In the beginning of his Gospel, Mark lays the foundation of Jesus' mission to show the disciples and us a new way to salvation.  At that time, the Temple served as the center of Jewish life, the place where the economic transactions and social and religious rituals were supposed to sustain the community.  However, often these transactions and rituals benefited only those in power and oppressed the poor.  When Jesus arrives on the scene from a small town in Palestine he doesn't go to the Temple.  Instead, he meets up with John the Baptist in the wilderness.  Here is where he starts his mission.