Could you please turn your Bibles to the Book of Mark, chapter 1? The opening chapter of Mark at verse 1. The primary portion of scripture we will focus on this evening will be found in verses 1 to 4. But I will read until verse 13, actually I'll read to 15 to set the context.
So, let us begin. 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, prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and wore a leather belt around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven. You are my beloved son, and with you I am well pleased.
The spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. repent, and believe in the gospel. Amen.
Well, let us go to our great God in prayer. Our dear Heavenly Father, the maker of heaven and earth, the one who deserves glory and praise and honor, who set forth the Lord Jesus to save sinners from their sins, we want to give you praise, God. We want to glorify your name for this, God. We are in awe at your manifold wisdom and goodness to us, Lord, how you chose to reveal your goodness and kindness to wretched sinners like us in the Lord Jesus.
We thank you. We have such a Savior, the Great High Priest, who understands exactly what we face every day, Lord, yet did not sin. It is blessed to know this Savior, Lord God, who lived the law in perfection and died as that perfect sacrifice in the stead of sinners. This is something we need to behold, Lord God, and we want to praise you and give you honor for this, Lord God, and we pray that this blessed truth would be proclaimed throughout the world that you might draw sinners unto yourself, Lord God.
Lord God, I pray right now that your spirit would be in this place, Lord God, that you'd open up our hearts, the hearts of the hearers, that we might know what is right and holy and true of you, that we might know the truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and concerning the one who prepares his way, Lord, that we might know exactly what the scripture is trying to say, Lord God. I pray that you would be with me today, Lord, as I pray that your spirit would be upon me as I preach, Lord. I pray that you would be magnified and I would decrease, Lord, that people might see you and see who you are and see your word, Lord God. We pray that you would forgive us of all our sins, how we do transgress that law, Lord, We transgress it daily, Lord, but we again thank you for that one who died as that perfect sacrifice in our stead.
We pray today that this would be the day of salvation for sinners, Lord God, and we pray that your name would be glorified this day. In your holy name, amen.
Introduction to Mark's Gospel
Well, before we begin our specific exposition, since we haven't been going through the Book of Mark, I think it would be good just to provide some introductory comments concerning it. The Gospel of Mark is a fast-flowing narrative, most likely penned by a man named Mark. His primary audience is a Gentile audience, and his purpose for writing is to exhibit that this Jesus of Nazareth that we've seen in verse 9 is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whose authority is demonstrated by his marvelous, awe-inspiring works. I just want to highlight this idea concerning the author.
Mark, the gospel of Mark, bears apostolic authority. I don't think it would be in the scriptures if it didn't. And the way we know this is through Mark's connection with the apostle Peter. Some have said, or I've heard it said that Peter, or sorry, Mark is Peter's gospel, whereas Luke is Paul's gospel.
So certainly those men aren't apostles, but they bear that apostolic authority because of their connection with both Peter And certainly Peter mentions Mark at the end of his first epistle. He says, She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark my son. We see that intimate connection between the two in that passage. Certainly similar to how when Nesimus, the slave in Philemon, was considered as Paul's son, that intimate connection, that spiritual father-son relationship, surely we see that with Mark and Peter as well.
And certainly Peter in his second epistle highlights that he's going to make it possible so that the church can recall certain things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. So certainly we have Mark who has done that. Not only do we have a biblical record concerning Mark as the author of it, but we have an apostolic father who writes concerning this relationship. An apostolic father is the second generation below the apostles.
We have the apostles, then the apostolic fathers, who are certainly disciples of the apostles. And there's one man named Papias, who is probably a disciple of the apostle John. And this is what Papias says concerning this relationship. Mark, having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately, though not indeed in order, whatsoever he remembered of the things said or done by Christ.
So certainly this book bears apostolic authority. It is one that we should be reading. And as I've said before, it wouldn't be in the Bible if it didn't. The second thing I want to highlight is concerning its audience.
We're going through the book of Matthew right now. Matthew is primarily written to a Jewish audience. Mark, on the other hand, is primarily written to a Gentile audience. This is very clear in the Book of Mark.
Certainly a Gentile audience would necessitate an explanation of Jewish beliefs and customs. Furthermore, it would necessitate certain explanations or translations of certain words that the Gentiles wouldn't have understood. So in Mark 2, we have one example where it highlights a belief concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. In Mark chapter 2, which is a parallel of Mark chapter 9, which we have seen already, it concerns the healing of the paralytic.
