Mark 1:2

As it is written. In setting forth Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah, Mark points to the confirming evidence of an exact fulfillment of OT prophecy — as did Jesus Himself (Luke 24:25, 27, 44) and, in fact, as did NT writers in general. The witness of fulfilled prophecy is presented in the Bible as one of the strongest proofs of the truth of the Christian faith (see Isa. 41:21-23; 44:7; 46:9, 10; see DA 799). Mark’s quotations (Mark 1:2, 3) are taken from Mal. 3:1 and Isa. 40:3, and follow the LXX more closely than the Hebrew.

The prophets. See on Matt. 3:3. Textual evidence is divided (cf. p. 146) between this reading and “Isaiah the prophet.” The quotation is from Malachi and Isaiah. Compare Matthew’s general reference to the fulfillment of that “which was spoken by the prophets” (see on Matt. 2:23).

Messenger. John the Baptist was the messenger foretold by Isaiah and Malachi; his message consisted in the announcement that the Messiah, the “messenger of the covenant” (Mal. 3:1), had appeared.

Before thy face. See on Matt. 3:3. Similarly, Jesus later sent forth the Seventy to go “before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come” (Luke 10:1).