As a gospel writer Mark isn’t know for being a “detail man.” In fact, Mark’s gospel reads almost like the “Cliff Notes” version of Jesus’ life. And yet, so skillful is Mark’s compressed compilation that every storied moment, every key metaphor and every essential message of Jesus’ mission are portrayed with power and passion. Because Mark’s narrative offers slimmer pickings of detail than the other gospels, it is all the more significant when he does provide particulars of time and place.

In the opening words of today’s gospel text Mark begins the story of Jesus’ active ministry by noting both a specific time and a specific place. The “time” is designated not by a date, but by a watershed event-—“after John was arrested.” Betrayed and imprisoned, John the Baptist’s time of “preparation” f…