Introduction to the Bible

The Bible, God’s Marvelous Book

By Michael W. Wilson

INTRODUCTION

Someone has called the Holy Bible “the divine library,” and this is a true statement. The English word Bible is derived from Koinē Greek: τὰ βιβλία, meaning “the books” (singular βιβλίον, biblion). The word βιβλίον itself had the literal meaning of “scroll” and came to be used as the ordinary word for “book.” Although we think of the Bible as one book, yet it is made up of sixty-six (66) separate books. These books, beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation, are divided into two main sections. The first section is called the Old Testament and contains thirty-nine (39) books. The second section is the New Testament, and it has twenty-seven (27) books.

At the beginning of every Bible is an index, which lists the names of the books, and tells the page number on which each book begins.

WHO WROTE THE BIBLE?

From the human standpoint the Bible was written by not less than thirty–six (36) authors over a period of about sixteen hundred (1,600) years. But the important thing to remember is that these men wrote under the direct control of God. God guided them in writing the very words. This is what we mean by “verbal inspiration.” The term “plenary inspiration” refers to the fact that the Scriptures are inspired in their totality. The following Scriptures clearly teach that the Bible is inspired by God:

Ø  2 Peter 1:21, “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 

Ø  2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Thus, the Bible is the Word of God. It is not enough to say that the Bible contains the Word of God. This might imply that parts of it are inspired, and parts are not. Every part of the Bible is inspired. All Scripture is “God-breathed.”

Another important point to remember is that the Bible is the only written revelation that God has given to men. The Book of Mormon is not the Word of God and neither is the Koran, despite the claims made by the followers of those religions. In fact, in the last chapter of the Bible, God warns men against adding to the Bible or taking away from it.

Ø  Revelation 22:18-19, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. ¹⁹ And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”

WHAT IS THE SUBJECT OF THE BIBLE?

Although the Bible is made up of sixty-six books, yet it has one main subject. Christ is the grand theme of Scripture. The Old Testament contains many predictions, or prophecies, concerning Christ. The New Testament tells of His coming and shows how He fulfilled all the prophecies.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE CONTAIN?

The Bible is the record of the world from the beginning of time until the future when there will be a new Heaven and a new earth. Genesis tells of the creation of the world, the entrance of sin, the flood, and the beginning of the nation of Israel. From Exodus to Esther, we have the history of Israel up to about 400 years before the birth of Christ. The books from Job to the Song of Solomon contain wonderful poetry and wisdom. The rest of the Old Testament, from Isaiah to Malachi, is prophetic—that is, these books contain messages from God to Israel concerning its present condition and its future destiny.

The New Testament opens with four Gospels, each of which presents the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts tells the story of the Christian movement in its infancy and the life of the great apostle Paul. From Romans to Jude, we find letters to churches and individuals, concerning the great truths of the Christian faith, and practical instruction concerning the Christian life. Revelation gives us a glimpse into the future—to events that will yet take place in Heaven, on earth, and in hell.

WHAT CAN THE BIBLE OFFER ME?

God’s Word is an incorruptible seed.

1.       It regenerates (gives life)—1 Peter 1:23, “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God.”

2.      It must be received with humility—James 1:21, “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the Word planted in you, which can save you.”

God’s Word is a mirror.

It reveals our own condition—James 1:22-25, “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  ²³ Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  ²⁵ But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.” 

God’s Word is food for the soul.

1.       It is milk for children—1 Peter 2:2, “Like new-born babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”

2.      It is bread for the hungry—Deuteronomy 8:1-3, “Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers. ² Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. ³ He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”

3.      It is meat for the mature—Hebrews 5:11-14, “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. ¹² In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s Word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! ¹³ Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

God’s Word is a wash basin.

1.       It purifies the Church—Ephesians 5:25-27, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, ²⁷ and to present her to Himself as a radiant Church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

2.      It is a divine cleaning agent—John 17:15-17, “My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth.”

God’s Word is a weapon.

1.       It is alive and powerful—Hebrews 4:12, “For the Word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

2.      It is the sword of the Spirit—Ephesians 6:17, “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

3.      It penetrates even the hardest of hearts—Jeremiah 23:29, “Is not My Word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” 

God’s Word is eternal.

It will continue beyond Heaven and earth—Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”

God’s Word is 100% effective.

It is guaranteed to bring about God’s plans and purposes—Isaiah 55:10-11, “As the rain and the snow come down from Heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth  and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, ¹¹ so is My Word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

SO, WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT GOD’S WORD?

