A Qualified Savior

Intro: What do we look for when someone is qualified to do something? Knowledge. Experience. Integrity. When someone is truly qualified to do a job, our confidence that the task to be done will be done with excellence rises. When it comes to a needed Savior, what are we looking for? It’s easy to look to things to be our saviors, even other people, and even ourselves. But each of those things cannot save because they do not have the qualifications necessary to save. Jesus on the other hand…

CTS: Jesus is the qualified Savior who wages war for our very souls.

I. Jesus is Qualified in Baptism (9-11)

Identified with sinful humanity (9)

In those days: Mark uses language throughout this text that will be reminiscent of Old Testament introductions and content. He continues to show throw wording and imagery how Jesus shows himself as the greater revelation and fulfillment of OT themes and characters. The wording, in those days,transports us back to those days, hundreds and even thousands of years before.

Came from Nazareth: The first way that Jesus identifies with sinful humanity is the very fact that he comes from a no-name town with no special features or function. Mark doesn’t build background to the introduction to Jesus like Matthew and Luke. He rather gets straight to Jesus and introduces him as a man from Nazareth. In the Gospel of John, we even find the idea of someone claiming to be Messiah from Nazareth to be a bit outrageous. Nathanael said “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Jesus comes in essence in the smallest way possible, with no fanfare or expectation because of his upbringing or location. This shows us that Jesus identifies with not just the upper-class, but all classes, for all people, regardless.

Baptized in the Jordan by John: The big question that this text forces upon us is “why is Jesus being baptized?” Why would John, who just said that the one who comes after him is greater than him be baptized. Also, isn’t Jesus without sin, the Son of God? Why would God need to repent and be baptized? But Mark doesn’t make the explanation clear. Jesus is merely baptized, and what we find is the results of this baptism differ greatly because of what his baptism truly means. Jesus is baptized to further identify himself with sinful humanity. Its solidarity with humanity by God fully becoming man and going through what it will mean to follow Him. This baptism is also an anticipation of the passion, of his death, which baptism now points us to. Water in the OT was a symbol of death in some cases (Ps 69:2-3).

Psalm 69:2–3 ESV

2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. 3 I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.

Much like Moses would offer himself with the guilt of Israel in Exodus 32, we see Jesus will endure the guilt of humanity upon himself on the cross and his own death.

Bible commentator David Garland says this: “Like Moses, who gave up his regal status to identify with his people to deliver them, Jesus humbles himself by entering the ranks of sinners and taking his stand with the, just as later he will die for them, isolated and alone. His baptism, therefore, launches him on the servant road of obedience which ultimately leads to his death.” (NIVAC, p.54).

Tore the barrier between God and man (10a)

And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open: Notice the wording here, and only Mark uses it in regards to the baptism of Jesus. The heavens are torn open. This is a more violent phrasing, which shows a difference. Mark wants to show the significance of this baptism in how the barrier between God and man is removed. That which is torn cannot be easily put back together. When Jesus comes out of the water, all of heaven breaks loose. Joshua, Elijah, and Elisha split the Jordan in their respective narratives as a symbol of power.

“Jesus, however, does not stand by the Jordan and part it; instead, something far greater is parted - the dome of heaven.” (Garland, p.48)

This is in fulfillment of Isaiah 64:1.

Isaiah 64:1 ESV

1 Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—

Mark also uses this “torn” language only one more time, at the end of Mark, when the temple veil is torn at the crucifixion of Jesus. When Jesus was baptized, the barrier between God and man, sin, was beginning to tear and would culminate in the climax of his battle against his enemies, giving salvation to those who would repent and believe in him. Heaven is now accessible because Jesus was baptized!

Anointed by the Spirit for his ministry (10b)

But not only this, the Spirit descends upon Jesus “like a dove.” The very same Spirit who hovered over the formless void in Genesis 1:2 would descend upon the waters of Jesus’ baptism. But rather than hover over Jesus, he goes into Jesus, empowering him to his ministry of new creation. As the triune God created the world, the three persons of the Godhead are vitally involved in its redemption, which he promises soon after the Fall, when Adam failed and sin spread throughout the earth and all of humanity. The Spirit empowers Jesus to fulfill his salvific work, and will then make new creations out of those who repent and trust in Jesus’ death for the forgiveness of sins and resurrection to new life, thus fulfilling Isaiah 11:2.

Isaiah 11:2 ESV

2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Declared by the Father as the true Son (11)

And the final aspect of Jesus’ qualification is the voice from heaven, addressing Jesus himself, affirming his baptism and his anointing for the work that God has set apart for him. “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Do you have certain people that you go to when you look for recommendations on certain things? If that person says its good, I’m confident it that my purchase or the advice given gets their seal of approval, my confidence is stronger in it. Some of my friends have good recommendations for certain subjects in books, or maybe has a good knack for finding a good movie or TV show. Many of you I would look for recommendations on certain things like medical, farming, mechanic, carpentry, cooking, etc.

