Mr 1:2-8 John baptizes

The prophesy

Mr 1:2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Mr 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Elements of the prophecy that Mark mentions

1: Precedes the Messiah

2. Prepares the way

3. In the wilderness

4. Preaches "Prepare the way of the lord"

5. Preaches "make his paths straight

Remez Mal 3:1 (shifting the context of the prophecy to the fulfillment)

Hint: Mark uses the plural "prophets" which indicates there must be at least two prophecies which John the baptist is fulfilling. Mark does not quote each one individually, but combines the topics of the two as though they were one prophecy. This is key to interpreting recapitulated, or repeating, prophecy. They are laid overtop of each other like transparencies, and then interpreted together as one.

Mal 3:1 ¶ Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

1. Precedes the Messiah

4. Prepares the way

New elements introduced

6. The lord will come [to his temple]

7. The messenger of the covenant will come

The process of remez doesn't only include the specific passage quoted, but the whole context of the quoted passage.

Mal 1

2. I have loved Jacob

3. I have placed Esau in second position

places of worship are silent

gave him desolation

4. Esau = Edom = Adam = man said "We will build"

Remember Babel "We will build"

Called "wicked territory"

5. The destruction of Edom will glorify God beyond the borders of Israel.

6. Priests dishonor God

7. Defiled sacrifices

8. Blind sacrifices -- ritual without understanding

Lame sacrifices -- not living the faith

Sick sacrifices -- in sin

9. Won't you ask for God's favor?

10. Why isn't there one among you who will STOP?

I don't want your sacrifice.

11. My name will be great among the nations

12. But you profane it saying God's religion is bad, and his word is bad.

13. Should I accept your inferior offerings?

14. Cursed are you. My name is feared among the nations.

Mal 2

1. This commandment is for priests.

2. If you don't pay attention I will curse you and have already cursed you.

3. I will rebuke your children. And make your reputation as dung. And make your celebrations abomination.

4. You know that I made a covenant with Levi which carries to you priests:

5. My covenant was of life and peace. I gave him the fear/awe derived from the revelation of holiness. מורא

6. He preached truth, and did not sin in his speech. He lived in peace and fairness and led others to repentance.

7. For the priest should preach with knowledge, and he should seek the holiness of God with his speech. Because he is my messenger.

8. But you are corrupt. You have caused others to reject the law. You have corrupted my covenant with Levi.

9. Therefor I have made you like dung before the people, because you have shown partiality in the law.

10.Voice change: Don't we all have one Father who created us? Why do we treat each other badly, and break covenant with God?

Why the voice change. How can the prophet speak as a man and as God?

Judah is chasing false gods.

11. Judah/Christ has married the prostitute.

12. He will be cut off

13. And you weep.

14. But you have been treacherous toward the wife of your youth and his covenant. (Israel, Church)

בגדה -treacherous, garment

see also לבושו - garment, bride hidden by the Christ.

15. And didn't he make a covenant? What kind of covenant? That he might seek the SEED OF ELOHIM.

16.

-->Mal 3

1. I will send a forerunner to prepare the way. The I will come to the temple suddenly.

2. He will judge. Refiner's fire. Soap of teh launderers.

3. He will refine.

4. Then your offerings will be pleasant.

5. I will come near to you in judgement ("God with us")

6. For I am the LORD I change not.

7. Even your fathers turned away.

8. You have robbed me in tithe and offerings.

9. and so you are cursed.

10. Give tithes and see if I will not bless you.

11. I will stop the devourer.

12. And all nations will call you blessed.

13. You have trash talked me.

14. You have said it is vain to serve God.

15. The proud, wicked and those who mock God are exalted.

16. Those that fear God are known and remembered.

17. I will spare them.

18. Then you will be able to tell the righteous from the wicked.

-->Mal 4

1. Judgement day is coming.

2. But the righteous will be healed.

3. And the wicked will be put down.

4. Remember the law.

5. I will send Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

6. And he will turn the heart of God to the people and the people to God.

Remez Isa 40:1-5

Isa 40:1 ¶ Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

Isa 40:2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.

Isa 40:3 ¶ The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Isa 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

Isa 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

New elements introduced

3. In the wilderness

4. Prepares the way

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

6. The lord will come

The fulfilment

Mr 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

Mr 1:5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

Mr 1:6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

Mr 1:7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

Mr 1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

<-- Mr 1:1