit, introduces us to the One who "made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant," reminding us that He is "Jesus Christ, the Son of God."
(Vv. 2-3) The second witness consists of the prophets, who testify to the glory of His Person. They not only foretell His coming but also announce His glory. Jehovah's word to Malachi states, “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me.” This scripture is applied to ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More, as the Spirit says, “Behold, I send My messenger before your face, who will prepare Your way.” Jesus of the New Testament is indeed the Jehovah of the Old Testament (Malachi 3:1). The second quotation from Isaiah speaks of preparing the way of the LORD. Thus, it is again Jehovah whose way is being prepared, for Jesus is Jehovah (Isaiah 40:3).
(Vv. 4-8) The third witness comes from John the Forerunner, who affirms the glory of the perfect Servant. He addresses the sinful condition of humanity and the need for "repentance for the remission of sins." Simultaneously, he testifies to the glory of the One who has come in humble grace as the Servant to address humanity's needs. John stands in the wilderness, where "all the land of Judea and those from Jerusalem went out to him." Centuries earlier, the Lord declared to the prophet, "Behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak to her heart" (Hosea 2:14). As someone has noted, "There was no talking to her heart in the fair and flourishing city; but out in the cold, hungry, waste wilderness, He allured her," to speak to her conscience and win her heart. Today, how often does the Lord follow this path with sinners and even saints? We usually seek comfort and ease, only to find our hearts growing cold and careless. Then, the Lord intervenes with sorrow and trials, allowing us to hear His voice and drawing us closer to Himself.
Addressing our conscience, John illustrates how our sins have transformed the beautiful creation into a moral wilderness, separating humanity from God. His lifestyle, living apart from the world, was consistent with his message. Most importantly, he bore witness to the glory of the One who was to come. If the One who "thought it not robbery to be equal with God" humbles Himself to become man and assumes the role of a servant, John, the greatest among prophets, is eager to acknowledge that an even greater Servant has arrived, one whose sandals he is not worthy to untie. While John can baptize with water, symbolizing separation from a corrupt worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More, Jesus will baptize with the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is God, a divine person in the Trinity of God; in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit works, for example, in creation or on individuals. The Holy... More — a Divine Person — marking believers as belonging to ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More in a new realm.
(Verses 9-11) Fourth, we have the testimony of the voice from Heaven regarding the glory of Christ. In infinite grace, the Lord submits to baptism, thus identifying Himself with the godly remnant separated from the guilty nation. Immediately, the Father's voice proclaims His glory as the "beloved Son," the One in whom the Father finds delight. In ancient times, Jehovah had said through the prophet, “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him” (Isaiah 42:1). Thus, the voice from Heaven can declare that "My Servant" is "My beloved Son." It has been rightly noted that He was "sealed by the Holy Spirit even as we are; He, because He was personally worthy of it, and we, because He has made us worthy through His work and His blood" (J.N.D.).
(Verses 12, 13) Fifth, we have a brief reference to the temptation in the wilderness. The temptation of our first parents in the garden of delights revealed their weakness, leading them to be overcome by SatanThe Bible introduces us to the great adversary of God in Rev 20:2 under four terms: • Dragon • Old Serpent • Devil • Satan Under the term 'Satan,' the... More. In contrast, the temptation of our Lord in the wilderness serves as a testament to His infinite perfection, whereby He overcame SatanThe Bible introduces us to the great adversary of God in Rev 20:2 under four terms: • Dragon • Old Serpent • Devil • Satan Under the term 'Satan,' the... More.
Sixth, creation itself bears witness to the glory of His Person, as we read that He was "with the wild beasts." Although the beasts may fear men, they have no fear of this blessed Man, for He is, indeed, their Creator.
Lastly, we read, "the Angels ministered to Him." Angelic hosts serve the One who came to be the Servant. He is none other than "the Son," "the First Begotten," who, when He comes into the world, is proclaimed, "Let all the angels of God worship Him" (Heb. 1:5-6).
