The Beginning

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Mark 1:1

     The above statement comprises the entirety of Mark’s introductory comments concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ. In this way Mark is very different from the three other gospel writers. Matthew and Luke take the time to consider the events leading up to our Lord’s public ministry by focusing upon his family and genealogy. John’s famous introduction to his gospel considers the great theological foundations upon which it rests. In typical fashion, Mark forgoes any such preamble to jump directly into the mix. We should expect no less from the man who wrote the gospel of “action”, rapidly leading us from one event to the next throughout the life of Jesus Christ.

     Even so, Mark’s stunningly brief introduction is full of meaning. The gospel is of Jesus Christ. It is all about him; what he taught and what he did. Romans 1:16 tells us this about the gospel: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. The gospel is God’s power for salvation and Jesus Christ stands directly at the heart of the gospel.

     These days a distinction is often drawn between “gospel” and “doctrine”. We are told the gospel contains just the facts about Jesus and has only to be believed (mental assent) to secure one’s salvation. Doctrine, we are told, is that which is obeyed. It is much less important for salvation does not hinge upon obeying doctrine, but believing the gospel. God Himself draws no such distinction as evidenced from Romans 10:16 and similar passages. But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord who has believed our report? One may rightly ask how facts (which we are told is what the gospel is) are to be obeyed. Paul shows us that obedience and belief are part and parcel of saving faith. In the same verse he shows us that there is more to the gospel than simple facts. Thus, uninspired men largely manufacture the distinction between gospel and doctrine.

     Having said all of this, I want to mention a statement made by a young Christian woman from several years ago that emphasizes a problem that is likely a bit more common than we may think. She had become a Christian and went through a “new Christian” class at the congregation she attended. In the two years required to complete that class she listened to numerous sermons from the local preachers as well as visiting preachers during meetings. At the conclusion of those two years she said the following (this is paraphrased): “I feel like I know all about the church, its organization, and the pattern for worship. I feel like I can talk about instrumental music, institutionalism, church discipline, the head covering, MDR, and many other issues. Now I’d really like to learn more about Jesus Christ.”

     The young woman’s statement caused a tremendous amount of soul searching from the preachers and elders of that congregation and rightly so. While all of the topics that young sister mentioned connect to Jesus Christ, she was simply not hearing much about him. The church that becomes issue driven rather than Christ driven has missed the point entirely. Do not misunderstand, the church that is centered on Christ will seek the truth on any issue that comes before it and will prepare itself for potential errors and battles that could eventually manifest themselves. However, the thing they cling to is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is his gospel, it is about him, and it is because of him. Jesus Christ must stand at the very center of all of our preaching and teaching.

     As we begin to consider Mark’s amazing gospel, let’s ensure that we keep Jesus where Mark keeps him and where he always belongs—right in the center of everything.