What if it's not verse one; what if it's the title? And then, what if, knowing that it's the title, that helps you understand, not only the whole gospel, but your whole life?
But wait: there’s more! What if, as a little gift, knowing that it's the title, that also helps you understand, not only your whole life, but Christmas, too! Such a deal!
We're talking about the opening of the Gospel of Mark. As printed in your bulletin (and in every Bible that I know of) verse one is this (or something like this): “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
In Greek, it's somewhat unusual, in that there's no verb in that verse, no “action word.” And, up until a week ago, I always assumed that, like it's printed in our bulletins (and in our Bibles), verse one is verse one.
In other words, I always assumed that verse one is the beginning of Mark's gospel and, as verse one, that verbless statement introduces the introduction of Mark's gospel. Like this!
“The beginning of the Gospel 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 ...’’”
But then I saw this: a conversation on the Gospel of Mark between David Bartlett, a retired professor at Yale, and Pastor Allen Hilton, also a former professor at Yale.
“I’m gonna write a book called, ‘The Beginning of the Gospel ...” Until I watched that video a week or so ago I’d never heard of or considered that theory. But, do you know what? I think it’s right! Verse one isn’t the first verse! It’s the title. And the title is: The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!
I promised earlier that, knowing that this is the title of what Mark wrote would help you better understand the whole gospel. It’s time for me to deliver on that promise.
The Gospel of Mark (or, as I should now call it, “The Beginning of the Gospel, by Mark”) has a very strange and unusual ending. It ends with an incomplete sentence. Although nearly every translation that I’ve ever seen puts a period after it, in Greek it’s crystal clear that the sentence is unfinished. Like this! “So [the women] went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid ... “
Yeah? And then ...? Come on, don’t leave us hanging! What happened!?
Scholars have long noted that Mark’s ending is odd. And now, we know why! The whole book is just the beginning of the Gospel! It ends unfinished because it is unfinished! Mark wrote the beginning. And right now, we are in the process of continuing to write it, day by day, moment by moment!
So. How does knowing that what Mark wrote is simply The Beginning of the Gospel help you understand, not only your whole life, but Christmas, too?
This is so important. Knowing that what Mark wrote is just The Beginning of the Gospel helps you understand that what seems like an ending, isn’t an ending. Because of the gospel, it, too, is just a beginning!
Can I tell you what I see when I look out on this congregation? We don’t talk about it much, but I see people worrying, struggling, and agonizing over things that the world tells them are endings in their life.
What do I mean? A lot of people--a lot of people in this congregation--have lost their jobs or lost significant amounts of their savings and retirement.
It feels like something is over. It feels like something is done. And the world tell us these, indeed, are endings.
Make no mistake about it: they are endings. But also, make no mistake about this: because Mark wrote what he called, simply, The Beginning of the Gospel, endings no longer mean what they once meant!
Jesus died. Those who were closest to him--every single one of them--abandoned him.
Those are endings. Jesus’ death was an ending for Jesus and for Jesus’ followers. Their abandonment of him was another ending. But those ending resulted in a miraculous new beginning, first for Jesus, and then, for every single one of his followers!
And that brings this back to us. By calling what he wrote The Beginning of the Gospel, Mark is constantly reminding us to remember that the story is going on and that we’re a part of it. Just as what seemed like an ending--what was an ending--to Jesus and his disciples wasn’t an ending, so, by faith, it is for us as well.
Jobs end. Investments rise and fall. Relationships end. Life ends. But, by faith, we trust that, by God’s grace, endings become beginnings. New life comes.
We know this is true because what Mark wrote is simply The Beginning of the Gospel. The story of Jesus isn’t over! It’s moving on and on and on. And we’re a part of it!
Christmas comes three weeks from today. And that, too, feels like an ending. It feels like everything builds up to that. And, once it arrives, it’s over.
That’s the way the world celebrates Christmas. “Christmas comes but once a year” is even a popular expression.
But, in here, we know that Christmas is also just a beginning! It was a beginning for Jesus. It was a beginning for Jesus’ followers. It is a beginning for us.
Your homework this week is actively to be on the lookout for how God might be creating beginnings out of endings. Notice what may be ending. Be aware of what may need to be ending! And then, be on the lookout for how God might be creating a beginning out of that ending!
Mark has given us a great gift by writing the very first gospel of Jesus ever written. He has given us an even greater gift by calling it, The Beginning of the Gospel.
