Mar 1 | TNotes | STEP | Book of Mark — Quick facts: Purpose: To relay the Good News about Jesus, who is the Messiah and Son of God Author: John Mark, who according to early tradition put in writing the recollections of the apostle Peter Date: Likely written sometime during the late 60s AD Setting: Written at a time in which Christians in the Roman world were facing persecution—necessitating that the gospel traditions begin to be written down—and Jerusalem’s destruction was imminent Book of Mark — Overview: Setting It is generally agreed that Mark was the first of the four canonical Gospels to be written. Before the writing of Mark, there were no Gospels as such. The gospel traditions were circulated or “delivered” orally under the supervision of the eyewitnesses and ministers of the word of God (Luke 1:2 ). As these eyewitnesses began to die, it became important to record the gospel traditions in writing. According to church tradition, after the martyrdom of Peter in the mid-60s AD , the church in Rome asked John Mark to put into writing the accounts of Jesus’ life and teachings that Peter had delivered to them orally. As a result, Mark became the first to compose what we call a “Gospel,” a written account of Jesus’ life and teachings, from the oral materials about Jesus. Summary The overall structure of Mark is geographical. The first nine chapters narrate events of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee and its environs. In 10:1-52 , Jesus and the disciples travel from Galilee to Jerusalem, and the last chapters of the book (11:1–16:20 ) take place in and around Jerusalem. (Matthew and Luke, in their use of Mark, followed this geographical outline, but John organized his Gospel in a different way.) Within the geographical outline, Mark has arranged much of his material topically. Thus we have collections of miracle stories (1:21-45 ; 4:35–5:43 ), controversy stories (2:1–3:6 ; 12:13-37 ), parables (4:1-34 ), and teachings about the end (13:5-37 ). Some of the materials include indicators of chronological sequence: Jesus’ ministry began with his baptism (1:2-11 ; see Acts 1:22 ; 10:37 ) and temptation (Mark 1:12-13 ); his suffering, death, and resurrection occurred at the end (11:1–16:8 ). A few individual accounts are tied together chronologically, such as Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi (8:27-33 ) and Jesus’ transfiguration (9:1-13 ; see also 1:29 , 35 ). The major turning point in Jesus’ ministry is highlighted in 8:27-33 , very near the center of the book. At Caesarea Philippi, the disciples confess for the first time their belief that Jesus is the Messiah (8:29 ). Upon this acknowledgment, Jesus “began to tell them” of his forthcoming death and resurrection (8:31 ; cp. Matt 16:21 ). Jesus’ death and resurrection are the dominant theme of 8:31–16:8 . Author The earliest known reference to the authorship of Mark comes from Papias at the beginning of the second century. The early church historian Eusebius quotes Papias as having said, “Mark became Peter’s interpreter and wrote accurately all that he remembered, not, indeed, in order, of the things said or done by the Lord. For he had not heard the Lord, nor had he followed him, but later on ... followed Peter” (Eusebius, Church History 3.39.16). The early church was unanimous in attributing this Gospel to John Mark. It is unlikely that Papias and others would have attributed this Gospel to a non-apostle with a tarnished reputation (see Acts 13:13 ; 15:36-41 ) unless Mark were in fact the author. The author of this Gospel was bilingual, as the Aramaic phrases in its Greek text suggest (e.g., Mark 5:41 ; 7:34 ; 15:34 ). He was also Jewish, in that he knew and explained various Jewish customs to his Gentile readers (e.g., 7:3-4 ; 14:12 ). John Mark was indeed a Jew who was raised in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12 ). He thus knew Aramaic (the native language of the people of Judea) and was familiar with Jewish customs. Some have objected that this Gospel does not clearly indicate a connection between Mark and Peter and that it looks more polished as a literary composition than one might expect from a direct record of Peter’s eyewitness testimony. But if this Gospel was written near or after Peter’s death (see “Date” below), Peter had been telling these stories for over thirty years. Through continual retelling, his gospel account would have been become well polished. There are also references to Peter in this Gospel that might be due to Mark’s personal connection with him (e.g., Mark 1:16-20 ; 8:32-33 ; 9:5-6 ; 14:28-31 , 66-72 ). It fits the evidence well to consider this Gospel as having indeed been written by John Mark, Barnabas’s cousin, based on Peter’s gospel accounts. Date John Mark probably wrote down Peter’s teaching about Jesus around the time of Peter’s death. Peter died in Rome around AD 64 in the persecution that Nero waged against Christians. Mark probably wrote this Gospel in the late 60s, and a couple of considerations support this hypothesis. (1) The emphasis on faithfulness in time of persecution (4:17 ; 8:34-38 ; 10:30 ; 13:9-13 ) suggests a time during or shortly after Nero’s persecution in the mid-60s. And (2) The discourse of Jesus recorded in chapter 13 suggests that the destruction of Jerusalem was rapidly drawing near—the Jewish revolt ( AD 66–73) had probably already begun. Audience The Gospel of Mark was written for the church in Rome, according to tradition. It is clear that the original readers were Greek-speaking and that they were Gentiles, because the author explains Jewish customs (e.g., 7:3-4 ; 14:12 ) and distinguishes his readers from “the Jews” (7:3 ). The original readers were Christians. They were familiar with the gospel traditions, for the author does not explain various Old Testament references (2:25-26 ) or such things as who John the Baptist was (1:2-8 ), who Isaiah the prophet was (1:2 ), or who the Pharisees and teachers of religious law were (7:1 ). It is also apparent that the readers