Certainly, these men have a friend who is paralyzed, they open the roof and they lower this man down, and Jesus marvels at their faith in him, and Jesus said, your son, your sins are forgiven. And certainly the Pharisees then proceed to question in their hearts, who does this man think he is? Who can forgive sins but God alone? Who can forgive sins but God alone is not in Matthew's gospel, but it is in Mark's gospel, which highlights that the Gentiles would need some sort of explanation concerning this belief.
The second thing I want to highlight too, regarding the audience, In Mark chapter 7, at verses 3 and 4, Mark explains a certain ritual that's part of Pharisaic tradition concerning the washing of hands. Certainly the Pharisees are questioning Jesus' disciples why they haven't been washing their hands, and Mark makes pains to explain this. And the last example concerning this Gentile audience is that Mark translates certain expressions from Aramaic into the Greek. One example is found at the healing of Jairus' daughter in Mark 5, 41.
Jesus says, Talitha koumi, which means, little girl, arise. Mark makes pains to explain that. Why would he have to explain it if he was writing to someone who knew what it would have meant? So certainly Mark is written to a Gentile audience, and that's also, I think, reflected in the style that it is written.
It is a truly amazing book in the way that it is written. It is written like a drama. It is fast, it is quick, it is concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and what He is doing. And it is written like a play.
And certainly what better way to write a gospel for a Roman audience than a quick-flowing narrative about one who conquers sin, about a conqueror, right? So with that said, I just want to highlight a quote that J.C. Ryle says concerning this gospel compared to other gospels. He'll highlight that certainly it isn't full of lengthy discourse, but more of what Christ is doing.
It is a gospel singularly full of precious facts about the Lord Jesus, narrated in a simple, terse, pithy, and condensed style. if it tells us few of our Lord's sayings, it is eminently rich in its catalogue of His doings." And I think the way that it is written, it is written like a play, I think it highlights the primary theme as well concerning the doings of Christ. The reason Mark is writing his gospel is to show that Jesus Christ, who is God, is the authoritative one that Mark is calling his hearers to submit to. This isn't some weak little Savior that we have. He's the Son of God, and He has power to conquer sins, power to conquer His enemies, and that's what Mark wants his hearers to see.
Certainly, Mark demonstrates that Jesus has authority over spiritual oppression. He casts out demons pretty quickly in Mark chapter 1, over physical illness, as I've already mentioned, the healing of Jairus' daughter, over the elements when he calms the storm, and even over death itself. He rises from the dead. He rises from the dead.
This is a powerful one that we must submit to, that we must believe on, And we have a very omnipotent savior that we can call upon. And so certainly, so those three things I just want to highlight because I think they aid in understanding Mark 1 verses 1 to 4.
The Gospel Defined
So now I want to look at the, excuse me, I moved it. I want to look more at the passage specifically. The pericope or passage of scripture we are focusing on, which is found in verses 1 to 4, is part of the introduction or the prologue, where Mark is introducing his primary character, his protagonist. We see that in verse 1, the beginning of the gospel of whom?
Jesus Christ. It is about the Lord Jesus Christ, and we will get into that in a little bit more detail. And certainly at the beginning of the Gospel, Mark is concerned with both the identity of the forerunner and the identity of the Savior. So certainly Mark is making pains in verses 1 to 4 to introduce his characters and show that the gospel concerning him has its ministerial beginning in prophetic fulfillment in verses 2 and 3.
So let us look forward and let us dive deeper into the passage under consideration this evening. And we will look at Mark verses 1 to 4, sorry, 1 verses 1 to 4, under three points. Point one, the gospel defined in Mark 1 verse 1. Secondly, the beginning of the gospel foretold in verses 2 and 3, and the beginning of the gospel fulfilled in verse 4.
So notice verse 1, the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This first statement of Mark indicates what the rest of this book is going to be about. It's going to be about the Lord Jesus Christ. That's who it's going to be about.
Now some commentators that I've read seem to think that verse one is only connected with the introduction, that is verses one to 15. Others, whom I agree with, think that this refers to the rest of the book as well. Certainly syntactically, based on the connection in verse two with as, Mark is certainly highlighting the beginning of the gospel, but as we will see, I think gospel refers more to than just the beginning of it. And other grammarians, too, that I've consulted seem to highlight that the construction for the beginning highlights nothing but a title.
It's the title of the book. 1 verse 1 is the title. It is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. So I just want to define the Gospel in a little bit more detail. I know we've probably heard the Gospel many times, but I think it is a good reminder to understand what it is, and how we can technically define it, and how it can be defined in Christianity as well.