A.     Desire it and hunger for it—Psalm 19:7-11, “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. ⁸ The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. ⁹ The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.  The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. ¹⁰ They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. ¹¹ By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

B.     Hear it with open ears—Romans 10:17, “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.”  Revelation 1:3, “Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”

C.     Read the Bible attentively—1 Timothy 4:13, “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.”  Deuteronomy 17:18-20, “When he [Israel’s new king] takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites.  ¹⁹ It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees ²⁰ and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left.  Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.”

D.    Study the Scriptures carefully—2 Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of truth [i.e., the truthful Word].”  Acts 17:10-11, “As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. ¹¹ Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

E.     Meditate on God's Word constantly—Joshua 1:8, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”  Psalm 1:1-2, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law, he meditates day and night.”

F.     Memorize the Scriptures faithfully—Psalm 119:9-11, “How can a young man keep his way pure?  By living according to Your Word. ¹⁰ I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands. ¹¹ I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” 

CONCLUSION

The following is a fitting tribute to the Holy Bible. It was written by an anonymous author many years ago. It can be found in the preface of every Gideon Bible.

“This book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be saved, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter. Here paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It will reward the greatest labour and condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents. It is the Book of books—God’s Book—the revelation of God to man.”

Gospel of Mark Study #2

“Down by the Riverside”

Mark 1:9-13

Study #2 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

Last week we began a study of the Gospel of Mark. I shared with you that John Mark wrote his account of the Lord’s earthly ministry with the intent of explaining the story to Gentile Christian converts, and specifically those from the Roman culture. Mark himself was a Jew but there is a good chance that, like Paul, Mark was also a Roman citizen. I say this because of his Roman name, Marcus. He had also been a travelling companion of Paul, Barnabas, and Peter. 

He had a rocky beginning in ministry. Setting out with Barnabas and Paul on their first missionary journey, he chickened out halfway through the trip and went back home to Jerusalem. Later, Barnabas wanted to give him another chance, but Paul refused, resulting in a rift between Paul and Barnabas and the formation of a second ministry team. Paul took Silas, and Barnabas took John Mark and set out for Cyprus. Under Barnabas’ encouraging tutelage, and later under Peter’s, John Mark turned out to be a man of God that even Paul came to value highly. The rift between Paul and Mark was eventually resolved and at the end, Mark was by Paul’s side right up until his death in Rome. 

Tradition credits Mark with being the one who first carried the Gospel to Alexandria, Egypt resulting in the founding of the first African Church, called the Coptic Church.

TRANSITION:

Mark chapter 1 contains the three main elements to the story of Jesus’ early ministry.

1.       His ANNOUNCEMENT by John

2.      His BAPTISM by John in the Jordan

3.      His TEMPTATION in the wilderness by Satan

 

Matthew recounts these same three events in 42 verses. Luke uses 51. But Mark does it in just 13. Obviously, his goal is to get past these more commonly known stories to concentrate on other things. Mark’s account focuses more on the miracles of Jesus and less on His teaching. It is like reading a “breaking news” story. He gives the barebones version, leaving the reader to draw the obvious conclusions about who Jesus was, based on the things that Jesus did. Jesus’ miracles were His calling card, His way of proving that everything He said was true. 

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 9: And it came about in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

·         “…in those days” What were those days like? Jesus began his public ministry in the 15^th year of the reign of the Roman Emperor, Tiberius Caesar (AD 27-28). John began his preaching and baptizing ministry a short time before that. Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch, was the Romans’ puppet governor who ruled over Judea and Perea. The Jews were still religious, but most of them had drifted either into liberalism or ritualism and were more concerned with defeating the Romans than with pleasing God. Others mixed their Judaism with paganism, giving honor both to Jehovah and to the Roman gods. Israel was a busy commercial center, linking Egypt and the kingdoms to the north. Business was good. People were going about their lives, giving little thought to their eternal souls. The Romans were hated, but on the other hand, they had brought law and order, and they put in some great roads and built great public works projects, which was a boost to the economy.

·         “Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.” Today it is 71 miles from Nazareth to Jericho by car, plus about 8 more from Jericho to the area called Bethabara at the fords of the Jordan where John was baptizing. That means that Jesus walked approximately 80 miles to have John baptize him. How far would you walk to do something like that?