were Romans, as indicated by the “Latinisms” in Mark. In 6:27 , he uses a Latin word meaning “soldier”; in 12:42 , he uses a Roman coin (the quadran ) to explain the meaning of “two lepta ” (Greek coins); and in 15:39 , 44-45 , he uses the Latin word “centurion” rather than the Greek word with the same meaning that Matthew and Luke use. Literary Features Mark’s own editorial work can be seen most clearly in his introductory statements (e.g., 1:21-22 ; 2:1 ; 4:1 ; 7:1 ), in his explanatory comments (e.g., 1:16 ; 2:15 ; 5:8 , 28 , 42 ; 6:14 , 17 , 20 , 52 ; 7:3-4 ), and in his summaries (e.g., 1:14-15 , 34 , 39 ; 3:7-12 ; 6:53-56 ). Mark repeats various terms and expressions to show progress, such as “suddenly,” “at once,” and “immediately” (e.g., 1:23 ; 3:6 ; 6:45 ). He uses the Greek present tense in the narrative, rather than a simple past tense, to give a sense of immediacy (e.g., 1:12 , 21 , 38 , 40 , 44 ; 2:3 ; 3:13 ). Mark also often sandwiches one story within another (e.g., 3:22-30 into 3:20-21 , 31-35 ; 5:25-34 into 5:21-24 , 35-43 ; 11:15-19 into 11:12-14 , 20-26 ); in the last example, this sandwiching indicates that the middle part (11:15-19 , the cleansing of the Temple) is to be understood in light of the story surrounding it (11:12-14 , 20-26 , the cursing of the fig tree)—the cleansing of the Temple was a symbolic act of judgment (cp. 13:3-37 ). Thus, Mark’s editorial work relates different events and shows meaningful connections. Meaning and Message The Person of Christ. Mark’s major theological emphasis is the identity of Jesus of Nazareth. This emphasis is stated in the opening verse of the Gospel: Mark wanted his readers to know that Jesus of Nazareth is “the Messiah, the Son of God.” The title “Son of God” occurs frequently in Mark, and there are diverse witnesses to Jesus’ status as God’s son: the demons (1:34 ; 3:11 ; 5:7 ; cp. 1:24 ); God himself (1:11 ; 9:7 ); Mark, the author (1:1 ); a Roman centurion (15:39 ); and Jesus himself (12:6 ; 13:32 ; 14:61-62 ). Other titles for Jesus occur in Mark’s Gospel, including Jesus’ own favorite, “Son of Man” (e.g., 2:10 ). But in Mark’s Gospel all of these titles, as well as his actions (e.g., 1:22 ; 4:41 ), point to his identity as the Christ (or Messiah), the Son of God. During his life, the Son of God needed to protect himself and his followers from the prevailing misconceptions in the minds of the people about what the term “Christ” (or “Messiah”) meant (see “The Secret of the Messiah” below). Jesus’ ultimate mission as the Son of God is explained through his death, in which he gave his life as a ransom for many. The call to Christian discipleship is a call to follow the Messiah, the Son of God, especially in his servanthood and sacrifice. Jesus’ ministry as Son of God during his life on earth also points forward to his return as the Son of God, ruling God’s Kingdom. The Death of Jesus. The Gospel of Mark puts a lot of emphasis on the account of Jesus’ passion —his suffering, death, and resurrection. Throughout the Gospel we find numerous references to the death of Jesus (2:19-20 ; 3:6 ; 8:31 ; 9:9 , 12 , 31 ; 10:33-34 , 45 ; 12:1-11 ; 14:1-11 , 21 , 24-25 , 36 , 14:64–15:47 ). Mark emphasizes that Jesus’ death was part of God’s plan. His death was a divine necessity (8:31 ), for God had willed it (10:45 ; 14:36 ). The Old Testament also teaches of the Messiah’s death (see 9:12 ; 14:21 , 27 , 49 ). Jesus came to give his life as a ransom for many (10:45 ) and to pour out his blood sacrificially in order to establish a new covenant (14:24 ). Christian Discipleship. Mark emphasizes the importance of following Jesus by denying oneself and taking up one’s cross (see 8:34 ). Christian discipleship does not permit a half-hearted response but requires leaving everything to follow Jesus (1:18 , 20 ; 10:21 , 29 ). Christian discipleship might even bring persecution and martyrdom (13:9-13 a), but Christians are promised that endurance in faith means salvation (13:13 ) and eternal life (10:30 ). The “Secret of the Messiah.” Throughout Mark’s Gospel, Jesus tells others not to broadcast his true identity. This is likely because of the tendency for people to misunderstand who he is and what he has come to do. Yet the secret is not and cannot be kept (7:36 ). Jesus creates such wonder and amazement that he simply cannot remain hidden. But while the characters in the story struggle to grasp Jesus’ identity correctly, Mark’s readers have the privilege of understanding the full picture of Jesus’ identity in light of his death and resurrection. The Coming of God’s Kingdom. The arrival of God’s Kingdom is central to Jesus’ message. People need to repent and believe the gospel because the Kingdom of God has arrived (1:14-15 ). Old Testament promises are being fulfilled. Life in the Kingdom is different from what it was during the time awaiting the Kingdom. 1:1 Mark opens with an introduction. This Gospel is about Jesus . With every account in Mark, one should ask, “What is Mark teaching about Jesus in this passage?” • Good News , a frequent term in Mark (see 1:14-15 ; 8:35 ; 10:29 ; 13:10 ; 14:9 ), is frequently translated gospel . See study note on Mark 1:15. • The Hebrew word mashiakh ( Messiah ) is equivalent to the Greek term christos (Christ). Both words mean “anointed.” In the Old Testament, priests (Exod 28:41 ; Lev 16:32 ; 21:10 ), kings (2 Sam 1:14 , 16 ; 19:21 ; Ps 2 ), and prophets (1 Kgs 19:16 ) were anointed with oil to indicate the Lord’s presence, blessing, and authority for the tasks to which God called them. As time went on, Israelites increasingly looked forward to the coming of the Messiah, “the Anointed One,” a descendant of David who would be Israel’s king. The first-century political connotations of this title were such that Jesus avoided openly declaring that he was the Messiah (see Mark 3:11-12 ; 8:27-30 ; 14:61-63 ; 15:2 , 26 ; John 4:25-26 ). • the Son of God: This title emphasizes Jesus’ unique relationship with God the Father (Mark 1:11 ; 9:7 ; 12:4-6 ; 14:61-62 ).

