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[Mk 1:1] The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. [2] As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY; [3] THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.’”
[4] John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. [5] And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. [6] John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey. [7] And he was preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. [8] “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (NAS)
Mark 1:1
[Mk 1:1] The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (NAS)
The beginning of the Greatest News
To the Jews of Christ’s day, beginning meant much more than the chronological start of an event. In fact, it meant the foundation as well as the start. There are so many truths to Mark’s “commencement” statement. This story is the foundation of the world and this plan of salvation was part of the commencement of the world. Sin wasn’t an oversight and Jesus wasn’t a band-aid. With the introduction of free will, God knew there would also be sin. God created the cure before we introduced the virus. Jesus is the foundation of God’s plan.
However this term can also refer to the commencement and foundation of our lives. The story of Jesus is the story of new life and a new foundation for living. This is the story of the world, the story that can change our world and the story that can change our lives.
The Greatest News
The story is about the greatest news [euaggelizo] (yoo-ang-ghel-id’-zo)]. This is a very important term to Christians. It doesn’t mean, “good news.” It means, “To announce and declare good news!”
It is a verb, not a noun. It is not good news if it’s stagnant! It is only good news if it’s announced! You cannot sit on this news. Other uses of this term are to evangelize, declare, show and preach. The foundation, the commencement, the great news of life is meant to be shouted from the highest mountain to the lowest street corner. This is news that must be shared.
Jesus Christ, the Anointed One
The greatest announcement that the world ever heard was the living word; Jesus Christ.
Christ [Christos] means The Anointed One. The capital on The is intentional for the role of Jesus as Messiah was only his to fulfill. There never was, nor will there ever be another Anointed One.
Anointing the body with oil was part of the ritual of bathing. The oil kept the skin soft and prevented the body from dehydrating in the harsh Middle Eastern climate. Over time, the use of oil implied experiencing joy (Ps 23:5; Heb 1:9); its disuse indicated a period of grief (2Sa 14:2; Ps 92:10; Da 10:3). In the same manner, the presence of the Anointed One is joy while his absence is sorrow.
Under the Mosaic law persons and things set apart for sacred purposes were anointed with the “holy anointing oil” (Ex 30:23-25,30-33). The first example of anointing was the anointing of the stone by Jacob (Ge 28:18; 35:14); consecrating the altar or location for a sacred purpose.
Jesus’ role as The Anointed One is testified to by multiple voices:
1. By scripture [e.g. Ps 2:7-8];
2. By the angels [Lk 1:35];
3. By John the Baptist [Jn 1:14-15; Jn 1:34-36];
4. By the apostles [Mt 14:33; Jn 6:69; Rom 8:3; Rom 8:32];
5. By Jesus, himself [Jn 3:16-17];
6. And, by God [Mt 3:17; Mt 17:5]
Proclaimed the Anointed One
By Scripture
Ps 2:7-8
7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to me, ‘Thou art My Son, today I have begotten Thee. 8 ’Ask of me, and I will surely give the nations as Thine inheritance, and the {very} ends of the earth as Thy possession.’”
By the angels
Luke 1:35
And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God.”
By John the Baptist
John 1:14-15
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.15 John bore witness of Him, and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”
John 1:34-36
34 ”And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” 35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked upon Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
By the Apostles, including Paul
Matt 14:33
And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”
John 6:69
“And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”
Rom 8:3
For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God {did:} sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and {as an offering} for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
Rom 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
By Jesus himself
John 3:16-17
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.”
By God
Matt 3:17
...and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
Matt 17:5
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”
Mark 1:2-3
2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY; 3 THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.’”
The role of John the Messenger
It is important (in all the Gospels) to immediately establish the unbreakable link between the story of Jesus and the Old Testament prophesies of the Anointed One. This illustrates that Jesus was neither an afterthought nor a “quick fix” of God. Mark establishes this connection within his first paragraph by pointing to the prophesied role of John the Baptist; the Messenger of God.
