Reflections In Mark: Commissioning And A Declaration Of War

On By joshnnomiIn Reflections In the Gospel of Mark

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Jesus’ baptism was not your ordinary event. When Jesus comes up out of the water, the approval of heaven comes blaring through like lightning in a dark sky. Immediately we realize this is no ordinary event, this is a commissioning from the Father and a declaration of war from the enemy.

Commissioning

Hundreds of years before Jesus we read Isaiah’s cry to the Lord,

Isaiah 64:1 ESV

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—

If we look throughout the nation of Israel’s history we can picture in our mind what Isaiah is asking for when we look at the story of Moses and the giving of the Law, when the Lord came down and spoke to Moses and shook the mountains with his thunderous voice. Isaiah is asking for the Lord to break open the skies and speak to his people.
In Mark 1, hundreds of years later the answer to Isaiah’s prayer finally arrives. But it isn’t like anything the Lord has done in the past. This time the Lord shows up on the scene in the person of Jesus, God in human flesh. He doesn’t come on the clouds or a royal throne, but through the humble family of Joseph and Mary, growing up in Nazareth. At his appointed time, he approaches John to be baptized and we are invited onto the scene by the Gospel writers.
Mark puts into words to help us visualize the answer to Isaiah’s prayer.  What is interesting in Mark compared to the other Gospel writers that tell them baptism narrative, is Mark uses the word σχίζω/schizo. Schizo describes something torn or split open. Mark is doing his best to describe this event of the Father from heaven splitting open the skies and displaying for everyone God is now here in the person of Jesus.
Mark also describes the Spirit descending on Jesus, the Greek intensifies this union by describing the Spirit coming “into him” indicating Jesus’ complete filling and equipping for ministry. Isaiah points out that one who was to come will but filled with the Spirit and power,
Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
The heavens ripped open, the Spirit descended on Jesus and now we have the sweet sound of the Father’s joy from heaven declaring, “you are my Son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased.” Mark describes the Father’s love and stamp of approval over his Son, which is also an Old Testament theme.

Psalm 2:7 ESV

I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.

Isaiah 42:1 ESV

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.

This whole event sums up the commissioning of Jesus and launching him out for ministry. What we discover is after the commissioning we have testing and a declaration of war from Satan.

Declaration of War

This should not surprise us, if you think back to the Garden of Eden, we have the commissioning of Adam and Eve to care for and fill the garden, when lo and behold we are introduced to the serpent who is there to declare war and to tempt Adam and Eve. If we think about the nation of Israel exiting Egypt and God’s hand protecting them and leading them to Mount Sinai, where they will be commissioned through covenant. We discover while Moses is on the mountain the nation is building and worshiping an idol. What we discover through out the Scriptures is whenever there is a commissioning of God on a person or a movement, their is a declaration of war by Satan.

Like Adam and Eve, like the nation of Israel, after the commissioning of Jesus their is a declaration of war on the person of Christ, unlike the other Gospel writers Mark’s description of the event is brief,

Mark 1:12–13 ESV

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

There are important elements in Mark’s telling of history. The first is, Jesus was not alone. Mark tells us the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. In the Baptism narrative we read the Holy Spirit came into him, now we read the Holy Spirit directing him. We see Jesus obediently following the direction of the Spirit, they are working in tandem to defeat an enemy who has waged war on the mission of God. We also read of the angels ministering to him.

We know from the other Gospel accounts that Jesus while in the wilderness for forty days, he was also fasting for forty days. While the other Gospel accounts record three specific temptations, Mark tells us Jesus was being tempted by Satan for forty days. Day after day, Satan is pulling out his bag of tricks trying to defeat the Son of God.

What is also interesting in Mark’s account is the mention of the wild beast in the wilderness. It’s almost as if the wild beast’s were working with Satan. Why would Mark mention this? I find it interesting Mark mentions this and I believe it was important because of Mark’s Roman audience. We know from history that the Romans used wild beasts to persecute Christians. They would immediately associate wild beasts with persecution and suffering.

What does all this mean?

We read in Matthew and Luke Jesus was victorious. Where Adam & Eve failed, where Israel failed, Jesus succeeded. A new Adam has arrived, one who is victorious. His victory was not just for himself. His victory is for all those who will look to him, repent and believe. His first victory was in the wilderness, ultimate victory came when he walked out of the tomb on the third day.

Just like the Father commissioned the Son, the Son has commissioned us to be ambassadors of the Kingdom of God on earth. He left us with a mission to be light in a dark world, to spread the good news of the kingdom to all the peoples of the Earth. His stamp of approval is on us who believe, His Spirit is in us, the words the Father spoke to the Son “you are my Son, you are my Daughter whom I love, with you I am well pleased”, echo throughout time and is spoken over us.

As we serve in our mission for the expansion of the kingdom of God, Satan will wage war on us. We are not alone. We have been empowered by the Spirit, we have ministering angels helping us, but most of all we have a high priests who was victorious, his victory is our victory.

Until Next Time

Soli Deo Gloria

 

 

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