SEE (head)
It has been four-hundred years since Israel last heard from a true prophet of the one true God. The people are famished for a word of hope. There is much anticipation concerning the promised Messiah who will deliver Israel and restore her to greatness. Just as people clear and level roads in expectation of a king's visit, so John calls people from every social class to prepare their hearts for God by repenting of their sins. Baptism is a public declaration of a person's willingness to turn from serving self to serving God, and a change in lifestyle is the necessary evidence of that willingness (see MALACHI 3:1–5). Jesus presents himself to John to be baptized. Immediately afterward, God testifies publicly that Jesus is his Son and he is "fully pleased" with him.

Good News ... Son of God (v. 1). The opening words of Mark's historical record ("The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." NASB) directly challenge a common claim of his day - namely, that the Roman emperor was the divine "Son of God." There was actually an inscription in honor of Caesar Augustus that referred to his birthday as being "the beginning of the good news [or gospel] for the world." Hence Mark's claim for Jesus would have been perceived as nothing less than "a bold challenge to Roman politics and religion." [ref] That said, it should be noted that by immediately linking Jesus' ministry with OT prophecy, Mark shows that his primary concern is with "Israel's narrative and in particular Isaiah's prophetic hopes of restoration." [ref] 

As the prophet Isaiah had written (v. 2). Mark's quotation draws from three different OT texts (Exodus 23:20; Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3). As one source explains: "Mark prefaced this composite quotation from three Old Testament books with the words: 'It is written in Isaiah the prophet.' This illustrates a common practice by New Testament authors in quoting several passages with a unifying theme. The common theme here is the 'wilderness' (desert) tradition in Israel's history. Since Mark was introducing the ministry of John the Baptist in the desert, he cited Isaiah as the source because the Isaiah passage refers to 'a voice … calling' in the desert." [ref]

Prepare the way (v. 3). John's message echoed that of the prophet Isaiah, who had pictured the nation of Israel, joyful as she returns from captivity, being led by the LORD (Jehovah). The Isaiah passage was highly significant, as among the Jews there was tremendous anticipation associated with Isaiah 40 in general and 40:1-3 in particular. [ref] John applied the exodus/deliverance imagery to Jesus as the Messiah/Christ who offers deliverance from sin and its eternal consequences. [ref] This is a vital point, since it is a sobering reminder of Israel's failing to worship God (which resulted in her captivity) and the fact that, even more so than occupation by the Romans, sin is the enemy that must be vanquished before we can enjoy true, unbroken fellowship with God. [ref] 

John the Baptist (v. 4). Important Roman officials were always preceded by a herald or announcer, and it may be in deference to this custom that Mark's gospel - likely written to/for Roman Christians - begins with the herald of "the most important man who ever lived." [ref] John's is a prophetic voice urging people to prepare to meet God. ("The wilderness and its obstructions are in the hearts of the people; there the Lord's way is to be prepared." [ref]) His mission and message placed him outside the established order. As a prophet of God his aim was not reform but revival. Rather than going to the king's court or to Jerusalem, John went to the desert. The words he spoke, the clothes he wore, the food he ate - in short, everything about him - testified to the fact that this Elijah-like figure stood outside the mainstream religious order. He called people to turn from dead religious orthodoxy to living faith in the one true God whose kingdom was fast approaching. [ref]

Someone ... greater (v. 7). John announced the coming of someone greater than he. What did he mean? And in what sense was John "great"? John was referring to the Messiah, Jesus Christ (although he had not yet identified Jesus specifically). John was great in that 1) he had been chosen by God to prepare the way for the Messiah, and 2) his message had a great, or powerful, impact, with huge crowds coming out to hear him and many people being baptized. On the other hand, Jesus was great in an absolute sense and, in contrast to John, Jesus' message was accompanied by many powerful miracles. While John was fully persuaded of his calling and of the urgency of his message, he was also humble enough to acknowledge his relative unimportance as compared to the Christ. [ref] When John spoke of being unworthy "to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals," he was employing imagery with which his audience could instantly identify. It was the job of the lowliest slave in a household to untie, remove, and clean the filthy sandals of the master and his guests. [ref]

As one source puts it, the difference between Jesus and John is the difference between the original light of the sun and the reflected light of the moon. [ref] A very telling illustration of Jesus' greatness can be found in the story in which Jesus depicts himself as the one able to overpower the strong man in order to plunder - or "thoroughly ransack" [ref] - his house (see MARK 3:27). Satan is the strong man, his house "is the realm of sin, sickness, demon possession, and death," and Jesus plunders Satan's house by "releasing the enslaved victims." [ref] (Would not this then mean that Christians who deliberately sin are in a sense opening the door to Satan's house and placing one foot back inside?) Jesus' miraculous healings and exorcisms were a vital part of his baptizing "with the Holy Spirit," [ref] the full measure of which would take place at Pentecost (see Acts 1:5; 11:15-16; 19:2-5). [ref]