The Meaning of 'Gospel'
The term itself simply means good news, or the announcement or proclamation that brings good news. Certainly in this context, we understand the four Gospels as literary genres, but I think in this context it is more referring to a presentation concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Why do I think that? Because Gospels haven't been written yet at this time, but certainly we can understand that The Gospels certainly are a literary genre that we look at now, but certainly Mark is trying to show that this Good News is about Jesus Christ, not necessarily trying to write a Gospel as we would understand it.
And I want to make this point as well. This Gospel has been written, as I've said, in the form of a play. Certainly, Gospels do bear historical veracity, but they're not biographies. They're good news concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, so Mark can write it any way he jolly good and well wants to write it.
He can write it in a beautiful play, and I love it. So, I think you should love it as much as I do.
Gospel Presupposes History
Notice, too, what the word Gospel presupposes. Good news. It presupposes that it happened. It presupposes that it occurred in time and space.
In its secular context, or its secular use before it is used in the Christian context, it was one who, get this, brought good news to someone else. And that good news usually occurred in history. Like, if a war, if a country had conquered another nation, They would send out messengers to tell them that they've conquered this nation. They're bringing forth good news.
And certainly now it has been employed for Christians concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Certainly His life, His death, His resurrection. The Apostle Paul gives us a beautiful example in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. A beautiful, excuse me, definition of the gospel. in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and how it has been applied to the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 at verse 1.
Now I remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved. If you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain, for I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. As I've already said, how does Paul define the Gospel here? He's involving the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Certainly the Gospel encompasses, as it's applied to Christianity, the life, the death, and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, not just the beginning, not just the end, but the whole. And certainly, as I've said already, it presupposes history. It presupposes that it happened. It's amazing that both in the secular realm and the Christian realm, people question whether or not Jesus actually came, whether or not he actually lived, whether or not he actually died.
And people with this questioning don't even go to the primary examples that we have. They go to the ones that stand outside of it as if they can help us understand who the God of the Bible is, who the Christ of the Bible is. That's wrong. I took a class called The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ, and thinking I'd be learning about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, but it wasn't.
It was a quest to find out whether or not Jesus actually lived and died and rose again. could have saved $2,000 if we just opened a lexicon. Because the word, as I've said, good news, presupposes that it came, that it happened, that the Lord did die and rise again. If anyone questions whether or not the Lord Jesus did come, he did because that's what gospel means. That's what gospel presupposes, and we must understand that.
So if anyone questions whether or not our Savior lived, our Savior died, our Savior rose again, just give them a lexicon and tell them what the Gospel actually means. Listen to this theologian, one Richard Baukham, concerning this idea that the Gospels are eyewitness testimonies. Like any other part of history, the Jesus who lived in first century Palestine is knowable only through the evidence that has survived They didn't have iPhones back then. They didn't have YouTube back then.
You couldn't just whip out your phone when Jesus is healing Jairus' daughter and view it and then post it on YouTube and people can come and look at it. They didn't have it then. They didn't have satellites floating in space where they could take any picture they jolly good and well wanted to. They did it the means that they had, and what was that?
Word of mouth. And I think we see the Lord's grace in that we have not just three witnesses, but four witnesses concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. It shows that we have thick skulls, and not only do we have three witnesses, but we have four concerning this Lord Jesus Christ. Another comment from Baukham. or Bacham, Gospels should be understood as eyewitness testimony, which enhances its historicity, thus providing an appropriate means of access to the historical Jesus.
I don't need to read Josephus. I don't need to read Pliny, the so-called external sources concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. I just need to read the Bible. I need to read the Gospels.
That's where I need to find out who the Lord Jesus is. And when someone questions whether or not Jesus lived, just point them to the Gospels. Point them to the record that we have with Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And think about an everyday example.
When we tell someone something that's happening in our life, it's probably because it did happen. When someone says, like pregnancy, for example, they announce that they're pregnant, do we ever think that they're speaking metaphorically? Do we ever think that they're, oh, that's a great metaphor for being full of life. Totally.
That's exactly how we think when we think concerning pregnancy. No, we usually think that there's a bun growing in the oven, don't we? It's just common sense. And certainly we do have this good news.
Certainly it did occur. Certainly it did happen. And we need to understand something by implication with this. Good news presupposes bad news.
Good news presupposes bad news. And what's the bad news? We've sinned against the Lord God. We've sinned against a thrice holy God.
We have transgressed His law and thus deserve punishment. And if we expect punishment from a finite judge, and we receive a finite punishment concerning that, whether it's a fine or going to prison, how much more for a perfect judge? How much more for a perfect holy God shall we receive eternal punishment? Which highlights what?
