Master 260: Advent 2011, Mark 1:1-15

The Christmas Story in the Four Gospels














Prologue:

As I think about teaching during Advent, I find myself struggling with a question: How do we talk about the coming of Christ during this time of year without seeming to change the subject? "Changing the subject"? Now your first reaction might be to think: Talking about the coming of Christ during this time of year isn't changing the subject. After all, Christ's coming is what this season of year is all about.

That's true of course, but think about this. Think about your kids--especially if yours is one of those families that reads the Christmas story on Christmas morning before opening presents. How well do your kids take that? They may sit quietly, but I'll bet that when there's a pile of presents under the tree to be opened, turning to the biblical text feels to them like its "changing the subject." And as adults, its just as easy to get swept up in the fervor and excitement. Is there anything wrong with that? Is there anything wrong with parties and presents, warm feelings, happy moments, etc.? No! There's nothing wrong with those things in themselves. But when we fixate on them in such a way that turning to the Christmas story feels like an interruption...? And I wrestle with how to balance these. I don't want to be a killjoy. And I don't want to feel like I'm changing the subject whenever I call us to turn from the celebration of the Christmas season to the contemplation of the Christmas story.

Any suggestions? How should I deal with this tension as a teacher? How should you deal with it as a follower of Christ? As a parent or spouse? I'll return to that question at the end of this post.

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In this series, we're going to look at the Christmas story in the four gospels. Some who have been around church for a while or paid attention during Christmas may be immediately puzzled, because the Christmas story only appears in two of the four gospels. The angels, the wise men, the shepherds, the virgin birth--all of those things are only to be found in the accounts of Matthew and Luke. So how can we talk about the "Christmas story in the four gospels"?

Well, it's true that the Nativity is only recorded in Matthew and Luke. But Christ's Advent--his coming into the world to accomplish the work that God assigned to Him--: all of the gospel writers speak about that. And isn't that, after all, what Christmas is all about?

So we're going to look at Christ's Advent. Kind of like the introduction to a book, the introduction of Jesus Christ sets the stage and tone for everything that follows. And each of the gospel writers presents Christ's Advent in a slightly different way. Each of them writes from a unique perspective, with a different audience in view and set of concerns in mind. We want to look at all of these presentations in order to get a sense of the manifold significance of this event--an event that is larger and more complex than could be captured by any single perspective or treatment.

We'll start by looking at Mark's account. 'Why Mark's account?' you may ask. Isn't Matthew the first gospel in the New Testament? Well, there are a couple reasons for starting with Mark. Many scholars believe that Mark's was the first gospel to be written. Over 90% of the material that Mark covers appears in the other gospels, which has led some to think that their authors used Mark as a source. Not everyone buys into the theory of Markan priority. But it is still the case that Mark gives us the shortest and most concise presentation of the life and ministry of Jesus. While the other gospels record some of Jesus' longer sermons and discourses, Mark focuses primarily on the actions of Jesus. He presents one episode of Jesus' life after another in rapid suggestion with minimal commentary and few rhetorical flourishes. In fact, in some parts of the gospel you'll find that every verse and almost every sentence begins with words like, "and," "immediately," and "then." And Jesus did this. And Jesus did that. And then this happened. And immediately..."

Many scholars believe that Mark's gospel was written to the church in Rome--to a community of believers who would not have been as familiar with Jewish tradition and history. So Mark leaves a lot of stuff out that would have been more relevant and interesting for someone who grew up in the region of Palestine. For all these reasons, Mark's presentation of Christ's Advent seems like a good place to start this series. He'll give us the story in its most bare-bones form and we'll spend the next several sessions expanding on that basic picture by looking at what Matthew, Luke, and John add. Let's turn, then, to Mark 1:1-15.

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The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

"Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way;
The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
'Make ready the way of the Lord,
Make His Paths straight.'"

John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 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. And John was clothed in camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey. 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. I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

And it came about in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: "Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased."

And immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness. And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.

And after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

(Mark 1:1-15)

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Your first thought may be that this all seems very un-Christmassy. No manger, no shepherds. It doesn't look, sound, feel, taste, or smell like what we expect of Christmas. But maybe that's exactly the point at which our thinking and view needs to be challenged. So let's dive into what Mark does say and see what we can learn about the Advent of our Lord.

"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." Mark starts things off in a very straightforward and matter-of-fact way. "This is the beginning." Thanks, Mark. --but before we just skip over this first sentence to the meat of the passage, let's stop for a moment and think about that phrase: "the beginning of the gospel."

Where does the gospel begin? How does it begin? If you were to ask a lot of Christians, they'd probably tell you that the gospel of Jesus Christ begins something like this: Jesus died for my sins... But, of course, that doesn't happen until chapter 15. Jesus doesn't die until chapter 15 of Mark's book. If that were the beginning of the gospel, we wouldn't need the first fourteen chapters. Some people might like that--if every book of the Bible were only two chapters long. It wouldn't be so heavy. You could actually read it in a year. But Mark doesn't allow for that. He says that the gospel begins with chapter 1, verse 1.

