Baptism, temptation, preaching of Jesus in Mark 1

The Sunday lectionary gospel reading for the First Sunday of Lent in Year B is Mark 1.9–15. There is some overlap with previous readings, and we have already jumped around a bit in Mark's gospel.

This is a very compact passage, with lots to explore—including many allusions to the Old Testament story of God and his people. We include an additional comment at the end about the nature of repentance and what it means.

Revd James Blandford-Baker is vicar of Histon and Impington, two villages just north of Cambridge. Revd Dr Ian Paul is Associate Minister of St Nic's, Nottingham, and writes the widely-read blog www.psephizo.com. Full written commentary behind the discussion can be found on the blog each week.

0.00 Introduction. Mark in the lectionary.
3.06 Mark as a compressed text
5.15 'And it came to pass...' Mark as sounding 'biblical'
9.18 Jesus stands out from the crowd—the focus is on him alone
10.36 The voice from heaven speaking to Jesus alone
11.58 The coming of Jesus is the start of a new epoch
12.21 'Coming up out of the water'.
16.05 'Heaven being torn open'
17.33 'My son, whom I love, with whom I am well pleased'. OT allusions
19.31 Close connection between Mark 1 and Mark 9
22.05 Other OT allusions—this as a moment of new creation in Jesus
24.40 The temptations—Jesus 'thrown' by the Spirit 'straightway'
28.35 Jesus proclaims the kingdom
30.30 Jesus' victory over The Satan by preaching the message
33.37 Additional commentary: the meaning of repentance