Mark 1:14-15 14Now after John was handed over, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Mark jumps forward in time to when John was arrested by Herod, implied in the articular infinitive handed over (paradothēnai). The exact year of these events is not known, but the estimate is around the years AD 27-28 when he was around 30 years old. The exact calendar years were not important to any of the Gospel writers. The story of John’s arrest and eventual execution is continued in chapter 6. These verses are a summary of the gospel of 1:1. They also serve as a transition from the prologue into the public ministry of Jesus. John had to finish his ministry before Jesus began his. The time of John as prophet and forerunner was over and it was time for Jesus to begin his ministry and become the focus. John’s imprisonment by king Herod essentially ended his ministry although he still had some followers devoted to him who possibly offered some care for him in prison.
Jesus spent a significant part of his ministry in Galilee. This geographical reference marks the first half of Mark’s Gospel. Verse 14 gives the theme of Jesus’ ministry as preaching the gospel of God. The good news came from God and was not invented by any human. The eternal, almighty God was breaking into history through the life and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. Verse 15 gives the content of this “good news.” The focus of Jesus’ teaching was the kingdom of God. The kingdom had arrived in Jesus’ proclamation. What this kingdom entails is the mystery revealed in Jesus’ public ministry.
This kingdom was prophesied in the past (indicated by the earlier Isaiah quote) and was now at hand. This image refers to its arrival. The kingdom had come in the person of Jesus. He was the king of this kingdom, so wherever he went, so did the kingdom. As people put their faith in Jesus, they experience this kingdom and become part of it. The kingdom grows as the faith of people increases and more join in this faith journey. The kingdom of God has spread all over the world today.
Jesus preached the same message as John: repent and believe in the gospel. The primary difference between John and Jesus is that John only looked forward to the kingdom; Jesus brought it with the power and approval of God. Mark as author gives a direct appeal to the reader. This must be our response as well. The preaching of Jesus brought the power of God’s kingdom into the lives of people. Repentance and faith are the needed human responses to God’s message of salvation.
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