The Gospel of Mark is a work of literary genius. The way that Mark arranges and shapes the content of his work powerfully displays an intimate understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures (otherwise known as the Old Testament) as well as a deep insight into the cultural context around him. Most scholars hold this Gospel to have been written sometime between 55- 75 AD (the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD by the Romans playing a key factor in the determination of the date). There has been a ton of ink spilled trying to figure that out, but what’s more important than an exact date; is the historical and biblical context of this book.
Mark begins his account of Jesus by calling it the euangelion, or Gospel, of Jesus Christ the Son of God. This signals something extremely important for Gentile and Jewish readers. In ancient times, euangelion was a term used to announce events related to a king or an emperor, especially war victories that expanded their kingdoms. In addition to that, emperors in Rome were thought to be divine, so their sons were called a son of a god, or, more fluidly, “son of god.”
From a historical context, Claudius would have just passed away and Nero, his adopted son, a son of god, would have recently ascended to the throne in Rome. Nero goes on to be one of the most notorious rulers Rome ever had, and he had a particular disdain toward Christians. Therefore, Mark’s Gospel more than likely would have been written and circulated around the time of Nero’s ascension and rule. This confronts Gentiles and Jews alike because Mark begins his account of Jesus by calling him not “a” son of “a” god, but “(the) Son of (the One, true) God.” The definitiveness of Mark’s specificity, that Jesus is the only Son of God, and that this God is superior to all other gods, raises the stakes for the reader. In essence, Mark’s account forces the reader to decide who they will give their ultimate allegiance: the emperor or Jesus.
The ears of Jews living under Roman occupation would have perked up at the first line of Mark’s account of Jesus as well, for the term “Son of God” carries biblical freight. In many ways, the Bible is one really long answer to one really short question: Who will be the one promised by God to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15 that will reconcile heaven and earth? That answer gets located within the lineage of Abraham and is traced through the line of David. Two texts that Ancient Hebrews held deep in their heart regarding the coming Messiah would have been Psalm 2 and 2 Samuel 7, both of which speak to a royal son who also would have been the Son of God. This son would inherit the nations and usher in an eternal kingdom, the kingdom of God, over and against all other oppressive kingdoms on the earth. This would signal a liberation and flourishing, finally, for God’s people.
The first verse of the Gospel according to Mark would have been a stick of dynamite for both Jew and Gentile. This is when you know the Gospel is at work: it confronts whatever ‘sides’ have formed where there is any sense of superiority or inferiority.
But what makes Mark’s account shocking is how the story he is about to layout is truly euangelion. Because what Mark does throughout his Gospel is wed the Son of God prophecy regarding the Messiah with another prophecy about him, mainly from Isaiah 40-55: the prophecy of God’s salvation through a suffering servant.
For centuries, the kinds of victories that were declared euangelion were the kinds of victories where “might makes right.” The powerful conquered. The mighty won. This is the story of our humanity, played out in every generation and in every location. A story of lines being drawn. Of vilifying others for being different. Of envy and greed and avarice. It’s the way to build temporary kingdoms. And it plays out in individual hearts and in homes. In nations and in neighborhoods. In corporations and, sadly, sometimes in churches.
But the Gospel of Mark tells the story of a different victory and a different kingdom. One where God’s power is made perfect through weakness, that salvation of God’s people, and indeed the whole world, is a gift of undeserved grace and that it is available to, not the powerful, but all who know they need it: Jew and Gentile, Male and Female, Slave and Free. It’s the victory won by the death of the king. He’s crowned, precisely at His death, to display that the kingdom of God comes through sacrificial love, not “might makes right.” This kingdom is not temporary, but eternal. And it’s available now. This is why Jesus’ first words in the Gospel of Mark are these: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
So, the question remains for everyone, who or what will you give your ultimate allegiance to?
This is the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.