The word that Mark uses for John’s title illustrates and elevates the importance of John the Baptist. He is not a simple “town crier” sent to the street corner with a newsbreak. Nor, is he a “runner” taking information from a general to his leader. John was a holy messenger with a purpose distinct from all the prophets before him and all the great church leaders after him. He was The Messenger sent to announce the arrival of The Anointed One.
Let’s look at the important terminology that Mark used to describe John’s mission:
Messenger [aggelos (ang’-el-os)]
This is also the word for angel and has also been used for Pastor. It is the term used for someone who is specifically anointed to bring God’s news to a person or people. What is even more fascinating are the two words from which aggelos are derived. There is “ago” is a verb meaning to lead or to drive (as in cattle drive). Then there is “agele” which means a herd or a drove. That in essence is what this messenger did; he lead the herds to their leader. John’s whole life was about being a signpost towards Jesus, The Anointed One. He wanted no focus upon himself; “He must increase while I must decrease.” The prophet Malachi summed up the mission of The Messenger by saying; [Mal 4:6] “He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”
This prophecy was repeated by the “Aggelos,” Gabriel to Zechariahs, the priestly father of John the Baptist. Once again we see the Old Testament tied to the New [see Luke 1:17].
To construct a highway
John was sent to “make ready” [kataskeuazo (kat-ask-yoo-ad’-zo)] the way for the Lord. You would use this term referring to the preparation of a vessel for a journey. Also for physically preparing yourself for an arduous task or adventure. The KJV uses this word for building or making (a vessel) and preparing someone for ordination. Some texts have even used the word for a wife contributing to the usefulness of her husband--which reveals the role of the church toward the bride of Christ.
So, what is it Mark tells us that John was “herding the flock towards?” For what journey was he building a vessel and strengthening our resolve?
According to Isaiah, The Messenger’s duty was to make a landing strip for the Prince of Peace. In Roman days, when royalty came to visit, you would build a road from your city to the the ruler. You wouldn’t dare have the Emperor or his family travel with his entourage on a sheep trail. That was John’s role; to prepare a highway [hodos] for the Christ.
John came to level mountains and bridge ravines that would prevent the King’s Son from travelling straight into our hearts. “Level the mountains of pride and fill the valleys of sin.” That was the role of The Messenger.
Prophecies about “The Messenger”
Isa 40:3-5
3 A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. 4 ”Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; and let the rough ground become a plain, and the rugged terrain a broad valley; 5 Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all flesh will see {it} together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
Isa 57:14
And it shall be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove {every} obstacle out of the way of My people.”
Mal 3:1
“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.
Mark 1:4-5
[4] John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. [5] And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
All the country of Judea
“All the country of Judea.” “All the people of Jerusalem.” These are the passionate words of an entranced man.
I only highlight this passage because it is so indicative of the intensity of Mark’s Gospel. Often, Mark will use extremely broad and passionate words in describing Jesus’ ministry. Some of these images are toned down by Luke and Matthew in their writings, but Mark paints an uncompromisingly bold picture of Jesus:
“They were astonished at his teaching.” (Mk.1:22.)
“They were all amazed.” (Mk.1:27.)
“And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, `Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?’“ (Mk.4:41.)
“And they were utterly astounded.” (Mk.6:51.)
“The disciples were amazed at his words.” (Mk.10:24, 26)
Perhaps this is because this simple Gospel is so unmitigated in it’s passion. It is not being written to convince the Jewish believers of Jesus’ claim (as was Matthew). It is not being written to sway the Gentiles (as was Luke’s Gospel). The sole purpose of Mark’s Gospel is to capture the passion of a Lord that loved sinners – straight from the mouth of the disciple who stumblerd the most, Peter.
What is it that John preaches?
Changing paradigms
To repent [metanoeo (met-an-o-eh’-o)] is so much more than to ask forgiveness. However, asking forgiveness is critical – not for God’s sake – but for ours. We cannot change if we don’t accept the truth or reject a sin we haven’t acknowledged. John wants us to reject our sin and then turn our lives one hundred degrees around. True repentance involves:
1. Naming sin
2. Rejecting, even abhorring sin
3. And, changing, not just our actions – but our perceptions. The very way that we interpret the world.
“Meta” means overarching and “noeo” means “to exercise the mind” to perceive or understand. To repent means to look at our actions from the overarching perspective of Christ. That perspective leads us to not only be aware of our shame – but to see how much sin pains all of God’s creation. To see, from “God’s view” is to grasp the brokenness of a people in sin. Even to see how the sin of one man ties into a binding web of sin for all men.