Book of Mark — Quick facts:

Purpose: To relay the Good News about Jesus, who is the Messiah and Son of God

Author: John Mark, who according to early tradition put in writing the recollections of the apostle Peter

Date: Likely written sometime during the late 60s AD

Setting: Written at a time in which Christians in the Roman world were facing persecution—necessitating that the gospel traditions begin to be written down—and Jerusalem’s destruction was imminent

Book of Mark — Overview:

Setting
It is generally agreed that Mark was the first of the four canonical Gospels to be written. Before the writing of Mark, there were no Gospels as such. The gospel traditions were circulated or “delivered” orally under the supervision of the eyewitnesses and ministers of the word of God (Luke 1:2 ^a). As these eyewitnesses began to die, it became important to record the gospel traditions in writing. According to church tradition, after the martyrdom of Peter in the mid-60s AD, the church in Rome asked John Mark to put into writing the accounts of Jesus’ life and teachings that Peter had delivered to them orally. As a result, Mark became the first to compose what we call a “Gospel,” a written account of Jesus’ life and teachings, from the oral materials about Jesus.

Summary
The overall structure of Mark is geographical. The first nine chapters narrate events of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee and its environs. In 10:1-52 ^b, Jesus and the disciples travel from Galilee to Jerusalem, and the last chapters of the book (11:1–16:20 ^c) take place in and around Jerusalem. (Matthew and Luke, in their use of Mark, followed this geographical outline, but John organized his Gospel in a different way.)
Within the geographical outline, Mark has arranged much of his material topically. Thus we have collections of miracle stories (1:21-45 ^d; 4:35–5:43 ^e), controversy stories (2:1–3:6 ^f; 12:13-37 ^g), parables (4:1-34 ^h), and teachings about the end (13:5-37 ⁱ). Some of the materials include indicators of chronological sequence: Jesus’ ministry began with his baptism (1:2-11 ^j; see Acts 1:22 ^k; 10:37 ^l) and temptation (Mark 1:12-13 ^m); his suffering, death, and resurrection occurred at the end (11:1–16:8 ⁿ). A few individual accounts are tied together chronologically, such as Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi (8:27-33 ^o) and Jesus’ transfiguration (9:1-13 ^p; see also 1:29 ^q, 35 ^r).
The major turning point in Jesus’ ministry is highlighted in 8:27-33 ^s, very near the center of the book. At Caesarea Philippi, the disciples confess for the first time their belief that Jesus is the Messiah (8:29 ^t). Upon this acknowledgment, Jesus “began to tell them” of his forthcoming death and resurrection (8:31 ^u; cp. Matt 16:21 ^v). Jesus’ death and resurrection are the dominant theme of 8:31–16:8 ^w.

Author
The earliest known reference to the authorship of Mark comes from Papias at the beginning of the second century. The early church historian Eusebius quotes Papias as having said, “Mark became Peter’s interpreter and wrote accurately all that he remembered, not, indeed, in order, of the things said or done by the Lord. For he had not heard the Lord, nor had he followed him, but later on ... followed Peter” (Eusebius, Church History 3.39.16).
The early church was unanimous in attributing this Gospel to John Mark. It is unlikely that Papias and others would have attributed this Gospel to a non-apostle with a tarnished reputation (see Acts 13:13 ^x; 15:36-41 ^y) unless Mark were in fact the author.
The author of this Gospel was bilingual, as the Aramaic phrases in its Greek text suggest (e.g., Mark 5:41 ^z; 7:34 ^aa; 15:34 ^ab). He was also Jewish, in that he knew and explained various Jewish customs to his Gentile readers (e.g., 7:3-4 ^ac; 14:12 ^ad). John Mark was indeed a Jew who was raised in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12 ^ae). He thus knew Aramaic (the native language of the people of Judea) and was familiar with Jewish customs.
Some have objected that this Gospel does not clearly indicate a connection between Mark and Peter and that it looks more polished as a literary composition than one might expect from a direct record of Peter’s eyewitness testimony. But if this Gospel was written near or after Peter’s death (see “Date” below), Peter had been telling these stories for over thirty years. Through continual retelling, his gospel account would have been become well polished. There are also references to Peter in this Gospel that might be due to Mark’s personal connection with him (e.g., Mark 1:16-20 ^af; 8:32-33 ^ag; 9:5-6 ^ah; 14:28-31 ^ai, 66-72 ^aj). It fits the evidence well to consider this Gospel as having indeed been written by John Mark, Barnabas’s cousin, based on Peter’s gospel accounts.

