Introduction
When a new leader is installed in an organization or company, everyone watches their first moves.
First, they are introduced. How are they presented? What is said about them? What is their background? Who are they?
Second, they begin to work. What are their first priorities? What problems do they think need to be tackled right away? Where do they like to roll up their sleeves and get involved?
Third, they set their vision. What is their message? How do they see things? What do they say?
And all three things helps the wise observer learn what the organization will be like under this new leader. The way they are presented, the first moves they make, and the overarching message they begin to disseminate, are all helpful in knowing where the group is going.
Today, at the outset of Mark's gospel, we get a similar opportunity with Jesus. We are going to see three things -- Jesus' introduction, first mission, and overall message. Each is meant to help us understand Jesus and his kingdom.
The Setting
But first, the backdrop. After setting the stage and telling us about John the Baptist, Mark immediately takes us to the inauguration of Jesus' earthly ministry. At this point, Luke tells us Jesus was about thirty years of age, but Mark is unconcerned with the previous years of Jesus' life (Luke 3:23). Mark also refuses to develop the backstory of Jesus and John's relationship as relatives of one another through their mothers, Mary and Elizabeth.
His only real mention of Jesus' early years is this: In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee (9). The phrase might make the reader crazy with questions. What was Jesus doing all those years? Why did God choose such an obscure and out-of-the-way town for Jesus' upbringing? What about Mary and Joseph? What was Jesus' GPA?
Again, as I mentioned last week, the gospels are not biographies about Jesus, but historical theologies: accurate, truthful portrayals of Jesus designed to demonstrate theological truths about the Christ.
And Mark shows us the inauguration, the beginning, the commencement of Jesus' ministry life happened at the waters of the Jordan River. With John. In baptism. And after that, Jesus was thrust into the wilderness to face temptation at the hands of Satan. Then he began to preach. Let's consider all three, learning about Jesus as we go.
1. His Introduction. Jesus Is God Breaking Through (1:9-11)
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
Why was Jesus baptized?
Now, early Christians clearly considered this a vital event. In the book of Acts, after Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples felt they needed to find a replacement for Judas Iscariot, and they wanted someone who'd been with them since Jesus' baptism (Acts 1:21-22).
So this event was a big deal to the early church, and Mark presents it as an important step in Jesus' ministry life.
But his baptism brings up an obvious question: Why was Jesus baptized by John?
We ask because John offered a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, but the Bible teaches us Jesus lived a sinless life (Mark 1:4). For his part, John seems to have felt this conflict as well. Matthew tells us John objected when he saw Jesus come out to him in the water to be baptized.
John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. (Matthew 3:14-15, ESV).
Now, we learn in Isaiah 53 that Jesus would be numbered with the transgressors and bore the sin of many (Isaiah 53:12). Though he had no sin of his own, it's possible Jesus was already identifying with sinful flesh by being baptized like everyone else.
But to really understand Jesus' response, we must again consider John's ministry. Remember, the people were waiting for the day of the Lord -- the breaking in of God onto Israel's situation -- when John came onto the scene. And the figure they were especially looking for was Elijah (Malachi 4:5-6). When John arrived, he came in the spirit and power of Elijah, and even dressed the part!
Then, when John preached, he told people to repent, but that's not all. He said:
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3:2, ESV).
As in, everything you've been waiting for, the day you've longed to see, the program of God foretold by the prophets of old, the great kingdom which will have no end, it is about to appear! It is going to present itself at any moment. Get yourself ready. Turn around and prepare yourself for what God is about to do!
Then Jesus comes along and is baptized. It was only right for the one who the kingdom is centered around to be baptized himself. His baptism kickstarted the whole thing! As we will see in a moment, the heavens open, the Spirit comes, and the Father speaks. God broke through. The kingdom has begun.
And to prove the point that Jesus' baptism was God breaking through, we only need to look at the details surrounding the event.
Detail 1. Heaven Breaks Out On Earth
The first detail is the opening of heaven. Mark records: and when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open (10). The other gospel writers describe the opening of the heavens, but Mark used forceful language to say heaven was torn, or split, open (10).
And to describe the heavens this way, splitting or cracking open above Jesus, is a way to say God is speaking and acting in this moment and event.
We see this in the Old Testament. One good example is found in Isaiah 63 and 64. There, Israel was far from the ideals of God's kingdom, and, in prayer, they remembered the times in their past when God was moving in their midst. They wanted to see it happen again. They wanted God to rekindle the fires of his plans for them. There, they prayed:
"Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down..." (Isaiah 64:1, ESV)
You see, Jesus eliminates the gap between heaven and earth. In him, God interacts with us, human flesh. In him, God dwelt in human flesh.
