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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar_1:2-8
2As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: "Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way; 3The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight.'" 4John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey. 7And he was preaching, and saying,"After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. 8I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Mar_1:2 "As it is written" The word "written" is perfect tense, which was a Jewish idiom used to denote God's eternal revelation (i.e., Scripture).
▣ "in Isaiah the prophet" This quote is a combination of Mal_3:1 and Isa_40:3. It is not from the Hebrew Masoretic Text or the Greek Septuagint of Isa_40:3. Because of this some scribes changed the text to "written in the prophets" (i.e., in the Prophets section of the OT canon). The singular is found in the Greek uncial manuscripts à , B, L and D, but the plural is in MSS A, and W.
Isaiah 40-66 has two major eschatological emphases: (1) the Suffering Servant (i.e., especially Isa_52:13 to Isa_53:12) and (2) the new age of the Spirit (especially Isaiah 56-66). In the following brief opening of Mark there are several possible allusions to Isaiah.
▣ "'send My messenger ahead of You'" The term "messenger" can refer to an angel (cf. Exo_23:20 a, which would be another allusion to the Exodus), but here it refers to a "messenger" (cf. Mal_3:1). This may be a word play on the term gospel (i.e., good message). This is one of the few OT quotes in Mark which was written primarily to Romans. It refers to the ministry of John the Baptist (cf. Mar_1:4). It shows that the OT prophetic tradition is being fulfilled (this is also reflected in Jesus' healings and exorcisms, which are also Messianic prophecies in Isaiah). The ministry of John the Baptist is mentioned in all four Gospels.
Mar_1:3 "'The voice of one crying in the wilderness'" This is a quote of Isa_40:3 from an unknown source. The term "wilderness" means uninhabited pasture land rather than dry, windswept, sandy desert.
▣ "'Make ready the way of the Lord'" This is an aorist active imperative, which denotes urgency. In the MT, Lord (i.e., adon) is read, but YHWH (Lord) is in the Hebrew text. The phrase originally referred to physical preparation for a royal visit (cf. Isa_57:14; Isa_62:10). It came to refer metaphorically to the ministry of John the Baptist spiritually preparing the way for Jesus the Messiah who is also called "Lord" (i.e., kurios).
▣ "'Make His paths straight'" The MT and LXX have "make straight the paths of our God." Mark (or Peter) modified the text (or quotes an unknown textual form) to make it specifically relate to Jesus, not YHWH.
Mar_1:4 "John the Baptist" Why did John baptize with water?
1. OT precedent to signify the inauguration of the "new covenant" (cf. Exo_19:10; Exo_19:14; Isa_1:16; Jer_31:34; Eze_36:25)
2. a cleansing act from ceremonial defilement (cf. Leviticus 15).
3. a prophetic eschatological metaphor of life-giving water from God (e.g., Isa_12:2-3; Jer_2:13; Jer_17:13; Eze_47:1; Zec_13:1; Zec_14:8; Rev_22:1)
4. imitation of proselyte baptism as the initiation rite to become part of the people of God
5. a rabbinic way of preparing all pilgrims to approach YHWH in His temple (possibly by immersion, cf. Miqvaot tractate in Mishnah). This ritual bath is still practiced by Muslims before entering a mosque.
▣ "appeared" This may be Mark's way of alluding to the prophecy of the surprising appearance of Elijah before "the sudden appearance" of Messiah (cf. Mal_3:1).
▣ "preaching" This is the term "heralding" (kçrussô), which means "to proclaim widely or publicly a message" (cf. Mar_1:4; Mar_1:7; Mar_1:14; Mar_1:38-39; Mar_1:45). Mark does not use the verb form of gospel (euaggelizô).
John came preaching a baptism for repentance (se Special Topic following). This same message was continued by Jesus, but with the added emphasis of "faith" (see Special Topic at Mar_1:15). The twin covenant needs of repentance and faith shown by baptism becomes the items of the Apostolic sermons in Acts (i.e., the kerygma)
1. Peter
a. first sermon of the church (Act_2:37-39)
(1) repent
(2) be baptized
b. second sermon of the church (Act_3:16; Act_3:19)
(1) faith
(2) repent
2. Philip (Act_8:12)
a. believe
b. be baptized
3. Paul
a. Philippian jailer (Act_16:31; Act_16:33)
(1) believe
(2) be baptized
b. goodbye to the Ephesian elders (Act_20:21)
(1) repentance toward God
(2) faith in Christ
c. testimony before Agrippa (Act_26:18)
(1) turn from darkness (Satan), i.e., repent
(2) to the light (God)
For me the requirements of the New Covenant are
1. repent
2. believe
3. obey
4. persevere
The goal of the New Covenant is Christlikeness now so that others will see the change and be attracted to faith in Christ!
