“A most surprising proclamation”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Wednesday, December 14, 2022
Mark 1:1-8 (Forward, p. 46) CEV p. 1026
I haven’t ever been able to substantiate this idea, but I suspect that the early Gentile readings of these opening verses would have immediately noticed something, something totally new and surprising, at least to them.
It starts with Mark’s beginning words, ‘the Good News’ about Jesus Christ. The Greek word here translated as ‘Good News’ is euangelion, which has a surprising history in the ancient Roman world. It never used to describe a written work or a doctrine, but was basically a public announcement, i.e. by something like a town crier. It was a secular word, a highly political word, used to announce civic events, public events, things like a victory or state achievement or the birth of a king. Close to the time that Mark put together the gospel that is attributed to him, it was used to announce the birthday of Augustus Caesar. So, Mark’s audience would have immediately said to themselves, ‘Whoa, here is something significant happening here.’
The quote from Isaiah about sending a messenger to prepare the way would have merely confirmed this, it was the frequent practice of ancient Eastern monarchs to send heralds to their subject nations through which they intended to soon travel through to make ready an appropriate travel route, a ‘king’s highway’, as it were. That it would require considerable work was not at all unusual, as in levelling the road or straightening it out. Over the years, especially if not frequently used by the king or his envoys, it could fall into considerable disrepair. The frequent and seasonal flash floods from various wadis would deposit gravel and boulders upon it and farmers would use it as a convenient place to pile their yearly ‘crop’ of field stones. And where there was a lower, more muddy section, or more steep or precipitous section, people often made a short detour around this part of the road. So, quite obviously, the road would need a great deal of work before the king could rightfully travel upon it. All of this, Mark’s audience would have known and accepted quite readily, at least in a secular and political sense.
But, hey, Mark is using these images to describe something that has more of a spiritual reality than a political one. He’s talking about the Messiah and what we need to do in order to be ready for Him. And certainly, as something that we can probably all attest to, there are things that need to be corrected in some way: obstacles to His passage perhaps, maybe a sin or a resentment or a bitter experience, or perhaps there is some sort of detour from His way, or some bad habit. John’s call is then to all of us, each one of us, for most surely there is some way in which we need to prepare for His coming. Amen.
Forward notes: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight’” (verses 1-3).
“John the Baptist knew his call and that never wavered: he was the one to come before the Messiah. He doesn’t hesitate to play second fiddle to Jesus.
“I always felt I had a call to ordained ministry. I explored this call by serving on vestry and altar guild and as a lector and eucharistic minister. Talking with my priest was exciting and scary. All along, I thought I knew what was best for myself. I even convinced the Commission on Ministry that I was called to be a deacon.
“Within months, I realized that while I loved proclaiming the gospel and bringing the concerns of the world to the church, I was called to the table. Unlike John the Baptist, I hadn’t listened to or trusted God. Telling the bishop was hard, but I went through the discernment process again. Seminary—and ordination to the priesthood—completed my deepest longings and helped me answer God’s call to prepare the way of the Lord.
Moving Forward: “Are you following God’s will for your life—or your own?”