The great freedom (forgiveness)
The word for forgiveness [aphesis (af’-es-is)] is an awe-inspiring word that means “to send forth liberated.” It was used of a hostage whose ransom had been paid. It was the term for remission, as when someone’s disease has disappeared.
If you can imagine the joy of someone freed from certain death – by disease or kidnappers – then, you can imagine the freedom we are offered through forgiveness. I know of no better way to put it than to say that forgiveness gives us the ability to leave behind a life that is constantly “for-taking.” A life that steals the joy from others, clamors for constant attention and is habitually focused on self. Eventually, we find ourselves live a living a life of unstrained selflessness. We begin to live for taking not for giving.
The release of sin (confession)
There is a fullness to this expression of John’s that also is lost in repetition today. Confession [exomologeo (ex-om-ol-og-eh’-o)] is the joining of two words meaning profess or promise and the other meaning to give thanks and covenant. We briefly said before regarding repentance that we are called not just to say the words of forgiveness, but also to change our complete perception of life – including the way that we act. To confess means that we not only admit to God that we are in a “state of sin”; but also that we promise to change our lives into lives of thanksgiving. How could our lives be anything but filled with joy when we recognized that we were ransomed with the life of Jesus, our salvation purchased by the covenant of his love?
The importance of repentance and confession
Mark once again ties the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Hebrew concept that confession and repentance comes before freedom and blessing. This theme recurs consistently from Old Testament to New. However, the fullness of this concept reveals that repentance and confession are not just about keeping believers from hell someday. Seeking forgiveness for our sinful nature (and letting go of the sin we presume that others do to us) ignites God’s abundant joy in our lives immediately.
Lev 26:40-42
40 “If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me--41 I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies-- or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, 42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land.
Ps 32:5-7
5 I acknowledged my sin to Thee, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”; and Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin. Selah.
6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found; surely in a flood of great waters they shall not reach him. 7 Thou art my hiding place; Thou dost preserve me from trouble; Thou dost surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.
Prov 28:13
He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes {them} will find compassion.
Acts 2:38-39
38 And Peter {said} to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.”
I Jn 1:8-10
8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
Mark 1:6-7
[6] John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey. [7] And he was preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals.
Accessorizing a prophet
Mark wants us to be aware of John’s clothing and dietary habits for a number of reasons. First of all we are made aware of his clothing. The fact that he wore camel hair and a leather belt shows that even John’s clothing announced his purpose. He was a prophet of the Messiah. That is why many believed he was Elijah returned. The strength and fire of his words – plus his commitment to the roughest, most base clothing was similar to the style of Elijah’s dress. This was the trademark of prophets.
II Ki 1:8
And they answered him, “{He was} a hairy man with a leather girdle bound about his loins.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
In fact, one sign that Israel was crushed was that the prophet’s began to wear common clothing instead of taking their stand publicly in critical times.
Zech 13:4-5
4 “Also it will come about in that day that the prophets will each be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies, and they will not put on a hairy robe in order to deceive; 5 but he will say, ‘I am not a prophet; I am a tiller of the ground, for a man sold me as a slave in my youth.’
Finally, it becomes a condemnation of the High Priests that they had not only foregone the aesthetic ways of the prophets – but grown fat and soft in their love of power and for riches. Jesus points out how their message had grown fat and soft with their ways.
Matt 11:8-10
8 “But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft {clothing}? Behold, those who wear soft {clothing} are in kings’ palaces. 9 “But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare your way before you.’“
The John the Baptist diet
Many scholars believed that John the Baptist was raised by the Essenes. Since John’s parents were elderly when he was born and his father was of priestly dissension, it seems very possible that the orphaned John was given to the Essene community and raised as a priest.
