OUR HOME ALREADY - by Revd Gilbert Wong
Scripture:    Mark 1:9-15
The First Sunday in Lent

5 March 2006

Opening Prayer:

Heavenly Father, your Son battled with the power of darkness, and grew closer to you in the desert: help us  these days to grow in wisdom and prayer that we may witness to your saving love in Jesus Christ.

SERMON IN A SENTENCE:   The Old Testament, the New Testament, the Christian community, the sacraments, the church year, the lives of saints -- these things and the entire apparatus of the Christian religion are there to remind us that our personal stories are not small, but find their significance safe within the vast sweep of the story of God and his people, a story that shines with its brightest clarity in the Gospel of Christ.

VERSES 9-11:  BAPTIZED BY JOHN IN THE JORDAN

"In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan" (v. 9).  Mark begins his Gospel with an account of John the Baptist "proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" in the wilderness (vv. 1-8).  The people of Judea and Jerusalem come en masse (v. 5) but Jesus of Galilee comes alone to be baptized by John in the Jordan (v. 9):

-- Jerusalem is the home of the temple and the centre of Godly worship, but Jerusalem will also be the centre of opposition to Jesus and the place where he will die. 

-- Galilee, by contrast, is located quite some distance from the temple and has a large Gentile population.  From a religious standpoint, it has little to commend it, but it is where Jesus initiates his ministry (v. 14) and enjoys his greatest popularity, and it is to Galilee that he will return to commission the disciples and to ascend into heaven (16:14-20).

"and was baptized by John in the Jordan" (v. 9).  Mark's description of the baptism is spare, as is most of his Gospel.  Jesus "was baptized" by John.  The passive voice of this verb puts John in the background.  It would be difficult for Mark to make less of John's action in this baptism except by not mentioning him at all.

The people from Judea and Jerusalem came for John's baptism, "confessing their sins" (v. 5).  Jesus has no sins to confess, but in his baptism he "associates himself with sinners and ranges himself in the ranks for the guilty, not to find salvation for himself, not on account of his own guilt in his flight from the approaching wrath, but because he is at one with the Church and the bearer of divine mercy" (A. Schlatter, quoted in Lane, 58).

"And just as he was coming up out of the water" (v. 10).  This language suggests immersion baptism, as does the Greek word, baptizo, which means "to dip, to immerge, to submerge, to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, or to overwhelm" (Thayer, 94).

"he saw the heavens torn apart" (v. 10).  This is a private revelation.  Jesus is the only person to witness to see the torn heavens (the Gospel of John reports John the Baptist as seeing the Spirit descending but not the torn heavens,  John 1:32).  "The rending of the heavens is a common feature of apocalyptic thought, the underlying idea being that of a fixed separation of heaven from earth only to be broken in special circumstances" (J. Marcus, quoted in Witherington, 74).

This ripping of the fabric that separates earth from heaven answers Isaiah's prayer, "O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence" (Isaiah 64:1).  Mark will use this verb, schizomenous, once again in this Gospel to describe the temple veil being "torn in two, from top to bottom," an event followed by the centurion confessing that Jesus is the Son of God (15:38-39).

"and the Spirit descending like a dove" (v. 10).  The Spirit responds to Jesus' "coming up out of the water" by "coming down" onto or into Jesus (the Greek eis suggests "into," although scholars debate Mark's intent).

The symbolism of the dove is uncertain here.  Some have suggested that it is reminiscent of the Spirit of God brooding over the waters (Genesis 1:2) or the dove that came bearing an olive branch following the flood (Genesis 8), but it is probably intended only to describe the gentle descent of the Spirit rather than the Spirit's dove-like appearance.  "The key element in this text is the descent of the Spirit, not the dove simile" (Donahue & Harrington, 65). 

"And a voice came from heaven" (v. 11).  In this Gospel, the Godly voice speaks only at Jesus' baptism and at his transfiguration.  The words in both instances are nearly identical.  Here the voice speaks to Jesus, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."  At the transfiguration, the voice will speak to the three disciples, saying, "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him" (9:7). 

-- "You are my Son" (v. 11) alludes to Psalm 2:7, where the "son" is the king of Israel, appointed by God.  This psalm was used as a part of the coronation ceremony for a king of Israel.  In the OT, only Israel, the king of Israel, and angels are referred to as God's son. 