Date
John Mark probably wrote down Peter’s teaching about Jesus around the time of Peter’s death. Peter died in Rome around AD 64 in the persecution that Nero waged against Christians. Mark probably wrote this Gospel in the late 60s, and a couple of considerations support this hypothesis. (1) The emphasis on faithfulness in time of persecution (4:17 ^ak; 8:34-38 ^al; 10:30 ^am; 13:9-13 ^an) suggests a time during or shortly after Nero’s persecution in the mid-60s. And (2) The discourse of Jesus recorded in chapter 13 ^ao suggests that the destruction of Jerusalem was rapidly drawing near—the Jewish revolt (AD 66–73) had probably already begun.

Audience
The Gospel of Mark was written for the church in Rome, according to tradition. It is clear that the original readers were Greek-speaking and that they were Gentiles, because the author explains Jewish customs (e.g., 7:3-4 ^ap; 14:12 ^aq) and distinguishes his readers from “the Jews” (7:3 ^ar).
The original readers were Christians. They were familiar with the gospel traditions, for the author does not explain various Old Testament references (2:25-26 ^as) or such things as who John the Baptist was (1:2-8 ^at), who Isaiah the prophet was (1:2 ^au), or who the Pharisees and teachers of religious law were (7:1 ^av).
It is also apparent that the readers were Romans, as indicated by the “Latinisms” in Mark. In 6:27 ^aw, he uses a Latin word meaning “soldier”; in 12:42 ^ax, he uses a Roman coin (the quadran) to explain the meaning of “two lepta” (Greek coins); and in 15:39 ^ay, 44-45 ^az, he uses the Latin word “centurion” rather than the Greek word with the same meaning that Matthew and Luke use.

Literary Features
Mark’s own editorial work can be seen most clearly in his introductory statements (e.g., 1:21-22 ^ba; 2:1 ^bb; 4:1 ^bc; 7:1 ^bd), in his explanatory comments (e.g., 1:16 ^be; 2:15 ^bf; 5:8 ^bg, 28 ^bh, 42 ^bi; 6:14 ^bj, 17 ^bk, 20 ^bl, 52 ^bm; 7:3-4 ^bn), and in his summaries (e.g., 1:14-15 ^bo, 34 ^bp, 39 ^bq; 3:7-12 ^br; 6:53-56 ^bs).
Mark repeats various terms and expressions to show progress, such as “suddenly,” “at once,” and “immediately” (e.g., 1:23 ^bt; 3:6 ^bu; 6:45 ^bv). He uses the Greek present tense in the narrative, rather than a simple past tense, to give a sense of immediacy (e.g., 1:12 ^bw, 21 ^bx, 38 ^by, 40 ^bz, 44 ^ca; 2:3 ^cb; 3:13 ^cc). Mark also often sandwiches one story within another (e.g., 3:22-30 ^cd into 3:20-21 ^ce, 31-35 ^cf; 5:25-34 ^cg into 5:21-24 ^ch, 35-43 ^ci; 11:15-19 ^cj into 11:12-14 ^ck, 20-26 ^cl); in the last example, this sandwiching indicates that the middle part (11:15-19 ^cm, the cleansing of the Temple) is to be understood in light of the story surrounding it (11:12-14 ^cn, 20-26 ^co, the cursing of the fig tree)—the cleansing of the Temple was a symbolic act of judgment (cp. 13:3-37 ^cp). Thus, Mark’s editorial work relates different events and shows meaningful connections.