And all this was a foreshadowing of the ultimate way God would break through to earth. For centuries, a thick veil had separated the most holy place in God's temple in Jerusalem from everyone else. But at Jesus' death, Mark will tell us:
And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. (Mark 15:37–38, ESV).
So Mark is telling us that God has answered their prayers in Jesus. The heavens are opened. God has come down. The long-awaited Savior is here!
Detail 2. The Spirit Empowers Jesus
The second detail pointing to God breaking through at Jesus' baptism is the outpouring of God's Spirit. Mark records: Immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove (10). As we'll see in a moment, this was meant to be understood as the Spirit's empowering of Jesus for the work of ministry.
To the Philippians, Paul described Jesus this way:
Though he was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:6–7, ESV).
This emptying of himself did not deprive Jesus of his divinity. Though divine, Jesus seems to have set aside the privileges of divinity, emptying himself, so he could be like us. And, in so doing, he needed to rely on the power of the Spirit to do his work. He preached and performed miracles by the power of the Spirit.
Part of the reason this is important is because all the Old Testament heroes and prophets were empowered by God's Spirit, but Israel had come to believe those days were over (Exodus 31:3, Judges 3:10, 1 Samuel 19:20). There were no prophets. They saw no miracles. And times of darkness covered the land.
But now the heavens split open, and the Spirit descends. Not upon Israel as a whole, but upon one Israelite, upon Jesus. For them, this was like a dream; God's Spirit has come again! God has broken through!
As an aside, if Jesus needed the power of the Spirit for the ministry he would perform, so do we. This is the understatement of the year. But, so often, we try to improve or make a difference in the lives of others exclusively in our own strength. As we struggle, the Spirit is on standby, waiting and wanting to help us.
A few years ago, we needed to purchase a new family vehicle. I scoured the internet, looking for a lightly used minivan we could call our own. I found one, up in the bay area, and learned it had previously been owned by a convent of Roman Catholic nuns. I made the purchase. But there is nothing special about it. It runs like every other vehicle out there. To make it go, we must turn the key and activate the engine. Without the engine, I could push the van a few feet, but with it, we can go places.
The Spirit of God is who we need to get the job of Christ's service accomplished here on earth. We need his empowering work in our lives.
Detail 3. Jesus Is The Beloved Son
The third detail pointing to God breaking through at Jesus' baptism is the voice of the Father over his Son. He said, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased" (11). Amazing. Beautiful.
Now, the voice of Father God was rare during the life of Jesus, but when he did speak, this is the type of thing he would say. After Jesus' baptism, he remained silent until the Mount of Transfiguration. After Peter suggested they build permanent tents for Jesus, along with Elijah and Moses, who had appeared there, God said:
"This is my beloved Son; listen to him." (Mark 9:7, ESV).
Then, as Jesus neared the cross, he began to teach that it was time for him to be glorified. He told everyone they should serve and follow him. If they did, the Father would honor them. Then Jesus prayed, Father, glorify your name (John 12:23-28).
Then a voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." (John 12:28, ESV).
Though not a carbon copy of what the Father had said about Jesus earlier, in some ways, it stands as an accelerated version of what he said all throughout Jesus' ministry. At Jesus' baptism, he said, You are my Son. In the presence of Moses and Elijah he said, Listen to my Son. And after Jesus told people they should serve and follow him, the Father said, in effect, That's right. I have no correction to offer. I hear you, Son. I will glorify my name.
So the Father's voice sets Jesus apart from everyone else in history. He's beloved. He's better than Moses and Elijah. He's worthy of the kind of service and allegiance you only give to God. He is the One who will break out God's grace to the world.
"Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations." (Isaiah 42:1, ESV)
This is Jesus! He is the begotten Son who brings justice to the nations (Psalm 2:7).
The Son of God. The Son of David. Jesus came. God broke through.
Our Grand Position
Before moving on, I should point out the beloved status of Jesus (11). Before his public ministry commenced, he was secure in the Father's love. He hadn't performed one miracle or preached one sermon, but the Father loved the Son. Mark writes it in a way that points to the past tense, that the Father's love for the Son is timeless in force, pleased with him at all times.
This is important on many levels, but one is in how it relates to our own position before the Father. When we believe in Jesus, we acquire Jesus' "beloved" status before God.
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. (Romans 3:21–22, NLT).
Yes, upon placing our faith in Jesus, we are made right with God (Romans 3:21-22).
And, please note, in hundreds of passages like these, faith is highlighted, while water-baptism isn't even mentioned. It is, of course, commanded of believers, but it cannot save someone. Time and time again in the New Testament, faith in Jesus is held out as the path to salvation.
Everyone once in a while, a verse pops up in the New Testament that mentions faith and baptism together. Those verses are read one of two ways:
- Faith saves. Afterward, get baptized.
- Faith and baptism together save.
