Mark 1:1

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

                Mark wrote his gospel from the retelling of Peter. So in a way, you could call this “The Book of Peter”. Mark’s gospel was written primarily in the interest of the Gentile Christians, seeing as Peter was also sent to the Gentiles.

                The very first thing he does is tell the readers exactly what this book is about. He’s not wishy-washy about it – he’s not kidding – he’s not pretending to write about something else to interest them more. He’s flat out. He tells him “This is about Jesus, who was the very Son of God himself – and this is the good news about him.”

                He wanted his believers to immediately understand that Jesus was the Son of God. He came down as a representative of God to the earth. He doesn’t even give them a chance to question it. Mark/Peter oozes a confidence about who Jesus is.

                Peter showed this confidence in Jesus before, when Jesus asked who they say that he is. Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” But Peter also lost his confidence when his flesh feared for his own life. Peter’s amazing testimony continues though, when he listened to the voice of God when it came to the gentiles, and then (as church history tells us) going to the point of death to be a martyr for Christ’s sake.

                Oh, that I would have this confidence. Lord, today, please grant me the confidence in you to speak your word, even when I don’t understand the language. Help me to know your words, and that you would put them in my mouth.