Repented ... John baptized [Jesus] (vv. 4, 9). As "God's chosen people," the nation of Israel was renowned for its intricate system of religion. There was a law or a rule for just about everything imaginable. Why then does John call Israel to repentance? Simply put, it is because religion cannot save us; only a personal relationship with God can save us. John's message and baptism prepared the people for the personal relationship that Jesus would make universally available following the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. [ref]

"The Baptist demanded true repentance for his baptism. This is inward, unseen, in the heart; yet it always manifests its presence by an honest confession of sin." [ref] The Bible consistently teaches that Jesus was completely perfect, entirely without sin. Why then does he submit to baptism by John? Jesus' baptism accomplishes a number of things:

1. It marks his decision to begin his public ministry.
2. It allows him to publicly identify with sinners.
3. It is an opportunity for receiving God's (public) approval.
4. It is the occasion on which he is equipped by the Holy Spirit. [ref]

Baptized (v. 9). Some commentators describe the events surrounding Jesus' baptism in terms of a new/second exodus.  God used a deliverer (Moses ~ Jesus) and many miraculous signs (the plagues ~ Jesus' healings and exorcisms) to deliver Israel (from Egyptian slavery ~ from bondage to sin). Along these lines, "the rent heavens and descent of the Spirit can hardly be anything but the sign that God himself has now come in power to rescue his people." [ref] At the same time, it appears that the events surrounding Jesus' baptism declare the beginning of a new creation by God. Parallels between the original creation account in Genesis 1 and Jesus' baptism include: the presence and voice of God; the heavens; the Spirit of God; and water. The dove would thus picture the Holy Spirit as he was "moving" or "hovering" over the waters in Genesis, which in turn alludes to "the hovering and brooding of a bird over its young, to warm them, and develop their vital powers." [ref] [ref]

1. A decision to begin a new stage in life.
2. A way to identify with a certain group or class of people.
3. Public recognition or approval.
4. A proud moment for friends and family.

John the Baptist called people to prepare for what would be the most important defining moment of their lives: baptism in preparation for meeting God. Jesus' baptism was a monumental defining moment, as well, since it marked the beginning of his public claim to Messiahship.

??? What can the examples of both John and Jesus teach us about personal comfort versus God's will?

SEE (head)
The same Spirit that marked God's approval of Jesus now leads (literally forces or drives) him out to be tempted. Mark's wording indicates that the Devil's temptations did not end in the desert, and the remainder of his gospel shows this to be the case as demons, public opinion, and religious hypocrisy all work to thwart Jesus' mission. Once having made the decision to begin his public ministry, Jesus moves quickly. He preaches and teaches that God's kingdom is as close as the sound of his voice. He calls his first disciples to leave their booming family businesses - and in so doing to go against societal norms - in order to follow and learn from him.

Compelled (v. 12). Mark wrote that the Holy Spirit "drove" ("compelled" NLT, "impelled" NASB; Greek ekballo: "the use of external force in order to move an unwilling object" [ref]) Jesus into the wilderness - expressing the same idea found repeatedly throughout Mark's gospel in reference to Jesus' casting or driving out demons. [ref] [ref]  "The thought is that of strong moral compulsion by which the Spirit led Jesus to take the offensive against temptation and evil instead of avoiding them." [ref] Today a person may do something and then say that he had no choice, he had to do it. It is that type of inner compulsion that is in view here. Unlike us, however, Jesus was not guilty of acting rashly: "Jesus did not throw himself into this temptation of his own accord when, according to human judgment, at the beginning of his ministry he might have been wise to avoid such a decisive conflict. We often rashly put ourselves into temptation. Jesus was brought into his by his Father's Spirit. This means that his temptation had to occur, and occur at this very time. It was God's will to have his Son's ministry begin with this mighty battle against Satan in person and with the resultant victory." [ref] 

Tempted (v. 13). As brought out in Matthew's and Luke's more detailed accounts, Jesus' temptation parallels that of Adam and Eve in several important ways. Whereas Adam was tempted in a paradise and failed, Jesus was tempted in the wilderness and was victorious. [ref] The Bible book of Genesis presents the temptation of Eve as encompassing the three main areas of our common humanity: the physical, the intellectual, and the emotional. Likewise these were the three avenues in which Satan approached Jesus. [ref] All of this is important because it demonstrates Jesus' victory over Satan - and it is "by his victory over the tempter [that] he may, for all who believe in him, undo the results of the first Adam's failure." [ref]

