Mark 1:9 (NASB)

Bible Commentary

Mark 1:9 is a Bible verse in the New Testament where Mark is telling us about one of the first recorded events where Jesus is recognized as the Messiah.

Mark takes the first 8 verses of chapter 1 to tell us about John the Baptist and his calling to prepare the way for the coming of Christ.

Then suddenly in Mark 1:9, there is Jesus. He simply appears. He turns up with the crowd, and stands in line with the others to be baptized by John. No grand entrance. No trumpet sounding from heaven. He simply shows up, just like everyone else.

Mark’s account of Jesus’ baptism is brief, but packed with clues as to who Jesus is and what His purpose is.

In this scene, John is telling people to turn away from their sins, and be baptized in the Jordan to make a public profession that they have indeed repented from their sins.

The question is, why is Jesus there? As we know from the scriptures, He doesn’t have any sins to confess. He has led a sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Unlocking the Truth – Identify with Jesus

The crowds are there with John to acknowledge they have done wrong and that they are under God’s judgement. Jesus joins them, gets in line with them, not because he has sins to confess but because he wants to identify with them. That is His purpose.

He has come to put himself under the judgement of God the Father as a substitute for us, so that we do not have to face ultimate judgement.

Sinless, Jesus is standing amongst the sinners and going through the baptismal process with them (Isaiah 53:12).

All of this points to the day when Jesus will take judgement on himself even though He deserves none of it.

Not the way you would expect the King of kings, the Lord of lords to show up.

In those days, religious leaders looked down on baptism, as it was reserved for the lowliest of sinners, the gentiles, or as they were called, the “dogs.”

Yet Jesus came as an ordinary man, to be counted with the “dogs,” to save mankind. In fact, if you look at this scene further, not only were the people there looked down upon, but the river Jordan was considered polluted and unworthy of any kind of “religious purifications.”

That describes the chaos around us in our current world, doesn’t it? No matter who we are or what we have done, Jesus has identified himself with us!

He stood with the crowd identifying Himself with sinful man, in the “dirty” river to save you and me.

If today finds you thinking your sins are too big to forgive or that you have strayed too far away for Him to ever forgive you…STOP!

He came just for that purpose, “to seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10)

Study the Bible verse of Mark 1:9, and identify with the man of Jesus Who loves us so much that He endured the cross, so we could be with Him forever.