John’s Proclamation in Mark. Healy notes that according to Mark, Jesus’ ministry following John’s proclamation means that Jesus emerges out of Israel’s salvation history (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 31). Weaving together Isa 40:3 with Exod 23:20 and Mal 3:1, Mark states that John’s proclamation as a forerunner represents the one expected by the prophets (Mark 1:2–3; Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 31). Exodus 23:20 includes the account of God sending His angel to lead Israel through the wilderness to the promised land. Malachi later identifies God’s messenger (angel and messenger are the same word in Hebrew [מַלְאָךְ, mal'akh] and Greek [ἄγγελος, angelos]) with Elijah, whose appearance would be a sign before the final days (Mal 4:5; Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 31). The quote from Isaiah comes from a section of the book often referred to as “the Book of Consolation,” as it contains numerous statements of comfort for God’s people in exile (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 31). Mark selects a passage that speaks of a voice crying out and declaring an imminent end to the exile.

Moreover, Healy notes that the Isaiah quotation, in its original context, refers to God preparing the way for His exiled people to return to the promised land. In connecting it with Malachi, Mark links it with the messenger preparing the way for Jesus (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 32). Through these quotations, Mark paints John as the one who stands in Israel’s salvation history heralding Yahweh—or, in this case, Jesus.

The connection with Old Testament eschatology, however, continues. After describing John as one who proclaims the coming of Jesus, Mark then roots John’s actual utterance in Old Testament eschatology as well. John states that while his baptism is one of water, the one who will follow him (i.e., Jesus) will baptize with the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8). As France notes, the Holy Spirit’s eschatological outpouring is an Old Testament promise (Isa 32:15; 44:3; Ezek 36:26–27; 39:29; France, Mark, 55). Moreover, Jesus not only baptizes in the Holy Spirit, but after He is baptized by John the Holy Spirit descends upon Him, declaring Him to be God’s beloved Son—empowering His ministry (Mark 1:10–12). France further notes that this also connects Jesus with Old Testament salvation history and eschatological hope: The Holy Spirit’s presence upon Jesus is reminiscent of the “shoot from the stump of Jesse” upon whom the spirit of Yahweh would rest (Isa 42:1; compare Isa 61:1; France, Mark, 55). According to France, these connections with the prophecy of the Old Testament alert the reader from the beginning of the Gospel about the significance of Jesus’ messianic role. Through His interactions with John the Baptist, Jesus is not only empowered and directed by the Spirit but declared to be the one who distributes the Spirit—which, as France notes, is a role the Old Testament assigns exclusively to Yahweh (France, Mark, 55).