Introduction. The Gospels a panoramic view of the Lord’s Servant

The Gospels are a unique multi-faceted account of the glory of Christ’s person, which has far reaching ramifications with regards to His finished work of Redemption, that one Gospel account could not portray His full – born splendour.

To view them from a purely humanistic way, mechanically pieced together from existing traditions, is to forfeit any sense of their Spiritual purpose and meaning.

The Credentials of God’s Servant

The Gospel of Mark demonstrates the humanity of Christ more clearly than any of the other writers.

The first verse reminds us that it is.  “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” The verse may read.  “The beginning of the Good News concerning Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God”

The dignity of Christ’s Person (v7)  -  is here declared, for John who would bow to no earthly king, bowed before this Servant; declaring he was not fit even to untie His sandals.. In this second Gospel the Holy Spirit portrays Jesus as “the Servant of Jehovah”

Mark presents Jesus as “the suffering Servant of the Lord

(See Mark.10:45)

“He focuses is on the deeds of Jesus more than His teaching, particularly emphasizing service and sacrifice. Because He is presented as a Servant, a genealogy is not needed. Although Christ is set forth in His Servant character, the strong emphasis upon His miracles prompts His power as the “Son of God” whose word was law in the material as well as the supernatural.

He is the Son of God. - Servant of Man -   Redeemer.

There is no genealogy, for in the Servant the character is shone forth  --  Not His pedigree.

The golden text relating to His Servant role is found in the O.T.

In Isaiah Ch.42 :1.- ”Behold My Servant whom I uphold; mine elect in whom My soul delighted.”

The Holy Spirit in Matt. Ch.12:9-23, declares the Servant of this prophecy to be Jehovah Messiah “Behold My Servant whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased”.

The Servants Role

God had only one perfect Servant on earth, His own well-beloved Son in whom His soul delighted (vi). He speaks of Him in the Scriptures as'' My Servant." When speaking of other servants it was necessary to add the name ; as^ for instance, " My servant Abraham," " My servant Moses," etc. ; for these were all imperfect servants.

But, as to Jesus, it was not necessary to supply His name, because He was the one Servant of Jehovah, and there never was another in this unique sense.

 In Isaiah Ch.42  the Servant of Jehovah is presented  in the grace and humility of His First Advent,  it predicts that He would not assert His rights (v. 2), nor judge His enemies (v. 3), but that, on the contrary, He would introduce the New Covenant of salvation for Israel and for the Gentiles (v. 6), and illuminate and liberate them alike through the preaching of the Gospel (v. 7),

The deity of the Servant is stressed from the beginning; this is the “Gospel the Good News”

Only as the Son of God could He have been the perfectly obedient Servant, the triumphant miracle worker, and the worlds Saviour. His Sonship and Service are closely related.

God had no misgivings as to the perfect obedience of His Servant, Centuries before He could with confidence say; “He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles”  Judge them and their idols, in His first advent by the perfection of His humiliation, by which He condemned them morally.

Studies in Mark’s Gospel

Reading Mark Ch.1 v1-13  &  Isaiah Ch.42 1-7

Key verse and theme   -  Behold My Servant, Whom I uphold, mine elect; in whom My soul delighteth, I have put My Spirit upon him; he shall bring judgment to the Gentiles. Isa.CH.41: 1

The Servants Commission 9-11

The Servants baptism. Why should the Sinless one insist on a ceremony that signified confession of sin and repentance (Matt.3:12-14)

The answer was that He was “fulfilling all righteousness” the righteous requirements of the Mossaic law. Since Jesus was here being consecrated to His public ministry of King, Prophet and Priest.

The essence of which was to centre in His Priestly work of Redemption. It was His setting apart to His work as priest that here comes into focus.

Jesus’ baptism (washing) was followed by His anointing, “When the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit came upon Him”. The Fathers voice sealing His threefold ministry. This was the priestly ministry anointing (See Ex. 29:5-7) Where the anointing followed the washing of Him was divinely consecrated for the work of redemption  (see Acts 4:27 Acts 10:38)  As well as that of His Ministry as King and Prophet.

The Lord Jesus work on earth was contrary to the 1st century rabbinic expectations. The messiah would not arrive with political motives or agendas, military campaigns or great fanfares but with gentleness,

He would not quarrel, nor cry out, The Messiah would try to stir up a revolution or force His way into power.

Isa.42:2-4   says He shall not cry out, not lift up. Nor cause his voice to be heard in the Street

A bruised reed shall he not break and smoking flax shall he not quench; he shall bring forth judgment in truth.

The Single mindedness of the Servant

Paul in Philippians speaks of the single mindedness of Jesus in Ch.2 :5-8 says - “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and made in the likeness of men; And being  found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and  became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

His self humbling led to His exaltation by the Father in v9-11

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name”

This is the great keynote passage  which is basis for the Apostles exhortation “Let this mind be in you” “Let us have a state of mind or attitude which was in Christ.

The Glorious Perfections of  the Gospel

Through these verses we can see the glorious perfections of the “Gospel”  “the Gospel of Jesus Christ”  We see the plans of God, as bright, and as clear and brilliant as they could be, as a light reflected from the burnished surface of a mirror.

The glorious perfections of God shone from heaven, beamed upon the gospel, and inflected to the eye, and the heart of the Christian, which has the effect of transforming our lives into that same image.

The Gospel then is set forth as being the reflections of the infinite glories of God to the minds and hearts of men. The glory of the Lord, The spender, majesty and holiness of God, as manifested in the gospel

The figure is one of great beauty; and the idea is, that by placing ourselves within the light of the gospel – by contemplating the glory that shines there – we become changed into the likeness of that same glory. And conformed to that which shines there with so much splendour.

By contemplating the resplendent face of the blessed redeemer, we are changed into something of the same image.

As we close let cast our minds on the verses that are connected to the above statement.

In 2 Cor. Ch.3 v18 - “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord”.

2Cor.4 v6-7  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness; hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the Excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.