-- "My Son, the Beloved" (v. 11) reminds us of Abraham, who loved his son, Isaac, as dearly as any father has ever loved any son, and whom God called to sacrifice his son on the mountain (Genesis 22; see also Hebrews 11:17-19).  The angel stayed Abraham's hand and saved his beloved son, but there will be no angel to save God's beloved Son from death.

-- "with you I am well pleased" (v. 11) alludes to Isaiah 42:1, where God speaks of "my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations."

Some scholars have proposed that, given the pronouncement of the voice from heaven, the baptism is an adoption rite at which Jesus becomes Son of God.  However, the voice will use nearly the same words at the transfiguration.  Jesus surely would not be adopted twice.  Instead, Jesus has been the Son of God from the beginning, and the voice from heaven simply announces that which has long been true.  "In Mark the baptism of Jesus establishes his identity.  In Paul (Gal. 3:26-29; Rom. 6:3-11) the baptism of believers establishes our identity" (Williamson, 35).

VERSES 12-13:  THE SPIRIT DROVE HIM INTO THE WILDERNESS

"And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness" (v. 12).  Jesus will be tempted in the wilderness by Satan, but is driven to the wilderness by the Spirit.  The abruptness surprises us.  We would think that, following the baptism, the angels would come to minister to Jesus -- or that there would be some sort of celebration with the singing of the heavenly hosts.  In all of the Gospels, though, Jesus goes straight from his baptism into his temptation.  We might think of his baptism as a commissioning and his temptation as a strengthening, toughening, hardening experience.  Throughout Israel's history, the wilderness has been where the Israelites have been tested, often failing, but it is also where they have been deepened spiritually.  Unlike the Israelites, Jesus will not fail his testing.

Luccock notes that the life of a Christian is not characterized by a long series of high moments, but a rhythm of hills and valleys.  Jesus' baptism is a grand moment, but is followed immediately (Mark's favourite word) by the testing in the wilderness.  So it is also for us.  We have our ups and downs.  "One fortification against such inevitables is to expect them; then we are not overwhelmed by the collapse of a romantic anticipation of roses all the way" (Luccock, 655).

"He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan" (v. 13).  Forty is a number oft associated with intense spiritual experiences.  God caused it to rain for forty days and forty nights to cleanse the earth (Genesis 7:12). The Israelites were in the wilderness forty years.  Moses spent forty days and nights on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:18; 34:28), and Elijah journeyed forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8). 

"Jesus' encounter with Satan in the wilderness is probably related to the baptismal scene.  In the baptismal scene we hear clearly who Jesus is.  He is the Son of God.  In the wilderness is revealed to us a major task of the Son of God.  He will overthrow the rule of Satan and bring in the fulfilled time of salvation" (Jensen).

While Mark doesn't describe specific temptations, Matthew (who uses Mark as one of his sources) will tell about three temptations:  (1) to make bread from stones (2) to throw himself down from the pinnacle of the temple and (3) to worship Satan (Matthew 4:3-10).

"and he was with the wild beasts" (v. 13).  It seems odd that Mark would mention Jesus being with wild beasts.  While a number of species make the desert their home, they tend to be reptilian rather than mammalian -- quiet, hidden, unobtrusive.  The desert appears to be barren -- empty.  Why would Mark mention wild animals?  While some scholars have suggested that Mark intends to show Jesus living peaceably with wild animals, most reject that notion and see the wild beasts as allied with Satan:

-- " 'With the wild animals'.  This phrase, distinctive to Mark's account, holds the key to his temptation narrative.  'Wild animals' intensify the foreboding character of the wilderness….  They frequently appear in league with the forces of evil….  Hostility marks their relationship with humanity after the fall"  (Guelich, 38). 

-- "Mark's reference to the wild beasts… serves to stress the character of the wilderness.  Jesus confronts the horror, the loneliness and the danger with which the wilderness is fraught when he meets the wild beasts.  Their affinity in this context is not with paradise, but with the realm of Satan" (Lane, 61).

-- There may be an allusion here to Psalm 91:11-13, which says:

    "For he will command his angels concerning you

        to guard you in all your ways.

    On their hands they will bear you up,

        so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.