·         Why was it important for Jesus to get baptized? After all, He was perfect, sinless. He had nothing to repent of. I think His baptism was important for several reasons:

o   It was a moment of decisive action – After 30 years of living in Nazareth and waiting for exactly the right moment to present Himself to the world, that moment had finally arrived.

o   It was a moment of identification – By His baptism He aligned Himself with the righteous remnant in Israel who were awaiting the appearing of Messiah and were concerned with the lack of true righteousness in Israel. By His baptism He flew His flag for all to see. Matthew 3:5 records Jesus’ words: “But Jesus answering said to [John], ‘Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he permitted Him [to be baptized].”

o   It was a moment of approval – It was an important moment for the Father to make the public announcement that this was indeed the Son of God who had come to take away the sins of the world.

o   It was a moment of equipping – At His baptism, the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus in a new way to empower and equip Him to complete His mission. 

Verse 10: “And immediately coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him.”

·         “Immediately.” Here Mark uses one of his favorite Greek words, euthus. It is usually translated by “immediately,” or “straightway.” It is an adverb of action, which fits in very well with Mark’s Gospel of Action. Mark uses this word 47 times throughout the 16 chapters, 9 times in chapter 1. The point is that the supernatural manifestations occurred right after Jesus was baptized, while He was still standing there in the water. Luke’s account adds that Jesus was praying when this occurred.

·         “…he saw the heavens opening” This word, “opening,” does not cover the original word. The Greek word means to “rip, tear apart, or rend asunder.” What did that look like? We do not know but it must have been very impressive indeed!

·         So exactly who heard the voice, saw the heavens opened, and witnessed the physical manifestation of the Spirit resting on Jesus? ANSWER: John himself, and possibly all the other people gathered there, although the text does not say for sure. But this was an affirmation to John that Jesus was truly the Messiah, the Son of God. And notice something else... it does not say that a dove flew down and landed on Jesus, as unusual as that might have been. It says, “like a dove.” Matthew and Luke use the exact same phrase. We do not know exactly what John saw but for him it was proof positive that Jesus was the Anointed One for whom he had been waiting and looking. 

Verse 11: “and a voice came out of the heavens: ‘Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well pleased.’”

·         As unusual as the visual manifestation was, this audible voice from Heaven must have been totally mind-blowing. Does God have a voice like ours? Apparently, He does when He needs one. He can do anything. 

Verse 12: “And immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness.”

·         Here again Mark uses his favorite word, “immediately,” telling us that this happened right after the baptism.

·         “The Spirit impelled Him to go.” The KJV translates this as “driveth.” We find the exact same Greek word used two more times in this chapter, in both cases translated “cast out.” Look at verses 34 and 39. Jesus “cast out” the demons. With the same force and authority, the Spirit of God “cast Jesus out” into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. This tells us that the temptation of Jesus was no unavoidable accident. This experience was part of His preparation for ministry. It was a God-planned part of Jesus’ spiritual preparation to face what was coming. Sometimes God puts us through wilderness experiences too because He knows that we need it to toughen us up and to teach us greater dependence on Him. Jesus would have probably preferred not to spend those 40-days in the desert, but they were necessary for many different reasons.

·         Mark does something else regularly that is not always evident in our English translations. He often uses what grammarians call “the historical present tense” to add intensity, heighten vividness, and to give a sense of forward motion to the narrative. (By the way, teenage girls talk like this all the time.) Let me give you the 8 examples in chapter 1 so that you will know what to look for:

o   Verse 12 – “impelled” (lit. impels)

o   Verse 21 – “went” (lit. goes)

o   Verse 30 – “spoke” (lit. speaks)

o   Verse 37 – “said” (lit. says)

o   Verse 38 – “said” (lit. says)

o   Verse 40 – “came” (lit. comes)

o   Verse 41 – “said” (lit. says)

o   Verse 44 – “said” (lit. says) 

Verse 13: “And He was in the wilderness 40 days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.”

·         What wilderness? – The Judean Wilderness is located south and southeast of Jerusalem. Because of its lack of water and good routes, the Judean wilderness has been mostly uninhabited throughout history. Consequently, it was an ideal place for those seeking refuge from their enemies or a retreat from the world. When on the run from King Saul, David hid in various places in the Judean Wilderness (e.g., the wildernesses of Ziph, Maon, and EnGedi are part of the Judean Wilderness). John the Baptist lived and preached there, and it seems likely that this was the wilderness where Jesus was tempted. Herod the Great built two fortresses (Herodium and Masada) in the Judean Wilderness in this area for his protection should his people ever decide to revolt against him.

