By The Rev. Dr. Paul A. Leggett
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Sermon Series: Are We Prepared? The Old Testament in the Gospel of Mark
Sermon Text: Mark 1:1
Sermon Theme
Mark is the only gospel which uses the actual word “gospel” in its opening. The term literally means “good news,” often telling of a military victory. It could also be used for such special events as a wedding or a birth. To Mark’s audience it would have been familiar as part of the celebration of the emperor, which by the time Mark was written, had become a cult. Caesar Augustus had been called the “son of a god.” The heroic nature of the emperor had begun with the great literary work, The Aeneid by the poet Virgil, completed by the emperor himself shortly after Virgil’s death in the year 19 B.C. Mark’s gospel then must be seen as coming out of a definite context. It is the good news of the true Son of God (Mark 15:39) as opposed to the false one. It is the ultimate statement of victory, victory over the powers of Satan and death itself. It is the most joyous news the world has ever known.
Sermon Outline
- Rescue. Mark writes his gospel against the backdrop of the cult of the Roman Emperor, a cult which had already claimed the lives of Peter and Paul and threatened the entire Christian community. By the early second century Roman authorities acknowledged that the penalty for being a Christian was death. The cult of the emperor was grounded in the mythical character of Aeneas. According to Virgil’s account Aeneas rescued his family from destruction during the fall of Troy. More importantly he rescued the glory of Troy from oblivion and founded the new Troy, Rome. Aeneas was capable of doing this because, unlike the earlier Greek heroes, he really had no flaw. Aeneas’ great descendent was Caesar Augustus, “a god’s son.” Mark picks up the critical theme of rescue, basic to the Romans and referred to throughout the New Testament (Mark 1:23-24; Romans 15:31; II Corinthians 1:10; Colossians 1:13; II Thessalonians 3:1-2; II Timothy 4:18; II Peter 2:7-9). Jesus, and Jesus alone, rescues us from chaos, destruction and death. We must acknowledge that we need to be rescued (Romans 7:24).
- Ransom. The term “gospel” to the Romans most often meant victory. Aeneas won his victory by defeating his arch enemy in battle. Caesar Augustus had won his victories by defeating Mark Anthony and Cleopatra. Mark, like other writers of the New Testament, emphasizes the victory of the cross (Mark 15:37-39; I Corinthians 1:18, 15:57; John 12:31-32; I John 3:8). This was of course absurd to the Romans who saw crucifixion as the ultimate expression of defeat. Jesus rescues us by offering himself as a “ransom for many” (Mark 10:45; I Timothy 2:6). The idea here goes back to the concept in the Old Testament of a guilt or sin offering (Isaiah 53:10). Unlike the false gods, this was not an offering to appease God but rather a way of cleansing from sin (Leviticus 5:14-6:7). The sacrifice, usually a ram or sheep “without blemish,” would bear the consequences of the sin rather than the guilty person. Jesus as our ransom takes upon himself the full consequences of sin. Yet he does so in such a way that he destroys sin itself and with it all the forces of sin which include Satan, death and even the law itself symbolized by the curtain of the temple which blocked the way into the holy of holies (Mark 15:37-38; Hebrews 10:19-22). The word “many” in the New Testament usually refers to “all,” a complete group (Romans 5:15, 18).
- Rejoice. Why is the message of Jesus “good news” for Mark and indeed the whole New Testament? It is first of all a message of victory, Jesus’ victory on the cross over sin, Satan, death and hell (Colossians 2:14-15). Second, it is a cause of great joy because Jesus is not only our victor. He is our ransom. We have been set free from the power of sin and Satan. Jesus has done this for everyone. He is the savior of the world (I John 4:14). Yet the world is not saved, at least not now (I John 5:19). Mark however wants his readers (including ourselves) to understand what this means. First, we are to recognize that Jesus alone is our hope, not anyone or anything in this world which would usurp his claim as “the Son of God.” We need to remember that the realities represented by the mythical Aeneas and the historical Augustus are still with us. Second, a victory, no matter how great, is not the end of the war. One of the most difficult concepts for modern Christians to grasp is the key Biblical theme of the spiritual war which continues both within us and outside us (Galatians 5:17). Yet in spite of this warfare we need to realize that we have been set free from the dominating forces of this world (Galatians 5:1). These forces continually attempt to threaten and deceive us (Ephesians 6:12). Christ has overcome the forces against us (Hebrews 2:14-15). We need to recognize that the essence of the Christian life is joyful conflict (II Corinthians 4:8-15). Without maintaining this tension we lose the true gospel. The gospel is a summons to action that at the same time is confidence and assurance (Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 10:22-23).
Questions for Us
- How do we understand the significance of Christ rescuing us from the powers of death, sin and the law? Why do you think this idea is so basic to the gospel, the “good news?”
- How does the idea of a ransom help us understand the nature of salvation (Mark 10:35, 1 Timothy 2:6)?
- What are some of the ways that we experience the Christian life as a “joyful conflict?”
