Jesus was not the king the people were expecting.

Mark’s account doesn’t shy away from the unexpected nature of Jesus’ arrival on Earth, but he also makes clear that Jesus is who he says he is: the Jewish Messiah and the son of God.

Many of the Jewish people hoped that the Messiah would come to overthrow the Romans and rule as king, but that wasn’t what Jesus did. He came to serve and to usher in God’s Kingdom on Earth. And he didn’t come in royal authority and power—he came to humbly sacrifice his life in order to save his people.

Who Is Jesus?

The Gospel of Mark is a carefully crafted story that asks the reader: is Jesus the Jewish Messiah? Mark includes specific details and story to show Jesus’ messianic authority and identity as God’s son. He’s making a case for who Jesus is, and he leaves the answer up to the reader to ponder. What will you choose to believe?