Mark Chapter 1:20

[2] As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way,”

This verse is the beginning of the gospel of Mark, which starts by quoting a prophecy from the Old Testament book of Isaiah.

The full quote is:

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'”

This is a reference to John the Baptist, who is described as the messenger who came before Jesus Christ to prepare the way for his ministry. John the Baptist’s role was to call people to repentance and baptize them, in order to ready them for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus.

This verse establishes that the gospel of Mark is grounded in the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies about the advent of the Messiah. It sets the stage for Mark’s account of Jesus’ public ministry, his teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection – the good news or “gospel” that Jesus brought.

So in just this one verse, Mark grounds his narrative in the larger biblical context and introduces the central figure – Jesus Christ – whose life and work is the focus of his gospel.