Mark 1 Study Notes

1:1 Mark’s Gospel starts at the beginning of the gospel (Gk euangelion, meaning “good news”). The name Jesus is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name Joshua, meaning “Yahweh is salvation.” Jesus is identified as Christ (or Messiah) and Son of God. Jesus is often identified as God’s Son in Mark: at his baptism (v. 11), by demons (3:11; 5:7), at the transfiguration (9:7), at his trial (14:61), and by the centurion’s confession (15:39).

1:2-3 As it is written is a formulaic expression indicating the authoritative character of the OT (7:6; 9:13; 11:17; 14:21,27). The phrase in Isaiah the prophet introduces a mixed quotation from Ex 23:20; Is 40:3; and Mal 3:1. Hence some manuscripts read “in the prophets.” In its original context, Lord refers to God. The messenger announces the coming of God himself. The Gospel writers applied the words to Jesus, who is God in flesh (Jn 1:14).

1:4 Mark introduces John as baptizing in the wilderness, a place that recalled Israel’s disobedience (Jos 5:6) and God’s redemption. John called for a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. “Repentance” means “to change one’s mind.” It involves a deliberate turn from sins.

1:5 That John attracted the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem indicates his appeal among both country folk and urbanites.

1:6 John’s dress was like Elijah’s (2Kg 1:8) and other prophets (Zch 13:4). Mark’s description suggests that John was the Elijah who was expected to return and call the nation to repent before the day of the Lord (Mal 4:5-6).

1:7-8 John announced that the coming one was more powerful and that he was not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals—a task for Gentile slaves. The coming one was also superior in his work: he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit (Ac 11:16; see notes at Ac 1:5 and 1:8). John’s baptism was symbolic; Jesus’s baptism would introduce the reality.

1:9-11 Nazareth is mentioned only here in Mark (cp. 6:1). Three things occurred as soon as Jesus came up out of the water. The heavens were torn open . . . the Spirit descended, and God’s voice came from heaven. My beloved Son indicates the Son’s uniqueness and recalls Abraham’s love for Isaac (Gn 22:2,12,16). Only Israel (Ex 4:23) and Israel’s king (Ps 2:7) were called God’s son in the OT. The divine declaration in Mk 1:11 announced Jesus’s eternal relationship to God. All three persons of the Trinity were represented at Jesus’s baptism.

1:12-13 The same Spirit who descended on Jesus at his baptism now drove him into the wilderness. “Drove” is a strong term used for the driving out of demons (vv. 34,39; 3:15,22-23; 6:13; 7:26; 9:18,28,38) and other forced expulsions (5:40; 9:47; 12:8). In the wilderness forty days recalls Israel’s testing for forty years as well as Moses’s (Dt 9:18) and Elijah’s (1Kg 19:8) forty-day wilderness fasts. The angels were serving him may indicate that they ministered to Jesus in unstated ways throughout his temptation, though he was not fed until the end (Mt 4:11). Angels also ministered to Elijah during his forty-day wilderness fast (1Kg 19:1-8).

1:14-15 The words after John was arrested indicate an interval between vv. 13 and 14, possibly as long as a year if this parallels Jn 4:3,43. Mark did not include Jesus’s early Judean ministry (Jn 3:22-36). Further details about John’s arrest and execution appear in Mk 6:17-29. The time is fulfilled points to the fulfillment of the OT promises. In the person of Jesus, the kingdom of God was so near that announcement of its arrival demanded immediate response—repent and believe.

1:16-20 Mark included two accounts of Jesus calling fishermen, two pairs of brothers, to become his disciples. These four formed the core of the group (v. 29; 3:16-18; 13:3; see notes at 5:37; 9:2; 14:33). Mark emphasized Jesus’s authority to call people to leave all and follow him. According to Lk 5:7-10, the two pairs of brothers were partners in the fishing business.

1:16-18 The Sea of Galilee was a freshwater lake about twelve miles long and seven miles wide that lay seven hundred feet below sea level. Also known as the Sea of Gennesaret (Lk 5:1) and the Sea of Tiberias (Jn 21:1), it hosted a thriving fishing industry. Brothers Simon and Andrew hailed from Bethsaida, across the northern end of the lake (Jn 1:44), but they now lived in Capernaum (Mk 1:29). Follow me is the heart of NT discipleship. It involves adopting Jesus’s values and lifestyle. I will make you fish for people expands on their former profession. The words also point to a second aspect of discipleship—the call to serve the Lord and people through ministry.