Meaning and Message
The Person of Christ. Mark’s major theological emphasis is the identity of Jesus of Nazareth. This emphasis is stated in the opening verse of the Gospel: Mark wanted his readers to know that Jesus of Nazareth is “the Messiah, the Son of God.” The title “Son of God” occurs frequently in Mark, and there are diverse witnesses to Jesus’ status as God’s son: the demons (1:34 ^cq; 3:11 ^cr; 5:7 ^cs; cp. 1:24 ^ct); God himself (1:11 ^cu; 9:7 ^cv); Mark, the author (1:1 ^cw); a Roman centurion (15:39 ^cx); and Jesus himself (12:6 ^cy; 13:32 ^cz; 14:61-62 ^da). Other titles for Jesus occur in Mark’s Gospel, including Jesus’ own favorite, “Son of Man” (e.g., 2:10 ^db). But in Mark’s Gospel all of these titles, as well as his actions (e.g., 1:22 ^dc; 4:41 ^dd), point to his identity as the Christ (or Messiah), the Son of God.
During his life, the Son of God needed to protect himself and his followers from the prevailing misconceptions in the minds of the people about what the term “Christ” (or “Messiah”) meant (see “The Secret of the Messiah” below). Jesus’ ultimate mission as the Son of God is explained through his death, in which he gave his life as a ransom for many. The call to Christian discipleship is a call to follow the Messiah, the Son of God, especially in his servanthood and sacrifice. Jesus’ ministry as Son of God during his life on earth also points forward to his return as the Son of God, ruling God’s Kingdom.
The Death of Jesus. The Gospel of Mark puts a lot of emphasis on the account of Jesus’ passion—his suffering, death, and resurrection. Throughout the Gospel we find numerous references to the death of Jesus (2:19-20 ^de; 3:6 ^df; 8:31 ^dg; 9:9 ^dh, 12 ^di, 31 ^dj; 10:33-34 ^dk, 45 ^dl; 12:1-11 ^dm; 14:1-11 ^dn, 21 ^do, 24-25 ^dp, 36 ^dq, 14:64–15:47 ^dr). Mark emphasizes that Jesus’ death was part of God’s plan. His death was a divine necessity (8:31 ^ds), for God had willed it (10:45 ^dt; 14:36 ^du). The Old Testament also teaches of the Messiah’s death (see 9:12 ^dv; 14:21 ^dw, 27 ^dx, 49 ^dy). Jesus came to give his life as a ransom for many (10:45 ^dz) and to pour out his blood sacrificially in order to establish a new covenant (14:24 ^ea).
Christian Discipleship. Mark emphasizes the importance of following Jesus by denying oneself and taking up one’s cross (see 8:34 ^eb). Christian discipleship does not permit a half-hearted response but requires leaving everything to follow Jesus (1:18 ^ec, 20 ^ed; 10:21 ^ee, 29 ^ef). Christian discipleship might even bring persecution and martyrdom (13:9-13 ^ega), but Christians are promised that endurance in faith means salvation (13:13 ^eh) and eternal life (10:30 ^ei).
The “Secret of the Messiah.” Throughout Mark’s Gospel, Jesus tells others not to broadcast his true identity. This is likely because of the tendency for people to misunderstand who he is and what he has come to do. Yet the secret is not and cannot be kept (7:36 ^ej). Jesus creates such wonder and amazement that he simply cannot remain hidden. But while the characters in the story struggle to grasp Jesus’ identity correctly, Mark’s readers have the privilege of understanding the full picture of Jesus’ identity in light of his death and resurrection.
The Coming of God’s Kingdom. The arrival of God’s Kingdom is central to Jesus’ message. People need to repent and believe the gospel because the Kingdom of God has arrived (1:14-15 ^ek). Old Testament promises are being fulfilled. Life in the Kingdom is different from what it was during the time awaiting the Kingdom.
1:1 ^el Mark opens with an introduction. This Gospel is about Jesus. With every account in Mark, one should ask, “What is Mark teaching about Jesus in this passage?”

• Good News, a frequent term in Mark (see 1:14-15 ^em; 8:35 ^en; 10:29 ^eo; 13:10 ^ep; 14:9 ^eq), is frequently translated gospel. See study note on Mark 1:15.

• The Hebrew word mashiakh (Messiah) is equivalent to the Greek term christos (Christ). Both words mean “anointed.” In the Old Testament, priests (Exod 28:41 ^er; Lev 16:32 ^es; 21:10 ^et), kings (2 Sam 1:14 ^eu, 16 ^ev; 19:21 ^ew; Ps 2 ^ex), and prophets (1 Kgs 19:16 ^ey) were anointed with oil to indicate the Lord’s presence, blessing, and authority for the tasks to which God called them. As time went on, Israelites increasingly looked forward to the coming of the Messiah, “the Anointed One,” a descendant of David who would be Israel’s king. The first-century political connotations of this title were such that Jesus avoided openly declaring that he was the Messiah (see Mark 3:11-12 ^ez; 8:27-30 ^fa; 14:61-63 ^fb; 15:2 ^fc, 26 ^fd; John 4:25-26 ^fe).

• the Son of God: This title emphasizes Jesus’ unique relationship with God the Father (Mark 1:11 ^ff; 9:7 ^fg; 12:4-6 ^fh; 14:61-62 ^fi).
Summary for Mark 1:2-8: 1:2-8 ^fj This account is not primarily about John the Baptist, the messenger, but about the one he announces as “Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God” (1:1 ^fk).
Summary for Mark 1:2-3: 1:2-3 ^fl Mark includes Old Testament prophecies to support his account of the Good News about Jesus Christ. John the Baptist’s role as the prophetic messenger reveals that Jesus is the promised Lord—Christ, the Son of God.

• Isaiah: Mark follows the Jewish practice of mentioning only the most prominent of the sources that make up the quotation (Mal 3:1 ^fm; Isa 40:3 ^fn).
1:3 ^fo John the Baptist was the voice shouting in the wilderness for people to prepare the way for the Lord’s coming. In Isaiah, this prophecy refers to the coming of the Lord, the God of Israel. Here it refers to the Lord Jesus (see 12:35-37 ^fp). The early church called itself “the Way,” probably in reference to this promise (see Acts 9:2 ^fq; 19:9 ^fr, 23 ^fs; 22:4 ^ft; 24:14 ^fu, 22 ^fv; cp. Acts 2:28 ^fw; 18:25-26 ^fx; Rom 2:20 ^fy; 2 Pet 2:2 ^fz, 21 ^ga).
1:4 ^gb John’s mission as the Lord’s messenger was to prepare people for the Messiah’s coming (see Luke 1:76-77 ^gc) by instructing them to confess their sins, turn to God for forgiveness, and be baptized. Those who did this were prepared to receive Jesus’ message (see Luke 7:29-30 ^gd).

