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By Steven C. Wright|Published Date: February 09, 2010
Mark 1:2-3
2As it is written in Isaiah the Prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
The Story: After telling us that he will be relating the good news about Jesus Christ, Mark immediately turns to speak of another – a preparatory messenger. He does so by adapting three quotations from the Old Testament, the last of which “is written in Isaiah the prophet.” When the New Testament quotes the Old Testament, it is often enlightening to look at the verses quoted in their original contexts. Verse 2 combines language from Exodus 23:20 and Malachi 3:1. In the Exodus passage, Yahweh is promising to send an angel (which is the same word as “messenger” in both Hebrew and Greek) to lead Israel through the wilderness and into the Promised Land after the exodus from Egypt. The Malachi passage alludes to this earlier one as the Lord speaks to a corrupt Israel after their return from exile. He is promising that He will once again relate to them as He did at the time of the exodus. Verse 3 quotes Isaiah 40:3, which in context speaks of a messenger to be sent before a time when Yahweh will bring comfort to Jerusalem. By drawing these verses together, Mark speaks of a messenger sent in advance of the Lord, who is coming to bring comfort, deliverance, and a new exodus to His needy people.
The Structure: Mark tells us something very important by beginning his gospel quoting from the Old Testament. The story of Jesus is not something absolutely new. Rather, it is the continuation and fulfillment of all God had been doing with His people in prior history. The Bible tells one over-arching story of redemption with Jesus at its center. Mark’s frequent quotations and allusions to the Old Testament will serve as a constant reminder that we need to be whole-Bible Christians. The mission of Jesus only makes sense against the backdrop of all that went before, and all that went before takes on new meaning as it is related to Jesus. The whole Bible will come alive to you in a fresh way as you come to understand it as a grand narrative focused upon Jesus.
What is your attitude to the Old Testament? How might viewing the Bible as one over-arching story centered on Christ impact your reading, study, and meditation on Scripture?
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The Worldview Bible examines the teaching of Scripture according to the Story and Structure of Truth – the Framework of Christian Worldview – using only other Scriptures for illumination. Information about The Framework of Truth is available on this site. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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