1:19-20 The phrase going on a little farther links the call of the second pair of brothers—James and John—in time and place to the first pair. The fact that hired men were present implies their fishing business was prosperous. Leaving this to follow Jesus meant leaving a nice living. Like the first pair of brothers in v. 18, these followed Jesus. Mark’s words in the Greek directly link their response in v. 20 to Jesus’s command in v. 17.

1:21-22 Capernaum, on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, became Jesus’s home (2:1) and headquarters (Mt 4:13). Mark did not record what Jesus began to teach in the synagogue, but he did say that the people were astonished. This was a regular reaction to Jesus’s teachings (6:2; 7:37; 10:26; 11:18). What impressed listeners was the authority with which Jesus taught. His authority contrasted with that of the scribes who mastered the Torah and treasured traditional interpretations (oral traditions). In Mark the scribes were Jesus’s fiercest opponents (2:6,16; 11:27) and were among the main instigators leading to his death (8:31; 10:33; 11:18; 14:1,43,53; 15:1,31).

1:23-24 Just then links this event to vv. 21-22. Mark used unclean spirit to denote a demonic spirit. “Unclean spirit” contrasts with the demons’ identification of Jesus as the Holy One of God. Have you come to destroy us? Clearly the demons recognized and acknowledged the person and work of Jesus before humans did.

1:25-26 On the basis of the authority of his word, Jesus rebuked and expelled the spirit, commanding it to be silent, [lit “be muzzled”] and come out of him. The spirit threw him into convulsions (see note at 9:26-27), and shouted its desperate but futile resistance to Jesus.

1:27-28 The people were amazed to see an exorcism, especially given the authoritative manner in which Jesus accomplished it. Their statement that the unclean spirits . . . obey him indicates their belief that what he did to one spirit, he could do to all. At once indicates how quickly the story of these events traveled throughout . . . Galilee.

1:29-31 As soon as they left the synagogue connects vv. 29-34 to the same Sabbath day as vv. 21-28. Simon and Andrew’s house was large enough to host Jesus and his followers. Archaeologists have identified such a house near the synagogue in Capernaum. Simon’s mother-in-law indicates that Peter was married. First Co 9:5 suggests Peter’s wife was supportive of his ministry. Jesus did not speak any words to heal Peter’s mother-in-law; he simply took her by the hand. The phrase raised her up is a common expression for Jesus’s healings in Mark (2:9,11; 3:3; 5:41; 9:27; 10:49).

1:32-34 The expressions when evening came and after the sun had set emphasize that the Sabbath prohibitions against work were over since the Sabbath ended at sunset. Those who were sick and demon-possessed recalls the two types of healings Jesus performed earlier that day (vv. 23-26 and 30-31). That there is a difference between disease and demon possession is affirmed by Mark’s description of Jesus’s actions: He healed the sick but drove out the demons (3:10-11; 6:13). That Jesus healed various diseases points to the comprehensive nature of his healing powers.

1:35-39 Very early in the morning and while it was still dark together indicate that Jesus did not rest much after the previous evening’s activity. The early hour explains how he got out of town undetected. The motion verbs got up, went out, and made his way describe Jesus’s search for a deserted place, the same word used for the wilderness where John preached (v. 4) and where Jesus was tempted (v. 12). Simon and his companions refers to the four disciples Jesus called. This is the first time Mark depicted Peter as the leading disciple. Apparently everyone expected more miracles, but Jesus intended to preach, thus returning the focus to the start of his ministry (vv. 14-15).

1:40-45 Legislation related to leprosy appears in Lv 13-14. Came to him shows the sick man initiated the action and that he broke protocol in doing so. His words if you are willing, you can make me clean affirmed Jesus’s ability while submitting to his willingness. That Jesus was moved with compassion is a detail only Mark recorded (see parallels in Mt 8:1-4; Lk 5:12-16). To touch someone with leprosy violated OT law and rendered a person unclean. Nevertheless, Jesus reached out his hand and touched him, healing the man immediately. Jesus told him to follow the requirements of Lv 13:47-14:54 as a testimony to the priests of his cure. We do not know whether he completed the prescribed rites, but he disobeyed Jesus’s command to say nothing to anyone about his healing.