New Testament Studies

The Gospel of St. Mark

By Robert C. Crowder

Lesson Two

Mark 1:4-11 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

In the last lesson we left off with Marks proclamation that John the Baptist was the predecessor of the Christ.

He continues in verse four by telling us a little about what John was doing.  He was preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins and then baptizing those that confessed their sins.  They came from everywhere in the region from Judea and from Jerusalem.

John was not your normal teacher or preacher.  He did not wear the religious garments of the sects nor act like other religious leaders.  His pulpit was not in the local synagogues and didn't read from the sacred scrolls.  He clothed himself in camels hair and ate locusts and wild honey.  I don't think he received many invitations to speak in the local synagogues or for the local preacher retreats.  His message was different.  It was sharp.  It wasn't the kind of sermon that while you were listening you felt happy with yourself.  Johns preaching spit in the eye of tradition.  John was not telling them to bring their offering for the remission of sins.  There was no altar set up to burn the sin offering.  There was no bleating of sheep and goats in the ears of the listeners.  No there was only the solitary voice of one crying in the wilderness.  Repent and be baptized.

Repent and be baptized

His message was so different that he was making an impact.  People were coming from everywhere to see what the hub-bub was all about.  What is this baptism all about?  Are you serious, there is a man baptizing in the river Jordan for the remission of sins?  What does that mean?  Questions, questions and more questions.  People just had to go see and hear this man so dedicated that he ate off the land and preached a sermon that struck a chord in their hearts.

Johns message didn't stop with preaching the baptism of repentance, but also telling others that he was no big thing.  He had a message of humility.  He said, there is one who is coming that he would not even be worthy of taking off his shoes.

Are you kidding me?  A preacher who was so humble and understood what his position and place in the world was.  He was not full-of-himself nor was he trying to make himself larger than life.  Mark was showing the general theme of his book.  The Servant.  John was telling people that he was nothing in comparison to the one following him.  There were no leaflets being passed out to the crowds with requests for offerings, or where John would be speaking next.  There was a revival going on here.  People were searching John out.  Where is he that is teaching this new message?  These people were ready to walk all the way out to where John was preaching.  Not to see this mega-star, but to hear the message.  There was no concern that they wouldn't be back til sundown.  Real, God sent revival!

Heaven sent Revival

Then he concluded his sermon with a promise that he was baptizing with water, but He (the one that follows) would baptize with the Holy Ghost.

The Hebrews knew little about the Holy Ghost and I am sure that they were looking at each other saying, What is this Holy Ghost and how will we know it if he stood right in front of us?  The term Holy Ghost is used only in the New Testament and only four times in Mark.  So the use of Holy Ghost was really new for the listeners to hear.

Picture yourself in this time.  The Hebrew people were coming out to see this fellow preaching to them about the baptism for the remission of sins.  They knew the laws as passed down in the scrolls.  They had heard about the prophets in the synagogues.  But this guy out in the desert areas, dressed in animal skins and living with the wild beasts was touching a part of them never reached before.  They understood the importance of washing before preparation for the festivals and offerings.  You must understand that this baptism was really asking a lot from them.  This was an outward sign that they were walking a different walk.  They were trusting in someone not in the Temple or synagogues.  They were hitching their wagon to an unlearned man.  He was teaching a new life.  This outward showing left no doubt to all in attendance at their baptism that they were following this new teacher.  Obviously this was paving the way for Jesus the Christ and his simple message, the message of the Gospel, the good news.  Jesus would become the sacrifice, once and for all.  There would be no more need to slay the animals of the offering.  The writer of Hebrews reviews this whole premise:

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.  But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:  In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.  Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin[1][1].

John was teaching them that Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.  Cant you see the people coming from all around just to see and hear?  The message was so clear to some and to others was abominable.  John knew exactly what he was to preach.  He knew he was to baptize.  He knew he was paving the way for Jesus message and yet there was no ego to be lifted up.  He was simply doing what he was supposed to do.  How comforting it is to be in the place where God wants us to be!

Trouble with the Pharisees and Sadducees

But therein lies the rub.  Don't you just know that the religious leaders were also in attendance to protect their flocks?  John is going about his business only to look up to see Pharisees and Sadducees watching the proceedings.  Their very presence was imposing and was meant to intimidate.  They were there to stop as many from following through with the outward sign of being baptized to show the inward change that was in their hearts.  We don't see Johns harsh criticism of them in Mark but we do in Matthew.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:  And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.[2][2]

We don't really know if these two groups were coming out daily to interrupt or disrupt his preaching.  We don't know if they were taunting John or those being baptized, but we do see that John didn't mince any words.  He simply told them their beliefs were not OK and that they didn't have all the answers.  These religious groups were being told that they didn't have all the traditions and history to keep them safe.  One is coming that will separate those into two groups.  One group was to be with Him and the other was to be sent to the fire.

It is also interesting that when Jesus was dealing with these same groups, he also tried to teach them their errors.  The target of the Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes was Jesus.  The more popular he became, the more they sought him out, to tempt him and to try to trick him in front of His followers.  Years and years of traditions are hard and yes impossible for some to break.

Continuing on in the study of chapter one, it is especially interesting to me that Mark as usual just makes his statement that John baptizes with water and the One to follow would baptize with the Holy Ghost.  It is a matter of fact.  It is what it is.  John will baptize with the baptism of repentance and Jesus will baptize with the Holy Ghost.  End of Story!

Public showing of Jesus baptism

So as John is out performing his ministry, Jesus came out from Galilee and was baptized of John.  Again Mark gets right to the point, and yet there is so much that is not here for us to read.  Mark devotes just three verses to Jesus baptism.  Matthew devotes five verses, including Johns question, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?  Cant you just imagine John baptizing his followers when suddenly Jesus appears?  Jesus wades down into the water, probably waiting in line like the rest and when it came to Jesus time, John felt the weight of baptizing the Son of God.  This was too much for John and he said I am not worthy to untie your shoes, how can I possibly be in a position to baptize you?  Jesus simple says, suffer it to be so now: for this it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.  Jesus is telling John that this is how it must be.  In the jargon of today, Just do it!

We must assume that there were followers, seekers, Pharisees and Sadducees that witnessed this event.  And what an event it became.  When Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:  And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Not only were the heavens rent, but so were the minds of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  For they knew the scriptures and they were now present at the fulfillment of one of the prophesies from the book of Psalms.

Psalms 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Before we go further, we do not use the word begotten today so I want to define it for you.  The word means everything from; to bear young; to show lineage: time of delivery, declare pedigrees, be the son of.  So God was telling all present, this is my Son I am delivering him to the world.

In the next lesson in the book of Mark, we will look at Jesus being driven into the wilderness to be tempted.

Happy studying!

ã 2002 bobsbiblestudies