I recently watched the new movie about Henry 5th – The King. He is a young King who wants to unite England under his rule. One of the key questions threaded through the movie is – does he have what it takes to rule? Can be bring the people of England together under his rule and what will it take?
In the next three short events in chapter 1 of the gospel of Mark, the writer wants to establish in our minds that Jesus has the right to rule. He is the true King. He wants us to see Jesus is the true Son of God, the true Israelite, the one with the Spirit of God and so the one who brings the rule of God – the Kingdom of God.
Here are the three events and insight into what they mean. These events set up the reader for the rest of the gospel.
Jesus is baptised - Mark 1:9-11
Jesus goes into the wilderness - Mark 1:12-13
Jesus announces the gospel - Mark 1:14-15.
The True Son who is King and Servant (Mark 1:9-11)
Jesus is baptised. But when he comes out of the water, we discover there is something unique about Jesus. The Spirit comes down on Jesus and voice comes from heaven.
“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.” (verse 11)
The voice from heaven, is God the Father. He dwells in heaven. That is pretty big stamp of approval when God speaks at your baptism. But there is more. The two statements ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.’ Refer to Psalm 2 and Isaiah 42. The first reference is to God’s great saving King, the Messiah who is the Son of God. At the King’s coronation he is declared the Son of God, with these words, “You are my Son, today I have become your Father.’ Jesus is given the title, beloved Son (of God) by God himself!
The second statement ‘With you I am well pleased’ refers to the suffering servant from the book of Isaiah. This is the Spirit filled servant who would bring God’s people back to him. A massive chunk of the book of Isaiah is all about this suffering servant and the salvation he will bring for God’s people.
Jesus’ baptism reveals that he is the Son of God, God’s great saving king who is also the suffering servant.
The True Israelite (Mark 1:12-13)
The next event when Jesus goes into the wilderness shows he is the true Israelite (Jew).
The Israelites were God’s special people who were supposed to reveal God to the world. They failed in this. And the most critical failure that set the pattern of all the failures to come was their failure to enter the promised land.
God had brought the the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus chapters 1-13), he met with them at Sinai (Exodus) and they were supposed to enter the promised land. They sent in 12 scouts who surveyed the promised land for 40 days. But on returning, 10 of the 12 scouts persuaded the Israelites that they could not survive in the promised land – despite the mighty rescue God has just done about a week and a half earlier! The whole nation lost their nerve. They failed to trust God and so wandered the dessert for 40 years. One year for each day of exploration.
Enter Jesus. He is baptised and then sent in the wilderness for, you guessed it, 40 days.
12 Immediately the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving him.
However, Jesus didn’t fail. He trusted God. He showed he is the true Israelite and the true Son of God. He did what God’s people did not do and trust God.
Before we get to the next event, Jesus announcing ‘the Kingdom’ we need to look at one more thing: the Holy Spirit.
The one with the Spirit of God
In both of the events about the Spirit of God is critical. He comes on Jesus during his baptism and stays, for it is the Spirit who takes Jesus out into the wilderness and will be at work through Jesus for the rest of his ministry. In the Old Testament, the Spirit came when mighty works of God were happening or were promised to happen.
Since Jesus is the one with the Spirit of God, amazing things are about to happen.
This all leads to the last event. This event set the agenda for the rest of the Gospel. This event shows Jesus’ agenda and reveals who he thinks he is.
Jesus brings the rule of God – the Kingdom of God. (Mark 1:14-15)
14 After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God: 15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
The is Jesus’ great good news. This is his gospel. ‘The kingdom of God has come near.’ The Kingdom has come near because…the king has arrived. But wait a minute you ask…why is the Kingdom just near? That’s a great question. Yes, the King is here but his kingdom has not started yet. Something very important needs to happen first. Something that drives the whole story of Mark’s gospel.
In Henry 5th – the young King goes to war to prove his Kingship. And this war costs the lives of many of his men and many Frenchmen. Jesus as the King, will also prove his kingship. He won’t travel to another country but travel to the Cross to start his kingship. In some senses Mark’s gospel is like a long walk to the throne. But the throne will be a wooden cross and the crown with be made with thorns.
The King is here. The Kingdom is near. So, what must all people do? Repent! Jesus wants them to come under his rule. And Believe. Believe the message, the good news of God that now the Old Testament promises are about to be fulfilled. Now is the time of the King. Now is the time of Salvation.
This sets us up for the rest of the gospel. Who is this king? What is the nature of his power and rule? What has he come to do? What will his kingship look like?