Miracles Teach Truth

Mark’s gospel is known as the gospel of action. Most believe that John Mark wrote from Rome under the guidance of Simon Peter around 60AD. Peter was one of those “ready-fire-aim” kind of people; always in motion with thinking a few steps behind. Many of us can identify.

Mark’s gospel is also the one to use the word “immediately” more than the others. The Greek word is you-thoos, and is used to link one event to another in real time. Mark uses this word twelve times in chapter one alone. This is more than Luke uses it in his entire gospel.

Linking the events of the life of Jesus with this word teaches an important truth; no single event can be understood apart from the others, they all connect to present the whole life. Every event is linked, from beginning to end, to reveal the new relationship, the new covenant, that God the Father invites you to in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is significant especially when you study the miracles of Jesus. They do not stand alone, but rather teach, like the parables, of the Kingdom of God now here in Christ, and offered to those who would believe in Him.

As you read an account of a miracle of Jesus you must ask the Lord what it points to that is greater and what truth it teaches about God’s Kingdom. In Mark, the link word, you-thoos, will help you to learn the greater truth from the single event.

For example, in Mark 1:9 – 13, you will find the account of the baptism of Jesus, linked to the miracle of the heavens being ripped apart, the Spirit descending, and the Father speaking, which is then linked to the miracle of the Spirit driving Jesus out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil for forty days, from which Jesus miraculously emerged victorious. These events are connected with the word you-thoos in verses 10 and 12.

Together they teach an important truth; through Christ’s sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection you receive His Spirit and His word, which empower you to overcome Satan’s lies and live victoriously in this wilderness, just as Jesus did His whole life.

Jesus was baptized to demonstrate how He would save us. Being lowered into the water and then raised up out of the water is a clear picture pointing forward to what would happen to Jesus on the cross. As Jesus went out to John to be baptized, He was embracing the Father’s will for His life to give us new life in Himself.

“When he came up out of the water, immediately, the heavens were torn apart…” 1:10. The word Mark uses for “torn apart” is the Greek word skidzo, and literally means to rip into two pieces. He will use this word again in 15:38 to describe what happened to the Temple curtain, which separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place, when Jesus died on the cross; it was skidzo, ripped apart into two pieces, from top to bottom! The barrier between God and man had been violently opened wide by the Father through the death of His Son.

The next event, linked to the ripping apart of the heavens, is the descent of the Spirit upon Jesus with the Father speaking from His word in Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1. With the barrier removed, now God’s Spirit is with man and God’s word is clearly understood, “You are my beloved son; with you I am well pleased.” 1:11. 

All that the Father has said in His word is understood in Jesus Christ and the well-pleasing relationship of the Father with the Son. This is what it means to worship the Father in spirit and truth. And this will to be continued tomorrow.