Mark 1
1
1Here is the beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2Just as the prophet Isaiah wrote, “I'm sending my messenger ahead of you to prepare your way. 3A voice is calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the Lord's way! Make his paths straight.’”#1:3. See Malachi 3:1and Isaiah 40:3.
4John came, baptizing in the desert, announcing a baptism of repentance#1:4. Repentance means a “change of mind,” but here also reflects the Old testament prophets' call to return to the Lord as his people and to renounce false religious ideas and evil practices. for the forgiveness of sins. 5Everybody from the country of Judea and from Jerusalem went to him. They admitted their sins publicly and were baptized in the Jordan River.
6John wore clothes made of camel hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts#1:6. Most likely locust beans rather than the insect. and wild honey. 7This is what he had to say: “After me someone is coming who is greater than I am. I'm not worthy to bend down and untie his sandals. 8I baptized you in water but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
9Then Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 10As Jesus came out of the water, he saw the heavens split apart and the Spirit like a dove descending upon#1:10. Or “into.” him. 11A voice from heaven said, “You are my son, the one I love. I am very pleased with you.”
12Right after this the Spirit sent him away into the desert 13where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was with the wild animals, and angels took care of him.
14Later, after John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, announcing God's good news.
15“The time predicted has come,” he said. “God's kingdom has arrived!#1:15. Even “God's rule has been inaugurated!” The kingdom is not to be seen as a territory in the usual sense, but God's kingship and rule being restored through the coming of Jesus. Note also that the verb tense indicates that the kingdom is not merely close, but that it has arrived in the person of Jesus. This adds urgency to the response of repentance. Repent and believe in the good news.”
16As he was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they made their living by fishing. 17“Come and follow me,” he told them, “and I will have you fishing for people.” 18They left their nets at once and followed him.
19He went a little farther and saw James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat mending their nets. 20Immediately he called them to follow him,#1:20. Implied. and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired workers, and followed Jesus.
21They left for Capernaum, and on the Sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught there. 22The people were amazed at his teaching, for he spoke with authority, unlike the religious teachers.#1:22. “Religious teachers” or “scribes.” These were more than “scribes” in the writing sense. These were men who had authority in interpreting Scripture and spent time instructing people in the requirements of the religious law.
23Suddenly, right there in the synagogue, a man with an evil spirit started shouting out, 24“Jesus of Nazareth, why are you bothering us? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are! You're God's Holy One!”
25Jesus interrupted the evil spirit, telling him, “Be quiet! Come out of him.”
26The evil spirit screamed, threw the man into convulsions, and came out of him.
27Everyone was amazed at what happened. “What is this?” they asked each other. “What is this new teaching that has such authority? Even evil spirits do what he tells them!” 28News about him spread quickly throughout the whole region of Galilee.
29Then they left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon and Andrew, along with James and John. 30Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, so they told Jesus about her. 31He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever immediately left her. Then she made them a meal.
32After sunset that evening, those who were sick and demon-possessed were brought to Jesus. 33The whole of the town gathered outside. 34He healed many people who had various diseases, and threw out many demons. He did not permit the demons to speak, for they knew who he was.
35Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went alone to a quiet place to pray. 36Simon and the others went to search for him. 37When they found him, they told him, “Everybody's looking for you.”
38But Jesus replied, “We have to go to the other towns around here so that I can tell them the good news as well—for that's why I came.”
39So he went all over Galilee, speaking in the synagogues and expelling demons.
40A leper came to him asking for help. The man kneeled down before Jesus, saying, “Please, if you're willing, you can heal me!” 41With compassion Jesus reached out and touched the man, and said, “I am willing. Be healed!”
42The leprosy left him immediately, and he was healed. 43Jesus sent him away with a strong warning. 44“Make sure you don't tell anybody anything about this,” he told him. “Go to the priest and show yourself to him. Give the offering which is required by the law of Moses for such cleansing, so that people will have proof.”#1:44. See Leviticus 14.
45But the healed leper went out and told everyone what had happened. As a result Jesus could not openly go into the cities anymore, but had to stay out in the country where people came to him from everywhere around.
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Mark 1: FBV
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Mark 1
1
1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ [the Son of God].#The gospel of Jesus Christ [the Son of God]: the “good news” of salvation in and through Jesus, crucified and risen, acknowledged by the Christian community as Messiah (Mk 8:29; 14:61–62) and Son of God (Mk 1:11; 9:7; 15:39), although some important manuscripts here omit the Son of God.
The Preaching of John the Baptist. 2#Mt 3:1–11; Lk 3:2–16. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:#Although Mark attributes the prophecy to Isaiah, the text is a combination of Mal 3:1; Is 40:3; Ex 23:20; cf. Mt 11:10; Lk 7:27. John’s ministry is seen as God’s prelude to the saving mission of his Son. The way of the Lord: this prophecy of Deutero-Isaiah concerning the end of the Babylonian exile is here applied to the coming of Jesus; John the Baptist is to prepare the way for him. #Mal 3:1.
“Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.
3#Is 40:3; Jn 1:23. A voice of one crying out in the desert:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.’”
