I've heard it said this is the earliest of the four Gospels, is this commonly accepted?
Unsure what Bible to go with, my main reasoning between choosing the NIV was that it was the default choice at Bible Gateway, the one I'm more familiar with is the the 1961 New English Bible but there doesn't seem to be much of that online.
So:
Mark Chapter 1 1-8
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. 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. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 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. I baptize you with[e] water, but he will baptize you with[f] the Holy Spirit.”
Isaiah foretells of a calling in the wilderness and John the Baptist fulfils this prophecy by appearing clothed in camel hair, living off a diet of insects and wild honey. His voice is proclaiming repentance for forgiveness of sins by way of baptism by water and himself declares the coming of one who will baptise with the Holy Spirit.
It's a quick introduction to Jesus. Compared to start of John which presents some rather heavy theology on the history of Jesus, or Matthew's introduction which goes into the more practical details of his origins.
Proinsias wrote:[Mark 1:1-8 is] a quick introduction to Jesus. Compared to start of John which presents some rather heavy theology on the history of Jesus, or Matthew's introduction which goes into the more practical details of his origins.
Yes, Mk 1:1-8 is a pretty summary introduction to Jesus. Jesus is presented in Mark as a servant and who cares about a servant's geneology? Mark presents the Jesus of Philippians 2:6-8...a king here to serve.
FL
Hold everything lightly. If you don't, it will hurt when God pries your fingers loose as He takes it from you. -Corrie Ten Boom
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If they had a social gospel in the days of the prodigal son, somebody would have given him a bed and a sandwich and he never would have gone home.
We can start. I suggest taking a few verses at a time, add a comment below the verse, and other readers can do the same. I’ll begin and feel free to add things as well such as historical aspects, homiletics, etc and etc as well as what the verses mean to you. Also let’s not limit to one translation. I am using the NASB and NKJV and bounce around to other translations as well.
Mark’s gospel is considered the oldest NT manuscript.
The bible reveals that the Jews look after signs and Greeks knowledge (1 Co 1:22c). This means that the ancient Jewish learning tradition was built around connecting the dots to piece a puzzle together. The Greeks used logic forms to put together a puzzle. Mark is pointing to the ancient Jewish learning tradition and in the text; he is connecting dots found in the Old Testament that identifies the Messiah and His real purposes that was not understood by many (revealed in Isa 53:1-12 for example).
Mark 1:1, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."
In the very first verse, the writer connects the dots revealing in few words the whole tenant and import of his account that Jesus Christ is the son of God. The phrase, Son of God, is an identifier to the ancient Jews in identifying the Messiah. Would the messiah be one of many messiahs that would set Israel free from foreign oppressors, would the messiah set up a Davidic line of kings, or someone who fulfills the Law and Prophets? How does one identify him?
Just like here on this forum, we share many views of old earth or young earth creationism or predestination and can get pretty heated. On a similar note but concerning the Messiah, the ancient Jewish people had many ideas about the Messiah all derived from the same set of OT texts. Debates abounded in theological genres about the messiah whom the Old Testament revealed.
Much was about whom the Messiah would be and how to properly identify him was debated within different theological camps. Some were more off base than others while others were closer in understanding the Messiah’s real task.
The gist of these debates can be summarized in two basic camps which asked: Will the messiah be a mere human agent - or would the messiah be the one indentified as the one Moses encountered in the burning bush, who Manoah saw, yet lived, the messenger Yahveh – known as the word-the arm of the Lord? Both sides summed up as - Will Messiah be mortal, or divine, or both? Mark appears to be connecting the dots in these first eight verses to answer this ancient debate as does Matthew, John and Luke’s gospel accounts.
Let’s move on and see what we shall see…how the dots connect…
The book of Malachi is interesting in that it means The Messenger from the Hebrew word Malak. Was this Malak – the Malachi – the Lord God or was he something else?
Mark 1:2, 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.'"
Mark quotes Malachi for that reason. He quotes Malachi 3:1 first and it reads: "Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear 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.”
The word messenger is the Hebrew word Malak. This word is often translated as angel but the word simply means messenger. A Malak can refer to a human being, or an angelic being, or God himself as the messenger, sent to do a task. This word is not limited to only mean angelic beings. The context of the verse it is used in identifies the type of Malak being mentioned.
Here, the Malak in verse 1 refers to a human messenger that will come during the same time as the Messiah announcing and revealing who the Messiah is. This refers to John the Baptist. The context of the next verses bears this out.
The Messiah is also being indentified as being Yahveh himself as the Malak of the covenant whom people delight – or looked for as the True Messiah written within the Law and the Prophets.
