Mark 1:1-8 Expanded

We’ve recently started a new series on Wednesday Nights in The Deep.  We are taking a journey through Mark!

In a previous post in my series on “study tools” [click here to see posts from this series] I mentioned a book called Harmony of the Gospels which takes the synoptic Gospels and puts them up to each other so you can get a fuller picture of the life of Jesus.  This book has been instrumental in this series. the following are my notes from last wednesday night. Tonight we will be going over Mark 1:9-13 should be fun!

Mark 1:1-6

1:1 Preaching of John the Baptist The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY; 3 THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.'” 4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 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. [Matt 3:6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.] 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore  a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.

Matt 3:7-10 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 ” Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; 9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘ We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 10 “The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. NASU

Luke 1:10-17 And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “Then what shall we do?” 11And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to (share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.”  12And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” 14Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.” 15Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ,  16(John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  17“His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” ~NASU

Thoughts on the Passage

So what can we hope to glean from this expanded view of Mark 1:1-8?

In Matthew 3:8 we find the wording, “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” This statement suggest a level of responsibility on the part of the people, especially when you add in verse 9’s warning of just expecting God to simply save them just because they are Jewish.  Flash this concept forward to our side of the cross now….

We as Christians need to actually behave as Christians. When we get baptized we are making a public declaration that we have repented of our sins and are serving Christ.  Therefore we should act accordingly. Chris has done the supernatural work of replacing your unrighteousness for His righteousness, we should in turn honor that through our actions. This concept is further strengthened in James 2:18

I will show you my faith by my works.

The Wrap Up

So I ended the class by challenging the kids to act out their profession of faith. To act like Christians. I challenged them to be the example in their class rooms by honoring their teachers, by studying, by respecting others around them, and yes even telling fellow classmates about Christ.