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The Gospel According to Mark: Prepare the Way

Introduction
Going by the text itself, “Mark” is anonymous. Tradition says it was John Mark, who is recorded in Scripture as attending Paul and Barnabas in their early ministry (Acts 12:25; 13:5) but was later dismissed by Paul for apparently abandoning them on the mission (Acts 13:13; 15:36-39). Despite this, Mark evidently remained active in the ministry, and eventually attended Paul again near the end of his life (Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24; 2 Timothy 4:11).

Mark also served Peter and was considered a spiritual son to him, as well as his interpreter (1 Peter 5:13). It stands to reason, then, that through Mark’s pen that we get Peter’s account of the life and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, based on the author’s apostolic connections, this account is reflective of Peter’s eyewitness to the Lord’s earthly ministry, and of Paul’s proclamation of the Gospel concerning Christ.

While delving a bit into its authorship, our purpose is not to perform a deep-dive into Mark’s background (date, authorship, etc.). Any commentary or study Bible can give you that information. Our purpose is to get to the point made at the end of the last paragraph: Mark tells the story of Jesus so as to get across a message, a Gospel message.

Mark is so much more than history or biography; it is a Gospel (1:1). It begins with Gospel (1:1) and ends with Gospel (16:15). Mark serves as a proclamation of glad tidings to the human race, declaring that God has sent His Son, Jesus the Messiah, to save us! Often working against time constraints and short attention spans, a skilled evangelist can present such Good News concisely in as little as 30-60 seconds. But given the opportunity and with the right medium, the Evangelist in question (i.e. Mark) can include every life-giving, sin-convicting, soul-satisfying detail in the Gospel as the Spirit leads. Every miracle, every discourse, every word recorded in Mark is meant to inspire faith in. and awe of the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is more than a good story or historical fascination. Taken as a whole, Mark presents the reader with an ultimatum to receive Christ and His Gospel to reject Him to their own destruction and damnation (16:15-16).

Mark 1:1-8 NIV
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as 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 wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”

4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentancefor the forgiveness of sins. 5 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. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

  1. Good News: The proclamation that brings salvation (Romans 1:16); a message of good news about God’s Son (Romans 1:2-4) with special emphasis on His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
  2. Jesus: Literally, “Yahweh Saves” (Matthew 1:21). A common name among Jews at the time (Yeshua), yet signifies His mission and purpose for coming into the world.
  3. The Messiah: Literally, “Anointed One.” The King, of the Tribe of Judah, descended from David, and anointed by God to rule Israel in righteousness and bring God’s Kingdom to the earth (Genesis 49:10; Numbers 24:17, 19; 2 Samuel 7:15-16; Psalm 2:7-9; 60:7; 110:1-2; Isaiah 11:1-5; 42:1, 4).
  4. Son of God: Not one the “sons of God” who were lesser divine beings (Genesis 6:2; Job 1:6). The Son is the same eternal substance as God the Father, who has dwelt with the Father from all eternity (John 1:1-2) who perfectly represents the Father (Hebrews 1:1-3), who makes the Father known to mankind (John 1:18), and is the Heir of all creation (Psalm 2:7-8).
  5. As it is written: Foretold over many years in the ancient Scriptures, Jesus fulfilled at least 300 distinct prophecies of the Old Testament.
  6. Isaiah the prophet: One of the most cited OT authors in the New Testament, many of the most clear and striking Messianic prophecies are found in Isaiah (9:6; 52:13-53:12, et. al.).
  7. I will send my messenger: Cites Malachi 3:1, a forerunner is to come before the Lord’s visitation and a time of testing and judgment for Israel.
  8. A voice of one calling in the wilderness: Cites Isaiah 40:3, a similar prophecy to Malachi, but the visitation promised is one of comfort and restoration for Israel.
  9. John the Baptist appeared: The son of Zachariah and Elizabeth by miraculous birth, and a cousin to Jesus. He was a wild man who possessed the same spirit as Elijah (Luke 1:17). John preached a baptism of repentance (Matthew 3:1; Luke 3:7-14), having his hearers undergo a ritual washing in the Jordan and demanding that they change their sinful ways and turn to God.
  10. His message: John did not preach himself, but pointed men to the Messiah who was soon to come. His ministry was a transient one, meant to build expectation for divine visitation and to prepare the hearts of men to receive the Messiah (John 5:35; Acts 10:37).
  11. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit: John’s baptism was symbolic in nature, it had no power in itself, and was only meaningful to the degree that it accompanied genuine heart change (Matthew 3:7-8). Jesus is greater than John and has a greater baptism. Unlike John, He has the authority to give the Holy Spirit to His disciples (John 3:34), and with the Holy Spirit, new hearts and new lives, and power to be His prophetic witnesses to the nations (Acts 1:5-8).

7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:
“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way before you.’
11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,[d] and violent people have been raiding it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Matthew 1:7-15