The book of Mark gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the New Testament (N.T).
Attributed to be written by John whose surname was Mark (Latin Marcus) (Acts 12:25), the book of Mark has a dual focus on the work of Jesus; His SERVICE and SACRIFICE. The crux of the message of Mark can be found in one verse, in Mark 10:45, which reads “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark portrays Jesus to be the Servant and the Savior.
In the vision that Ezekiel had, one of the faces of the creatures with four faces is that of an Ox (Ezekiel 1:10). For those who have been raised in India, the sight of oxen being yoked with one another and plowing the field in servitude is a common sight. Jesus said I am the Father are one (John 10:30), meaning that he was One (yoked) with God (1 Timothy 2:5), in God’s mission of reconciliation of man to Himself and He came to serve unto Salvation (1 Timothy 2:6). In other words, Jesus was yoked and serving God.
In Mark, Jesus is The Servant of God, who came to SERVE and to SAVE. He is THE perfect Servant, with whom God was well pleased (Mark 1:11) for His great faithfulness in finishing the work of Salvation that God has ordained unto Him (John 19:30).
In Mark, Jesus is The Servant-Savior!
Points to ponder:
We have to be yoked in carrying the Cross with Christ and and we must serve Him. I believe the account of Simon the Cyrene carrying the Cross with Christ, along via dolorosa (the way of suffering) is to demonstrate to us that we are to share in the suffering of Christ and carry the Cross with Him. Simon the Cyrene, in the recorded account is said to have been compelled (forced) to carry the Cross (Mark 15:21). In the movie, The Passion of the Christ, the actor who played the part of Simon the Cyrene says the following words, when he is forced to carry the Cross of Christ: “Let everyone know that I am an innocent man forced to carry the Cross of a condemned man.” How ironic? It is we (and Simon the Cyrene) who are all condemned, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), but it was Jesus Christ, an innocent man (2 Corinthians 5:21) who carried our Cross, not the other way around. We are the condemned and our Cross was carried by an innocent sinless man.
Now the turn is ours to repay that kindness and grace as we are called/commissioned, not compelled, to carry our Cross and follow Jesus. (Mark 8:34)
There are many Christians who want to serve, but not carry the Cross. As Christians, i.e., followers of Christ, the cross should be on our shoulders as we are co-laborers with Him (1 Corinthians 3:9) plowing the field to receive the seed and be fruitful, i.e., preparing the hearts of those who hear the good news of Jesus, the Servant-Savior. We are called to SERVE Christ as he served and become his voice to SAVE others from condemnation by sharing the good news of Jesus’ SERVICE and SACRIFICE.
Our duty is to be yoked with Jesus Christ and be a faithful servant of The Perfect Servant so we can receive the accolade “Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord” (Matthew 25:23) when the Lord returns.