I don't have the time to visit each passage. But let me say it this way: If salvation comes through faith plus baptism, the Bible is terrible at communicating that idea. Seriously, it does a terrible job building a case someone has to be baptized to be saved.
Why? Because over and over again, it mentions faith without even talking about baptism at all!
If baptism were required for salvation, it should be mentioned every single time faith is in the New Testament, otherwise the Bible is one misleading book!
No, it is faith alone which grants someone the glorious position of Jesus. Before we do anything, we are the Father's beloved. We can agree with Paul:
For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift— not from works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9, HCSB).
2. His Mission. Jesus Is The Champion Who Delivers His People (1:12-13)
12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
Driven Into The Wild
Mark does not include robust detail about Jesus' time of temptation in the wilderness. Matthew and Luke record three direct temptations from Satan, along with Jesus' scriptural rebuttals to each. Instead, Mark gives an overview of the events. He isn't as interested in the dialogue, but the action itself.
Right after heaven breaks open and Jesus is announced as the Son of God, the Spirit's first move in his life is to take him into the wild. Mark says: the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness (12).
One might have wondered if the Spirit's empowering presence on Jesus would lead to a pain-free existence. Immediately, Mark answers the question. Jesus' first move is to head out alone to suffer and be tempted.
Forty Days Of Testing
One detail Mark does include, however, is that Jesus was in the wilderness forty days (13). Like Israel's forty years in the wilderness, Moses' forty days on the mountain, or Noah's forty days of rain, Jesus was tested for forty days.
The other gospels tell us Jesus was fasting the whole time, so we can imagine him fatigued and emaciated. Mark tells us even the wild animals were around, an ominous note portraying a dark and lonely season in Jesus' life (13). Things were so bad, and the battle was so intense, even angels were dispatched to minister to Jesus, with Matthew telling us they came after he'd stood his ground against every attack of Satan (13, Matthew 4:11).
And, as we read Mark's description of the surroundings attached to this event, it seems we should see them as the anti-garden of Eden. In Adam's Eden, before Adam's sin, conditions were perfect. The topography was lush. The food was plentiful. The animals lived in harmony with man. And Adam was full, not fasting, physically strong, and healthy.
But Jesus' temptation is the opposite of all that. He was weakened through fasting, completely alone, in the wilderness, amongst wild animals, and in a fallen world broken by sin.
But, though Adam could not succeed in the garden, Jesus could succeed in the wilderness. He is the champion.
Tempted By Satan
And he was tempted by Satan the entire time (13). And Satan, by the way, will be presented as the constant foe of Jesus and his plans throughout the book of Mark. In a couple of episodes after this one, the demonic realm will collide with Jesus, and Jesus will assert his power over them.
But that power, in a sense, begins here in the wilderness. Sometimes we wonder if Jesus really knows what it's like to be tempted, even though the Bible tells us he does.
But, after reading of Jesus' temptations at the hands of Satan, in the midst of weakness and frailty, I wonder if we are the ones who are actually novices when it comes to temptation. I have never been faced with temptation as terrible as Jesus has, yet I have succumbed to thousands of weaker temptations all throughout my life.
Think about it like this. When you and I are tempted, we either give in or eventually overcome. God provides a way of escape, and we take it. But in the garden, Jesus never gave in, but there was no way of escape. He just had to resist as the temptations grew stronger by the minute.
I mean, if you keep dying on level one of a video game, I guess you can say it's a hard game. But if you make it to the last level, you actually experience the full difficulty of the game. That's Jesus. He felt the full difficulty of temptation because he never lost to it. His screen never read Game Over.
And this seems to be the big thing Mark wants us to know about Jesus through the recounting of his temptation: He is the true champion who delivers his people.
His first move, the very first one after being initiated into his ministry work, was to go head to head with the foe of all mankind. I mean, the firefighter heads for the flames, the surgeon deals with the cancer, and Jesus rushed straight into war with Satan.
This deceiver had plagued humanity from the very beginning, so by heading into the wilderness to meet him, Jesus indicated the type of conflict he was in. He would not help humanity without dealing with their main issues, and part of our problem was Satan himself.
There is another forty in the Bible we should think of when reading about Jesus' temptation. I've mentioned a few already, but do you remember the time Goliath taunted Israel for forty days?
There was no Israelite warrior found worthy of fighting him until the fortieth day. Then, young David appeared, trusting God for victory over the foe. He rushed towards Goliath with his five smooth stones but killed him with the first shot from his sling. The Israelite army, full of men who were incapable of defeating Goliath, was now on the winning side. All because of David.
You see, Jesus came to earth, picked up his five smooth stones, so to speak, and headed out to crush Goliath. He went straight into that wilderness for you and me. He is our champion, and because of him, we win.