• That John was in the wilderness, probably the desert area around the Jordan River north of the Dead Sea, shows that he was the “voice” of whom Isaiah had spoken (Mark 1:3 ^ge).

• be baptized: The exact origin of John’s baptism is unclear. The Qumran community had an initiatory “baptism” which was repeated regularly, but John’s baptism was once for all. Jewish proselyte baptism has also been seen as a possible source, but it is more likely that such baptisms were not practiced until after John’s ministry.
1:5 ^gf All of Judea: John the Baptist created a lot of interest. It was generally believed that there had been no prophet for over 400 years, so prophets were associated with Israel’s past and with the future reign of the Messiah. John preached repentance like the ancient prophets, and he dressed like the great prophet Elijah (1:6 ^gg), who was predicted to return in the last days (Mal 4:5 ^gh).
1:6 ^gi camel hair ... leather belt: Cp. Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8 ^gj).

• For food John ate what was available in the wilderness; locusts were allowed as food (cp. Lev 11:20-24 ^gk).
1:7 ^gl Someone is coming: John knew that he was preparing for the Messiah’s coming, but he did not yet know that Jesus was he (cp. Luke 7:18-23 ^gm).
1:8 ^gn John’s baptism prepared people for God’s Kingdom by calling them to repentance. The baptism of Jesus brought the gift of the Holy Spirit, through whom sinful people become God’s children (Rom 8:15-16 ^go; 1 Cor 12:13 ^gp; Gal 4:6 ^gq).
1:9 ^gr Jesus’ home at this time was in Nazareth, a small town in lower Galilee (Matt 2:19-23 ^gs; Luke 2:39 ^gt). Jesus soon left Nazareth for Capernaum, a city on the Sea of Galilee (Matt 4:13 ^gu).

• John baptized him: Jesus’ reason for receiving the baptism of repentance is explained in Matt 3:14-15 ^gv.
1:10 ^gw The expression the heavens splitting apart indicates Jesus’ unique access to God the Father; in 15:38 ^gx, the same verb includes believers in that access through Jesus’ death.

• All four Gospels refer to the Spirit descending on him like a dove. The Spirit, who was involved in the first creation, acted with Jesus in bringing the new creation (Gen 1:2 ^gy; Rom 8:15-17 ^gz; 1 Cor 6:11 ^ha; Eph 1:13-14 ^hb; 2 Thes 2:13 ^hc).
1:11 ^hd You are my dearly loved Son: By age twelve, Jesus was aware of his unique relationship with God the Father (Luke 2:49 ^he).
Summary for Mark 1:12-13: 1:12-13 ^hf The Spirit then compelled Jesus (cp. Matt 4:1 ^hg; Luke 4:1 ^hh): Jesus was victorious over Satan and temptation from the beginning of his ministry; the later exorcisms (Mark 1:21-34 ^hi; 3:11-12 ^hj; 5:1-20 ^hk; 9:14-27 ^hl) are an outworking of that victory (see 3:27 ^hm).

• Jesus was tempted in the wilderness of Judea. Satan and wild animals (Isa 13:19-22 ^hn; Ezek 34:25 ^ho) give the wilderness an evil aura. The wild animals included dogs, wolves, leopards, jackals, and bears.

• The period of forty days recalls Israel’s forty years of testing in the wilderness. Israel failed, but Jesus was victorious—he was tempted without sinning (Heb 2:18 ^hp; 4:15 ^hq; cp. Jas 1:3 ^hr, 12 ^hs; 1 Pet 1:7 ^ht; Rev 2:10 ^hu).
Summary for Mark 1:14-15: 1:14-15 ^hv This summary introduces 1:14–3:6 ^hw. Such summaries (see also 3:7-12 ^hx; 6:6 ^hy) help hearers understand what follows; most of Mark’s original audience would have heard the Gospel read aloud. 1:14 ^hz Jesus’ ministry is described as beginning after John was arrested. There was some overlap (John 3:22-24 ^ia; 4:1-2 ^ib), but most of Jesus’ ministry occurred after John’s. John also belongs primarily to the old order (Matt 11:7-14 ^ic), while Jesus belongs primarily to the new. Both men fulfilled God’s plan through being arrested and executed (Mark 6:14-29 ^id; 9:31 ^ie; 10:33 ^if). Jesus began preaching in Galilee at this time, but John 2:13–4:43 ^ig suggests that Jesus had had an earlier ministry in Judea.
1:15 ^ih Jesus’ preaching is summarized by his announcement that the Kingdom of God had come, and that people needed to repent and believe the Good News about the Messiah (1:1 ⁱⁱ).

• The Kingdom of God is not tied to a territory; it dynamically began in Jesus’ person and extended to his followers.