The grace of our Lord God. It's not the absolute judgment concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, as if He sent down some minions to come and wipe out all of humanity. He sent His Son. He sent the Lord Jesus Christ to die in our stead.
He could have judged us, and He would have been just in doing that, but He's also just in sending His perfect Son, who bears the wrath of God upon Him. Praise the Lord God that we have one who came, who did what Adam could not do, when Adam transgressed the law of God, because Christ is certainly the archetype for Adam. He did what Adam could not do. Adam did not live that law in perfection, and here comes Christ who does.
The Object: Jesus Christ, Son of God
This brings me to my second point concerning the Gospel. Notice its object. The object of the Gospel is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. R.T.
France highlights that this is certainly referring to the Lord Jesus' title, not necessarily his social standing. We see his social standing in verse 9, but Mark wants you to see something. This Jesus Christ, this one who is to come, comes in Jesus of Nazareth. That's what he wants you to see.
This is what the book is about, and this is what the object of the gospel is. It is Jesus Christ. Christ simply means Christ, Messiah, Anointed One. The One who will save His people from their sins.
It is a blessed truth to know that God sent this One who could save His people from our sins. And notice His identity. The Son of God. What's Mark claiming here?
That Jesus is God. He is the deity. Matthew, as we've already seen in Mark 2 verse 7, who can forgive sins but God alone? What's Jesus convicted of when he is sent to the cross?
He's convicted of blasphemy. In Mark 14, 62, 63, I'm just going to turn there. Remember it. Oops.
And Jesus, he's before the council, before the high priest, and this is what they ask him. 14 verse 61. But he remained silent and made no answer. Again, the high priest asked him, Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am.
And you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven. And the high priest tore his garments and said, What further witness do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?" This Jesus is God.
And if we weren't thick already, if we couldn't understand what Mark is trying to say, John explicitly provides the answer for us. John chapter 5 at verse 18. This is why the Jews were seeking more, all the more to kill him. Because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own father, making himself what?
Equal with God. He is equal with God. The Lord Jesus Christ, when we think of His identity, He is the God-Man. The God-Man.
Not so much that His Godhood enhances His humanity, or that His humanity decreases His divinity. He is just simply the God-Man. And certainly, as much as that's... I know that's hard to wrap our heads around, But it makes perfect sense in light of redemptive history.
Who has sinned against the Lord God Most High? Man has. Who, what are we supposed to do? Fulfill the law in perfection.
We can't do it. It must be God that does it. If Jesus Christ is not God, then we have no rock to stand upon. So what if Jesus came?
So what if he's just some sort of wise sage? We could read about other sages if we wanted to. But no, this Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and we must know that, we must understand that. And I want to make, as I've already said, this is the object concerning the Gospel.
This highlights something very important about the gospel itself. I've heard it said in other churches that I've attended to in other places concerning people's definition of the gospel, and we have to have a proper understanding of who the object is. People define it sometimes in this way. They define it as if we need to show the gospel, as if we need to, as Saint Francis of Assisi said, Preach the gospel and when necessary use words?
That's wrong. It's preach the gospel and always use words. In the book of Acts, do we see the apostles going to an orphanage? As much as that's a good thing and being kind to the poor, and we should do that, It's not the gospel.
Me being kind to someone isn't going to save them from their sins. It's them knowing their sin and believing on the Lord Jesus Christ that's going to save them from their sins. And certainly the Apostle Paul said anyone who gets the gospel wrong should be anathema. Forgive me for saying...
I'm not. I'm not. Don't forgive me for saying this. It's heresy.
It's heresy. You know why? Because that makes the gospel man-centered instead of God-centered. It makes it about our benevolent acts of goodness than the benevolent acts of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And certainly that is wrong, that is wretched, that is not the gospel. The gospel is about our Lord Jesus Christ. And listen to Ryle's quote concerning the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. The divinity of Christ is the citadel and keep of Christianity.
Let believers cling to this doctrine with jealous watchfulness. With it, they stand upon a rock. Without it, they have nothing solid beneath their feet. Our hearts are weak.
Our sins are many. We need a Redeemer who is able to save to the uttermost. and deliver from the wrath to come. We have such a Redeemer in Jesus Christ. He is the mighty God.
What's Mark wants you to see? He wants you to see that this Jesus Christ is the mighty one. He is the authoritative one, and He can save you from your sins. We don't have a weak God.
We have a strong God. We have the all-powerful God who can do that. And
Cessationism and Biblical Prophecy
by way of some concerning the gospel, listen to Calvin. The gospel, therefore, is a public exhibition of the Son of God manifested in the flesh to deliver a ruined world and to restore men from death to life. The gospel is the life, the death, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Anything other than that is heresy and it's wrong.
