Christmas Series: Jesus has Come (Mark)

Mark 1:1-4

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,

as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: 

“I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”—

“a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ”

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

In Mark’s gospel, he starts out with a reference to a combined quote from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3. The passage refers to a human messenger that prepares a way for God to dwell among his people. The context in Isaiah is that there is comfort for God’s people who have been exiled from their homes and don’t see an end to suffering. God is coming and his glory will be revealed to Israel which will bring them comfort. Mark sees Jesus as being the comfort Israel has longed for. He also sees John the Baptist as fulfilling this role of messenger. John preaches and baptizes people telling them to repent for their sins. Mark says that Jesus’ story, the good news about him, starts with John and the message he gives. His teaching prepares us for following Jesus and we should pay attention. 

Mark does not have a lengthy birth story, in fact, Mark does not include a birth story at all. The first time we meet Jesus in this gospel, is when he comes to John and is baptized by him. Mark is trying to tell us in a very direct way, ‘the Messiah is here and we should listen to him’.