·         That this was a genuine temptation, which Christ found necessary to resist, may be deduced from Hebrews 2:18 and 4:15. “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted… For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” It is fitting that the Savior’s ministry began this way. In the temptation in the desert Jesus further revealed His solidarity with mankind by submitting to the temptations that the Bible affirms are “common to man” (1 Cor. 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able; but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”). Jesus led the way, leaving a well-marked path for us to follow. Peter put it this way in 1 Peter 2:21, “For you have been called for this purpose [i.e., to suffer for righteousness’ sake], since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” Thus, the temptation in the desert was a reality, not a farce, and by means of its awful reality Christ became qualified to be our High Priest and our Example in times of temptation. The Bible says, “He was tempted in all points such as we yet without sin.” How did He fight off the attacks of the enemy without yielding to the temptations? Answer = By using the Word of God and depending on the power of the Spirit of God. We have the very same tools at our disposal too. We too can be victorious over temptation.

·         “He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.” The Judean Wilderness was home to the lion, the bear, the wild boar, and the jackal, among others. Mark alone mentions the wild animals that Jesus had to contend with during the 40-days. It was no picnic out there! But he is also the only one of the Gospel writers to mention the fact that during Jesus’ stay in the wilderness the angels of Heaven were watching out for Him and ministering to Him. The application we can draw from that fact is obvious. When God thrusts us out into a wilderness experience, He does not leave us without help. Heaven is never far away and He Himself is never more than a prayer away from His children. That is a great comfort to me.

CONCLUSION:

This book is called The Gospel According to Mark. Under the inspiration and supervision of the Holy Spirit it is an explanation of the Good News from Mark’s perspective. Good News—that is what the word “Gospel” means. But as I explained in our last study, no one can understand the Good News without also understanding the Bad News, because the Good News is only good as it presents the solution to mankind’s fundamental problem. 

That problem is not financial. More money will not solve the problem. The problem of humanity is also not about poor nutrition. Feeding the starving millions will not solve the problem. The issue is not something that governments can fix. The problem cannot be solved by educating the masses. Moreover, even sincere religion and better morals likewise cannot fix what is broken.

Man’s basic problem is called SIN. We are rotten to the core, every one of us. Paul quotes God’s conclusion about humanity in Romans 3:10-12, “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.” We are sinners by nature and by choice. The Bible says that “all of us have sinned and fallen short” of God’s perfectly righteous standard. Without exception every man, woman, and child on planet earth is doomed and destined for Hell unless he/she comes to Jesus Christ, the Saviour. Our good works cannot save us. Our sincerity cannot save us. Religion cannot save us. We are all lost in sin, fatally flawed, and headed for Hell. That is the Bad News I was talking about.

Of course, you can reject the Bad News. You can say that I am all wet and that is not what the Bible really says. But in that case, I challenge you to read the Bible for yourself and see if I have lied to you. You will find that I have simply told you what the Bible declares and what the prophets, the apostles, and preachers down through the ages have been telling all of us.

Against that horrific backdrop the Good News is amazingly wonderfully GOOD! God so loved us that He sent Jesus to be the atoning sacrifice for our sin, so that by believing in Him we might have everlasting life. It is God’s gift to you and to me. We cannot earn it. We cannot make ourselves good enough to work our way to Heaven. We can only do what the Bible says to do: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Have you done that yet? Why not do it today? Do not put it off another second!

Gospel of Mark Study #1

“The Beginning of the Gospel”

Mark 1:1-8

Study #1 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

• Matthew, Mark, & Luke = “Synoptic Gospels” (Greek, meaning “to see together”)
• Really a misnomer, because each one has a distinctive point of view and flavor.
• Matthew = He was a Jew writing to Palestinian Jewish Christians.
• His book is full of Jewish stuff, with nothing explained for Gentiles.
• There are loads of OT quotations and references, which Jews would know.
• Mark = He was a Jew writing to Gentile (especially Roman) Christians.
• He explains everything “Jewish” for those with no background.
• Luke = He was a Greek doctor writing to Greek-cultured Gentile converts.
• He gives detailed medical descriptions, etc.
• He uses sophisticated language and perfect grammar.
• Mark’s Gospel was the first of the three to be written (probably AD 60-65) shortly before Peter’s death in AD 67. Mark reveals the Petrine perspective of events.

TRANSITION:

An important question = Who is Saint Mark?

