ACC ~ Mark 1 v1b

OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS BRIDGED

ORIGEN: The gospel is primarily concerned with Christ Jesus, who is the head of the whole body of those who are being saved. [1] Mark conveys this point when he says, “The beginning of the gospel concerning Christ Jesus.” … In its unfolding the gospel has a beginning, a continuing middle and an end. The beginning can be viewed either as the entire Old Testament, with John the Baptist being its summarizing type, or (because he stands at the juncture of the new with the old) the final stages of the old covenant. This runs counter to those [2] who would assign the two covenants to two different Gods. COMMENTARY ON JOHN 1.14. [3]

[1] Cf. Eph 4:15; Col 1:18.

[2] Such as Marcion.

[3] TLG 2042.005, 1.13.79.1-5, 80.1-6, 82.1-1.14.82.3; cf. AEG 1:279; ANF 9:304. Marcion’s view that the two covenants are separable is countered by Mark’s beginning point for the gospel. This comment on Mark occurs in Origen’s Commentary on John. For an explanation of why excerpts from commentaries on other Gospels have been included in this catena on Mark, see the heading “Discovering Patristic Comment on Mark” in the introduction.

THE RELATION OF GOSPEL AND LAW

ORIGEN: Those who deepen in the knowledge of Christianity do not treat the things written in the law with disrespect. … In saying: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in the prophet Isaiah,” Mark shows that the beginning of the gospel is intrinsically connected with the Old Testament. [1] AGAINST CELSUS 2.4. [2]

[1] The issue is whether Mark’s Gospel can be meaningfully read apart from the history of the people of Israel.

[2] TLG 2042.001, 2.4.15-17, 25-31; cf. ANF 4:431.

THE INAUGURATOR OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

CYRIL OF JERUSALEM: With baptism the old covenant ends and the new begins. This is seen in the fact that the inaugurator of the New Testament is John the Baptist. “Among those born of women there is none greater than John.” [1] He is the crown of all the prophetic tradition: “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” [2] Of the gospel dispensation he was the firstfruits, for we read “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ” and after some words “John did baptize in the wilderness.” [3] THE CATECHETICAL LECTURES 3.6. [4]

[1] Lk 7:28.

[2] Mt 11:13.

[3] Mk 1:1, 4.

[4] TLG 2110.003, 3.6.1-6; LCC 4:93**. The Baptist is the crown of the prophetic tradition, and the baptism of repentance is the pivot of the coming age.