GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
MARK 1:9
Impulsion to Act
It is a common experience to have the motivation to act pressing upon the mind, somewhat like the moment of delivery pressing upon a pregnant mother. Alice and I waited for the arrival of our first son; though in 1966 mothers didn’t know the gender of the baby, Alice didn’t need an ultrasound; she knew that she would deliver a son. It was a cold February morning when she said it was time; the moment had arrived.
Jesus was born to a carpenter, Joseph, and his wife, Mary, in Nazareth, a small village in the hills of Galilee. There’s not much information about Jesus’ childhood. Matthew and Luke mention his birth, the visit of the Magi, and the family’s nighttime flight to Egypt. St. Luke mentions the family’s visit to Jerusalem when Jesus was 12 years old. (Luke 2:41-52) St. Luke said, “Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” (2:51-52) Those thirty years in Nazareth are sometimes referred to as the “silent years.”
Jesus likely learned the trade skills of his father and worked as a contractor for the Nazarenes. It is also likely that Joseph, Mary, and the priests taught Jesus the Scriptures. The lack of any mention of his father may indicate that, during those years following the event in Jerusalem, Joseph died. Jesus, as the oldest son, would take the lead in caring for his mother, sisters, and brothers. St. Mark said, “And it came to pass in those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John.” (Mark 1:9)
Laying aside questions about why Jesus submitted to a sinner’s baptism, the word “it came to pass” could also correctly be rendered “it happened.” It is likely that Jesus sensed the inner compulsion that it was time to begin the Father’s plan for his redemptive mission. So he walked the 80 or 90 miles from Nazareth to be baptized by John and initiate his ministry. When one senses that inner urgency, it’s appropriate to listen carefully for the Father’s voice.
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