The Essenes lived in a closed community away from human influences. They were very strict and austere deeply driven by purity of body, soul and mind. As part of that strictness they stressed daily, ritual bathing and the baptism of initiates. This would help explain a great deal about John’s adherence to an austere lifestyle and ceremonial baptism.
Despite that we mustn’t think that eating locusts was a way for John to go overboard with the aesthetic life. Locusts actually were a favorite of the time and considered a delicacy – even by the early kings of Babylon. The truth is, I have tried a few myself (I have even tried tarantula in South America) To John, honey and locusts would be presently available – though we need to remember that it wasn’t available in jars. John wasn’t going out of his way to make his life a miserable show of abstinence. He just ate what was at hand, whatever was simple and handy. Feeding his stomach and clothing his body were not John’s priorities. Neither should they be ours.
Simplicity; a prerequisite to peace
I do not believe we are called to live an aesthetic life – but I believe we must live simpler lives. The last few months, in listening to Christian radio stations, I have listened to many songs that seem to focus around the theme of “fighting for our freedom.” For most of my life, I have wondered why we are not as willing to work for peace as we are to fight for freedom. Why is it that we curse the Middle East, yet never connect it to our determination to drive 4x4’s and SUV’s ever-increasing our dependency on foreign oil. We are, indeed, our worst enemy.
I am truly and deeply sorrowed as I embrace the poor in communities where the mentally ill, women and children are homeless while others live in virtual castles with three, even four car garages.
Is it perhaps a lesson of John the Baptist that the Anointed One cannot come into our hearts until we have simplified our demands on the world to include equity and justice?
Mark 1:8
. “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
The prophecies of the Baptism of Jesus Christ
The baptism of water is the baptism of repentance. It is symbolic of the cleansing of our lives to the attachment of sin – and not just the acts of sin – but the way of sin. Confession and repentance are the washing that we need to make ourselves ready for Jesus. It is the way of sin that prevents the Savior from entering into our hearts. Our pride and our self-righteousness builds obstacles on the road between Jesus and us. Obstacles that repentance and confession wash away like a child’s sand castle before the tide.
Once those obstacles are defeated, the joy of the Lord can and will pour in.
Prov 1:23
“Turn to my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.
Isa 32:15-17
15 Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fertile field and the fertile field is considered as a forest. 16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness will abide in the fertile field. 17 And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
Isa 44:3
“For I will pour out water on the thirsty {land} and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants.”
Ezek 36:25-27
25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
Joel 2:28
“And it will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
Acts 1:5
“For John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Acts 2:4
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
Acts 10:45
And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also.
Acts 11:15-17
15 “And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as {He did} upon us at the beginning. 16 “And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 “If God therefore gave to them the same gift as {He gave} to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”
Acts 19:4-6
4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they {began} speaking with tongues and prophesying.
1 Cor 12:13-14
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many.
Titus 3:5-7
5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to {the} hope of eternal life.
About the Author
Jerry Goebel is a community organizer who started ONEFamily Outreach in response to gang violence and youth alienation in a rural community in Southeastern Washington. Since that time, Jerry has worked with communities around the globe to break the systemic hold of poverty by enhancing the strengths of the poor.
A primary philosophy of ONEFamily Outreach is to teach; “poverty is a lack of healthy relationships.” And, a primary focus of ONEFamily Outreach has been to break down the barriers of poverty through creating “cultures of intentional courtesy.”
As well as having developed ongoing mentoring outreaches in his own community, Jerry travels extensively to work with church leaders, community governments, and educators.
Jerry has received five popular music awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, a Best Educational Video Award from the National Catholic Education Association, and a lifetime achievement award from the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry for living Gospel Values.
To contact or book Jerry for a presentation in your area write or call:
The New Testament Greek Lexicon based on Thayer’s and
Smith’s Bible Dictionary plus others; this is keyed to the large Kittel and the
“Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.” These files are public domain.
The Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon is Brown, Driver,
Briggs, Gesenius Lexicon; this is keyed to the “Theological Word Book of the Old
Testament.” These files are considered public domain.