• In response to the arrival of God’s Kingdom, people are called to repent (to turn from sin and yield to God) and to have faith in God’s Good News. In Jesus’ time, the Good News was the arrival of God’s reign through the Messiah. For Mark’s later audience, it was the news of Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension, and promised return (15:1–16:8 ^ij). All people, Jews and Gentiles alike, need God’s forgiveness through repentance and faith in Jesus.
Summary for Mark 1:16-20: 1:16-20 ^ik The call of the two pairs of brothers—Simon and Andrew, James and John—followed an earlier encounter with Jesus (John 1:35-42 ^il).
1:17 ^im Mark uses Jesus’ invitation—Come, follow me (1:20 ⁱⁿ; 8:34 ^io)—and the expression “to follow him” (1:18 ^ip; 2:14-15 ^iq; 3:7 ^ir; 5:24 ^is) to indicate what it means to be a Christian (see thematic note for Following Jesus at end of chapter).
Summary for Mark 1:19-20: 1:19-20 ^it Zebedee’s sons ... leaving their father: Jesus later taught that this is the kind of thing that his followers will do (8:34-35 ^iu; Matt 10:37-39 ^iv).
Summary for Mark 1:21-28: 1:21-28 ^iw Jesus’ exorcisms reveal Jesus’ identity and his power over Satan (see study notes on Mark 1:12-13 and 3:27; see also 1:34 ^ix, 39 ^iy; 3:11-12 ^iz, 22 ^ja; 5:1-20 ^jb; 6:13 ^jc; 7:24-30 ^jd; 9:14-29 ^je). 1:21 ^jf Mark introduces his first account of an exorcism with Jesus and his companions going into the synagogue in Capernaum. Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue suggests that he already had a reputation as a teacher and was therefore invited to speak (cp. Acts 13:15 ^jg).
1:22 ^jh The teachers of religious law were professional scribes—scholars who taught, copied, and interpreted Jewish law for the people. They were primarily associated with the Pharisees. The scribes’ authority was derived from quoting other scribes (cp. Matt 5:21-48 ^ji). Jesus’ teaching caused amazement because he spoke and acted with real authority (see Mark 1:27 ^jj; 5:20 ^jk; 6:2 ^jl; 7:37 ^jm; 10:24-32 ^jn; 11:18 ^jo; 15:5 ^jp).
Summary for Mark 1:23-24: 1:23-24 ^jq The demon spoke through the man who was possessed by an evil spirit (1:24 ^jr). Demons frequently cause disease (9:17 ^js, 27 ^jt; Matt 17:15 ^ju) and self-destructive behavior (Mark 1:26 ^jv; 5:2-5 ^jw; 9:17-18 ^jx, 20-22 ^jy). Demons know who Jesus is (1:34 ^jz); they consistently testify that he is the Holy One of God (see 3:11 ^ka; 5:7 ^kb).

• In saying us, the evil spirit spoke on behalf of all demons. It recognized Jesus’ complete authority and understood that he had come to interfere with and destroy evil.
1:25 ^kc Jesus did not need to shout or utter magic words. He simply spoke with the authority of the Son of God (1:1 ^kd), and the evil spirit obeyed.

• Be quiet! Jesus commanded the evil spirit not to make him known. This is an instance of the “messianic secret,” an expression for passages in Mark in which Jesus commands demons or people not to reveal his identity (1:25 ^ke, 34 ^kf; 3:11-12 ^kg; 8:30 ^kh; 9:9 ^ki).
1:26 ^kj The screams and convulsions caused by the evil (literally unclean; also in 1:27 ^kk) spirit were its parting cries of defeat (5:13 ^kl; 9:26 ^km; cp. 15:37 ^kn).
Summary for Mark 1:27-28: 1:27-28 ^ko The amazement caused by this exorcism quickly led to the spread of the news about Jesus.

• What sort of new teaching is this? Jesus’ healings and exorcisms were understood holistically as being part of his teaching (1:21-22 ^kp, 27 ^kq; cp. 1:38-39 ^kr; 3:14-15 ^ks; 6:2 ^kt, 5 ^ku, 12-13 ^kv, 30 ^kw).
Summary for Mark 1:29-30: 1:29-30 ^kx Simon (Peter) was married (see 1 Cor 9:5 ^ky).
1:31 ^kz Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law instantaneously (see also 1:40-45 ^la; 2:1-12 ^lb; 3:1-6 ^lc; 5:25-34 ^ld; 7:31-37 ^le; 8:22-26 ^lf; 10:46-52 ^lg).
Summary for Mark 1:32-34: 1:32-34 ^lh These public healings took place after sunset following the Sabbath (1:21 ^li, 29 ^lj), and there were many witnesses (see also 1:39 ^lk; 3:10-11 ^ll; 6:5 ^lm, 53-56 ^ln).
1:33 ^lo Jesus’ popularity among the crowds was growing (also in 1:37 ^lp, 39 ^lq, 45 ^lr), as contrasted with the growing rejection by the leaders (2:1–3:6 ^ls).
1:34 ^lt the demons knew who he was: See 1:23-25 ^lu.
1:35 ^lv Despite Jesus’ busy ministry, he sought time to pray (6:46 ^lw; 14:32-39 ^lx). Mark emphasizes the importance of prayer in Jesus’ life (cp. Luke 3:21 ^ly; 6:12 ^lz; 9:18 ^ma, 28-29 ^mb; 11:1-4 ^mc; 18:1 ^md; 22:32 ^me).
Summary for Mark 1:38-39: 1:38-39 ^mf Prayer (1:35 ^mg) equipped Jesus to preach, teach, heal, and cast out demons.

