The Mission of Christ.—Mark 1:1-20

Notes

1. The Gospel.—Gospel means "good news, tidings, or words." See Luke 2:10. The very terms used with it show the perfect unity of Father and Son, and the character and power of the gospel. It is called the "gospel of Christ," as in our lesson; "the gospel of God" (Rom. 1:1); "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24), because through the gospel grace or favor is revealed; "the glorious gospel" (2 Cor. 4:4), because glory is the end or development of God's grace; "the gospel of peace" (Eph. 6:15), because it is God's message of peace to rebellious creatures; and the "everlasting" or age-lasting gospel (Rev. 14:6), for with the ceasing of its proclamation the probation of man ceases, and his judgment takes place. It is worthy of all study.

2. Mark, like Luke and Matthew, passes over the first six months of our Lord's ministry, recorded in John, and begins his account after the first passover, and after John the Baptist was cast into prison. During these first six months after the temptation, from the autumn of A. D. 27 to the spring of A. D. 28, our Lord wrought the miracle at Cana of Galilee, and visited Capernaum, from thence he had attended the first passover at Jerusalem, cleansed the temple, taught Nicodemus, visited the woman of Samaria, and healed the nobleman's son. His public preaching seems to have begun at this time. Here was fulfilled the seven weeks and the sixty and two weeks of Dan. 9:25, when Messiah the Prince was manifested.

3. Repentance.—Repentance implies conviction of sin, contrition of sin, confession of sin, and conversion, or turning away, from sin. Sin is the transgression of God's holy law. 1 John 3:4; Rom. 7:7. The gospel is glad tidings of salvation from sin. But the sinner will not feel his need of a Saviour unless he is shown that he is indeed a sinner, and without hope in himself. The knowledge of sin, however, can be taught only by the law, "for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Rom. 3:20. To preach the gospel, then, one must preach the law of God. In fact, there is nothing which so emphasizes the sacredness of the law of God as the gospel of Christ. Again, the righteousness of God comes to the sinner by faith in the gospel, and this righteousness is the same righteousness that is found in the law, and to which the law bears witness. Rom. 3:21. The gospel is that power which is to bring fallen man back to the righteousness of God. Rom. 1:16, 17; Titus 2:14.

4. Call of Disciples.—The first disciples which followed Jesus were Andrew and Peter. These were formerly disciples of John, who left him and sought Christ at the beginning of his ministry, returning after a little time to their old occupation of fishing. The call recorded by Mark (1:16-20) and by Matthew (4:18-21) came after the first passover, when Jesus had returned to Galilee. The second and effectual call is that recorded in Luke 5:1-11. The context, circumstances, and order of events seem to make this a different call from that recorded in our lesson.