So in Mark 1:3 the writer again uses Isa 40:3 to tie into Malachi 3:1 as how to identify the human messenger who will herald and identify the Messiah who will come in the flesh as Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9:6 states. Mark writes that it is John the Baptist who heralds the real Messiah's soon arrival…
Mark 1:4, 5, 6, 7," John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 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. 6 John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey. 7 And he was preaching, 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."
Mark goes on, revealing that the Messiah will do only what God can do, baptize – circumcise our hearts and cleanse us by God’s Holy Rauch (Spirit) (Deut 30:6, Ezekiel 11:19, 20, and Ezekiel 36:26, 27c).
Mark 1:8, "I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Malachi 3:2-4 further is alluded to in Mark 1:3 as well as what is meant in Mark 1:8: "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderers' soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness. 4 "Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem Will be pleasant to the LORD, As in the days of old, As in former years."Malachi 3:2-4
This again identifies the Messiah or better said ‘the miracle of the Messiah’ who, in order to cleanse, and offer and acceptable offering for salvation has to be none other than whom is spoken of in Isaiah 43:11 and Isaiah 45:21 and also note Isaiah 63:7, 8 as well. Who may that be? Looks like Isaiah 53:1, 2 says it best regarding whom…
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Science is man's invention - creation is God's
(by B. W. Melvin)
Old Polish Proverb:
Not my Circus....not my monkeys
BW, hope I have some time to participate. I am just finishing a study of Mark that has running commentary from the early church fathers such as Origen, Turtullian, Augustine, and more. It is a verse by verse exposition. Pretty cool stuff.
-“The Bible treated allegorically becomes putty in the hands of the exegete.” John Walvoord
"I'm not saying scientists don't overstate their results. They do. And it's understandable, too...If you spend years working toward a certain goal and make no progress, of course you are going to spin your results in a positive light." Ivellious
jlay wrote:BW, hope I have some time to participate. I am just finishing a study of Mark that has running commentary from the early church fathers such as Origen, Turtullian, Augustine, and more. It is a verse by verse exposition. Pretty cool stuff.
That sounds
Look forward to it!
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Science is man's invention - creation is God's
(by B. W. Melvin)
Old Polish Proverb:
Not my Circus....not my monkeys
Mark 1:9, the text doesn't clearly state where the baptisms in the Jordan river were held although verse 4 says ''in the desert region.'' The most likely place is due east of Jerusalem.
Mk 1:10, the relation of a momentous occurance. The Holy Spirit taking the form of a frail dove, coming as a servant this time. Next time around He will come as Judge.
Mk 1:11, the voice of the Father. I imagine it softly booming. See the prophecy of this event in Ps 2:7 and Isa 42:1-2.
Mk 1:12-13, a period of trial often accompanies a recent rebirth, or regeneration. Jesus was no different as Hebrews 4:15 makes clear. 1 Cor 10:13 assures us that we will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. So, if you are tempted and give in, you are at fault. Repent.
Mk 1:14, this verse gives lie to the idea that God wants you to live a happy life free of disease and shackles as some denominations claim.
Mk 1:15, here, in a nutshell, is the whole message of Jesus' ministry.
Would this be the first time that the divinity of Jesus was recognised as an adult? Not stars in the sky or a virgin birth but more simply just Jesus as he is, being recognised as the messiah by everyone around? Not so much relying on the wisdom of old men or his origins but more God the Father and the Holy Spirit proclaiming he's the one for everyone to see. John realises who he has met straight away, as Matthew 3:14 mentions, and just moments after that his revelation is revealed to all.
Again the pace is speedy. I'm on page one and and John's been identified as the prophet of the messiah, the messiah has been confirmed as Jesus for all to see and is then whisked away to wilderness for forty days tempted by Satan.
In Mark 1:14 onwards we've got Jesus preaching the gospel of God. Presumably Jesus didn't mean the books we commonly refer to as the Gospels, he's doing the rounds with some very good news? The Gospel being the news of the coming of the Kingdom of God? I'm interested in the use of the word 'gospel' If Mark is considered the earliest of the NT manuscripts what language was the earliest source written in? Does the term gospel have an etymology going back through the OT? Or do we take a looser approach and view revelation from God whether it be through the father, son or holy spirit as the gospel?
edit:
Going back to Mark 1:1, I've heard it said that there is some ambiguity as to wether the use of 'the Son of God' is original, would the exclusion of this phrase affect the rest of the Gospel?
