Baptism and Temptation of the Servant-King

Introduction

Today, we are beginning a new study through the gospel of Mark.

Mark, the second gospel in the NT, is generally held to be the first composed.

Traditionally ascribed to John Mark, who traveled with Paul and Barnabas.

The Gospel of Mark was likely written to persuade Gentile readers in Rome that Jesus’ death on the cross—a shameful form of execution in Roman society—did not invalidate his claims to messiahship and deity or his proclamation of the kingdom of God, but rather that his resurrection, miracles, and prediction of his death vindicated his claims.

Summary of the book.

Mark presents Jesus as the authoritative Son of God, conquering the powers of sin, death, and demonic forces, and offering eternal life to all who believe and take up their cross to follow him.

We also see from Mark that Jesus’ sacrificial death models the cost of true discipleship and, more importantly, validates his claims to messiahship and deity.

Mark’s message is Disciples of Christ must follow his example of unflinching obedience and trust that God’s kingdom has conquered all earthly and supernatural powers.

Structure and Outline of Mark

There are two main sections in the Gospel of Mark.

The first section (1:1–8:26) deals with Jesus’ ministry in Galilee,

While the second section (8:27–16:8) deals with Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection and the events leading up to it.

This morning we are going to focus on Mark 1:9-13.

A few weeks ago in December during the series on the birth narratives we studied the the first 8 verses and verse 14.

In this passage on the baptism and temptation we see Jesus as the eternal Son of God, the Servant-King who fights for God’s enemies on behalf of God’s people.

Mark 1:9–13 CSB

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10 As soon as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.” 12 Immediately the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving him.

The Baptism of Jesus Was a Declaration of Sonship 1:9-11

The baptism of Jesus, according to Mark, appears to have been recorded to show the divine approval of Jesus.

He comes from Nazareth which was a small town in Galilee, located about halfway between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea.

The city was despised and avoided by many Jews because it had a reputation for independence.

Not the likely choice for a home town of the King.

He comes to be baptized, an event so significant that all four Gospels record it.

This is a surprising act for Jesus.

If John’s baptism was for repentance from sin, why was Jesus baptized?

While even the greatest prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) had to confess their sinfulness and need for repentance.

Jesus didn’t need to admit sin—he was sinless.

Matthew tells us that John the Baptist was opposed to baptizing Christ, and he had a pretty good argument.

Jesus, however, says it must take place “for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt 3: 15).

What does that mean?

I think we can see seven truths His baptism teaches us.

The baptism was the beginning of His humiliation as He faithfully submits to the Father’s will and willingly identifies Himself with the sinful humanity.

Jesus’ Baptism Inaugurated His Public Ministry Mark 1:9

Coming from Nazareth, Jesus was a nobody from nowhere!

He comes to John and thereby begins His public ministry.

He was probably in His early thirties.

His public ministry would last only three years or so.

The time has come for Him to ascend to the public stage.

Why did He get baptized in the wilderness?

God has often met with His people there.

Remember the exodus, where God would give Israel the law, feed them, and lead them by cloud and fire.

In Hosea 2:14-15, He promised His presence, “Therefore, I am going to persuade her, lead her to the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. There she will respond as she did in the days of her youth.”

Jesus’ Baptism Identified Him with Sinful Humanity Mark 1:9

Jesus joined those who seek a baptism of repentance and who are confessing their sins.

Jesus neither repents of sin nor confesses His sin because He had no sin.

He aligned Himself with those, like us, who He came to save.

Like Moses in the first exodus, He does not set Himself apart from their sins.

Jesus’ Baptism Associated Him with John’s Ministry Mark 1:9

By being baptized by John, He was connecting Himself to John the Baptist regarding the fulfillment of prophecy and his message of repentance.

Jesus had high praise of John and John knew that Jesus the Lamb of God.

That meant John would decrease and Jesus increase.

Jesus’ Baptism Demonstrated His Approval by His Father Mark 1:9

Immediately, the term that Mark uses 47 times.

Jesus sees the heavens being “torn open.”

The word occurs only one other time in Mark’s Gospel, when God the Father tears the temple curtain in two from top to bottom!

At His baptism and at His crucifixion the Father intervenes supernaturally, eschatologically, declaring that Jesus is the Son of God.

Isaiah 64: 1 had predicted this: “If only you would tear the heavens open and come down, so that mountains would quake at your presence.”

This an important moment in the life of Jesus as the Father first gives His approval through action.

Jesus’ Baptism Revealed the Triune God Mark 1:9-11

Understanding the Trinity or Triune God is sometimes difficult and beyond logic, we can clearly see evidence of it here in Mark 1:9

At the baptism of Jesus we find all three persons of the Godhead.

The Son is baptized, the Father speaks, and the Spirit descends into Jesus “like a dove.”

This serves as a confirming witness concerning the identity of Jesus as the Son.