Whether or not Jesus could have actually sinned has been a source of much debate. If he was incapable of actually sinning, could he truly be tempted to sin? One source likens Christ's imperviousness to sin to an army: just because an army cannot be defeated does not mean it cannot be attacked. [ref] But if Jesus never sinned, how can he fully identify with us sinners? Here we should keep a few points in mind: 1) It was not necessary for Jesus to actually experience sin in order for him to fully understand its detrimental effects on us. By way of illustration, consider the cancer patient who goes in for surgery. Neither having the disease nor undergoing surgery to remove it makes him an expert. On the other hand, the cancer surgeon who has never had the disease himself but who has performed hundreds (or even thousands) of operations to remove it from others would be an expert on the topic. [ref] 2) Jesus' is the perfect example of humanity; the perfect man Jesus is what human beings were intended to be like - and what saved human beings one day will be like. Sin is a corruption of the good, the best, the perfect. The perfect man Jesus represents humanity at its highest and best. Which means rather than Jesus seeking to be more like us sinners, we sinners should seek to be more like Jesus. 3) The temptation to sin that Jesus faced was no less real than the death he likewise endured and overcame. [ref]

Galilee (v. 14). Mark keys in on Jesus' ministry in Galilee, again tying together the work of John the Baptist and Jesus. As John was a herald for Jesus, so Jesus was a herald for/of "the gospel of God" - i.e., "the good news that God sends." [ref] (Commentators point out that Jesus' public ministry had actually begun a year or so prior. [ref] [ref] [ref]) Jesus chose to concentrate his ministry in Galilee, "the Jewish province that was farthest removed from the capital and in many respects looked down upon by the proud inhabitants of the center." [ref] The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) "are chiefly taken up with our Lord's public ministry in this province. ... 'It is noteworthy that of his thirty-two beautiful parables, no less than nineteen were spoken in Galilee. And it is no less remarkable that of his entire thirty-three great miracles, twenty-five were wrought in this province. His first miracle was wrought at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, and his last, after his resurrection, on the shore of Galilee's sea. In Galilee our Lord delivered the Sermon on The Mount [and several other great discourses]' (Porter's Through Samaria)." [ref]

The Kingdom ... Repent (v. 15). Jesus' proclamation regarding God's kingdom (= God's rule and reign) is in effect a declaration of "the supernatural character, origin, and purpose of our salvation." [ref] The only proper response was/is to repent and believe. Belief - or "faith" - is a major theme in Mark's gospel account, involving "knowledge, assent, and confidence." [ref] In conjunction with repentance, it is the only means of entrance into the kingdom (= "the presence and reign of God"). [ref]  Repentance is turning from, and belief is turning toward. While we can speak of them separately, in reality "both are always wrought in the same instant and are always found together." [ref] As John Calvin has noted, this is good news indeed for us, since it means "not only is our duty enjoined on us, but the grace and power of obedience are, at the same time, offered." [ref]

Follow me (v. 17). We can surmise that this was not the first time Jesus and these men had met. Here Jesus was not calling them to salvation but, rather, to discipleship - including in their particular case "training for the apostolate." [ref] [ref] [ref] [ref] Whereas the initial call to salvation centers on the individual, "[t]his call is for the sake of others." [ref] The emphasis of the passage seems to be Jesus' authority, including the fact that his call takes precedent over important social customs (James and John literally abandoned their father in order to follow Jesus). [ref]However, and as Mark makes clear throughout his gospel, Jesus' first disciples were anything but the staunch defenders of the Christian faith they would become after Jesus' resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. At first they were spiritually shallow, unsympathetic, proud, unforgiving, not very prayerful, and not overly courageous. [ref] While certainly not a very flattering portrait, it does mean there is hope for us!

Fish for people (v. 17). We should also note the meaning and implications of Jesus' call to "fish for people":

The kind of fishing envisioned was net - not line - fishing ... which involved a circular net that had heavy weights around its perimeter. The occupation of fisherman was labor-intensive. The imagery of using a lure and a line (and waiting for the fish to strike) is thus foreign to this text. Rather, the imagery of a fisherman involved much strain, long hours, and often little results. Jesus’ point may have been one or more of the following: the strenuousness of evangelism, the work ethic that it required, persistence and dedication to the task (often in spite of minimal results), the infinite value of the new "catch" (viz., people), and perhaps an eschatological theme of snatching people from judgment ... If this last motif is in view, then catching people is the opposite of catching fish: The fish would be caught, killed, cooked, and eaten; people would be caught so as to remove them from eternal destruction and to give them new life. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

HEAR (heart)
Overcoming Temptation
Ralph Waldo Emerson believed: "We gain the strength of the temptation we resist."

