Mark Vol. 1 - Week 2 (1:9-13)
Mark 1:9-13
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The Son Has Come
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Mark 1:9-13 〰️ The Son Has Come 〰️
This week, we have a much shorter passage. As we get to verse 9 in Mark 1, we're now presented with Jesus. John the Baptist has already done the heavy lifting of telling us who Jesus is: the Son of God. Now, we see him being baptized by John in the Jordan, just like all the others in verses 1-8. Here, however, we see Jesus' baptism is different. John no doubt knew who Jesus was when he arrived, and after his baptism, he saw the skies tear open, and then God spoke audibly. John's gospel account tells us that everyone who was present heard and saw this, as John wrote, "The one you see the Spirit descending and resting on—he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God" (John 1:33b-34).
In verses 1-8 and now 9-13, we get this further affirmation from Mark that Jesus is someone we must pay attention to: the Messiah. Jesus' entire life would be meaningless and nothing more than the deeds of a good (but crazy) person if He wasn't the Son of God. But Mark wants to emphasize this for us. Jesus is introduced as the Son of God, which is affirmed throughout the gospel and, in this week's passage, by God himself saying, "You are my beloved Son, with you I am well-pleased" (v11b).
Mark's writing in this book is a theatrical account of Jesus' life and is framed and ordered uniquely from the other gospels. Mark has this sense of dramatic urgency that is conveyed throughout the book. Verse 12 is an example from this week's passage, as Mark keeps us moving at high speeds with the rapid succession of events with the use of 'immediately" and the quick transition from the baptism scene to Jesus in the wilderness in the span of two verses. But what is even more remarkable about Mark's writing is the connections made between passages. Much like a contemporary writer, Mark seems to have been writing with the whole picture in mind. While he certainly didn't change any stories or facts, Mark embellishes and emphasizes certain aspects or details to drive a particular point home.
Let's read Mark 15:33-39 and then take a look at some of the parallels.
'"When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lemá sabachtháni?" which is translated, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?", When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "See, he's calling for Elijah." Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, fixed it on a stick, offered him a drink, and said, "Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down." Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed his last. Then the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion, who was standing opposite him, saw the way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"'
Here, we see several details that Mark wrote that resemble Jesus' arrival on the scene and the genesis of his ministry. This week's passage in Mark 1 has this:
Jesus is titled "the Son of God" by God himself in verse 11 (as well as by John Mark in verse 1)
The entire Trinity is present, with the Father's words heard audibly and the Holy Spirit's physical presence visible as the skies open.
The heavens are "torn" (in the Greek, σχίζω) schizō
Now compare that to Mark's writing of Jesus' crucifixion in chapter 15:
Jesus is called "the Son of God" by the centurion who was present at his death (Mark 15:39).
Jesus is alone on the cross, with the sky darkened. Jesus cries out, "...My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" (Mark 15:34)
The veil is "torn" from the top down (in the Greek, σχίζω) schizō
It's fascinating to see Mark's subtle connections between the stories, emphasizing the importance of both this moment, the beginning of Jesus' ministry, and ultimately, the climax, his crucifixion. Both the start and height of Jesus' ministry are highlighted by Mark as events of great importance. Mark wants the reader to connect the reality that this is why Jesus came: to live a perfect life (as we see in 1:12-13 and in Matthew 4:1-11) and die the spotless lamb (Mark 15:33-39).
Key Terms and Doctrine
The Trinity
The definition of the Trinity contains three key terms. It's defined as follows: 1) God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and 2) each person is fully God, and 3) there is one God."[1] While the word Trinity is never used in Scripture, it is the word used to define reality. Trinity = tri-unity, Three-in-one. Because this concept is generally hard for us to grasp with our understanding of reality, it is easier to cross off things on the list that the Trinity is not. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not each 1/3 of a pie, each occupying a different space or being a different section of God.[2] The persons of the Trinity are also not "additional attributes" added on to God.[3] Lastly, the different persons of the Trinity are not different ways of looking at God, like turning a soccer ball and seeing the varying panels. This is a heresy known as modalism, where each person is part of God rather than fully God.[4] A proper way of understanding this is by seeing the unique quality of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as they relate to one another. God the Father is entirely God. Jesus the Son is entirely God. The Holy Spirit is entirely God. Each is unique in attributes but still entirely and wholly God.[5]
Discussion Questions
What stood out to you from the passage?
What are some repeating words, phrases, or concepts in this passage?
Does anything in this passage remind you of another part of Scripture?
Why do you think Jesus was baptized by John in this passage?
In this passage, we see Jesus being led by the Holy Spirit. What would it look like for you to listen to the Holy Spirit in this kind of way?
Read Mark 15:33-39. What are some connections and parallels you see between these two passages?
How would you describe the Gospel of Jesus to someone who has never heard it before?
Take a look at 1 Corinthians 10:13. How comforting is it to know that Jesus himself endured temptation and that God is with us during our temptation?
We talked a little bit about confession and accountability last week. Knowing that the Lord is with us during times of temptation, how could that enable you to encourage and love on your friends who experience temptation?
Wayne Grudem, Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 1999), 104.
Ibid., 118.
Ibid., 119.
Ibid., 119.
Ibid., 120.