Mark 1:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

NIV: And this was his message: 'After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

NASB: And he was preaching, saying, 'After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to bend down and untie the straps of His sandals.

CSB: He proclaimed, "One who is more powerful than I am is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals.

NLT: John announced: 'Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am — so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.

KJV: And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

NKJV: And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.

John the Baptist completely understands his role as prophet. He is not the Messiah, the savior promised to rescue the Jewish people, rather he is the one God has commissioned to prepare the way for the Messiah. John's camel-hair clothing and diet of honey and locusts reflect his humble approach to the task God has given him.

John's humility continues in claiming he is not worthy to stoop down and untie Jesus' sandals. When a visitor arrived at a Jewish home, the host would prepare a basin of water for the traveler to wash his feet. If the visitor was particularly important, he would remove his own sandals and a servant would wash his feet. It was assumed that the visitor was already ceremonially clean, and only needed to rinse the dust off. But not even a slave was forced to remove another persons' sandals. And yet, John the Baptist claims he is not worthy enough to even untie Jesus' sandals. He might mean he is not worthy to even prepare to wash Jesus' feet. Imagine John's shock when Jesus asks John to baptize him (Matthew 3:13–15)!

That Jesus washes His disciples' feet at the Last Supper shows what value He places on humility and servanthood (John 13:1-11).

John offers several contrasts between his role and that of the Messiah. He is a servant, while the Messiah is the master. He lacks power, while the Messiah has much power. His message and baptism of repentance is only a small taste of the baptism of the Holy Spirit Jesus would offer. John lifts the Messiah up as the one to worship and lowers himself as a humble servant of the Lord. Jesus, in return, lifts John up as the greatest born of women (Matthew 11:11).

Mark 1:1–13 rapidly introduces the ministry of Jesus, as introduced by John the Baptist. While other Gospels include many details, the Gospel of Mark briefly sets the stage for Jesus' baptism by John. In a few short verses, we are told that John preached a message of repentance, that Jesus came to be baptized, and that Jesus spent forty days being tempted in the wilderness. The narrative quickly moves on to describe Jesus' miraculous healings.

John the Baptist is introduced as a figure preparing the world for the arrival of the Messiah. John's baptism teaches people about their need for repentance. When Jesus arrives, and is baptized, it signals the coming of God's fulfillment and the need of people to recognize their Savior. Mark briefly notes Jesus' baptism, desert temptation, and the calling of the first four disciples. After this, Jesus begins teaching in the synagogue and performs miraculous healings which spread His fame around the region.

The first chapter of the Gospel of Mark sets the tone for the rest of the story. Mark's writing is concise, action-packed, and short on details. Within a few verses, Mark establishes the transition from the wilderness ministry of John the Baptist to the healing and preaching of Jesus Christ. This first chapter includes the calling of Jesus' earliest disciples, His early miracles, and His early teaching. This establishes the pattern shown throughout the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus mingles His teaching with miraculous signs.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.