The 15th century priest Thomas Kempis advised: "Do not try to find a place free from temptations and troubles. Rather, seek a peace that endures even when you are beset by various temptations and tried by much adversity." [ref]

And one Bible commentator has written: "One fact must not be forgotten: the wilderness, though dreadful ... was also the place where nothing was able to separate Jesus from communion with his heavenly Father." [ref]

DO (hands)
??? Read Matthew 4:1-11. What can Jesus' experience teach us about enduring hardship as part of preparing for the work to which God calls us?

SEE (head)
Teachers of the law had turned the law (essentially our OT) into a series of legal precedents, endlessly citing one interpretive tradition after another. In so doing, they divorced the law from its true intent as a light both to reveal human sinfulness and to guide us to God. Jesus is different; he cuts to the chase by going back to the law itself and explaining God's original intent for it. Jesus' miracles are an extension of his teaching - both reveal his authority. [ref]

Amazed (v. 22). Twice Mark mentions that Jesus' audience was amazed (literally, "struck as by a blow" (v. 22) [ref]) - first at his teaching and then at his miracle-working power. How was Jesus' teaching different from that of "the teachers of religious law"? As evidenced throughout the gospels, there are several points of contrast. Unlike that of his contemporaries, Jesus' teaching was: truthful, significant, systematic, illustrative, loving, and authoritative. [ref]

Evil spirit (v. 23). Demons are actually fallen angels who, along with their leader, the chief angel Satan, rebelled against God. [ref] They could and would take up residence in human beings, and the usual method for casting them out involved the use of magical formulas and even going so far as to incite one demon to attack and drive out another. [ref] Whereas Jesus had been on the defensive during his wilderness temptation, he now takes the offensive as he begins a frontal assault on Satan and his demonic army. [ref] Jesus does so, it should be noted, not by the exorcism techniques common to his day but rather by his supremely authoritative word alone - a feat so unusual it was perceived as "a new teaching." [ref]

It should also be noted that modern skepticism regarding demon possession is proved false by Jesus' attitude toward it. If, as some hold, demoniacs were actually nothing more than people suffering from mental illness and/or epilepsy, then either Jesus himself was ignorant or else he chose to accommodate the ignorance of the people around him by going along with the superstitious belief that people can be possessed by demons. Either option irrevocably impugns the righteous character of our Lord and Savior. [ref]

The fact that demon possession appears to be much less prevalent today is often attributed to the fact that Jesus overthrew Satan and ushered in a new era characterized by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, the lost and confused persons today who go looking for demons - i.e., "spirits" - through witchcraft and other occult practices quite often find them to be very real indeed. [ref]

HEAR (heart)
Legitimate Authority
There are several types of "authority," including: "ability to act or produce an effect ... legal or official authority, capacity, or right ... possession of control, authority, or influence over others ... political control or influence." [ref] Here the word Mark uses for "authority" (exousia) includes the ideas of power, lordship, and freedom, [ref] and in this the first chapter of his gospel record, Mark presents Jesus as being the one "authorized to proclaim the good news of the kingdom (Mark 1:14-15), to call followers (Mark 1:16-20), and to make war on Satan (Mark 1:21-28)." [ref]

Jesus has "all authority (exousia) in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18) - at least part of which he earned through his sacrificial service on our behalf. Jesus is our perfect model of servant-leadership, and we actually share in his authority whenever we tell others about God's kingdom and whenever we serve others in his name.

DO (hands)
??? What's the difference between being told to do something and being asked to do it? What does that say about our natural reaction to authority?

SEE (head)
Jesus' healing of the multitudes instantly brings him celebrity status. He responds to his newfound popularity by drawing close to God in prayer, where he gains a renewed sense of purpose and direction.

