Advent 2: Gospel, Mark 1:1-8                                         

Mark 1:1-8

Mark’s gospel is readily accepted as the testimony of the impetuous Apostle Peter. It’s stories collected in a way that the reader/hearer is moved forward with a rapidity not experienced with the other gospels. The word translated by our English word “immediately” is used over 40 times in this gospel. A good word of instruction as you open the Gospel through Mark is “be ready.” And it all begins with this marvelous headline: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).

And where does the author launch the reader? Not forward into some uncharted territory, but back-back to the Old Testament prophets. Mark begins with the declaration by the last of those prophets, John the Baptizer, and John points to the “Prophet of prophets,” Jesus of Nazareth. The route runs its course through Isaiah and Zechariah in this first utterance recorded in this gospel. The text cites Isaiah, but it was not uncommon to find one or more of the “minor prophets” included in the great scrolls of the “major prophets.” So these two point to Jesus through this rather wild individual whose clothing and diet linked him most certainly with the great Elijah of old.

Although John points backward in time, “be ready”  because something very new is coming in and through this young carpenter from Galilee. John prepared all who came to hear by preaching to convict of sin. John never gave the least notion that he was the answer to the repentant ones but pointed beyond himself to one “whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie” (1:7). 

John simply baptized with water, but in the baptism Jesus offered was nothing short of His very life: “he will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” In that baptism is the forgiveness of sin. Nothing is needed by humankind more desperately and no one knew it more keenly than this disciple who once had denied his Master. Other gospel writers add that “fire” came with Jesus’ baptism and it spoke of Jesus’ work of separation toward judgement. Peter through Mark only wants to focus on the gift of Jesus’ pardon. “Be ready.” Yes, be ready for the forgiveness of God is coming to us through the God-man revealed through the preaching of John. Be ready and receive.