As I stated in my last post, there will be more biblically based posts. This is the first one. I started to work slowly through the Gospel of Mark a few days ago. I have only worked my way up to 2:16 but noticed something already. Something that made me go wow (from 1:1-12). Something that made me ask: Who is this guy, Jesus?
The scene starts rather abruptly: “The beginning of the gospel about/from Jesus Christ [son of God] as it has been written in Isaiah the prophet.” This is followed by three quotations, though only one is from Isaiah (40:3-A voice of one crying out in the wilderness). This voice is crying out in preparation for the appearance of the Lord. A line later John appears ‘in the wilderness,’ preaching and baptising (by the Jordan). John anticipates someone coming after him who is much greater, and who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. Who, then is the one who follows?
In the next scene, Jesus comes to be baptized by John. (In Matthew 3 John at first refuses.) As Jesus comes out of the water he sees the heavens split and hears a voice calling him the beloved son with whom the voice is pleased. (In Mark, only Jesus is said to hear it. Luke, seems to be the same. Matthew, on the other hand, announces it for all to hear.) UBS and many commentators connect this with Psalm 2, an enthronement Psalm. The Spirit then casts Jesus out into the Wilderness (v.12). John sees Jesus as the one coming after him; Mark sees him as the Lord.
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