The writer pointed out that the ministry of Jesus' forerunner fulfilled prophecy. It made a significant impact on those whom John contacted. Then Mark recorded the essence of John's message.
1:2-3 Mark began with a quotation from the Old Testament. A proper understanding of Jesus' ministry requires an understand of prophecy concerning Messiah. He wrote literally, "It stands written"(perfect tense in the Greek text). The early Christians believed that the Old Testament was God's authoritative Word.
This quotation is a blend of words taken from the Septuagint version of Exodus 23:20, Malachi 3:1, and Isaiah 40:3. Mark shaped this quotation to stress the messianic emphasis in these Old Testament passages. He probably introduced this quotation by referring to Isaiah because the Isaiah part contains the main point he wanted to stress (v. 3) or perhaps because Isaiah was the more prominent of the prophets he quoted.
The desert where God met with His people was a significant Old Testament motif. Messiah would come out of the desert. "The Lord"proved to be Jesus. Mark's introduction of the word "way"(Gr. hodos, lit. road or highway) begins one of his themes, namely the path through life. This is what a disciple of Jesus must follow (cf. 8:27; 9:33; 10:17, 32, 52; 12:14).
This is the only time Mark quoted an Old Testament passage other than when he quoted Jesus referring to the Old Testament.24
"The point of the whole quotation is that John's preparatory ministry, in fulfillment of prophecy, authenticated Jesus' Messiahship and prepared for the beginning of His official ministry as the Messiah."25
1:4 The wilderness or desert (Gr. eremos) where John ministered was dry and uninhabited. It was the wilderness of Judea west and north of the Dead Sea (Matt. 3:1).
John baptized people when they gave evidence of repentance. "A baptism of repentance"means a baptism characterized by repentance. The Jews John baptized not only changed their minds, the basic meaning of metanoia, but they also changed their behavior.26The changes were for and resulted in the forgiveness of sins. Change of behavior does not earn forgiveness, but change of behavior demonstrates genuine contrition that results in forgiveness. The unusual thing about John's baptism was that in his day Gentiles baptized themselves when they converted to Judaism, but the Jews did not undergo baptism.
Peter's sermon in Acts 10:37 began at the same place as Mark's Gospel, with the ministry of John the Baptist. This is one evidence of Peter's influence on the second Gospel.
1:5 Multitudes of Jews responded enthusiastically to John's ministry. Large crowds from southern Palestine and Jerusalem went to the Jordan River in response to his call to prepare themselves for Messiah's appearance. Mark's use of "all"was hyperbolic. Every individual did not come out to John. Those who did confessed their sins by submitting to baptism. By allowing the forerunner of Messiah to baptize them the Jews who submitted to his baptism were pledging to receive Messiah when He came.
1:6 This description of John would have identified him as a typical "holy man"of the ancient East who lived in the desert. His clothing was woven camel's hair held in place with a leather belt (cf. 2 Kings 1:8; cf. Mal. 4:5-6). This is how prophets typically dressed (cf. Zech. 13:4). His diet consisted of dried locusts and the honey of wild bees. This was clean food for the Jews (cf. Lev. 11:21-22). John was a lifelong Nazarite who lived an ascetic life (Luke 1:15). His personal appearance and behavior encouraged the Jews who came to him to abandon self-indulgent living in preparation for Messiah's appearing.
1:7-8 Mark's synopsis of John's message is brief (cf. Matt. 3:7-10; Luke 3:10-14). It stresses the coming of the mighty One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. John described the greatness of this One by contrasting himself with the Messiah. Slaves did not have to untie their masters' sandals, but John felt unworthy to do even this most menial task for Messiah. This emphasis on the humility of God's servants persists through this Gospel.
Another contrast is the baptisms of the two men (v. 8). This one shows the superior ministry of the Coming One.
"The Baptist evidently meant that the great coming One would not merely cleanse with water but would bring to bear, like a deluge, the purging, purifying, judging presence of God himself."27
Jesus' baptizing with the Holy Spirit probably looks foward to a baptism yet future from our viewpoint in history. In Matthew and in Luke's account of this statement John said Jesus would baptize "with the Holy Spirit and fire."The single article before two nouns in the Greek text implies a single baptism with Spirit and fire. While such a baptism happened on the day of Pentecost (cf. Acts 1:5; 2:32-33), not all of what the prophets predicted would happen when this baptism took place really transpired then (cf. Isa. 44:3; Joel 2:28-32). Consequently we anticipate a future baptism with the Spirit and fire that will fulfill these prophecies.