Is Jesus' death part of the gospel? Absolutely. Is Jesus' death at the very center of the gospel? Yes. But is Jesus' death all there is to the gospel? No. Not according to Mark. There's more to it. The gospel is bigger than the death of Christ--just like Christmas is bigger than the Nativity and salvation is bigger than what God does for me individually and personally. Mark wants us to see that all of Jesus' ministry (at least) is included in the gospel.

A second thing to notice about this opening sentence is the way that it describes Jesus. This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus, Christ, the Son of God. Now at the beginning of Jesus' ministry probably no one was calling Him either Christ or Son of God. But Mark, writing after the fact, wants to make clear to his readers who this Jesus really is. He is the Christ--the Messiah, the Anointed One. He is the Son of God. Now those terms may not be totally transparent to us at this point, but we'll see that Mark fills in some of the details as he continues.

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With that, let's turn to the next verse. Mark has indicated that he is presenting the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And he then goes on to tell us how the gospel begins. The gospel begins "as it is written in Isaiah the prophet." The gospel begins in the way that God outlined to the prophet Isaiah over 600 years before Jesus comes on the scene. Clearly the gospel is not something new. It's something that God's been planning for a while. And what is that plan? We get a description of it:

"Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way;
The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
'Make ready the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight.'"

What we have here is actually a pair of quotations, first from Malachi 3:1 and then from Isaiah 40:3. It was not uncommon for first century writers and teachers, when quoting from Old Testament prophecies to name only the most important or prominent figure. Let's take a look at the Isaiah prophecy in order to get a fuller picture of God's agenda and plan.

This is how Isaiah 40:1-11 reads.

"Comfort, O comfort My people," says your God.
"Speak kindly to Jerusalem;
And call out to her, that her warfare has ended,
That her iniquity has been removed,
That she has received of the LORD's hand
Double for all her sins."

A voice is calling,
"Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness;
Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.
Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the rough ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;

Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
And all flesh will see it together;
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

A voice says, "Call out."
Then he answered, "What shall I call out?"
All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
When the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.

Get yourself up on a high mountain,
O Zion, bearer of good news,
Life up your voice mightily,
O Jerusalem, bearer of good news;
Lift it up, do not fear.
Say to the cities of Judah,
"Here is your God!"

Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might,
With His arm ruling for Him.
Behold, HIs reward is with Him,
And His recompense before Him.
Like a shepherd He will tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs,
And carry them in His bosom;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes. (Isaiah 40:1-11)

There's a lot here that we could talk about but the thing I'll focus on is just the two steps that are described here. First, God says, someone will come who will prepare the way for the Lord. And then "the glory of the LORD will be revealed," the cities of Judah will say, "Here is your God," and "the Lord GOD will come with might."

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After referring to this prophecy, Mark records, "John the baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 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." In keeping with his style, Mark doesn't give us a lot of background of John the Baptist. The other gospel writers will give much more information about who he is, where he comes from, and who his parents are. Mark isn't concerned with all those details. What is important is that this man appears in the wilderness (as Isaiah's prophecy described) and he begins to prepare a people group.

Mark does give us this bit of description about John himself: "And John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey." This description might just seem to confirm John as an eccentric and as someone that we should probably not be listening to. That's certainly how most of us would react if someone came out of the desert today dressed like that, subsisting on grasshoppers and honey. But in that context, the people would have seen this a bit differently. In fact, they would have immediately recognized that John's appearance resembled that of the prophet Elijah. Elijah--who single-handedly took on 400 priests of Baal, who called down fire from heaven, who controlled the weather, raised a dead boy to life, and performed all sorts of other miracles--he was one of the greatest Old Testament prophets and he wore a hairy garment and a leather belt. That was strange dress in his own time. But the effect was that Elijah was immediately recognizable. People who saw or heard about the guy with the hairy garment and leather belt knew that he was Elijah.

Elijah was not only one of the greatest Old Testament prophets, but the prophet Malachi said that Elijah would come again one day before the final and definitive appearance of God in the world. (4:5) And then this guy, John, shows up in the wilderness. He looks like Elijah, he's calling people to change, and they're starting to respond.

The fact that people were responding is noteworthy for another reason: John was preaching a baptism of repentance. Baptism was not a ritual that one would undergo on a regular basis in order to be cleansed of sin. Baptism was a one-time ritual and it was reserved for those were converting to Judaism. So you can see why it seems strange that Jewish people from Judea and Jerusalem would be undergoing baptism. What are they converting to?