The Gospel Foretold
Now let us move forward into the Gospel, excuse me, the beginning of the Gospel foretold. And certainly this, excuse me, certainly going back to the idea of the Son of God, Christ claiming to be God, certainly that is expounded more in verses 2 and 3. But anyway, the beginning of the Gospel foretold. Mark wants his hearers to see this good news concerning Jesus Christ begins with the fulfillment of the Old Testament in John the Baptizer.
The Authority of Scripture
Look at verse 2, as it is written. I just want to make a comment of this word, of these three little words, as it is written. If you want a good defense against dispensationalism, against the idea that the Old Testament is no longer binding, just use these words. Certainly, I'm going to go into a bit of Greek here, but I think it's because the English doesn't bring out the force that's behind this.
This tense here in the Greek, and it is written, is certainly a past action that's been completed, it's done, but it still has ongoing effects for the future. One grammarian highlighting this notes that it refers to the regulative and authoritative character of the document. There are two other tenses in Greek that refer to something that's completed that doesn't have ongoing effects. There's another tense, so there's another one that refers to events that started in the past that continue on into the future.
This tense means this. It's finished. It's complete, because it has been written, the writing of the book is done, and now it applies, and now it has authoritative authority now. Certainly the Old Testament is authoritative, and certainly we should be reading it and understanding it.
Because, as we'll see, it points to the Lord Jesus Christ. It points to Him. It points to the one who will crush the head of the serpent. It's a blessed book to read, and a blessed book to understand.
Notice it is written in Isaiah the prophet. Now if you're paying attention, you'll know that verse 2 isn't from Isaiah the prophet. It's from Malachi chapter 3. Chapter 3 at verse 1.
I would still render it Isaiah the prophet. Certainly other manuscripts have the prophets, but a lot of the commentators are okay with Isaiah the prophet. Most of the old ones have Isaiah the Prophet, and the majority of the manuscripts have Isaiah the Prophet. And the commentators say this concerning it, that he is the more prominent one.
And certainly if it is written for a Gentile audience, What prophets do they mean if it's just the prophets? They don't really have a platform for which or through which they can search out these prophecies. So certainly I would render it Isaiah the prophet. And
Malachi's Messenger
notice Malachi's messenger in the second part of verse two. Behold, I send my messenger before your face who will prepare your way. Notice who the sender is. If you want, you can turn to Malachi chapter 3 to see this.
Notice who the sender is. Behold, pay attention, I send. Who's speaking? It's Yahweh of Israel.
It's the Lord God. The Lord God is sending who? his messenger. And notice, too, that this I send highlights something very important. That God is the author of salvation.
Doesn't it? He is the one who is sending this messenger to prepare the way of who? To prepare the way of me. In Mark, chapters 2, it says, prepare the way before your face, referring to the Lord Jesus Christ.
But here in Malachi chapter 3, verse 1, he's referring to himself. Again, what's Mark trying to highlight? That this Jesus Christ is God. That this Jesus Christ is God, and the one who comes before him is preparing his way, and we must be ready to understand, or be ready to see that one.
And notice, secondly, concerning Malachi's messenger, the messenger himself. I'm going to give it away. It's John. John the Baptist is the messenger.
And notice what the messenger will do in Malachi chapter 3. Verse 2. Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner's fire and like a fuller soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in the righteousness to the Lord. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former years. Then I will draw near to you for judgment.
I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker and his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner. And do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts." What's he going to do? He's going to refine, he's going to purify, and judge. Listen to Gil concerning this.
The work of this messenger was no other than to declare the long-expected Messiah was born, that he would quickly make his public appearance in Israel, that the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of the Messiah was at hand, and that it became the Jews to repent of their sins and believe. What's preparing the way of the Lord? He's preaching Christ. He's preaching repent and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ.
He's refining the people. He's refining Israel to prepare them for the coming of the one who can save them from their sins. And notice, as I've said already, the Messiah. In Malachi 3, he says, I will prepare the way before me.
I will prepare the way before me. I will prepare the way before Yahweh. Jesus Christ really is God. I know I'm redundant with that, but Mark really wants his hearers to see and understand that.
This one who comes is preparing the way of the Lord. Even though that this passage, Mark 1 to 4, is about really the messenger, it's really about the Messiah as well. It's really about glorifying the Messiah. It's really about the one who will come, prepare his way, and then decrease so that people can see the Lord Jesus Christ.