• He is mentioned 10 times in the New Testament.
• We first met him in Acts 12:12.
• His name was John (Jewish) Mark (Marcus = Roman).
• His mother was Mary, a devout Christian who opened her home to the church.
• He was a cousin of Barnabas (2^nd cousin?).
• Acts 12:25 says he went to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.
• Acts 13:5 says he went with them to Cyprus as far as Perga (vs.13).
• Later (15:37-39) Barnabas wanted to take him again, but Paul did not because Mark had abandoned them on their previous trip.
• He dropped out of sight for several years. Tradition says he carried the Gospel to Alexandria, Egypt.
• Later Paul commended him (cf. Col. 4:10; Philemon 24; 2 Timothy 4:11).
• Peter calls him “his son” in 1 Peter 5:13.
• He was a disciple of Paul, Barnabas, and Peter.
• He was a constant companion and disciple of Peter for many years.
• He lived in all three Christian centers: Jerusalem, Antioch, and Rome.
• Why is this book important for us?
• It is the first of the Gospel accounts and thus it was particularly important to the early Christians.
• Mark is the Gospel of Action. It focuses attention on the acts of Jesus more than His sayings. It is written like a news story, with great emotion. It is the shortest of the three Synoptics—only 661 verses. Mark has a favorite word, used 47 times, translated “immediately, straightway, forthwith.”

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 1: The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

• “The beginning” of the story, not the end. The Good News continues with the teachings of Jesus, the story of the Church, etc.
• “The Gospel” – The Greek word is euangelion, which means “good news” or “glad tidings”, especially the good news of Christ. Implies that there is also BAD NEWS. You cannot have one without the other. The Bad News is about us.
• “The Son of God” = Mark flies his flag from the very beginning, i.e., that Jesus is God incarnate, God clothed in human flesh.

Verse 2-3: 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.’”

• This is one of only two times that Mark quotes the OT scriptures apart from Jesus’ actual words. He combines two passages. He quotes Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3 from the LXX. He rightly applies these prophecies to John the Baptist who he describes in the next verse.
• “Make His paths straight” = often before the visit of a King the villagers would go out and fill in all the potholes and ruts so that it would be a smooth ride for the dignitary.

Verse 4: John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

• We read about the miraculous announcement and birth of John in Luke chapter 1. However, we know nothing about his formative years. At the right time “he appeared” in the Judean wilderness “preaching” [khrux = to proclaim, as a herald] about the coming Messiah and the need to repent from sin to be prepared to meet Him.
• “Baptism of repentance.” This baptism is not believer’s baptism that we learn about later in the epistles, but a different kind of baptism. It symbolized repentance from sin and a desire to be prepared for the coming Messiah.
• Repentance is the Greek word, metanoia, from meta (= “after, or beyond” implying change) and nous (“mind”); thus, “after [a change] of mind.” It can be illustrated by a military “about face.” To be forgiven of our sins, we must have a change of mind, which results in a change of actions.
• Baptism was already a part of Judaism. Gentile proselytes to Judaism had three obligations: (1) circumcision; (2) sacrifice made for them; and (3) baptism, which pictured cleansing from their past sins. John’s baptism aligned them not with Judaism but with the Messiah, the Saviour.
• Baptism does not forgive sins, nor can any other religious rite. Only God can do that. When we repent of our sins, God forgives us and cleanses us. John’s baptism was to show that the forgiveness of sins had already occurred because of the people’s repentance before God. 

Verse 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.

• Here Mark uses a bit of hyperbole to show how many people were going out to listen to John and to get baptized by him.
• “…confessing their sins” This is the Greek word, homologeo, which means
  “to say the same thing.” It means to agree with God about what He considers to be “sin.” It is the same word we find in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins…” Confession is always 3-fold:

1.       We confess to ourselves that what we are doing is sin

2.      We confess to those we have harmed and make restitution

3.      We confess our sins to God and receive His forgiveness 

Verse 6: John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.

• This is an interesting detail but, in a sense, unimportant. John was not known for his snappy attire. He dressed like Elijah of the OT (cf. Matt. 3:4; 2 Kings 1:8; Zechariah 13:4). He was a Nazarite from birth and lived accordingly (cf. Luke 1:15). He lived on simple fare, needing little, wanting little. His life was not about money or things. He lived what he preached.

Verse 7: And he was preaching [proclaiming], 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.

• A student would often carry out menial tasks for his master, but not even a student would be expected to take off the master’s sandals and wash his feet. That was the job of a slave. John said that he was not even worthy of being the slave of the One who was coming. 

Verse 8: “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

• Mark quotes John’s promise that what Messiah was bringing was much more important than what John was doing. John’s baptism was but a picture, a foreshadowing of what Christ would do. This was literally fulfilled at Pentecost when the Spirit was poured out on all the believers and the Church was born.

CONCLUSION:

Most Christians think they understand the Gospel, but many have a false, or incomplete knowledge. You cannot understand the Good News without first knowing and accepting the Bad News. Salvation depends on repentance, confession of sin, belief in Christ, and receiving God’s forgiveness and cleansing.