When we speak of the gospel, we usually think of it in two different ways. First, we use the word gospel to refer to a document that records the life of Jesus. Hence we have the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Each one provides a record of the life and teachings of Jesus. Each is called a “gospel.”
Second, we also speak of the gospel as the message about Jesus that we must share and others are called to believe. The gospel message is summarized for us by the apostle Paul in I Corinthians 15:1-8. In short, the gospel is the message of redemption provided through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Both are accurate. The gospel is a message. But it is a message rooted and grounded in the historical reality of the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In opposition to neo-orthodoxy, evangelicals must say, “If the message is not true, then it is not worth believing.” Indeed, if the record about Jesus cannot be trusted, then, in the words of Paul, “our faith is in vain” and “we of all men are to be most pitied.” Here is one area where Christianity departs from all other religions: it must be based upon truth and based upon history.
Hence, the gospel is both a record to trust and a message to share. In this article, we will examine both aspects of the gospel as an introduction to our study of the Gospel of Mark.
The Gospel: A Record of His Life
Mark 1:1 begins, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written….” Above all else, the gospel is about Jesus. It is the record of His life and teachings.
Mark begins his gospel with a connection to the Old Testament. Since he writes primarily for a Roman audience, he rarely uses the expression, “It is written.” But, in verse 2, he makes clear the connection between the coming of Jesus and the Old Testament. It is a connection that must not be neglected.
In the OT, we have the prophecy of His coming; in the NT, we have the history of His coming. The Old carries the expectation of hope; the New, the experience of reality. In Job 42, Job responds to God’s revelation, “I had heard of you by the ear, but now my eyes have seen.” The OT is the “hearing” of Messiah; the NT is the “seeing.” The gospel does not begin in the NT; it begins in the prophecies of the Old: “as it is written.”
Mark not only begins his gospel by tying it to the OT, he clearly states who Jesus is: “the Son of God.” More than anything else, the gospel is the record of who Jesus is. Here, Mark pulls no punches with his readers. Though this message is offensive to the Jews and foolish to the Romans, Mark knows that any gospel that does not proclaim who Jesus is is no gospel at all.
Throughout his gospel, Mark makes clear the reality of who Jesus is. One reading Mark’s gospel could not mistake Jesus for a mere man. Jesus calms the sea, casts out demons, raises the dead and walks on the water. Yet chapter 2 makes clear that this Jesus is God who alone can forgive sins. Such is the testimony of the gospel. It rests on who Jesus is. Mark boldly proclaims: “Jesus, the Son of God.”
The Gospel: A Message to Share (Mark 1:15)
The gospel is not merely a historical document; it is a message to share and believe. Jesus began His ministry with the emphasis on the gospel. “The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel” was His message.
The gospel begins, not with good news, but with bad news. It first includes the command to repent. Many today would like to present the gospel without this element of repentance. But Jesus began His ministry with such a call. Matt. 4:17 indicates that it remained His message, “From that time, Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent….’” He even described the purpose of His coming as to “call sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31). He told the multitudes, “Unless you repent, you will likewise perish” (Luke 13:3,5). He even commissioned His disciples saying, “that repentance … should be preached in His name….” (Luke 24:47).
The gospel is a call to repentance. It is a call to “change our minds” about ourselves and God. It is a call to fully acknowledge our sinfulness and desperate need for God. Ralph Kuiper puts it poignantly: “Only he who is oppressed by sin will realize his need of the Saviour. Only he who knows himself to be guilty and foul will run to Calvary for pardon and cleansing” (God Centered Evangelism, p. 153).
The gospel is also a call to “believe” or “put your complete trust in Christ and His atonement.” “The heart of the gospel…. is the glad tidings of what God in Christ has done for the salvation of sinners” (Kuiper, pp. 154-55). The gospel is not “do” but “done.” While all other religions focus on what must be done by the individual to merit salvation, Christianity focuses on what Jesus has done.
The gospel is the message that Jesus paid it all. It is not the message that Jesus died to make salvation possible; He died to purchase our salvation full and free. Our only response is to “repent and believe the gospel.”
One reality now faces us as we read the opening of Mark’s gospel. It is expressed in two phrases. First, Jesus notes: “the time is fulfilled.” In Galatians 4:4, Paul tells us: “in the fulness of time, God brought forth His Son born of a woman.” In Acts 17:30, Paul explains, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” In short, Jesus is proclaiming that He is the fulfillment of the prophecies and that there no longer remains any excuse for waiting. Now God commands us to repent and believe the gospel. Second, Jesus points out “the Kingdom of God is at hand.” Again the message is clear: the time for waiting is over. Messiah has come. How will you respond?
By Jim Ehrhard
Copyright Jim Ehrhard, 1999. You are permitted to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that: (1) you credit the author; (2) any modifications are clearly marked; (3) you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction; and (4) you do not make more than 100 copies without permission. If you would like to post this material to your web site or make any use other than as defined above, please contact Teaching Resources International
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