Thus, in their various ways, heaven and earth, prophets and angels, testify to the glory of Jesus as a Divine Person, preparing the way for the humble role He was about to assume as the Servant among men.
Notably, no genealogy is provided in this Gospel, nor are there details of His birth or the circumstances of His early life. These aspects, precious and necessary, are recorded by others but do not align with the themes of the Gospel of Mark or John. Here, as the Servant, He takes a positionThe Christian position cannot be separated from Christian practice, but a distinction must be made. "Position" means how God sees us now. In the eyes of God, we are "in... More above all genealogies, while in the Gospel of John, as the Son, He transcends all human genealogies.
Following this sevenfold witness to the glory of His Person, we find in these introductory verses the account of the event that prepared the way for the Lord to embark on His public ministry, the nature of His service, and the sovereign graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More that chose others to accompany Him in that service.
(Verse 14) It is significant that it was after John had been "put in prison" that Jesus came forth to serve. From a natural perspective, one might argue that if the ForerunnerThis word, which only occurs once in the Bible, introduces us to the Lord Jesus as the "beginner and completer of faith" (Heb 12:2), who has now arrived in heavenly... More is rejected, it would be pointless for Jesus to proceed with His mission. However, God's timing and ways of action differ significantly from those of men. The ministry and subsequent rejection of John highlighted humanity's sinThe Bible carefully differentiates between sin and sins. • Sin: the evil power at work in man that causes him to engage in sinful activities (Rom 7:17, 18). God pronounced... More and need; this prepared the way for a ministry of graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More that alone could address those needs. When the worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More demonstrated its sinThe Bible carefully differentiates between sin and sins. • Sin: the evil power at work in man that causes him to engage in sinful activities (Rom 7:17, 18). God pronounced... More by rejecting John, God revealed His graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More by sending Jesus.
(Verse 15) The ultimate purpose of the Lord's work, as described in the Gospel of Mark, is encapsulated in this verse. He was present among the people of Israel to announce that the Kingdom of GodEssentially, it refers to the same thing as the kingdom of heaven, whereby it is less about a period and more about the moral characteristics of the kingdom. God is... More was near — a Kingdom characterized by righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17). John had already come preaching righteousness, convicting people of their sins. Now, the Lord was present — not to judge people for their sins, but in graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More, calling them to repent in light of the good news that offers the forgivenessIn Scripture, forgiveness is presented to us from two points of view. • The side of God: God’s thoughts towards the sinner whom he forgives. On the basis of Christ’s... More of sins.
(Verses 16-20) Here we see the grace of the Lord as He identifies others with Himself in service. He bypassed the official priests, learned scribes, and religious Pharisees to choose humble fishermen. Simon, for example, could say, “Silver and gold I do not have,” and the world regarded him as an “uneducated and untrained man” (Acts 3:6; Acts 4:13). The absence of wealth and formal education does not prevent someone from being a companion of the Lord or being used in His service. However, despite the humble nature of those the Lord engages in His service, they are not idle. These simple men were actively working as fishermen when the Lord called them to become "fishers of men." The Lord's service is not for those who have nothing else to do.
Moreover, His servants must be equipped for service, and this preparation can only occur by being in His company. Thus, the Lord's word is, “Come after Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” This principle remains true today: “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me” (John 12:26,). Unfortunately, we may settle for merely believing the gospel for the benefit of our souls while knowing little about pursuing the path of faith and humble obedience that prepares us for service. While not everyone is called to forsake everything as the disciples did when the Lord was on earth, serving Him can only be done with Him as the central focus of our hearts.
Most of God's people are instructed to remain in their earthly jobs (1 Corinthians 7:20). Still, the Lord has some form of service for everyone, as “to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Ephesians 4:7). This service involves surrendering those things that might distract us from the responsibilities of this life and can only be fulfilled by staying close to Him. The disciples responded immediately to the Lord's call, as we read that they "followed Him" and "went after Him."