Proinsias wrote:Going back to Mark 1:1, I've heard it said that there is some ambiguity as to wether the use of 'the Son of God' is original, would the exclusion of this phrase affect the rest of the Gospel?
''Son of God'' belongs where it is but the exclusion of the phrase would change nothing for believers because we know Jesus' nature. As early as Dt 18:15-19 God promises Moses to raise up a prophet from within Israel who will say exactly what God wants. Only Jesus claims to do only what the Father wills (John 8:29). No other prophet makes such a claim. See Mt 21:6-11 for confirmation of the quote from Deuteronomy.
Proinsias wrote:Would this be the first time that the divinity of Jesus was recognised as an adult?
[Re Mk 1:11] Maybe. At least as far as the Scripture record is concerned, it appears to be. However, you need to remember that not everything Jesus did in His ministry is recorded.
FL
Hold everything lightly. If you don't, it will hurt when God pries your fingers loose as He takes it from you. -Corrie Ten Boom
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If they had a social gospel in the days of the prodigal son, somebody would have given him a bed and a sandwich and he never would have gone home.
Mk 1:16-17-18, Jesus's fame had evidently preceded Him on His trip back to the Gallilee because v. 18 states that at once they left their nets and followed Him after Jesus asked them to.
Mk 1:19-20, the scene of verses 16-17-18 repeats itself, this time James & John joined the small group around Jesus, apparently without question. However, this verse shows just how desireable Jesus' presence must have been because James & John left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Jesus. Doing so goes against cultural norms of the time on two counts: first, disciples normally sought out their teacher - not the other way around - and 2, sons did not abandon their father to go off with some guy on a whim. The events depicted in verses 16 to 20 are significant.
Mk 1:21, synagogues - and churches - even today serve as community centres and when a visiting rabbi, priest, pastor or evangelist is in town, he (or she) is usually invited to say a few words during the service.
Mk 1:22, some people will be pleased with someone showing authority, some will be put off by it. Evidently, the text makes clear that all present were astonished at Jesus' command and self-confidence in expounding the Scriptures.
Mk 1:23-24, a troublemaker...a heckler who obviously knows Jesus' identity, or who has heard of His renown, seeks to both ridicule Him (in front of those in the congregation who despise His upstart authority) and to challenge Him (in front of those who are charmed by His apparent authority).
Mk 1:25-26, Jesus now masterfully answers both the reproach and the challenge. The scene in that synagogue must have been jaw-dropping to all present.
Mk 1:27-28, those present knew they had just witnessed something amazing. Jesus' fame started to spread quickly over the Galilee - more so than before - because of the local witnesses.
Hold everything lightly. If you don't, it will hurt when God pries your fingers loose as He takes it from you. -Corrie Ten Boom
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If they had a social gospel in the days of the prodigal son, somebody would have given him a bed and a sandwich and he never would have gone home.
What is so often missed in the Gospel is how certain phrases and terms appear that connect to the Old Testament (OT) identifying who Jesus is. One such verse is found in Mark 1:24
The Heckler (demonic) said in Mark 1:24: “saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!" NKJV
The Phrase Holy One of God is a term used in the OT which serves to identify the Messiah, and who He is and His task as well. The demon inside the heckler knew who Jesus was and used the term – Holy One. This is one of those identifying phrases that reveal who Jesus is...connecting directly to the OT. A wise Jewish person during that era would understand and begin connecting the dots. Our modern gentile mindset fails to connect the dots.
Now read the following verses and see what this term connects too and why Jesus answered the way he did as well as the following verses in Mark chapter one we have not yet explored.
All Bible quotes are from the NKJV:
Isa 30:15 For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." But you would not,
Isa 43:15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King."
Isa 45:11 Thus says the LORD, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: "Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me.
Isa 47:4 As for our Redeemer, the LORD of hosts is His name, The Holy One of Israel.
Isa 48:17 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.
Isa 54:5 For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.
Isa 55:5 Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, And nations who do not know you shall run to you, Because of the LORD your God, And the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you."
Ezekiel 39:7 So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
Hosea 11:12 "Ephraim has encircled Me with lies, And the house of Israel with deceit; But Judah still walks with God, Even with the Holy One who is faithful.
Hab 1:12 Are You not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, You have appointed them for judgment; O Rock, You have marked them for correction.
Hab 3:3 God came from Teman, The Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of His praise.
Deut 33:2 And he said: "The LORD came from Sinai, And dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, And He came with ten thousands of saints; From His right hand Came a fiery law for them" .
The term Holy One is a orthodox Trinitarian proof text concerning One God in three persons of one Divine essence.