Healed ... cast out (v. 34). Just as soon as the Sabbath ended (at sunset [= 6 P.M.] on Saturday [ref]) and the people were once again free to work and travel without restriction, Peter's house was mobbed by people seeking miraculous healing and deliverance. [ref] [ref] As he often does, in his account Matthew adds that Jesus' actions were intended as the fulfillment of OT prophecy - in this case Isaiah 53:4, which primarily has to do with the Messiah's atoning death. Jesus' many miracles were a foretaste of the total healing to be found in the atonement, as well as a powerful declaration of his authority as the unique Son of God and thus the only one able and willing to atone for the sins of the world. [ref] As John Calvin aptly put it: "[Jesus] gave sight to the blind, in order to show that he is 'the light of the world,' (John 8:12). He restored life to the dead, to prove that he is 'the resurrection and the life,' (John 11:25). Similar observations might be made as to those who were lame, or had palsy." [ref]

Pray (v. 35). We get the impression that prayer was of vital importance to Jesus and that there was, in fact, an indelible bond between Jesus' public ministry and his private prayers. As one source puts it: "The praying of Jesus, as far as we are able to judge from the recorded instances (Luke 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28; 11:1; Matthew 11:25, etc.; John 11:41; 17:1, etc.), is always concerned with something important in his ministry." [ref] In this particular instance Jesus' prayerful conclusion was that he must take his disciples and proceed on a preaching "tour through the Galilean towns and villages." [ref] Notice that in both Mark's account and that of Luke, Jesus fails to mention the many marvelous miracles that would accompany his preaching. Why? Because the miracles were secondary to the message, intended primarily as a means of authenticating Jesus as a true prophet and, ultimately, the Son of God. [ref] [ref]

HEAR (heart)
Depending on God
As witnessed by his habit of prayer, Jesus depended on God his Father. If, as the divine Son of God, Jesus realized his need for dependence on God, should we do any less? [ref] Sadly, within our hyper-individualistic society, dependence on God is seldom a prized possession. To be sure, many of us claim our faith in God is very important to us - even as we neglect the habit of prayer and the study of the only objective source of truth regarding God's will, the Bible. As demonstrated by Jesus, dependence on God means trying to please him rather than trying to please the crowd. It also means placing God's ultimate will above our own immediate desires.

DO (hands)
??? In one respect Jesus' popularity can be seen as a continuation of Satan's efforts to derail his mission. [ref] If Jesus had wanted to, he could have had his own "megachurch." Instead, he forsook what many would consider success in order to pursue God's will.

Is popularity ever a bad thing? Explain. What can this section of Mark's gospel record teach us about being popular versus being in God's will?

SEE (head)
Jesus risks personal defilement in order to bring healing to a social outcast.

Leprosy (v. 40). Forced to live on the fringes of society, lepers were allowed no contact with other people - they "were regarded as the living dead." [ref] A common justification for not helping lepers - a rationale found among the Jews and their pagan neighbors alike [ref] - was the belief that leprosy was God's way of punishing people for their sins, [ref] making the physical leper a "moral leper" as well. [ref] Only twice in the OT is a leper healed (Numbers 12:10-15; 2 Kings 5:1-14), [ref] and the rabbis of Jesus' day equated curing leprosy with raising the dead. [ref] Jesus heals the man and then orders him to submit to the prescribed law concerning healing. In so doing, Jesus demonstrates "compassion, power and wisdom." [ref]This one miracle proved that Jesus was/is greater than "Moses the lawgiver, Elijah the prophet, and the priesthood": Jesus commands rather than requests the miracle, and the priest could not bring about the cleansing but only offer public witness to it. [ref]

Instantly (v. 42). Notice the instantaneous nature of the healing. As one modern English paraphrase renders it: "Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy" (The Message). This is important to note because it goes against the false claim of many a skeptic that the miracles recorded in the four gospels are fabrications. If that were the case, doubtless they would be long and drawn out rather than the brief but powerful accounts they are. [ref]

The priest (v. 44). Having been cured, the leper was told to present himself before the priest. Why? So that, in accordance with the OT law, the priest could examine the leper and declare him clean and thus ready to be restored to the community, including being fit to worship God publicly in the temple. [ref] Moreover, such miraculous power as Jesus demonstrated proved that he was the Messiah (see Luke 7:22). Which meant that if the priest declared the man clean, he would likewise be obligated to accept Jesus as the Messiah. If, however, the priest declared the man clean "but rejected the One who cleansed him," his "unbelief would be incriminating evidence against" him (the priest). [ref]

HEAR (heart)
Spiritual Leprosy
"Leprosy brought anguish at all levels: physical, mental, social, and religious." [ref] As such, it makes for a vivid illustration of sin. Like leprosy, sin:

• is more than skin deep
• spreads rapidly
• causes defilement and isolation
• and can be purged only by fire [ref]

Jesus' mission certainly included temporary physical healing. But, much more importantly, it also and especially included "pardon, peace, spiritual consolation, and strength." [ref]

DO (hands)
??? As seen both in this incident and throughout his entire ministry, "[t]he sorrows of the people are [Jesus'] own sorrows. He dearly and intensely loves the burdened ones, and is eager to help them." [ref] What classes of people does our contemporary society consider untouchable? What can Jesus' example teach us about reaching out to them?