    You will tread on the lion and the adder,

        the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

-- Mark's Gospel was probably written in the 60s when Nero was having Christians torn to pieces by wild animals.  "Given the ravaging of Christians by ferocious animals during Nero's reign, it is not difficult to imagine Mark including the unusual phrase 'with the wild beasts' in order to remind his Roman readers that Christ, too, was thrown to wild beasts, and as the angels ministered to him, so, too, will they minister to Roman readers facing martyrdom" (Edwards, 41).  If this Gospel was, as seems likely, written during or shortly after that period of persecution, we can be sure that the mention of wild animals did not bring to mind the peaceable kingdom to Mark's first readers.

"and the angels waited on him" (v. 13).  The angels that we expected following Jesus' baptism finally come to wait on (Greek:  diekonoun) him.  Diekonoun is the word from which we get the word "deacon" and has to do with service.  What kinds of service might the angels render Jesus?  At the end of Jesus' time in the wilderness, they could provide food and drink.  However, it is possible that the angels were with Jesus throughout his wilderness experience.  If that were the case, "the angels are there to support Jesus in his conflict with Satan, just as the wild beasts oppose him" (Hooker, 51). 

The picture, then, is of two opposing camps:  "On the one side, supporting Jesus, are the Spirit and the angels; on the other, Satan and the wild animals" (France, 83).

Unlike Matthew and Luke, Mark does not report the outcome of the temptation.  There is no mention of specific temptations or Jesus' quick ripostes to counter Satan's proposals.

VERSES 14-15:  THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAS COME NEAR

"This statement, by far the most important summary statement in the book, introduces and summarizes the first division and perhaps the entire book" (Brooks, 46).

"Now after John was arrested" (Greek:  paradothenai -- from paradidomi -- to hand over -- to deliver up -- to betray -- arrested is a weak translation).  Paradidomi will be used in this Gospel not only of John the Baptist, but also of the disciples (13:9, 11-12) and of Jesus (9:31; 10:33; 14:21, 41, etc.).  "Mark does not specify an agent of this 'handing over… but in the famous 'suffering servant' passage (Isa 53:6, 12) and in the psalms of the righteous sufferer (Pss. 27:12; 41:2, etc.) it refers to God's action of delivering his chosen servants up to suffering and death" (Marcus, 171). 

Judas will betray Jesus and the priests will arrest and condemn him, but the hand of God is in this.  God's plan is being implemented.  John was the forerunner, the one who was to prepare the way for the one who was to come (vv. 1-8), and the paradidomi (handing over) of John ushers in the beginning of Jesus' ministry.  "Each time someone is handed over, a new stage in the proclamation of the good news is reached.  The handing over of one leads directly into the ministry of another.  For Mark, this is the way; it is the way of the cross (8:34).  The passion (death) of a faithful messenger of God is never a defeat for the secret kingdom (4:11); it is always a doorway through which the kingdom advances and grows" (Geddert, 35).

At the very beginning of this Gospel, John was the preacher, and now Jesus takes his place, "proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." 

Mark began this Gospel with the words, "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (v. 1).  Now he says, "Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God" (v. 14).  After Easter, the focus will shift back to the good news about Jesus (1:1) (Marcus, 172). 

Jesus preaches the good news, but also he is the Good News.  He is more than John's successor, because he has been baptized with the Holy Spirit and so is able to baptize with the Holy Spirit (1:8). 

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news" (v. 15).  The good news of God has two components -- "the time (Greek: kairos) is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near," and requires two responses-- "repent, and believe in the good news."  

-- "The time is fulfilled" (v. 15).  The Greeks have two words for time, chronos and kairos.  Chronos is chronological time -- the time of day or the time of year.  Kairos is significant time -- opportune time -- decisive time -- critical time.  To be late for a kronos appointment can be embarrassing, but to be late for a kairos appointment can be tragic -- the equivalent of "missing one's boat" -- missing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Jesus is saying that the Great Day has come, because the kingdom of God has come near.  The kingdom comes wherever people embrace God as king of their lives. 

-- "repent, and believe the good news" (v. 15).  The proper response is to repent and to believe the good news.  The "truth is not self-evident.  To be seen, it must be believed" (Williamson, 42).  "If repentance denotes that which one turns from, belief denotes that which one turns to -- the gospel.  Both verbs in Greek are present imperatives, that is, they enjoin living in a condition of repentance and belief as opposed to momentary acts" (Edwards, 47). 

Closing Prayer: