I am just starting a study of the Gospel of Mark. I haven’t posted in a very long time here and thought I’d take the time to docucment the studies here in case someone would find them useful.
The first 8 verses of Mark talk about John the Baptizer and his ministry leading up to Jesus’ ministry. Here are my notes and outline of the lesson from Mark 1:1-8
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”[c]—
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 repentance for 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.”
Verses 1-3
Mark opens his gospel with a couple of quotes: The first comes from Malachi 3:1. This is followed by another quote from Isaiah 40:3.
God’s purpose is that all men live in relationship with him. This is not possible due to sin. This is why Jesus came to the earth in the first place. Malachi 3:1 says that BEFORE the “hard” part that the Lord will bring comes, he will provide a messenger to “prepare” the way. This role is fulfilled by John the Baptizer. John preached repentance. This is the first step to restoration. The Lord is coming to purify (Mal 3:3) and judge (Mal 3:5). John’s message of repentance and forgiveness (Mark 1:4) would allow them to be ready for the purification.
In Isaiah 40:1, we read: “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.”. Isaiah 40:3 (quoted by Mark) describes ONE of the 3 voices from that chapter that show how God will bring about that comfort. Again, John’s call to repentance is one that prepares the hearer to make a way for the coming Lord.
How does John’s message resonate with us today? In what ways does God prepare us for what he calls us to do? In what ways do you see God using the same pattern of sending one to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus today? How are YOU responding to the message calling us to repent?
Verse 4-5
Though it is not called “baptism”, Leviticus 16:3-4 describes what God commanded Aaron to do before entering the Most Holy Place in the temple. It says: ““Before Aaron enters the Most Holy Place, he will offer a bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. Aaron will wash his whole body with water and put on the special clothes. He will put on the linen underwear next to his body, the linen robe, the linen belt, and then he will put the linen turban on his head.” This is describing a ceremonial cleansing requirement placed upon Aaron (the priest) prior to coming before God. This may be the origin of the Jewish practice of baptism.
What John was doing as the forerunner of Christ the Messiah was performing a ceremonial act symbolizing the repentance in the hearts of those he baptized. New Testament baptism is similar to both of these in that it is symbolic in nature. Paul describes this in Romans 6:3-4, “Did you forget that all of us became part of Christ Jesus when we were baptized? In our baptism we shared in his death. So when we were baptized, we were buried with Christ and took part in his death. And just as Christ was raised from death by the wonderful power of the Father, so we can now live a new life.”
How are the early ceremonial cleansing and John’s baptism the same? How do they differ? In what ways, if any, is the New Testament baptism that we practice the same as either of the Jewish practices? What makes the New Testament unique compared to either of the earlier baptisms?
Verses 6-8
Mark’s description of John’s message is very brief. Matthew 3:1-12, John 1:15-40, Luke 3:1-21 fill in a lot of the detail that Mark leaves out. The critical part of John’s message, however, is that Jesus is coming behind him and that John recognizes himself is the servant of the one to come and that he is, himself, not the long awaited Messiah. John states that the baptism he is able to do is “with water”, meaning it is just symbolic in nature. When the Lord comes, John says, he will baptize with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is able to separate those who simply SAY they are repentant and those who are truly repentant. In Matthew 3:12, we read, “He will come ready to clean the grain. He will separate the good grain from the straw, and he will put the good part into his barn. Then he will burn the useless part with a fire that cannot be stopped.” While Mark leaves out this detail, this is describing the primary difference between the two baptisms.
As you think about these 2 baptisms, let’s reflect on the difference between what we show outwardly (water baptism) and the inner reality ( baptism of the Holy Spirit) of our hearts. Is there a difference between someone who is TRULY repentant, but returns to the sinful behavior and one who just gives lip service to repentance? Would you say the truly repentant (yet imperfect) man would be “good grain” or the “straw”?