Mark: The Preparation
Mark 1:1-15
Chapter 1
Mark 1:1
Mark 1:2-3
- Mark 1:4-8
Jesus is Baptized (1:9-11).
Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee to where John was baptizing in the Jordan—important point to discuss in a moment (1:9)
First, why?
John’s baptism is a baptism of repentance. What did Jesus have to repent of?
John’s baptism was for the forgiveness of sins. What sins did Jesus need forgiven?
John’s baptism was accompanied by confessing one’s sins. What sins did Jesus need to confess?
Answer to all of these: none (Heb. 4:15).
But there was something else. Consider Heb. 5:7-9. He had to learn obedience. Through obedience He had to be perfected.
This is in the context of suffering, but obedience applies to every aspect of His life.
What was Jesus while He was on the earth? A Jewish carpenter and teacher, subject to all the laws of God and man.
One of those was “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15).
Through Jesus’ obedience, He was perfected.
Ultimately, we see the result—God is pleased with Him (1:10-11).
So, Jesus went all the way from Galilee to this place along the Jordan to be baptized.
This was a two-day journey if He stopped to eat and sleep.
Consider the hypothetical situations that many who deny baptism’s purpose try to propose.
“It’s too far away.” “There isn’t enough water.” “They can’t get there.”
He walked for two days just to obey God—and He didn’t need it for His sins to be washed away!
There were other places He could’ve been baptized closer to home.
If someone can’t get there, consider also the lame man in Mark 2.
Jesus was willing to go this far out of His way to obey God—it surely wasn’t convenient.
How far are we willing to go to please Him? No excuses!
Here we see all three Persons of the Godhead represented (1:10-11).
Of all the evidences for the doctrine of the Trinity, this is the strongest.
There is a doctrine called Modalism, which states that God is one, but has three forms.
This is described by the analogy of the three phases of matter.
If that were the case, why would all three appear at the same time?
We see already that Jesus is God from Mark 1:3, now we see all three Persons represented.
The Spirit comes down in the form of a dove.
I’m not sure what exactly that looked like.
Could He have appeared as a natural dove? Or is this something more amazing and He only resembled a dove?
The strongest clue is Luke’s account, where he says He came down bodily (Luke 3:22).
Again, what that looked like, I cannot say.
Here we see heavenly affirmation of Jesus, but also of John.
Sidenote: Fathers, when your children do something good, praise them.
Jesus in the Wilderness (1:12-13).
We know from other accounts what happened in the wilderness.
Jesus is tempted by Satan three times.
Three times Jesus rebuffed him.
After His 40-day fast, angels ministered to Him.
This account mentions only the basics, not even mentioning the fast.
After 40 days fasting, your body begins shutting down.
I know of some who have tried it, but took vitamin supplements to keep themselves alive and functioning.
It still counts, because they were denying themselves full bellies and good food.
Even in this weakened state, He withstood the temptations of the devil.
In my own experience fasting, it’s easier to get irritable when you miss a meal.
It’s easier to give in to certain temptations.
After fasting, however, when you start eating again, you have found a greater degree of self-control.
Jesus was able to keep Himself from sin in His weakened state, and while eating His self-control was even stronger!
This is the only account to mention wild beasts.
It is easy to forget that Jesus did not only face spiritual dangers.
He faced physical dangers, too.
The angels then ministered to Him.
I wonder what angel’s food tastes like—assuming food was involved in this.
We know that food from angels is very healthy.
Elijah was able to fast for 40 days after eating a little bit of it (1 Kgs 19:5-8).
Don’t know if Jesus ate the same thing, but it would be enough.
