Thou art my beloved Son

Without noting the genealogy or birth of the Servant, Mark launches into details of His activity. He records preparatory events including the ministry of John the Baptist, His baptism, and the temptation in the wilderness.

Interestingly, the supremacy of the Servant is stressed at the outset. He is the Son of God, v. 1. He is the Lord, Jehovah, v. 3, a quotation from Isaiah chapter 40 verse 3. He is ‘mightier than’ John, Mark 1. 7, who was the greatest born of women, Matt. 11. 11. The day would come when He would ‘baptize . . . with the Holy Ghost’, Mark 1. 8. How amazing that someone so majestic should then be portrayed as One who had come, ‘not to be ministered unto, but to minister’, 10. 45! What marvellous grace!

The triunity of God is disclosed in the first verse of the Bible with the usage of the plural name Elohim. It is inferred in the cries of the seraphim, ‘Holy, holy, holy’, Isa. 6. 3. Here, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit feature at the baptism of the incarnate Son. ‘Jesus . . . was baptized’, Mark 1. 9. From a rent heaven, the Spirit descended, v. 10. The Father’s voice declared, ‘my beloved Son’, v. 11. Once more, it is touching to think that the one on whom the Spirit abode so contentedly, the one who had attracted such warm appreciation from the Father, was soon to be closely involved in service to broken humanity. What condescension!

How suddenly circumstances change! From the Jordan to the wilderness; from fellowship with the Father and the Spirit to confrontation with the devil; from association with John the Baptist to the company of wild beasts. The devil encouraged Him to simulate an emergency to test the promise of angelic assistance, Matt. 4. 6. With the devil in retreat, the reality of the promise was proved: ‘the angels ministered unto him’, Mark 1. 13.

Without eclipsing John who was already sidelined, the Lord Jesus embarked on His ministry. He then solicited the help of those who would be ‘fishers of men’, Andrew the personal evangelist, and Peter the public preacher. ‘Menders’ were needed as well, and so James and John were summoned. He still calls to various aspects of service. Be available!