The word “beginning” in Mark 1:1 implies the termination of many things. Consider what was present at the time of 1:1: culture, the Gentile nations, the chosen people of God, the promise, the law, the Old Testament, the temple, the system of priestly service, the proper way to worship God according to His ordinances. By this we see that there were many good, positive things, even a number of things that had been ordained by God. The Old Testament was given by God. All the laws, ordinances, rituals, forms, practices, regulations, and services in the Old Testament had been ordained by God. The temple, the priesthood, and the system of worship certainly were sanctioned by God. Now, in 1:1, among all these good, positive things, we read of the beginning of something else—the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ implies the termination of many things that had been in existence for thousands of years. In fact, this beginning implies the termination of everything other than God Himself. Certain things had been going on for hundreds, even thousands, of years. Now suddenly there was a new beginning, a beginning that terminated all things other than God.
There has been a difference of opinion among Bible expositors concerning the time of the beginning of the gospel. Some say that the time of the beginning of the gospel was when John the Baptist came out to minister. Others say that the time of this beginning was when Jesus began to preach. Still others claim that the time was the day of Pentecost.
It is a difficult matter for readers of the New Testament to understand that the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ involves the absolute termination of the old things. As we consider this matter, we need to remember that the Gospel of Mark reveals Jesus Christ as the entire, universal, all-inclusive replacement.
Consider what happened on the Mount of Transfiguration (9:2-13). The Lord Jesus took Peter, James, and John and brought them up into a high mountain. Then “He was transformed before them; and His garments became brilliant, exceedingly white, such as no fuller on earth could whiten them” (9:2-3). Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them (v. 4). Being very excited, even beside himself, Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. And let us make three tabernacles—one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (v. 5). In a way, Peter’s word was somewhat reasonable, for the Lord Jesus and two great persons from the Old Testament were present on the mountain. Actually, what Peter spoke was nonsensical. Suddenly “a cloud came overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, This is My Son, the Beloved. Hear Him!” (v. 7). When the disciples looked around, “they no longer saw anyone with them, except Jesus only” (v. 8).
We may say that both Moses, who represents the law of the Old Testament, and Elijah, who represents the Old Testament prophets, were replaced by Christ. According to Jewish custom, God’s people considered the Old Testament as having two major sections: the Law and the Prophets. Hence, for Moses and Elijah, the representatives of the Old Testament, to be replaced actually means that all Old Testament things have been replaced by Christ.
On the negative side, the beginning of the gospel means a termination, and this termination includes us. This all-inclusive termination includes culture, the nations, Israel, the law, the prophets, the Old Testament practices and way of worship, the temple, the altar, the priesthood, and the system of offerings. Now when we read Mark 1:1 we need to have the understanding that the beginning of the gospel means the termination of the old things.
Chapter one of the Gospel of Mark indicates that culture, religion, ethics, and the human effort to be moral, holy, scriptural, and victorious need to be terminated. However, in the more than nineteen centuries from the time the Lord Jesus was on earth, the situation among Christians has been full of culture, religion, ethics, and the endeavor to be holy, scriptural, and victorious. Actually, in the experience of the saints there has been very little of Christ. But many books have been written on the subjects of holiness, spirituality, and victory.
We cannot deny that the Epistle of James is a good book. This Epistle helps us to be long-suffering and to have endurance. James speaks of the long-suffering of the prophets and of the endurance of Job. In his Epistle he teaches us how to pray as Elijah did. James’ writing contains a wisdom similar to that found in the proverbs of Solomon. All this is very good. Nevertheless, for God’s New Testament economy all such matters need to be terminated and replaced by Christ. As we have emphasized in this message, the beginning in Mark 1:1 implies such a termination.
If brother James were with us today, we should ask him if he realized that the things of the Old Testament should be terminated. As the leading elder in Jerusalem, he addressed his Epistle not to the church or the New Testament saints but to the twelve tribes. We also wonder why in his Epistle James did not teach us to pray in the New Testament way.
James has been a pattern of godliness, devotion, holiness, ethics, spirituality, and victory. Many believers throughout the centuries have taken James as their pattern for these things.
I would ask you to consider whether you still hold the concept that, as a Christian, you need to try in yourself to improve, to love God more, and to behave in a manner that will glorify God. When I mention these things, some may say in their hearts, “What is wrong with trying to improve and seeking to love God more and to live for His glory? Are you opposed to the improvement of character? Do you not care that the believers love God and glorify Him? Are you teaching us not to care for ethics? What kind of teaching are you promoting?” Of course, we are not denying the importance of good character and behavior; neither are we saying that we should not be ethical or moral or that we should not love God and glorify Him. As far as human living in society is concerned, we all must care for morality, ethics, behavior, and character. But the crucial point is that God’s New Testament economy involves something much higher than this. God’s New Testament economy is a matter of the Triune God working Himself into us as life so that we may live Him and thereby become members of the Body of Christ for His expression.