4John [the] Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. 6John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist.#Clothed in camel’s hair…waist: the Baptist’s garb recalls that of Elijah in 2 Kgs 1:8. Jesus speaks of the Baptist as Elijah who has already come (Mk 9:11–13; Mt 17:10–12; cf. Mal 3:23–24; Lk 1:17). He fed on locusts and wild honey. 7And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. 8#Through the life-giving baptism with the holy Spirit (Mk 1:8), Jesus will create a new people of God. But first he identifies himself with the people of Israel in submitting to John’s baptism of repentance and in bearing on their behalf the burden of God’s decisive judgment (Mk 1:9; cf. Mk 1:4). As in the desert of Sinai, so here in the wilderness of Judea, Israel’s sonship with God is to be renewed. #Jn 1:27; Acts 1:5; 11:16. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit.”
The Baptism of Jesus. 9#Mt 3:13–17; Lk 3:21–23; Jn 1:32–33. It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.#He saw the heavens…and the Spirit…upon him: indicating divine intervention in fulfillment of promise. Here the descent of the Spirit on Jesus is meant, anointing him for his ministry; cf. Is 11:2; 42:1; 61:1; 63:9. A voice…with you I am well pleased: God’s acknowledgment of Jesus as his unique Son, the object of his love. His approval of Jesus is the assurance that Jesus will fulfill his messianic mission of salvation. 11#Ps 2:7. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
The Temptation of Jesus.#The same Spirit who descended on Jesus in his baptism now drives him into the desert for forty days. The result is radical confrontation and temptation by Satan who attempts to frustrate the work of God. The presence of wild beasts may indicate the horror and danger of the desert regarded as the abode of demons or may reflect the paradise motif of harmony among all creatures; cf. Is 11:6–9. The presence of ministering angels to sustain Jesus recalls the angel who guided the Israelites in the desert in the first Exodus (Ex 14:19; 23:20) and the angel who supplied nourishment to Elijah in the wilderness (1 Kgs 19:5–7). The combined forces of good and evil were present to Jesus in the desert. His sustained obedience brings forth the new Israel of God there where Israel’s rebellion had brought death and alienation. 12At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert,#Mt 4:1–11; Lk 4:1–13. 13and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.
II. THE MYSTERY OF JESUS
The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry. 14#Mt 4:12–17; Lk 4:14–15. After John had been arrested,#After John had been arrested: in the plan of God, Jesus was not to proclaim the good news of salvation prior to the termination of the Baptist’s active mission. Galilee: in the Marcan account, scene of the major part of Jesus’ public ministry before his arrest and condemnation. The gospel of God: not only the good news from God but about God at work in Jesus Christ. This is the time of fulfillment: i.e., of God’s promises. The kingdom of God…Repent: see note on Mt 3:2. Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: 15#Mt 3:2. “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
The Call of the First Disciples.#These verses narrate the call of the first Disciples. See notes on Mt 4:18–22 and Mt 4:20. 16#Mt 4:18–22; Lk 5:2–11. As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. 17Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 18Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. 19He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. 20Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.
The Cure of a Demoniac. 21#The account of a single day’s ministry of Jesus on a sabbath in and outside the synagogue of Capernaum (Mk 1:21–31) combines teaching and miracles of exorcism and healing. Mention is not made of the content of the teaching but of the effect of astonishment and alarm on the people. Jesus’ teaching with authority, making an absolute claim on the hearer, was in the best tradition of the ancient prophets, not of the scribes. The narrative continues with events that evening (Mk 1:32–34; see notes on Mt 8:14–17) and the next day (Mk 1:35–39). The cleansing in Mk 1:40–45 stands as an isolated story. #Lk 4:31–37. Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. 22#Mt 7:28–29. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. 23#An unclean spirit: so called because of the spirit’s resistance to the holiness of God. The spirit knows and fears the power of Jesus to destroy his influence; cf. Mk 1:32, 34; 3:11; 6:13. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; 24#The Holy One of God: not a confession but an attempt to ward off Jesus’ power, reflecting the notion that use of the precise name of an opposing spirit would guarantee mastery over him. Jesus silenced the cry of the unclean spirit and drove him out of the man. he cried out, “What have you to do with us,#What have you to do with us?: see note on Jn 2:4. Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 25Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” 26The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. 27All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 28His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
The Cure of Simon’s Mother-in-Law. 29#Mt 8:14–16; Lk 4:38–41. On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. 31He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
Other Healings. 32When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. 33The whole town was gathered at the door. 34He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Jesus Leaves Capernaum. 35#Lk 4:42–44. Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. 36Simon and those who were with him pursued him 37and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” 39So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
The Cleansing of a Leper. 40#Mt 8:2–4; Lk 5:12–14. A leper#A leper: for the various forms of skin disease, see Lv 13:1–50 and the note on Lv 13:2–4. There are only two instances in the Old Testament in which God is shown to have cured a leper (Nm 12:10–15; 2 Kgs 5:1–14). The law of Moses provided for the ritual purification of a leper. In curing the leper, Jesus assumes that the priests will reinstate the cured man into the religious community. See also note on Lk 5:14. came to him [and kneeling down] begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” 41Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.”#5:30. 42The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.#Lk 17:14. 43Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. 44Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”#Lv 14:2–32. 45The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.
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