The idea of Jesus being the beloved Son fulfills Psalm 2:7.

Psalm 2:7 ESV

7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.

It also rings of the same language of Isaiah 42:1 and Is 49:3.

Isaiah 42:1 ESV

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.

Isaiah 49:3 ESV

3 And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”

The nation of Israel is called God’s son in a couple of places, namely Exodus 4:22 and Hosea 11:1.

Exodus 4:22 ESV

22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son,

Hosea 11:1 ESV

1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

Yet, where the son Adam failed in his work, where Israel failed in its call to proclaim the name of God to the nations, Jesus does not. Mark transfers what the Scriptures ascribe to Israel to Jesus. Jesus is the true and greater Israel, being the true Son of God, the second person of the Godhead.

Application: The baptism of Jesus is significant, and these three short verses are full of incredible imagery and truths that should affect us as the church. It tells us that our confidence in Jesus is and should be unshakeable, because he is fully qualified to be our Savior. The divine Son of God humbled himself, identified himself with us, coming in a fashion wasn’t flashy or self-serving, to serve us. We have a relatable Savior, who willingly identified with us to save us. We then walk the same path of Christ, declaring ourselves unworthy to save ourselves, repenting and trusting in this perfect Savior to save us. Our trust lies in nothing else. So we do not work for our salvation, trusting in our righteousness, but in Christ. We also identify with Jesus, becoming His people, called the church through baptism. That means we identify in full with this Jesus, and inherit all the rights therein. We also will inherit all the troubles therein as well. Baptism is a picture of the inward, and is the natural result of true believers of Jesus, a first step of obedience, declaring allegiance to the righteous Savior.

II. Jesus is Qualified in Battle (12-13)

He was thrust into battle (12)

Jesus is baptized. What a glorious moment. He is anointed and approved by the Father. He gets to start ministry. And yet, that ministry begins not with fanfare, a large crowd gathered to hear him. Instead, it begins in the wilderness. The Spirit thrusts him into his first ministry stop, and its a doozy. He is sent to the wilderness. Wilderness for forty days. This is significant. It is in the wilderness that Israel was sent as they headed to the Promised Land. The prophets Elijah and Elisha’s base of ministry was out in the wilderness. This is where God does his work, his testing of his people and his prophets.

He was tempted like those before (13a)

And he is also out there for 40 days, which is significant. Moses went up the mountain of Sinai for 40 days, leaving Israel tested of what they were going to do when their leader was away. Israel was condemned to wandering the wilderness for forty years for their lack of faith and disobedience to God. Israel was God’s son, yet they failed. Jesus goes into the wilderness, into battle. What would the result be?

Where they were tempted, Jesus is tempted in every way, yet without sin. Satan and the beasts that surrounded him would no doubt be an encouragement to the readers of Mark. In that time, they often called those that brought persecution upon them as beasts that were ready to devour them.

We know and can trust that our Savior has endured the battle against sin himself. He knows exactly what we go through as God’s people. He understands our struggles, and has fought that battle on our behalf.

He triumphed as the second Adam (13b)

Yet where Adam failed, where Israel failed, Jesus as the second Adam, the Son of God who fulfills the role of the true and better Israel, triumphs over the temptation. Yet in Mark, there isn’t details of the triumph. We don’t see the words spoken against Satan. We don’t see how the beasts are tamed. We are only told that the angels minister to him. But he does come out, and he’s now ready to declare the Gospel.

Conclusion:

Daniel Akin makes mention that Mark is intentionally showing that the battle is not over. Though triumphing over the first round, this is only the beginning of a 16 round bout with Satan. The rest of his ministry would be him doing battle against the forces of darkness, againts Satan and against sin. Satan would throw his punches, and it will climax at the end with what seemingly looks like defeat as the Son of God hangs on the cross, beaten, bruised, and bloodied to death, buried in the grave. But its here in his baptism and his temptation that we see that the victory has already been foreshadowed. The heavens are torn. The righteous second Adam, the true and better Israel, has torn the veil between God and man and offers righteousness and eternal life to those that repent of their sins and trust in Him, baptizing them with the Spirit. Those that believe will be baptized as a declaration that their allegiance is to this Suffering Servant, this servant King who came not clothed in clothes of a King, with fanfare and stopping the presses. He came from a humble town, in humble beginnings, in a quiet wilderness, and began to fulfill God’s plan and will to redeem sinful humanity. What a Savior we have, one that identifies with us, suffers the temptations like us, yet triumphs over them and gives life to those that turn from the way of death to the way of life.