“Jesus Came…Proclaiming The Gospel Of God”

Mark 1:14-15

     Mark tells us that Jesus came preaching the gospel of God after John was arrested. For Mark, John has served his purpose and is removed from the account until his death in the sixth chapter. From this point forward Mark focuses exclusively upon Jesus himself. Having overcome Satan during an intense period of temptation in the wilderness (verses 12-13), Jesus came into Galilee to proclaim the gospel of God (Mark does not speak of our Lord’s visit to Jerusalem or his journey through Samaria to reach Galilee. See John 2:13-4:42 for the events that occurred during those days). It was clearly easier for Jesus to begin his ministry in earnest in Galilee than it would have been in and around Jerusalem. Because of this it is sometimes thought that Galilee was a quiet backwater without much going on. The following statement from Stuart Blanch may help us better understand the climate of Galilee at the time.

     Galilee was the center of a humming political and commercial life. It stood at the crossroads of the nations of the ancient world, through which the armies and the traders and the diplomats passed. There some of the greatest battles of the world had been fought…Galilee was the home of a thoroughly cosmopolitan population: Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic would all be heard in the markets; Syrian, Jew, Roman, and Parthian mixed freely. It was a land of passing excitements and dangerous fashions, of a barbarous dialect and offensive manners.

     Our Lord’s proclamation of the gospel contained two declarations and two commands. The declarations were, The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. The commands were, Repent and believe in the gospel. Let’s consider each of these for the remainder of this article.

     The time is fulfilled. Not all moments in time are created equal, nor is their importance determined by mere chronology. The day I began my first job pales in comparison to the day I said my marriage vows. The moment I purchased my first car does not even rate in comparison to the moments of the birth of my children. Even the days of my marriage and the birth of my children are not as important as the day I committed myself to Jesus Christ. Some days and times are simply more important than others. Since creation itself, no period of time had been more important than that which began the moment our Lord opened his mouth to start his ministry. That was because of the message contained within our Lord’s proclamation.

     The kingdom of God is at hand. The experts in ancient language tell us that the Aramaic term behind the Greek word for “kingdom” means “kingly rule, sovereignty, or reign.” They tell us that it deals with the fact of reign rather than the location of it. It was always God’s plan to set His king upon Zion, His holy hill (Psalm 2:6-12). In chapter 4 Mark will more clearly define this reign for us in a series of parables. There we will see the rule of heaven portrayed as God’s reign in the hearts of men by the gospel.

     While there is no doubt that the rule of God is the primary emphasis in our Lord’s teaching, I cannot help but think that we see a reference to the church here as well. After all, those who willingly submit to the rule of God are called “the church” in Acts and the epistles. Sometimes (though not always) the terms kingdom and church are used interchangeably (Colossians 1:13; Revelation 5:9-10).

     With the coming of Jesus the kingdom of God was very much at hand. It began its approaching with the work of John (Matthew 3:1-2), and accelerated with the ministry of Jesus. So much contained within the Old Testament pointed specifically to this period in history. How extraordinary it must have been to live in those days, to have gazed upon the face of Jesus Christ and heard the words coming from his lips! There could only be one proper response to such an incredible message.

     Repent and believe in the gospel. No definition of repentance is satisfactory unless it contains within it reformation of a sinful life. It is for this reason that John’s message, which was all about repentance, required very specific changes in the conduct of the people (Luke 3:7-14). Repentance (changed mind and life) was essential for the people to receive the rule of heaven. Of course, repentance is caused by genuine belief, or faith, in the gospel.

     Our Lord’s rule continues today. Repentance and belief in the gospel are just as important now as they were then. The message that began in Galilee so long ago is the message that continues to sound forth today. How will you respond?