▣ "baptism of repentance" The baptism is not the mechanism of forgiveness, but the occasion of the believers' public profession of faith. This is not a sacramental act, but a new attitude toward sin and a new relationship with God. It is an outward sign of an inner change.
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▣ "for the forgiveness of sins" The term "forgiveness" literally means "put away." This is one of several biblical terms for forgiveness. It has metaphorical connections to the OT Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 16) where one of the two special goats is driven away from the camp of Israel, symbolically bearing the sin away (cf. Lev_16:21-22; Heb_9:28; 1Pe_2:24).
The phrase "of sins" is an objective genitive.
Mar_1:5 "all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem" This is an oriental overstatement (i.e., hyperbole), but it shows the tremendous impact of John's preaching. He was the first prophetic voice since Malachi some 400 years earlier. This is imperfect tense which means that people were continually coming because they recognized John as a prophet.
▣ "being baptized" This is also imperfect tense which speaks of continuous action in past time. Many Jews were sensing a new day of God's activity and were preparing for it.
▣ "confessing their sins" This is a present middle participle, which literally means "to say the same." This was their public profession of their need for spiritual forgiveness.
There is the implication that if these Jews repented and changed their lifestyles, YHWH would fully forgive their sins (cf. Mar_1:4; Mat_3:6; Luk_3:3). This is surely the OT pattern. It involved full forgiveness through repentance, faith, lifestyle change, and now baptism as an outward symbol! This OT pattern is modified by Jesus' Messianic ministry. The same items are still valid, but now personal faith in Jesus as the Christ is the central issue (cf. Act_2:38; Act_3:16; Act_3:19; Act_20:21). The four Gospels form a transitional period. Mar_1:14-15 is in the John the Baptist period, but it theologically foreshadows the finished gospel message (i.e., repent, believe, and live a new life). The main issue is who Jesus is! He is YHWH's representative, revealer, and agent of redemption and judgment. This is the reason for the Messianic Secret in Mark. Jesus is fully God from the very beginning (i.e., virgin conception), but this was not fully revealed until after His resurrection and ascension.
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Mar_1:6 "John was clothed with camel's hair" This was his normal everyday clothing (i.e., perfect middle participle). This was not the skin of a camel, but cloth woven from its hair (cf. 2Ki_1:8; Mat_3:4). He was a man of the desert and a prophet (cf. Zec_13:4). John dressed like Elijah, who Mal_3:1; Mal_4:5 said would be the forerunner of the Messiah.
▣ "locusts and wild honey" This was typical food of desert people. Locusts were levitically clean and acceptable food (cf. Lev_11:22). He ate what was naturally available.
Mar_1:7 This verse and Mar_1:8 show the preparatory theme of John's message. He recognized his role and place in relation to God's Coming One (cf. Joh_3:30). He felt himself to be a servant, a slave (i.e., only slaves took off another's shoes). John's self-depreciation is recorded in all four Gospels (cf. Mat_3:11; Luk_3:16; and Joh_1:27; also in Paul's preaching in Act_13:25). This was probably included by the Gospel writers because a heretical following later developed around John the Baptist (cf. Act_18:24 to Act_19:7).
Mar_1:8 "I baptized you with water" Remember, John's baptism was preparatory. This does not refer to Christian baptism. John was the last OT prophet (cf. Luk_16:16), a transition preacher, not the first gospel preacher (cf. Luk_16:16; Act_19:17). He, like the quotes from Isaiah, links the old covenant and the new covenant.
▣ "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit" This is in contrast to John's baptism. The Messiah will inaugurate the new age of the Spirit. His baptism will be with (or "in" or "by") the Spirit. There has been much discussion among denominations as to what event in the Christian experience this refers. Some take it to refer to an empowering experience after salvation, a kind of second blessing. Personally I think it refers to becoming a Christian (cf. 1Co_12:13). I do not deny later fillings and equippings, but I believe there is only one initial spiritual baptism into Christ in which believers identify with Jesus' death and resurrection (cf. Rom_6:3-4; Eph_4:5; Col_2:12). This initiating work of the Spirit is delineated in Joh_16:8-11. In my understanding the works of the Holy Spirit are:
1. convicting of sin
2. revealing the truth about Christ
3. leading to acceptance of the gospel
4. baptizing into Christ
5. convicting the believer of continuing sin
6. forming Christlikeness in the believer