The people of Israel understood that they were God's chosen people. Going back to events in the life of Abraham and Moses we can see how God set a plan in motion that involved His having a special relationship with this particular people group. But over time the Jewish people began to take for granted their identity as the people of God. They thought that their ancestry and heritage gave them a privileged place in God's economy. And both John the Baptist and Jesus challenged these people to understand that just because they were descended from Abraham did not guarantee that they were the people of God. Just because they had a particular heritage, didn't make them the people of God. John the Baptist and Jesus challenged the Jewish people to respond personally to the call of God on their lives.

A similar challenge faces us in the modern world and church. Some people need to be reminded that just going to church doesn't make you a Christian. Just because you grew up in a Christian home, doesn't mean that you have a personal relationship with God. For that, a personal decision needs to be made--a decision to turn one's life around (i.e. repent) and live in obedience to God's will.

John preached this kind of message to the people of Israel and he began to gather a group of people who were waiting for what God would do. Remember how Isaiah's prophecy spoke of the messenger and then of how the glory of the LORD would appear. Notice, then, what Mark says of John. "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. I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

John, just like Isaiah foretold, spoke of someone greater and mightier who would follow him. He would baptize people with the Holy Spirit. He would cover or anoint them with the very Spirit of God. John's audience would have had some notion of what this meant from the records of the prophets, priests, and kings of the Old Testament who were anointed with God's Spirit and, thereby, given special power and authority. John tells his audience that the same kind of thing is going to happen through the one who is about to come.

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"And it came about in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan." And then, one day, Jesus showed up and got baptized. Did you catch the tone? --how understated this was? There was no fanfare or flourish, no impressive displays. Jesus came in such a way that He'd be easy to miss--and most people probably did miss Him. He just showed up one day and got baptized.

Now what happened next is unusual: "And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: 'You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.'" That's unusual. That's definitely out of the ordinary. But did you catch how Mark described it: "And immediately coming up out of the water, He (Jesus) saw the heavens opening." Mark gives no indication that anyone saw this momentous event except Jesus. This event wasn't a bold display to impress the people around. Rather, what's being given here is a peak into what's going on behind the scenes in this event.

We're told, He saw the heavens "opening." That word actually might be better translated, "being torn open." That word appears in one other place in the book of Mark--toward the end. When Jesus is on the cross, having paid the penalty for sin, he gives up His Spirit, and the veil of the temple is torn in two. The veil in the temple, that separated the Holy of Holies--where the presence of God rested and no one was able to enter because they couldn't handle being before God and would die--the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple and the rest of the world was torn in two. The barrier between God and humanity was removed at the cross of Christ. Or was it removed at Christ's baptism? When Jesus came on the scene, we're told, the heavens were torn open. With Jesus coming on the scene there was introduced a point of contact between God and humanity--the reconciliation of these two groups in the person of Jesus Christ. Do you see what significance Mark attaches to this coming of Jesus Christ? Ultimately these two events--the baptism and the crucifixion aren't isolated events. That's why it makes sense to see the reconciliation of God and humanity in both events. Because the gospel includes all of these things.

The reconciliation of God and humanity in this event is further affirmed by the presence of the entire Trinity. Jesus the Son is baptized, the Holy Spirit descends on Him or anoints Him, and the Father speaks words of affirmation and blessing. All of this is present and going on at the baptism of Jesus and most people probably didn't have a clue. This is part of Jesus' pattern throughout this gospel. In fact, according to Mark, Jesus will go out of His way to avoid telling people about His full identity. (Mark 1:34, 44; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:30) Why would Jesus do that? And why would Mark, in particular, emphasize that about Jesus?

Well we know that messianic anticipation and fervor were thick in first-century Palestine. The Jewish people were restive under the burden of Roman oppression. John tells us that after feeding the five thousand, the people contemplated forcing Jesus to be their king. Recognizing the power of Jesus--even we face the temptation of trying to use him as a pawn or instrument for getting what we want. But Jesus consistently refused to be so used. And he may have discouraged talk about who He was in order to keep people from jumping to conclusions--to give them enough time to see what He was really about and to see whether they really wanted to follow. When Jesus finally did begin to publicly own His identity as the Son of Man and Savior, He always spoke of that in close connection with His death and sacrifice. That definitely cut against people's expectations.

Why does Mark emphasize this aspect of Jesus' character and ministry? Possibly because he was writing to Christians in Rome. In that city, they would have witnessed the pomp and splendor, along with the decadence and corruption, of the great Caesars. They would have had certain expectations for what a leader would look like, how a king ought to act. But Jesus' life and Mark's presentation of His work undermine all of that. Jesus, even though He was king over all, the very Son of God, came as a servant and taught that true greatness comes not in the tyrannical exercise of power but in serving others. He not only taught that but He demonstrated that by His own life of service and humility. Mark allows us to see both of these things--what's going on behind the scenes, the greatness and majesty of this man--as well as His humility.

