◄ What Does Mark 1:1 Mean? ►

Like all the Gospel writers, Mark introduces us to Jesus Christ, the eternally begotten Son of God and prophesied Saviour of the world. Mark's specific focus is upon the humanity of Jesus as servant of all, and the divinely appointed name of Jesus which is specifically linked with His humanity and which means God is Salvation.

The personal name 'Jesus' was given to Him at the time of His birth, for He shall save His people from their sins and redeem a lost world by means of His sinless life and substitutionary death. And although the Lord Jesus was the eternal Son of God and equal in honour and glory with the Father, Mark announces the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ from the human perspective, tracing the gospel of Jesus from His lowly birth to His glorious Resurrection and Ascension into heaven.

While Matthew wrote to identify Jesus as the Jewish messiah and King of Israel, John's principal desire was to emphasise the deity of the eternal Son of God, and Luke's aim was to bring out the empathetic ministry of the lowly Son of Man. But from the beginning, Mark's audience was primarily the Romans, and his emphasis is on Christ's servanthood, for we read: "Even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many."

The gospel of Jesus Christ continues today and will extend into the eternal ages to come, and Mark simply records "the beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God." From the beginning, Jesus was the prophesied Seed of the woman and promised Saviour Who came at the appointed time to tabernacle in the world with His creation. He came as the suffering servant of God, Whose death, burial, and Resurrection would be good news for all who would trust in His sacrificial death for salvation.

Mark tells of Jesus' historical beginning, when the eternal, uncreated God stripped Himself of the glory He had with the Father and stepped into time, by taking upon Himself mortal flesh and becoming a man. And throughout His life, the Lord Jesus demonstrated the only way that humanity can live in fellowship with a holy God, by saying and doing those things that He heard from the Father, by abiding in the Father, living in total dependence upon Him, and walking in complete obedience to the Father's will.

Although Christ was the eternal Son of God, we discover Him to be the humble servant of God Who walked in spirit and truth, lived in humble submission to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and became servant of all. And all who believe on Him should not perish but be saved by grace through faith in Him.

The gospel of Jesus Christ continues to this day, and we who have trusted in Him as Saviour have been made ministers of this good news. Let us tell abroad the glorious truth of the gospel of our Saviour Jesus Christ Who gave His life as a ransom for many.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your Word and the wonderful truth that it contains. Thank You that Jesus set aside His heavenly glory and took upon Himself the humble status of Servant of all so that He could identify with our humanity and pay the price for our sin - a price that we are unable to pay. I pray that I may follow in His footsteps and live in humble submission to Your Holy Spirit all the days of my life, and only do those things that I hear from You. This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.