Post by foxjj on May 20, 2023 6:51:48 GMT
Mark 1:1-8
Mark wrote his Gospel account from Rome between the years 50-60 A D, and is recognized as the first and the shortest of the four gospels. In the book of Acts he is known as John Mark and a cousin of Barnabas. Mark opens his Gospel by declaring Jesus is The Son of God: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Then near the close of his Gospel, Mark records a Roman centurion proclaim: “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
The word Gospel means “good news,” or “glad tidings.” Right from the opening verse we have the assurance that his message is the good news that God has provided salvation for fallen humanity through the ministry - sacrificial death - and resurrection of His Son.
Mark starts his account of the salvation message by portraying John the Baptist as the forerunner, or messenger, whose coming was foretold by quoting two verse’s from the prophets starting with Malachi 3:1: “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare 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.” Followed by Isaiah 40:3: “A voice cries in the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
In verse’s 4-8 Mark describes the ministry of John whose name means The Lord is Gracious: “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
The Jewish religion had many ceremonial washing’s however, only proselytes (gentiles turning to Judaism) were baptized, therefore John’s baptism of repentance was known by the people. It must be clearly understood that the act of baptism cannot cleanse from, or bring forgiveness from sin. Baptism is the outward sign of a repented heart. Consequently, when one comes to God with a genuine repentant heart, Our Heavenly Father who sees the heart, is faithful and just. That been said, there is a difference between forgiveness of sins, and remittances of sins.
Forgiveness in its simple form is the positive response to an apology. Spiritually, it is God’s response to a sincere repentant heart, which describes a person who shows regret for their sin, and a desire to change.
Remittance on the other hand, is to make a payment thereby settling a dept. Spiritually, to have ones sin remitted is to be released from the guilt or penalty of the sin. This is the understanding behind the blood sacrificial system of atonement in the law as described in Leviticus 17:11: “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”
When reading the history of the Jewish people, we see that the covenant Yahweh had made with the people through Moses had been broken many times. Consequently, Yahweh declared in Jeremiah 31:31-34:
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD,
“when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to them,”
declares the LORD.
33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the LORD.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the LORD.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”
John came baptizing in order to prepare the people for the coming of Messiah who would establish the New Covenant through His Atoning Sacrifice. It is interesting that John did not call the people to be baptized in Jerusalem but out in the wilderness as a reminder of the exodus. Once more Yahweh was calling His people into a relationship with Him as foretold in Isaiah 40:3-5:
“A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the LORD;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
The people came to John repenting of their sins, seeking a new relationship with their God. In the New Covenant we understand repentance as a willingness to turn from our sin toward Jesus Christ. It literally means a complete U-turn on the road of life - a change of heart and a change of mind. It means that you are willing to follow Jesus Christ and to receive him as your Savior and Lord. It was Jesus who said: “repent and believe the Good News” - Mark 1:15.
John’s appearance reminder many of the prophet Elijah as foretold in Malachi 4:5-6: “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”
Because the people were holding John in high regard, he desired to turn the people’s eyes from him to the One to come: “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” It was the lowest servant in a household who was required to wash the feet of visitors.
The references to the Holy Spirit comes from Joel 2:28-29:
“And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
This was fulfilled at Pentecost as Jesus foretold in Acts 1:4-5: “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” And so the Church was born with the message; repent and believe the Good News.
Today, let us give thanks for The Good News of The Gospel.
John Joseph Fox.
Mark wrote his Gospel account from Rome between the years 50-60 A D, and is recognized as the first and the shortest of the four gospels. In the book of Acts he is known as John Mark and a cousin of Barnabas. Mark opens his Gospel by declaring Jesus is The Son of God: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Then near the close of his Gospel, Mark records a Roman centurion proclaim: “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
The word Gospel means “good news,” or “glad tidings.” Right from the opening verse we have the assurance that his message is the good news that God has provided salvation for fallen humanity through the ministry - sacrificial death - and resurrection of His Son.
Mark starts his account of the salvation message by portraying John the Baptist as the forerunner, or messenger, whose coming was foretold by quoting two verse’s from the prophets starting with Malachi 3:1: “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare 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.” Followed by Isaiah 40:3: “A voice cries in the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
In verse’s 4-8 Mark describes the ministry of John whose name means The Lord is Gracious: “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
The Jewish religion had many ceremonial washing’s however, only proselytes (gentiles turning to Judaism) were baptized, therefore John’s baptism of repentance was known by the people. It must be clearly understood that the act of baptism cannot cleanse from, or bring forgiveness from sin. Baptism is the outward sign of a repented heart. Consequently, when one comes to God with a genuine repentant heart, Our Heavenly Father who sees the heart, is faithful and just. That been said, there is a difference between forgiveness of sins, and remittances of sins.
Forgiveness in its simple form is the positive response to an apology. Spiritually, it is God’s response to a sincere repentant heart, which describes a person who shows regret for their sin, and a desire to change.
Remittance on the other hand, is to make a payment thereby settling a dept. Spiritually, to have ones sin remitted is to be released from the guilt or penalty of the sin. This is the understanding behind the blood sacrificial system of atonement in the law as described in Leviticus 17:11: “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”
When reading the history of the Jewish people, we see that the covenant Yahweh had made with the people through Moses had been broken many times. Consequently, Yahweh declared in Jeremiah 31:31-34:
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD,
“when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to them,”
declares the LORD.
33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the LORD.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the LORD.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”
John came baptizing in order to prepare the people for the coming of Messiah who would establish the New Covenant through His Atoning Sacrifice. It is interesting that John did not call the people to be baptized in Jerusalem but out in the wilderness as a reminder of the exodus. Once more Yahweh was calling His people into a relationship with Him as foretold in Isaiah 40:3-5:
“A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the LORD;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
The people came to John repenting of their sins, seeking a new relationship with their God. In the New Covenant we understand repentance as a willingness to turn from our sin toward Jesus Christ. It literally means a complete U-turn on the road of life - a change of heart and a change of mind. It means that you are willing to follow Jesus Christ and to receive him as your Savior and Lord. It was Jesus who said: “repent and believe the Good News” - Mark 1:15.
John’s appearance reminder many of the prophet Elijah as foretold in Malachi 4:5-6: “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”
Because the people were holding John in high regard, he desired to turn the people’s eyes from him to the One to come: “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” It was the lowest servant in a household who was required to wash the feet of visitors.
The references to the Holy Spirit comes from Joel 2:28-29:
“And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
This was fulfilled at Pentecost as Jesus foretold in Acts 1:4-5: “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” And so the Church was born with the message; repent and believe the Good News.
Today, let us give thanks for The Good News of The Gospel.
John Joseph Fox.