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Mark goes on to describe what happened after Christ's baptism. "And immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness. And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him." Again we see the understatement of Mark. Matthew and Luke will give us some of the details of this period of tempting, but not Mark. For him, it's enough to let us know that Jesus was contending with Satan for a time in the hostile environment of the wilderness. And what is the outcome of that face-off?

"And after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

Jesus emerges from his conflict with Satan and begins announcing the arrival of God's kingdom and power and authority on earth. Notice, then, the different parts of Jesus' message. "The time is fulfilled." Going back to Isaiah, remember, we saw that God had laid down a plan at least six hundred years before. And Jesus' is saying that everything is unfolding according to schedule and this is the time for the next step. What is that next step? The arrival of the kingdom of God. It is here now, He says. It is "at hand."

Now what does that mean, that God's kingdom is at hand. Well, in ancient times and for much of human history, kingdoms were not divided by clear geographical boundaries. A given kingdom extended as far as its rulers had authority. Consider some small village in the middle of nowhere. It might be part of one kingdom one day and part of another kingdom another day. Which kingdom it was a part of just depended on who had authority over it. So when Jesus announces the presence of the kingdom of God, he's not pointing to some geographical or even political arrangement. He's saying that the effective range of God's authority is at hand. And the point of making this announcement is that Jesus is inviting His hearers to enter that kingdom--to come under God's authority. He calls the people to "repent," to make a change in their lives and to "believe" in the good news that Jesus is announcing--that God's kingdom really is accessible and available.

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That is what the gospel is about. That is what Christ's Advent is about: the coming of God's kingdom into this world. God's kingdom came in the person of Jesus Christ. The reconciliation of God and humanity doesn't come primarily because of anything that Jesus does but because of who Jesus is. He is the Son of God.

You may not have realized it, but this theme of God's coming kingdom has absolutely pervaded these first fifteen verses. (1) The prophet Isaiah spoke of a day when God Himself would come to the people of Israel. (2) John the baptist said that the one coming after Him would baptize people with the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit in people's lives is another way in which God's kingdom--God's presence and authority--is brought to people. (3) At Jesus' baptism the heavens are torn open. The barrier between God and humanity is removed. (4) And Jesus' announces the presence and accessibility of God's present rule and kingdom. That's what the gospel is about. That's what Advent is about.

How, then, should we respond? Jesus Himself gives us the answer: repent and believe in the gospel. Now you might think that means ask for forgiveness of sins and believe that Jesus died for you. But don't forget: THE GOSPEL IS BIGGER THAN THAT! There's more to the gospel than forgiveness of sins and Jesus dying. The gospel includes all of Jesus' ministry. Why? Because what Jesus demonstrated by His ministry was the kind of life that God wants for you. He doesn't just want your sins to be forgiven. He wants you to LIVE in the kingdom of God. He wants you to LIVE under God's rule and authority. That's what it means to repent and believe in the gospel. It means making a change in the direction of your life and living in light of the fact that God's good kingdom really is here and accessible.

Now you might think that any decision-making is a bit premature at this point. I've said some things about the kingdom but I really haven't given you a lot of information. Where can you go for more? Well, I'd recommend reading the rest of the gospel of Mark. Look at Jesus' life. He's putting on display what it is like to live in God's kingdom. Watch His actions. Listen to His words. All of those things reveal who He is. You'll see that God's kingdom comes with a lot of benefits. You'll also see that it involves sacrifice and surrender. In the big scheme of things, the benefits hugely outweigh the costs--but ultimately you'll have to decide whether you're willing to surrender. But know and remember that is what the gospel is all about--what Christ's Advent is all about: the arrival of this remarkable opportunity to actually live in God's kingdom.

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In coming sessions, we'll look at the other gospel writers have to say about the significance of Christ's Advent.

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Epilogue

Maybe the gospel of Mark gives us an answer to the question I introduced earlier. How can we talk about the coming of Christ during this time of year without seeming to change the subject. Maybe the answer doesn't lie in pointing out that this whole season is supposed to be about the coming of Christ? Maybe the answer lies rather in realizing that Jesus has invited us to place our entire lives in His kingdom. He has invited us to live our entire lives under God's gracious rule and authority. And if we are doing that--not only during Christmas time but all the year round--then coming to the Christmas story won't feel like it's changing the subject. Because the Christmas story just reminds us of God's invitation to what we already want and are pursuing: life with God.

Think about that, this week. Is your life being lived in submission to God's kingdom? What does that look like? How does that affect your decision-making? God's kingdom comes with lots of benefits, but it also calls for sacrifice and service. Are you willing to walk in that? It might seem like a distraction from the celebration of Christmas--or it might be the very thing that draws you most fully into the Spirit of this season.

Merry Christmas!

[Thanks to my friend, Josh, for the awesome title graphics!]

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God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.