3. His Message. Jesus Is The King Of The Kingdom (1:14-15)
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
In Conflict With Another
With the beginning of Jesus' preaching ministry, we have a conclusion, of sorts, to Mark's introduction. He had said, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (1). And now that he's covered Jesus' forerunner, baptism, and temptation, all he has left is the summary statement of Jesus' preaching ministry. It was simple: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel (15).
The timing of Jesus' preaching of this message, at least here in Mark, is interesting. He started to declare the kingdom after John was arrested (14). John had declared the kingdom also, but now that he's off the scene, Jesus picks up and perfects his preaching work.
We're probably meant to see a conflict. Herod arrested John. The Roman government was against John's message. Their kingdom had taken their stand. Now Jesus comes along preaching a different kingdom, one in natural conflict with the kingdoms of this age.
In Fulfillment Of The Old
But Jesus began his message by saying, the time is fulfilled (15). I don't need to touch on this too much, because Jesus' baptism already forced us to think about Israel's anticipation of the kingdom of God. Jesus now tells them the time has come. He is the one to fulfill countless prophecies. He would bring in God's kingdom.
Already Not Yet
So Jesus said, the kingdom of God is at hand (15). Matthew calls it the kingdom of heaven. This was explosive language filled with tons of meaning and implications in those days. Because of many Old Testament prophecies, the concept was familiar to that audience.
They were waiting for the King, one who would come from David (2 Samuel 7:8-17). They awaited the branch, a ruler who would bring everlasting peace and the knowledge of God to the entire world (Isaiah 11:1-9). He would replace all the false shepherds and religious leaders (Jeremiah 23:1-8). He would take all the weak and injured and rule over them in Jerusalem (Micah 4:6-7). As King, he would bring peace from sea to sea, so much so that military power would no longer be needed (Zechariah 9:9-11).
So now Jesus comes along and implies this kingdom has arrived. He says it is at hand.
Of course, we know the end of the story. He did not ascend to Jerusalem. He did not usher in worldwide peace. The lion did not lie down with the lamb.
Instead, Jesus was rejected by Israel and Rome. They crucified him. But it turns out this was all part of God's plan, and Jesus was resurrected.
He then departed earth and the Spirit was poured out on all his disciples. They went out to tell the world that belief in Jesus and his work on the cross would get them entrance into God's forgiveness, family, and kingdom.
And, one day, all the promises they waited for will come to pass. King Jesus will visibly rule forever and ever.
But that does not mean the kingdom is only going to come in the future. We are to pray for his kingdom to come, but it also already has come (Matthew 6:10). He can rule inside you. He can rule inside me. And the longing of our hearts today is for his rule to expand into as many people as possible. Jesus Famous in as many people as possible. His kingdom is right there, at hand.
Turn Into It By Faith
This is why Jesus tells everyone to repent and believe in the gospel (15). He isn't describing two distinct things, but one swift movement. Repentance describes what we turn from -- sin -- while belief describes what we turn to -- the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The King has come. He has brought a kingdom. And you can come into it!
Stop living life without him. Turn around and go his way.
Somehow, over time, we've made this word repent out to be a harsh word. But it is a loving imploration to go the way that is good for you. If you are walking along with little children, and they turn in the wrong direction, or even a dangerous direction, you call out to them. Turn around. Let's go this way. But you aren't raging in anger. You love them and merely want them to go the right way.
And all through the book of Mark, we are going to be faced with this challenge from Jesus: repent and believe in the gospel (15). I'm not talking about mere intellectual assent to the truth of the gospel. Nor am I talking about feelings of spiritual despair leading to the rending of our garments before God.
Instead, I am talking about the change of direction for which Jesus will constantly advocate. Remember, Mark wants us to consider Jesus, for Jesus to confront us. And when he does, we must turn around and follow him.
But more on that next time.
Applicational Questions
A New Jordan. A New David. A New King.
In closing, remember the baptism, temptation, and kingdom of Jesus.
For his baptism in the Jordan, I want you to recall Israel's first encounter with the Jordan River. There, God split the waters, not the heavens, and brought them into the Promised Land. So when Jesus is baptized in the Jordan, it points us to a new promised land. Jesus is our new Jordan.
For his temptation in the wilderness, I want you to recall another time someone was tested for forty days. As I mentioned earlier, Israel, in the days of Saul's reign, was taunted by a champion named Goliath. It wasn't until David arrived and slew that beast of a man that Israel could be victorious. So when Jesus came and conquered Satan after forty days in the wild, it points us to a new champion. Jesus is our new David.
And for his proclamation that the kingdom of God is at hand, I want you to remember the most glorious days of Israel's history when they had kings who loved God and submitted themselves to God's rule. It did not last long. There was always something missing. But the promise of a future King who would reign forever in righteousness kept breaking through. And Jesus brought that kingdom. Jesus is our new King.