And as I've said already, I think this highlights that God is both the author and the executor of salvation. He's both the one that plans it, and executes it. He is the one that plans it in time with himself and executes it in the life, the death, and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's really a beautiful thing to behold.
Salvation truly is of the Lord. It is not by our good deeds or our good intentions, but right standing with the Lord is based on the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I think one thing that France highlights that I didn't see the connection with is the connection between Malachi 3 and Exodus 23. In Exodus 23, the Lord God says, Behold, I will send my angel before you to prepare your way.
It's at Mount Sinai. He's speaking to the people of Israel. They've come out of Egypt. And he said, I will prepare your way into Canaan.
And notice that's physical Israel. Now what's the Lord? Now who's preparing? Now look what the Lord's doing.
He's preparing the way for spiritual Israel. Who is the Lord Jesus? He is Israel. He is the true Israel who can do what Israel couldn't.
He can fulfill the law in perfection in the way that Israel could not do. And that's truly a blessed thing to see, a blessed thing to understand concerning this messenger. Another thing to highlight concerning Malachi, that this was some 400 years before the coming of John the Baptist. We flip through our Bibles and all of a sudden, oh, there he is, John's here, but it's been 400 years since the Lord has spoken.
This truly is a wonderful time. It's a blessed time in history. It's certainly... The people necessarily hearing this would not have understood that, or within the book would not have understood that, but certainly Mark wants his hearers to see that.
He wants his hearers to see that this messenger is in fulfillment with not one, but two prophets, which is where we go to next.
Isaiah's Wilderness Voice
I call him Isaiah's wilderness man, Mark verse 3, from Isaiah chapter 40, verse 3. Isaiah 40 verse 3, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Now if you know Isaiah 39, we know that the Lord God promises destruction of Jerusalem through Babylon. What comes right after?
Grace. One commentator who comments on Isaiah highlights that there are three voices highlighting the grace that the Lord is bestowing or promising for his people. Does God not do this throughout the scripture? Adam sinned.
What's he promised? The coming of the seed who will crush the head of the serpent. What happens in between Genesis 11 and Genesis 12? There's the people of Babylon.
They want to be like the Lord God. God judges them. What happens in 12? He calls Abraham.
He calls Abraham, saying, I will bless all the nations through you. The Lord's grace is certainly evident in this passage, in Isaiah chapter 40, verse 3. And look at the voice. I'm going to give it away again.
The voice is John. The voice is John, and again, I think Mark is trying to make that clear with verse 4. It is John. And notice he's crying out, he's preaching.
What have we said concerning the gospel? It's something that must be spoken, it must be uttered, we must use words. What's he doing? He's preaching it.
He's proclaiming it. He's preaching repentance, he's preaching turn, and he's preaching the one who will save them from their sins. And note also, too, the wilderness. Again, France made the connection with Exodus 20, 23 with Malachi, highlighting the wilderness connection.
It's more explicit in verse 3, the wilderness, which is reminiscent of what? Israel's testing time for 40 years in the wilderness after they've come up out of Egypt. France makes this comment. The voice in the wilderness introduces a great vision of restoration, which is followed by the recurrent theme of a new exodus, a new beginning in a wilderness transformed by the renewing power of Israel's God.
It is a time of hope. It is a time of restoration. And certainly, as I've said already, it's pointing forward to the true Israel who can do what Israel could not do. And notice too, both Malachi and Isaiah highlight that they both prepare the way of the Lord.
Again, in Malachi 3, he highlights, you prepare the way before me. In Isaiah 40 he says, prepare the way of the Lord. Certainly the commentators think that Lord definitely means God, but I think the Hebrew provides a much better rendering, or I think we see the force better when we read it in the Hebrew. It's the personal name for God in the Hebrew.
It's Yahweh. It's not just some Lord, it is Yahweh. So again, this Jesus Christ is the Son of God, His messenger, His forerunner, is prophesied in Malachi, and prophesied in Isaiah concerning the coming of Yahweh, concerning the coming of the Lord God. May I say this by way of indirect application concerning prophecy?
Does this not show us a template for biblical prophecy, what it looks like, who it concerns? Unfortunately, in modern Christendom today, people are more enamored with hearing from the Lord in an audible way, in some sort of spiritual existential adventure where they float on up to heaven and float back down. in a way that they hear from God, speak to them, and then they speak that to other people. They call that prophecy. And it's usually concerning specific people, and it's usually concerning something about their life, concerning whether or not they have a good, whether or not they can have their best life now or whatever, that they provide encouragement for them in some sort of way.
