Reflections on Mark's Gospel - Mark 1:2

The Old in the New

This is the only time Mark quotes the OT in his gospel, aside from when Jesus quotes it. This makes sense, given that he was writing for predominantly Gentile believers in Rome.

This quote fits with the culture he was writing to. A herald would have been a normal expectation for an arriving dignitary - and still is today. By ascribing John the Baptist the role of herald, Mark is identifying Jesus as a person of position and power.

Every commentary comments on the fact that it is a composite quotation sourced from Mal_3:1 and Isa_40:1. One commentary even mentions Exo_23:20 as a possible OT reference too. Isaiah is the major prophet and the longer quote, so the whole is attributed to him in the most reliable manuscripts (although a couple of older Gk manuscripts have the words, "in the prophets").

The effect of this quote is to inextribably link this new gospel to the OT. The good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is incomprehensible without an understanding of what God was doing throughout the OT. The big picture is critical.

The big picture is that men and women were created in God's image to enjoy fellowship with him. But they rejected him and his provision, choosing instead an autonomous existence. God graciously intervened, continuing to provide for them and promising a "seed of the woman" would solve the problem.

The line of the seed is then traced to the gracious selection of the pagan Abram, who becomes a great man of faith. The covenant made with Abraham promises God's people will live in God's place under God's rule. They were graciously chosen, not for their own benefit but to be a blessing to the nations.

And so the journey of the people of God begins. There is the initial struggle to become a people of God, battling infertility over and over again. There is then the struggle to enter the promised land. And all the while they struggle to understand what it means to live under God's rule: following Moses, or Joshua, or appointing Saul. Although David becomes the ideal king, the monarchy quickly descends into chaos and wickedness. It becomes obvious that the only ideal king is God himself. These people, chosen to bring salvation to the nations, are in desperate need of salvation themselves.

The quote from Isaiah is at the beginning of his great promise of restoration and salvation of Israel. He says, YHWH will come and rescue his people. And Mark equates that event with the coming of Jesus.

The quote from Malachi occurs in the context of the coming Day of the Lord. This is when YHWH will personally intervene and make everything right. The prophet who never died (Elijah) will return to prepare the way for YHWH. John the Baptist is identified as that prophet.
The major theme of Mar_1:2-3 has got to be identified, though, as "PREPARE THE WAY".
In other words, you cannot understand John the Baptist's ministry unless you understand how and why he was preparing the way for the coming of Jesus.

Jesus was the powerful soveriegn YHWH arriving to estasblish the kingdom of God on earth. He deserves to be properly received. And so John the Baptist came to ensure that people were ready to receive Jesus.

The Jews had been prepared for a long time. There had been a sense of anticipation ever since God made the promise to Adam and Eve in Gen_3:15. But there had been little active speculation concerning that "seed" until the OT prophets declared the obvious - the Jewish monarchy was not the hope of the world.

But there had been 400 years of silence since the last OT prophet (Malachi) spoke. And the oppression under the Romans had contributed to a general restlessness among the Jewish people. A number of false Messiahs had come, stirred up the people, and been killed or exiled. There was a general sense of anticipation and readiness that John the Baptist was able to tap into. God had prepared his people for the arrival of his Son.