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The phrase after John points to the continuity between John and Jesus, placing Jesus' ministry at the center of the divine plan of salvation. The good news of God is summarized in 1:15. “The time has come” announces the long-awaited time (kairos) of God’s visitation and declares an end to the time of anticipation. “The kingdom of God is near” suggests that the new era has been introduced but is not fully present. These are parallel statements (Ambrozic, 3-31); together they proclaim the initiation of the sovereign action of God that brings salvation.
The presence of God’s kingdom is not dependent on human action as such but does lay a claim on humanity. Would-be disciples are called to a radical reorientation of their lives appropriate to the newness of this time (see 8:34-38). The focus of this commitment is the good news, Jesus as the bringer of the kingdom and his message of salvation.
To the Jews, “kingdom of God” denoted the lordship of God and his intervention in history to establish his rule in a visible, powerful way. At his coming, God would rescue his faithful and condemn their oppressors. Righteousness and mercy would be the order of the day, for then God’s peace would be experienced eternally (see Green, Gospels, 149-58). Jesus proclaimed the presence of this kingdom. Good news indeed!
After 1:1-15 Jesus' identity is clear, but only to Mark’s readers. The characters of the story struggle to understand Jesus' significance; they are able to do so only partially throughout the story.