That's not the case with biblical prophecy if you look at it. I think before we even discuss whether or not gifts of revelation have ceased, I think it's important to question whether or not what we call prophecy, and by extension what we call tongues, is biblical in nature. Biblical prophecy centers on and around Yahweh. whether it is foretelling His wrath for sins, or His coming mercy upon the sinner, and by extension, primarily the Lord Jesus Christ. Prophecy is God-centered.
It isn't some sort of way that we can have some sort of wonderful encouragement. I can't look at you and see a banner over your head and think of a word and call that prophecy. That's not it. Biblical prophecy is concerned with Yahweh of Israel.
The Gospel Fulfilled
The last thing I want to highlight is the beginning of the Gospel fulfilled in Mark chapter 4. As I've said, the messenger and the voice are John. Does this not highlight the faithfulness of our Lord God, that he can do what he says he would do, and even by extension, the Lord could have had the plan to save his sinners all along, but he didn't provide little steps or signs along the way to give his people hope. Right after they sin, he says, I'm gonna send, the seed of the woman will crush the seed of the serpent.
In Deuteronomy, he highlights that there's a prophet coming who will come like Moses, In Isaiah 53 we have the coming of the suffering servant. And here we see that these men, Malachi and Isaiah, are giving people something to hope for. They're giving them a prophecy or one to look forward to. And certainly this comes in the form of John.
Verse 4, He came, John the baptizer. Now this word came, there are two words that can mean come in Greek. There are ones referring to location, as if I come to church and leave from church, and there are others referring to whether or not I come into existence. I just pop up, or whether, yeah, whether or not I come into existence.
And I think it's better rendered John assumed his character. We have the character described in 2 and 3, and John comes and assumes his character, which highlights the blessedness and the beauty of the Bible. It is written just so mesmerizingly, isn't it? Certainly we have the description of the One, in two and three, and then his appearance.
I just, I love movies, so I picture a movie, I hear this deep voice going, the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the screen jumps on.
There's a picture of John. He's the one who assumes the character. It's the same word used in verse 9 concerning the Lord Jesus Christ saying what? He assumes his character as the Messiah.
He assumes his character. Certainly he is the Son of God prior to this, but he's assuming his role at this point in redemptive history. And notice too, some translations concerning the idea of baptizing or baptizer, render either baptizing or baptizer, excuse me. I would render it, John, he came, the baptizer, not baptizing.
Certainly we have mention of another John in chapter 1. It's John the son of Zebedee. And as I've said already, it's a Gentile audience. They would not have known who John the Baptist is.
So certainly I think it is John the Baptizer which highlights that it's a title concerning or describing John. And notice, too, the fulfillment, what John does. He comes in the wilderness, fulfilling what? Both Malachi and Isaiah.
He's fulfilling both of those prophecies. And certainly, I think this highlights something as well. Mark is concerned with demonstrating that the gospel did not start kind of ad hoc. It didn't start kind of willy-nilly, but it's orchestrated in the wisdom of God, and it's executed by the will and power of God.
It is a blessed thing to see, it is a blessed thing to concern, or to understand. John, or Mark wants us here to see that this John, the baptizer, is the fulfillment of both the messenger and the voice. And notice what he does. He cries out, he proclaims a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
He preaches, and preaches a baptism of repentance. Now certainly this looks like baptism precedes repentance. That is not the case at all. Repentance is describing something about the baptism.
It's probably better rendered a baptism characterized by repentance. It's describing something about the baptism. One of the prerequisites, if you will, for baptism is repentance. Baptism is not a saving ordinance.
Otherwise, that would make it by the work performed and not by the grace received. It would be legalistic in its nature, and that's not the case at all. It is a sign of one's repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And France has a comment concerning this idea, which is found in the works of first century historian Josephus.
John presented baptism, according to Josephus, as meaningful not in itself, but only if preceded by a commitment to repentance. Baptism should not then be used to gain pardon for their sins, but was merely a bodily mark of purity. What's John doing? He's preaching, turn from your sins, turn away, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Application
And by way of application, what does this highlight about the ordinance of baptism, especially for us Baptists? Repentance precedes that. Repentance simply means a change of mind, change of principle. We see our sin, we realize it's wrong, we see the Savior, our thoughts change concerning Him, and we believe on Him.
It's certainly a child or an infant can't repent It's a baptism of repentance. Repentance precedes the act or rite of baptism. And notice the purpose of it. For the forgiveness, so that people might, excuse me, repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Praise the Lord God, as I've said already, that He comes to forgive us of our sins, our sins that we have transgressed His law, we have sinned against Him, and certainly He forgives us for that. That we were called to repent, to see our sin, that we might believe on the Lord, and we will be forgiven in the Lord Jesus Christ. I just want to say a quote from Gundry concerning the connection between verses 2 and 3 and the appearance of John in verse 4. John's appearance on the scene matches the sending of God's messenger.
