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October 17, 2018
Mark’s Gospel opens like a movie, with a strange character stepping into frame. He wore strange clothes, preached a strange message in a strange place—and the entire Judean countryside was transfixed. Alistair Begg raises an intriguing question: Could John the Baptist’s strangeness have increased his impact? It wasn’t his clothes and diet that set him apart. Rather, the “strangeness” of John was directly connected to his role as a herald, announcing the arrival of the coming Messiah through the preaching of God’s Word.
1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, athe Son of God.1
2bAs it is written in Isaiah the prophet,2
c“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3dthe voice of one crying in the wilderness:
e‘Prepare3 the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”
4fJohn appeared, baptizing in gthe wilderness and proclaiming ha baptism of irepentance jfor the forgiveness of sins. 5And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, kconfessing their sins. 6Now John was lclothed with camel's hair and lwore a leather belt around his waist and ate mlocusts and nwild honey. 7And he preached, saying, o“After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8pI have baptized you with water, but qhe will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
9rIn those days Jesus scame from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10And when he came up out of the water, immediately he tsaw uthe heavens being torn open vand the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And wa voice came from heaven, x“You are my beloved Son;4 with you I am well pleased.”
Copyright © 2024, Alistair Begg. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
