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THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK: C HAPTER 1
by Greg Williamson (c) 2002, 2008
UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS
ARE
FROM THE II. Key Terms (Greek euaggelion) This term means "good news." Its Old Testament (OT) equivalent is often associated with military victories [REF], and in the NT "it denotes the 'good tidings' of the kingdom of God and of salvation through Christ, to be received by faith, on the basis of His expiatory death, His burial, resurrection, and ascension." [REF] Although the Greeks used this term to refer to significant events in the life of the emperor, whom they worshiped as a god, the New Testament "associates it with the scandal of the cross (1 CORINTHIANS 1:17), penitence, and judgment, so that it must have seemed ironical to some (ACTS 17:32). Caesar and Christ confront one another. They have much in common, for both claim to be gospel, but they belong to different worlds." [REF] The Gospel is both a source of confrontation and a source of comfort. Whenever we try to live according to our own personal standards of right and wrong, the Gospel confronts us with our need to make Jesus the Lord of our lives. Whenever our choice to live by God's standards results in personal hardship, the Gospel comforts us with the knowledge that Jesus has made a way for us to receive both guidance and strength from God. "In a number of languages the expression 'the gospel' or 'the good news' must be rendered by a phrase, for example, 'news that makes one happy' or 'information that causes one joy' or 'words that bring smiles' or 'a message that causes the heart to be sweet.'" [REF] Jesus (Greek Iēsous) This word, which is a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew Joshua (meaning, "Jehovah is salvation"), was a common name among the Jews. There are five men with this name in the NT. [REF] (Greek Christos) This word, meaning "anointed one," is the NT equivalent of the OT "Messiah," the promised future deliverer of Israel. Popular opinion held that the Messiah would be a political and military ruler who would redeem Israel, rule over God's restored kingdom, and make known all the purposes and plans of God. And he would be nothing less than the "Son of the Blessed One." [REF] In the OT, special anointing was reserved for three classes of people: high priests, prophets, and kings. And as God's supreme Anointed One ("Christ"), Jesus perfectly fulfills all three offices simultaneously.
Jesus Christ's priesthood is spelled out in some detail in the NT book of Hebrews:
Regarding Jesus' office of and status as prophet: [REF]
Jesus rules over God's kingdom. As noted elsewhere, the "kingdom of God" can be defined as "the sovereignty of God under which people place themselves by accepting the message of Jesus in faith and undergoing a spiritual rebirth." [REF] While on earth Jesus confirmed his kingship (MATTHEW 27:11; JOHN 18:37); offered many and various parables regarding the kingdom; and described life in the kingdom (see the "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew 5-7). Jesus' kingship is a major theme found throughout the entire NT. This title or its equivalent ("the Son," "my Son," etc.) occurs more than 124 times in the NT. Divine sonship is, in fact, the NT's characteristic description for the relationship between Jesus and God. [REF] Mark's Gospel begins and ends with Jesus being declared the Son of God ([1:1;] 1:11; 15:39). Jesus' teachings and miracles testify to his power and authority, although his true identity remains hidden to all but a few. Mark lets his readers in on the "secret" early on, thus providing them with an insider's perspective. Some contemporary critical scholars have compared Jesus to the "Divine Man," which is "an alleged type of religio-philosophical hero, legendary or historical" within the Greek world who was "characterized by moral virtue, wisdom and/or miraculous power" such that he was "held to be divine." [REF] According to this theory, Gentile Christians fabricated the miracle stories of Jesus in order to present him as the ultimate Divine Man, superior to the Greek heroes with whom he competed for the people's affection and allegiance. In point of fact, however, Jesus had much more in common with the (Jewish) OT prophets, especially Moses, than he did with any of the variety of Greek so-called Divine Men. While it's possible to see some parallels between the miracle stories of Greek heroes and those of the gospel writers, such parallels can also be found in the OT and reflect a general style of storytelling more so than a particular genre of literature. Moreover, Jesus' primary purpose is very different from his alleged Greek counterparts, in that he came to offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world and to usher in a new age in God's plan to redeem a lost and dying world. [REF] It's no coincidence that the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) focus most of their attention on the last week of Jesus' life, and all the gospels include Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. The most common word for "sin" means a missing of the mark. [REF] The mark, of course, is God's standard of right and wrong as expressed in his law, the goal of which is to foster holy living and spiritual wholeness. [REF] What's more, missing the right mark necessarily means hitting the wrong one. [REF] The first occurrence of sin in the Bible is when Adam and Eve choose to disobey God by eating of the forbidden fruit. In so doing they choose their will over God's, failing to believe that God will provide for their every legitimate need. Three major themes emerge from the circumstances surrounding that first sin, themes that have played themselves out ever since: 1) we are responsible for our sin, 2) sin alienates us from God, and 3) God graciously makes a way for us to overcome our sin. [REF] The first sin also teaches us just how deceptive sin is. Losing sight of any potential harm, we reach out for whatever promises instant gratification. We justify our actions by telling ourselves that the sin, whatever it is, will make us feel good. And oftentimes it does -- but only for a season. In the final analysis, sin is about a choice: we choose either to trust in and obey God or we choose to rebel against God. [REF] Sin is a highly toxic poison that damages everything it touches. Our common humanity which binds us together and makes us accountable to God is also the pathway over which sin travels. Thus it should come as no surprise that sin negatively impacts our relationship with God, our own selves, and other people. God: We experience divine disfavor, and stand guilty and deserving of punishment and death. In the first and most important place, all sin is wrong against God, thus nullifying the argument that whatever consenting adults do is okay. Ourselves: We are enslaved to sin, flee from reality, deny our sin, deceive ourselves, are insensitive and self-centered, and are restless. Other People: We compete with others, are unable to empathize with them, reject authority, and are unable to truly love others as we should. [REF] In both the OT and the NT, to repent is to make a commitment that results in a complete reversal of direction. [REF] Mark's gospel opens with John the Baptist summoning people from every walk of life to turn from their sins and prepare to meet God. The other gospel accounts reveal John's understanding of what it means to repent: abandoning sinful ways and doing good to those with whom we come in contact on a daily basis. Whereas for John judgment is the primary motivator for repentance, for Jesus it is love. This is because while John's message preceded the coming of the kingdom, Christ's message actually inaugurated it. Those who refuse to repent will be judged; those who repent enter into God's kingdom. [REF] Repentance:
Central to Mark's Gospel is the cross of Christ. The cross affirms our position as sinners in dire need of repentance. But it also affirms God's love for us, which is the ultimate source of our personal worth and value. [REF] |
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