John's activity of baptizing matches the messengers preparing the way of the Lord. The location in the wilderness matches the location of one crying in the wilderness. John's preaching matches the crying out of the voice. The baptism of repentance, which starts with confession of sins and ends in their forgiveness, matches the making ready of the Lord's way and the making straight of his paths.
The detailedness of these match-ups adds great weight to Mark's emphasis on God's working out His plan. Praise the Lord that God can execute His plan in history. Praise the Lord that He had a plan to save people from their sins, and He deserves glory and praise and honour for those things. And I just want to close by way of application.
The first thing is this. The Gospel is something we must know and we must preach. We must have an accurate, precise definition of what it is so that we can accurately proclaim it. That's for all of us believers.
If we do claim to believers, we must for sure know it. The second point I want to highlight is for believers. Certainly we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, But we must certainly live in a manner worthy of the gospel. We must walk in a manner consistent with it.
Paul highlights this in Philippians chapter 1. In Jude chapter 4, Jude highlights what a characteristic of a false prophet is. It's one who perverts the grace of God into licentiousness. who perverts the grace of God into anything goes. What does Paul say in Romans chapter 6?
What shall we say then? Shall we keep on saying that grace may abound? By no means. And certainly with this walking in the manor, how do we do that?
It's the normative use of the moral law, the normative use of those Ten Commandments. It's a pattern of living, or excuse me, it's a normative use, it's a pattern provides a pattern of sanctification, a pattern through which we can follow. So certainly when we do seek to live out the law, because we have been saved, not to save ourselves, we must think of those ten things for sure. Do we love the Lord God with all our hearts?
Do we have false idols? Do we take His name in vain? Do we remember the Sabbath? Do we honor our fathers and mothers?
Do we murder? Do we commit adultery? Do we steal? Do we lie?
Do we covet? Certainly we must think of those things. And certainly we should praise the Lord God that we have one to call upon who lived out the struggles we face without sin. The Lord Jesus Christ is described in Hebrews 12 as the author and the perfecter of our faith.
Certainly we can look to one who did live the law in perfection, who did what we could not and died as that perfect sacrifice for our sins. And my last way of application is for unbelievers. You need to believe on this. You must believe on this.
Your soul depends on it. There are some of you out there who, despite the definition of the gospel, that it does presuppose that it occurred in history, still do not believe. And this is because of our sin-stained hearts. It's because of the thick, dark blood that courses through your veins.
Certainly, as believers, we've understood this. We've been washed by the blood of the Lamb. But if you are not a believer today, you are sin-stained. Your blood is dark and you must turn from it and believe on this one.
I'm going to tell you this right off the bat. There's going to be punishment on the Day of Judgment, and the Lord is going to be just in one of two ways. He's either going to punish the sinner for eternity, or He is going to punish the Savior. Praise the Lord that He has punished the Savior already, and those who have believed have believed on Him.
And those who do not, I would exhort you now to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. I just want to close with this comment that Ryle had concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, and this comment has more to do with the entire introduction, but it is a blessed thing to think about. Let us ask ourselves as we leave the passage how much we know by practical experience of the truths which John preached. What do we think of Christ?
Have we felt our need of him and fled to him for peace? Is he king over our hearts and all the things to our souls? What do we think of the Holy Spirit? Has he wrought a saving work in our hearts?
Has he renewed and changed them? Has he made us partakers of the divine nature? Life or death depend on our answer to these questions. And if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. I'll close with prayer.
Closing Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day, Lord God. We thank you for the gospel, that it did happen in time and space, Lord God, and it did concern the Lord Jesus Christ, that he did live the law in perfection, something we could not do. And we praise you, Lord God, that we can call upon him, that we can look to the one who did live the law justly and righteously, Lord God. And Lord God, we just thank you so much that you are faithful to execute what you will do in time and space, Lord God, how you provided Israel with prophecies concerning the coming one, that you would give them hope, Lord God, and certainly we do have hope that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming again, because you are faithful, Lord God.
And Lord God, we just pray that you would go with us this day, Lord God, that we might think the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, that we might know Him accurately, Lord God, that we might be able to accurately proclaim what is right and true concerning Him, Lord God. Forgive us when we do not. Forgive us when we sin against You, Lord God. We pray that Your name would be glorified this day, and that You would be lifted high.
Amen.