Jesus Baptism Showed His Total Dependence on the Holy Spirit Mark 1:10

The presence of the Spirit on the Messiah was promised in Isaiah 42:1, “This is my servant; I strengthen him, this is my chosen one; I delight in him. I have put my Spirit on him; he will bring justice to the nations.”

Isaiah elaborates on this promise in 11:2, “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.”

Jesus is the fulfillment of these promises.

Like a dove, in gentleness and purity, the Spirit came into Jesus, and He was equipped for His ministry.

This does not mean that Jesus became God at this moment, but He was declared to be empowered as the Son of God for the Suffering Servant ministry.

In other words, He joined us in the trenches of life.

Jesus’ Baptism Declared the Type of Messiah He Would Be Mark 1:11

This verse is one of the most significant verses in the Bible!

It is a combination of three massively significant Old Testament texts.

The phrase, “You are My Son” comes from Psalm 2: 7, and in quoting this Davidic psalm, the Father announces, “You are the Messiah-King, the greater Son of David who will rule the nations.”

In calling Christ “beloved,” we are reminded of the way Abraham saw Isaac, the son he was called to sacrifice (Gen 22: 2).

It bears the weight of Christ being the “One and Only” Son of the Most High God.

The third phrase, “I take delight in You,” comes from Isaiah 42: 1, which is the first of Isaiah’s Suffering Servant songs.

These passages climax in the great Isaiah 53 text where the Servant is crushed by God as He bears the sins of the world!

This statement of the Father’s love for His Son must not be overlooked.

No one ever heard words like these!

Abraham was a friend (Isa 41: 8).

Moses was a servant (Deut 34: 5).

Aaron was a chosen one (Ps 105: 26).

David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13: 4).

But only Israel (Exod 4: 23) and the king of Israel (as their representative; Ps 2: 7) were called God’s sons.

Now they are united in the person of the Servant King, Jesus of Nazareth!

Jesus is a second Adam, a new Israel, and a perfect King who will succeed where they each failed!

So the Father has attested, “You are the promised Messiah-King— My Son and My delight. But You will realize Your kingdom by being a faithful Servant to Your Father even to the point of a crushing, painful, and humiliating death.”

Would Jesus accept such an assignment?

In light of this lingering question, it is no coincidence that “immediately” Satan came to tempt Him, trying to divert the Savior from His mission.

The Temptation of Jesus Was A Declaration of War Mark 1:12-13

Would Jesus be obedient in His calling?

The time of testing will show us that Jesus is qualified to follow the course that is laid before Jesus.

Mark gives us a brief summation of the battle in the wilderness compared to the others.

The battle begins here, but it will rage all the way to a Roman cross and an empty tomb.

Here is Christ in deadly combat for the eternal souls of men.

If He lost, we are lost!

Verse 12 Jesus acted “immediately” as he was impelled or cast out to the wilderness.

The Spirit drove Him out.

Mark uses the same word for drove to describe Jesus casting out demons.

His temptation was no accidental encounter, no chance meeting.

It was a divine appointment scheduled by the Father and implemented by the Spirit.

Instead of a big reception, He goes to goes to war.

He gets in the trenches and fights for us and with us.

He turns the enemy back and provides hope and a pattern for us to do the same.

Jesus was engaged by Satan in verse 13

He was in the wilderness for 40 days, being tempted by Satan.

The conditions were grueling and Jesus was tired and week, yet He remained strong.

This reminds us of Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, where they grumbled, complained, and failed to trust their God.

This also reminds us of Moses’ 40 days on Mount Sinai (Exod 34: 28) and Elijah’s 40 days at Mount Horeb (1 Kgs 19: 8).

Jesus is not only a new Adam and a second Israel, but He is also a better Moses and a superior prophet!

A few things about this meeting in the desert would have made it especially difficult.

Satan meets Jesus in the wilderness, not a garden.

Jesus has been fasting 40 days (Matt 4: 2).

Jesus is alone.

The wilderness is filled with wild animals.

It appears from all of these conditions that Jesus does battle with Satan on Satan’s home field.

It is a divine invasion of enemy territory.

Christ can surely understand what you are going through and fully understands.

Satan’s goal was to defeat the Son and keep Him from suffering at the cross.

The suffering and death of Jesus meant defeat and destruction for Satan, but for us it meant salvation.

Mark does not record the victory by Jesus as Matthew and Luke do

The war in the wilderness was not the end, just the beginning.

Really it was the resumption of a war beginning in Genesis 3:15

It would continue on to the cross.

What This Means To Us

The baptism clearly shows us that Jesus is God’s Son, the Messiah, the Suffering Servant-King that has come to bring salvation to us all.

From Jesus’ temptation we can learn that following our Lord could bring dangerous and intense spiritual battles.

It warns us that we won’t always feel good; there will be times of deprivation, loneliness, and hostility.

It also shows that our spiritual victories may not always be visible to the watching world.

Above all, it shows that we must use the power of God to face temptation, and not try to withstand it in our own strength.