Mark 1:11

The Father’s voice from heaven expressed approval of Jesus and His mission in words recalling Genesis 22:2. What the voice said identified the speaker. God’s words from heaven fused the concepts of King (Psalms 2:7) and Servant (Isaiah 42:1). This combination constituted the unique sonship of Jesus.

"The first clause of the [Father’s] declaration (with the verb in the present tense of the indicative mood) expresses an eternal and essential relationship. The second clause (the verb is in the aorist indicative) implies a past choice for the performance of a particular function in history." [Note: Lane, p. 58.]

From this point on, the reader of Mark’s Gospel knows God’s authoritative evaluation of Jesus. This evaluation becomes the norm by which we judge the correctness or incorrectness of every other character’s understanding of Him.

"If Mark refuses knowledge of Jesus’ identity to human characters in the beginning and middle of his story, who, then, knows of his identity? The answer is Mark himself as narrator, the reader, and such supernatural beings as God, Satan, and demons." [Note: Kingsbury, p. 38.]

Jesus began His official role as the Messiah at His baptism (cf. 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalms 89:26; Hebrews 1:5). He also began His official role as the Suffering Servant of the Lord then (cf. Mark 8:31; Mark 9:30-31; Mark 10:32-34; Mark 10:45; Mark 15:33-39).

"Jesus’ baptism did not change His divine status. He did not become the Son of God at His baptism (or at the transfiguration, Mark 9:7). Rather, His baptism showed the far-reaching significance of His acceptance of His messianic vocation as the suffering Servant of the Lord as well as the Davidic Messiah. Because He is the Son of God, the One approved by the Father and empowered by the Spirit, He is the Messiah (not vice versa)." [Note: Grassmick, pp. 105-6.]