Look at Hab 3:3 and note that Deut 33:2 mentions three manifestations of God…
"Yahveh came from Sinai, and dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, And He came with ten thousands of saints; From His right hand came a fiery law for them.”
The phrase, Right Hand/Arm of God is a term referring to one of the panyim (presences/faces) of God and often identifies the incarnate Christ…
No wonder the demon left and the people marveled in Mark 1:27. "Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him."
As you read Mark, you’ll see people wondering who is this Jesus before them? You’ll see the mental struggle of various people in the upcoming chapters as people were confronted with the reality of Christ. The same struggle still happens to this very day.
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Science is man's invention - creation is God's
(by B. W. Melvin)
Old Polish Proverb:
Not my Circus....not my monkeys
It seems that prophesy for a redeemer, Holy one of Isreal is great evidence for Christianity. For a more solid case, I want to know if there are any possibilities that this information might have been manipulated or if Jesus was part of some society that set out to falsly fulfill these prophesies. It seems that these scenarios are unlikely but it isn´t bad to look into it.
Romans 12:17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
wrain62 wrote:It seems that prophesy for a redeemer, Holy one of Isreal is great evidence for Christianity. For a more solid case, I want to know if there are any possibilities that this information might have been manipulated or if Jesus was part of some society that set out to falsly fulfill these prophesies. It seems that these scenarios are unlikely but it isn´t bad to look into it.
Continue in this study of the Book of Mark and you shall see for yourself... in fact the Four Gospel accounts answers your question as they reveal plainly the OT revelation of the Messiah...
For example, the true Messiah will be born into this world as a human being, yet, there is something different about him…
Isaiah 9:6, 7, "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." NKJV
He will be called Mighty God…
Yet wait… the bible says…
Exodus 34:14, "…for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God… "
Deut 4:39 " Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. "
Isaiah 44:8, "Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.' "
Isaiah 45:5, "I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me..."
Isaiah 43:10, "You are My witnesses," says the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me."
Isaiah 45:18 "For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: "I am the LORD, and there is no other."
Isaiah 44:6, "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God. "
Isaiah 46:9, Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me… "
Isaiah 45:22, "Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. "
Only God can truly save…
In Mark 1:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7c the writer speaks of John the Baptist as the one who will herald the coming of the Messiah and reveals the Messiah’s message and task which are identified in Mark 1:4 as a unique type of baptism (Mark 1:8c) and remission of sins.
These points in Mark 1:1-8 connect to the OT. How?
Back in the First Century Israel there were many leaders and lay people pondering whether the prophesized Messiah would be a Mighty Kingly deliverer from foreign oppression, or just be one of many from the kingly line of David who would set free from foreign oppression and set up an everlasting kingdom and the final one would rule the nations of the earth: all prophesized within the bible text of the OT. Or will the Messiah set free from the sin within human beings that always caused the nation of Israel to fall into sin and rebel against God?
Those were the three basic elements people derived from the OT about the Messiah. Also being derived from the OT was the question who is the Messiah? – would the Messiah be a mere mortal or would he be the divine messenger oft seen in the OT accounts who appeared to the Patriarchs, Manoah, who gave the Law to Moses – who delighted in the affairs of humanity? Few understood that God would come in human flesh as a man as well as also God because…
…Only God can forgive sins… (Isaiah 9:6, 7c)
Isaiah 45:21, "Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me. "
Isaiah 45:23, 24, 24c, "I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath. 24 He shall say, 'Surely in the LORD I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him. 25 In the LORD all the descendants of Israel Shall be justified, and shall glory.' "
It was for the salvation from sin, sin which causes all woe in all the world of men, the true need to be saved from and God sending His own seal in the heart of those foreknown who would believe in Him fully to be his people –the indwelling of the Holy Spirit – the circumcision of the heart as it is written...
Deut 30:6, "And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live."
Ezekiel 11:19, 20c, "Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God."
These things Jesus did, He is the true and Final Messiah and confirms it to this day by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. In fact, as you read the gospel accounts, you will notice these themes – forgiveness of sin, healing of the whole man/woman, i.e. salvation in the fullest sense and the sealing of the Holy Spirit within the Heart of those He sanctifies to be his…
Isaiah 45:21, "Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me."
A Just God and Savior who as mortal man died in our place…and rose from the dead into newness of life...so we can too...
As you read Mark as well as the other gospel accounts you, the reader, will begin to connect the dots and be required to make a decision for Christ Jesus or against…
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Isaiah 53:1c, "Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?"
All Bible quotes are from the NKJV
Science is man's invention - creation is God's
(by B. W. Melvin)
Old Polish Proverb:
Not my Circus....not my monkeys
