If verse one is a title to the ministry of John the Baptist, it follows that subsequent verses will be about John the Baptist.
Verse 2
Mark reaches back into the Hebrew Scriptures to show that John the Baptist is the fulfillment of certain prophecies. He starts with a standard introduction formula (i.e. "as it is written") that was used when writers wanted to refer back to the Hebrew Scriptures. The word "written" is from the verb meaning to "write." It is a 3rd person singular in the perfect passive indicative. Wallace tells us that the verb is used 67 times in the New Testament (p576). It is often used to highlight the continuance of the written word (ibid). The perfect tense can carry the added dimensions of
- still being in effect for today,
- commands that are still being commanded, or
- a fulfillment of prophecy (ibid).
Mark is seemingly using it as a fulfillment of prophecy. He even tries to quote his source or authority. If you have ever had to learn a modern citing system you realize how incredibly difficult this is. I am still trying to figure out how to cite my sources on what I write online (e.g. this blog). Nonetheless, Mark may not actually have been looking at the scroll from which he was quoting and was simply quoting from memory. There are two passages that he references. The first is actually from Malachi 3:1, and the second portion is from Isaiah 40:3. Because of the textual variants, it seems that early scribes tried to gloss over the glaring "misquote." But the best manuscripts do favor the reading, "in Isaiah the prophet". Nonetheless, are we really going to throw out the entire book of Mark because he was probably quoting from memory and not directly from the scroll? That seems a little harsh. I do not see any evidence to suggest that the book of Mark is unreliable.
I do not have any evidence of this, but maybe the scroll that had the Isaiah passage also contained the Malachi passage. Mark maybe only quoting the major source, the one the people would know best. Isaiah may have been serving as his authority especially if people may not have known Malachi (see Plumptre p1-2). If the audience was Gentile, they may not be as familiar with the so-called Minor Prophets. Whatever his reason (lapse of memory, no direct access to the scrolls, felt he only needed Isaiah as the authority, audience's unfamiliarity with lesser known prophets), Mark's style is to keep the narrative moving. He is simply stating the authority, Isaiah, from which John the Baptist fulfills prophecy. Plumptre (The Commentary for Schools, St. Mark) states that Mark does not often quote the prophets like some of the other gospel writers (p1).
The other interesting aspect of Mark's "quote" is that it is not quoted verbatim from the Septuagint (LXX). Plumptre suggest that Mark is actually using a free translation of the Hebrew and interprets the passage in light of John the Baptist. In Malachi God is the one sending His messenger, who will clear the way for His own coming.
Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me - Mal 3:1 (NASB)
Mark applies the "I" and "My" to God and the "messenger" to John the Baptist. The "You" and "Your" would then refer to the Christ (p1-2).
Behold I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way; - Mark 1:2 (NASB)
It has been established that kings would often send someone into an area to announce their coming. This would give the the people time to prepare.
Verse 3
Mark continues quoting from the prophets. His quote makes clear that he indeed equates Jesus with God from verse one (the Son of God). In speaking of the ministry of John the Baptist, where John is the messenger, Mark tells us plainly that John is clearing the way for "the Lord." Of course, in the Hebrew Scripture, "the Lord" refers to God. Here, "the Lord" is referring back to Jesus Christ. So, if God is the Lord and the Lord is Jesus, then God is equated to Jesus.
Verse 4
Josephus tells us about John "that was called the Baptist..." (or the Baptizer). His message to the Jews was for them "to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God." (Antiquities, Book 18, Chapter 5, Verse 2) John urged the people "to come to baptism; for the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away , [or the remission] of some sins [only,] but for the purification of the body: supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness." (ibid)
John was preparing the way of the Lord by "preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins."
Wallace views βάπτισμα μετανοίας (baptism of repentance) as a descriptive genitive with 3 possible understandings. He does not take an exclusive view but rather sees baptism in a general sense related to repentance.
- causal - the baptism is then based on repentance
- purpose or production - the baptism produces repentance
- the baptism symbolizes repentance (p225)
Cranfield tells us that "repentance" is a changing of one's mind accompanied by a sense of regret and remorse for the sin of which he is repenting. It is linked to two Hebrew terms where there is a complete return to God with the person's entire being. There is turning from foreign alliances and turning towards God alone (p46).
APPLICATION FOR LIFE:
- Believe prophesy. If God said it will happen, then it will.
- Turn from God-substitutes. This is the giving up of sin.
- Turn to God alone. This is putting God first more and more. It's the process of giving up God-substitutes for God himself. We may already pray, but we pray more often, putting God ahead of this thing, then ahead of that one. We may already read our Bible. Now, we start reading it ahead of other books. We meditate on its words more today than yesterday. We may love our neighbor, but now we push ourselves to love our neighbor more. There are always things in our life upon which we can improve, even good things, even spiritual disciplines.
- Walk in the way. The way has already been prepared. "Come to Jesus for the cleansing power and be washed in the blood of the Lamb"
