Messiah, King and Savior

The Kingdom of God arrived in the ministry of Jesus, commencing with his baptism in the Jordan River – Mark 1:1-3.

The Gospel of Mark opens with a declaration based on passages in the Hebrew Bible, providing the scriptural basis for the ministry of John the Baptist, and setting the stage for the mission of Jesus. In this way, Mark’s account begins on a note of fulfillment. This man from Nazareth was the Messiah, King, and Savior of the World promised by the God of Israel.

Implicit in the opening declaration was that the long-awaited “season of fulfillment” had commenced with the appearance of the Baptist along the Jordan River and especially with the baptism of Jesus by John – (Hebrews 1:1, Revelation 1:1-3).

[Photo by Robson Hatsukami Morgan on Unsplash]

The Greek term in the passage translated as “beginning” is the first word in the Greek text of Mark’s account. Its position in the sentence makes it emphatic. The sudden appearance of John marked the start of the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

• (Mark 1:1-3) - “Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. According as it is written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way. A voice of one crying aloud, in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, straight be making his paths.”

Other New Testament passages also link the “beginning” of the Gospel to the Baptist. He was the one who “prepared” the way for Christ, the Messiah or “anointed one.” The term “beginning” is a deliberate echo of the creation story in the Book of Genesis:

• (Genesis 1:1) - “In beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

• (John 1:1-3) – “In beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” – (See also Acts 1:21-22.

The Death and Resurrection of Jesus inaugurated the promised New Creation, began the process of redeeming humanity, and became the foundation of the early Church’s faith. His arrival also carried universal implications since his activity and message constituted “Good News” for all men and prepared the ground for the future New Creation – (Romans 8:20-23, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Revelation 3:14).

The Greek term translated as “gospel” means “good news, glad tidings” (euangelion). The usages of this word in the New Testament are often derived from prophecies in the Book of Isaiah. For example, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings glad tidings, that publishes peace, that brings glad tidings of blessing, that publishes salvation, that says to Zion, your God has become king” - (Isaiah 52:7. See also Isaiah 61:1-3).

The announcement of the “Good News of Jesus Christ” marked the commencement of the promised salvation and reign of God. The genitive construction of the clause means either that Jesus was the content or the herald of the Good News, or both.

The term “Christ” or “anointed one” was not his last name but the designation of what he was - the Messiah of Israel, though to his neighbors, he was “Jesus, the son of Joseph,” or simply, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

MESSIAH

In the Hebrew Bible, two categories of men were “anointed,” priests and kings. The ritual of anointing was performed by pouring olive oil on the head of the man, setting him apart for specific offices and tasks. “Jesus” is the anglicized spelling of the Hebrew name Yehoshua, which means “Yahweh saves,” using the ancient Hebrew name of God or YHWH - (Leviticus 21:10-12, Psalm 89:20).

Among first-century Jews, the term “Son of God” had messianic and royal overtones. It was part of the promise of kingship to David, a royal legacy the Messiah was expected to fulfill as the King of Israel who would reign from Zion in Jerusalem - (2 Samuel 7:14, Psalm 2:6-9).

The reference to the passage “as written in Isaiah” describes a composite of verses from the books of Exodus, Isaiah, and Malachi. Most of the material is found in Isaiah:

• (Exodus 23:20) – “Behold, I send a messenger before you, to keep you by the way, and to bring you to the place which I have prepared.”

• (Isaiah 40:3) – “The voice of one that cries, prepare in the wilderness the way of Yahweh; make level in the desert a highway for our God.”

• (Malachi 3:1) “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, behold, he comes, says Yahweh of hosts.”

The quotation from Exodus was appropriate, the promise to keep Israel safe in the “wilderness” and lead her to the Promised Land. Jesus was the true representative of Israel and the Greater Lawgiver who would traverse the “wilderness” and lead his people to the Kingdom of God. By combining these passages, Mark summarized the Messianic expectations of the Hebrew Bible.

The Gospel of Mark has used other themes from the history of Israel in its narrative, although the ministry of Jesus was much more than a replay of that ancient story, or simply an attempt by him to succeed where Israel failed.

The plan of Yahweh to redeem humanity and His creation from bondage to sin and death began to unfold in the life of Jesus. However, his mission was far larger than the nation of Israel and encompassed territory that extended well beyond the borders of Palestine. The reign of Jesus would reach the “ends of the Earth,” and upon him, the Gentile nations would place their hope and embrace his reign.

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SEE ALSO:

• The Age of Salvation - (The Gospel of the Kingdom announced by Jesus offers salvation and life to all men and women of every nation and people)

• Jesus Reigns - (Jesus triumphed over his enemies through his Death and Resurrection, therefore, he now reigns from the Messianic Throne)

• His Name is Jesus! - (Jesus means ‘Yahweh saves.’ In the man from Nazareth, the Salvation, and the Kingdom, promised by the God of Israel had arrived in all their glory)