We have arrived at Mark’s final section. It has been our privilege to trace the path of the Perfect Servant: His Identity (1:1-13), Activity (1:14-8:21), Itinerary (8:22-10:52) and Destiny (11:1-16:20).
His Conflict with the Jewish leaders is over (11:1-13:37); His Cross is past (14:1-16:8). Mark now records His Commission (16:9-20).
Here we have the Lord’s Appearances (vv9-14), Assignment (vv15-18) and Ascension (vv19-20). There is a noteworthy emphasis on the themes of corroboration and belief. The gospel is corroborated by Multiple Sightings of the Risen Lord (vv9-14) and by Miraculous Signs from the Ascended Lord (vv17-20). The demand placed upon the apostles, and upon all who hear their testimony, is to believe (vv11,13,14,16,17).
The Appearances of the Lord (vv9-14)
The Lord “rose early on the first day of the week,” commencing God’s resurrection program and becoming the head of a new creation (1Co 15:20-28). This stupendous event, upon which all of history pivots, was first confirmed “to Mary Magdalene, from whom [the Lord] had cast out seven demons” (v9 ESV). Mary then became the first to carry the news of the appearance of the risen Christ to others, telling those who “had been with him, as they mourned and wept” (v10 ESV).
No inventor of resurrection appearances would have made a woman the first witness to the risen Christ! Women’s testimony was not regarded as dependable in first-century Israel. This has proven one of the greatest historical confirmations of the resurrection. Truly, “God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound … the mighty … that no flesh should glory in his presence” (1Co 1:27-29).1
Then the Lord “appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country” (v12). The full story is recorded in Luke 24. These likewise rushed to tell the remaining disciples.
The third appearance recorded by Mark was “unto the eleven as they sat at meat” (v14).
The repeated theme is that the eyewitnesses of the risen Lord were not believed. Mary was not believed (v11); the two disciples were not believed (v13); and when the Lord appeared to the eleven He rebuked them “because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen” (v14).
This embarrassing record of unbelief on the part of the disciples serves to confirm the authenticity of the record. The announcement seemed to them to be just too fantastic to accept, until they saw for themselves (cp. Joh 20:14-29).
The Assignment from the Lord (vv15-18)
The disciples had been called to follow the Lord (1:16-20; 2:13-14) and be His companions (3:14). But the Lord always intended that they “become fishers of men” (1:17) whom He would send “forth to preach” (3:14). Having learned from the Perfect Servant, they were now equipped to be sent forth as His apostles: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (vv15-16). Here is the mandate and motive of the Lord’s servants.
As to mandate, they must “Go … and preach.” The instruction is clear (cp. Mat 28:18-20; Luk 24:46-47; Act 1:8). They must be travellers, carrying the good news to every place; they must be preachers, proclaiming the good news to every person. As to motive, they must be driven by desire for the salvation of souls, while knowing that each sinner must personally respond in faith.
Proclaiming the good news, they were to be fishers of men, intent upon seeing souls saved, reflecting the character of the Perfect Servant who was moved with sincere compassion for the lost.
The mention of baptism (v16) has made some wonder if baptism is a requirement for salvation. If so, this would overturn the united testimony of the New Testament that salvation is by faith alone in Christ. No rite can add anything to the work of Christ. Faith rests simply upon the all-sufficient person and work of the Son of God. But why, then, does the Lord mention baptism? Baptism is the God-ordained way for saved sinners to testify to their salvation. Many of us are in no danger of believing that baptism is a requirement for salvation, but we are in danger of placing too great a distance between baptism and salvation. Every person saved by faith alone in Christ should testify to this fact by baptism. An unbaptised believer is an anomaly.
Just as the resurrection was corroborated by multiple sightings (vv9-14), so the apostolic preaching was confirmed by miraculous signs (vv17-20). These signs authenticated the apostolic ministry (2Co 12:12; Heb 2:3-4), and most mentioned here can be traced through the history of the early Church (e.g., Act 2:4-11; 16:18; 28:3-5,8).
The Ascension of the Lord (vv19-20)
The Commission having been communicated, the Servant’s work was done. “So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God” (vv19 ESV). He who in self-humbling compassion took upon Himself “the form of a servant” and became “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross,” experienced by resurrection and exaltation the beginning of divine vindication. “God also hath highly exalted him” (Php 2:5-11).
And so, at present, the Lord is seated on the right hand of God, working with His servants upon earth, and, by implication, waiting the moment of His return (cp.14:62).
Mark entitled his Gospel “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God” (1:1) because there is more good news to come. This One who served and suffered and sacrificed here to accomplish God’s will and to enable our blessing will come again. He will come “in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (8:38); He will come “in the clouds with great power and glory” (13:26); and He will be seen “sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (14:62). In the words of Isaiah, “he shall be exalted, and extolled, and be very high” (52:13).
It is our privilege to serve and suffer and sacrifice in His absence, and to reign with Him when He returns.
This is our God, The Servant King.
He calls us now to follow Him,
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to The Servant King.2
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV unless otherwise noted.
2 Graham Kendrick
