In the ministry of Jesus, the kingdom of God arrived as announced by John the Baptist – Mark 1:1-3.
The gospel of Mark begins with a declaration from the Hebrew Bible that sets the stage for the messianic mission of Jesus Christ. Thus, it opens on a distinct note of fulfillment. Jesus is the promised Messiah of Israel, and with the appearance of John, the long-awaited “season of fulfillment” has begun.
Continue readingTo be a disciple means taking up the cross daily and following in Christ’s footsteps, even if doing so means death – Mark 6:7-30.
Jesus commissioned the twelve disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God throughout the region. And in Mark, their commissioning is followed by the execution of John the Baptist to prepare the reader for the rejection that will result from following Jesus. To walk in his footsteps, one must first count the cost to have any hope of seeing that journey through to the end.
Continue readingJesus began to proclaim the Kingdom of God after the arrest of John the Baptist, and that incident foreshadowed the opposition that would characterize his own ministry. At the time, Palestine consisted of three territories – Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, and the latter included a mixed population of Jews and Gentiles.
Unlike John, Jesus began his public ministry in the villages of Galilee, and unlike the prophets of ancient Israel, his messianic mission did NOT begin or center in the city of Jerusalem, though it certainly ended there – (Matthew 4:13).
Continue readingAll four gospels apply the same passage from the book of Isaiah to John the Baptist. He was sent to summon Israel to repent “for the remission of sins” in preparation for the arrival of the Messiah and the Kingdom of God. All this was in fulfillment of key messianic promises in the Hebrew Bible.
Continue readingSYNOPSIS – As the Messiah of Israel, Jesus is the quintessential Man of the Spirit anointed to rule on the Davidic Throne – Psalm 2:2.
The second Psalm is a messianic prophecy about the ideal king of Israel who was destined to sit on the throne of David. The Psalmist labeled him “Yahweh’s anointed,” “my king upon holy Zion,” and “my son.” His enthronement marked “the day Yahweh has begotten you.” This “anointed one” was designated by God as the king of Israel, the “ruler of the kings of the earth,” and the “son” of Yahweh.
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