I.  Verse 1  The Gospel of Jesus Christ

‘The Gospel of Jesus Christ’= The original name of this Gospel= ‘the Good News of Jesus Christ’  Grk: euangelion

‘Jesus’= Grk,  ‘Yeshua’-Aramaic,  ‘Yoshua’-Heb.,  ‘Joshua’-English -means=

‘Jehovah is Salvation’

‘Christ’=Grk., Annointed One, Messiah

‘The Son of God’- does not appear in some early manuscipts-

Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, Beza–has it

Sinaiticus, Koridethi, #28, some Patristic quotes–do not

II.  Verses 2-8  John The Baptist= The Transition Between OT & NT

Vs. 2-  Major quote is from Isaiah, but verse 2 is from Malachi 3:1.  Malachi was the last book in the OT, it is fitting that the New era would start where the Old left off.

Vs.  3-  Isaiah 40:3  A Messianic text

John The Baptist is a transitional character bridging two eras-Old Testament & New.    John stands as a representative of the OT prophets–introducing the Messiah.  Isaiah quoted here, was the consummate OT prophet, while Malachi (name means: Messenger) was perhaps the last of the recorded prophets, written in 433 BC.  There was over 400 years between the last prophet & John.  John The Baptist stood in the long Hebrew tradition of prophets-each one different & unique.  The scene generated by John-a Nazarite dressed in camel’s hair and leather belt–eating locusts & honey-conjures up the image of a strange & unique person.  But John was a prophet given the task to look for the Messiah & prepare the people.  He preached repentence & baptism for the forgiveness of sins.  Later, the NT church would continue this practice & add to it, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

III.  Verses 9-11  The Baptism of Jesus

The Heavens open, The Spirit descends on him, a voice from Heaven=an incredible experience for all who witnessed it, but especially for Jesus.  The voice proclaiming= “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.” (ESV)  The expressed love of the Father comes down upon him, and confirms everything that his mother Mary told him as a child.  He is strengthened & empowered by the literal love of his Father–God The Father.

IV.  Verses 12-13  The Temptation of Jesus In The Desert

Three interesting events here–personally tempted by Satan himself–wild desert animals do not harm him–angels minister to him.

V.  Verses 14-15  The Beginning of the ministry of Jesus

Jesus proclaims that the time has come= time for the Messiah, “The Kingdom of God ns near”–The Messianic Kingdom is in your midst, in the presence of Jesus.  After all the long years of waiting-one can only imagine what the people hearing Jesus would have thought.  Some would hope, some would doubt, some would make fun.  Nevertheless, he proclaims the ‘Good News’ of the Kingdom.

VI.  Verses 16-20  The Calling of His First Disciples

If someone came to your office on Monday, and called you out to leave your job and follow him in a new ministry, what would you do or think?  First of all, Jesus was prophetically inspired to call upon these particular men.  Secondly, they miraculously accepted.

VII.  Verses 21-45  Demonstrations of The Kingdom

Jesus drives out & commands evil spirits, Jesus heals many–including Peter’s mother-in-law, heals a leper, and many others.  Some early manuscripts say (Beza & some Patristic quotes) that Jesus was angry (rather than having compassion) with the leper for bothering him-but healed him anyway!  These are demonstrations of the kingdom of God being in their midst.  The OT prophets looked forward to a time when there would be no sickness, hunger, or death.  The miracles of Jesus demonstrated the reality of the Kingdom of God in their midst.

Later, when John the Baptist was in jail and wondering what was happening–is Jesus really the One?  He sends his disciples to Jesus in order to inquire.  Jesus answers him:

“Go back and report to John what you hear and see:  The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and good news is preached to the poor.  Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”

The Kingdom that Jesus started is still going and its effects are felt in the World today–demonstrations of the Kingdom continue in the Church-recorded in every generation-they continue today, and will into the future until the Second Coming of our Lord.  Then the Kingdom will be fully established and all the prophets will be completely fulfilled.

Read Chapter 2 for the next lesson.

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