• Jesus’ mission in Galilee centered on preaching in the synagogues, where he took the opportunity to speak (1:21 ^mh; Luke 4:16-30 ^mi). Paul later used this same opportunity (Acts 13:5 ^mj, 14-15 ^mk; 14:1 ^ml; 16:13 ^mm; 17:1 ^mn).

• Jesus counted on Jewish hospitality when he traveled (cp. Mark 6:10 ^mo; Gen 18:1-8 ^mp; 19:1-8 ^mq; Luke 10:7 ^mr; Heb 13:2 ^ms; 3 Jn 1:5-8 ^mt).

• The region of Galilee was roughly forty miles north to south and twenty-five miles east to west (sixty-five by forty kilometers). In Jesus’ day, Galilee was ruled by Herod Antipas.
1:40 ^mu Leprosy refers to a number of skin diseases (or even mildew in a building). An infected person was considered unclean and was ostracized from family and society (Lev 13:45-46 ^mv; Num 12:9-12 ^mw; 2 Chr 26:16-21 ^mx; Luke 17:12 ^my).
1:41 ^mz Jesus’ willingness to touch a ceremonially unclean leper reflects the new order of the Kingdom of God (1:15 ^na; 5:25-34 ^nb; Luke 7:36-50 ^nc; see Matt 10:8 ^nd; 11:5 ^ne).
Summary for Mark 1:43-45: 1:43-45 ^nf Jesus told the man to go to the priest to certify his healing and to make the appropriate sacrificial offering. This would be the public testimony of his healing.

• Despite Jesus’ stern warning, ... the man went and spread the word, so that Jesus was not able to go into town but had to preach in more secluded places. Jesus’ fame could not be confined as people from everywhere came to see him (3:7-8 ^ng).

Thematic note: Following Jesus
One of the core purposes of the Gospels is to help readers understand and accept the call to take up their cross and follow Jesus. This call is addressed not only to those who would be Jesus’ apostles (Mark 3:13-19 ^nh; cp. 1:16-20 ⁿⁱ; 2:14 ^nj) but to all who desired to follow him (Mark 8:34 ^nk; cp. 2:15 ^nl; 10:21 ^nm, 52 ⁿⁿ). For some, the call to discipleship is very hard (Mark 10:17-25 ^no), but God provides grace (10:27 ^np). Others find it easy to respond to Jesus’ call (Mark 2:14 ^nq; cp. Luke 7:36-50 ^nr).
For everyone, following Jesus requires a total commitment to turn from selfish ways (Mark 8:34-35 ^ns). Taking up one’s cross is a metaphor for giving up one’s life to follow Jesus—even to death. For example, Peter, Andrew, James, and John left their homes and their source of income to follow Jesus (Mark 1:16-20 ^nt). For one rich man, turning from his selfish ways required selling all he had and giving the proceeds to the poor (Mark 10:21 ^nu). Following Jesus also means being identified with him without being ashamed and being faithful to him and his teachings (Mark 8:38 ^nv; cp. Rom 10:9 ^nw). It requires removing anything that would interfere with following Jesus, regardless of how painful doing so might be (Mark 9:43-48 ^nx). It requires entrusting one’s life entirely to Jesus and repenting of sin (Mark 1:15 ^ny; 6:12 ^nz). It even requires putting loyalty to Jesus above loyalty to one’s own father and mother (Matt 10:37 ^oa; Luke 14:26 ^ob).
Jesus explicitly commanded his disciples to proclaim his message (Matt 28:18-20 ^oc; Luke 24:47-49 ^od; Acts 1:8 ^oe). And we see throughout the rest of the New Testament that Jesus’ followers did indeed proclaim the Good News wherever they went, leading to more and more followers (see Acts 2:14-41 ^of; 3:12-26 ^og; 4:1-2 ^oh, 20 ^oi; 8:4 ^oj; 9:20 ^ok; 11:19-26 ^ol; 13:1-3 ^om; Rom 1:1-16 ^on; 10:14-15 ^oo; 15:18-21 ^op; 1 Cor 9:16 ^oq; Col 1:23 ^or; 1 Thes 2:9 ^os; 2 Tim 4:2 ^ot).
Alongside Jesus’ demands for discipleship are the rewards of following Jesus. Those who follow Jesus are promised entrance into the Kingdom of God (Mark 9:43-48 ^ou; 10:23-31 ^ov). They receive his forgiveness for their sins (Mark 2:10-11 ^ow; see also 3:28 ^ox; 11:25 ^oy), and they become members of the family of God (John 1:12 ^oz). They are saved from judgment (Mark 8:35 ^pa; 13:13 ^pb) and obtain eternal life (Mark 9:43 ^pc; 10:29-30 ^pd; 1 Jn 5:11-12 ^pe).

Passages for Further Study
Hos 6:3 ^pf; Matt 10:37-39 ^pg; 28:18-20 ^ph; Mark 1:15-20 ^pi; 2:14-15 ^pj; 3:13-15 ^pk; 5:18-20 ^pl; 6:6-13 ^pm, 30-32 ^pn; 8:34-38 ^po; 9:38-50 ^pp; 10:17-31 ^pq; 11:22-25 ^pr; 13:9-13 ^ps; Luke 14:25-35 ^pt; 24:47-49 ^pu; John 8:12 ^pv; 10:27 ^pw; 12:26 ^px; Acts 1:8 ^py; 2:42-47 ^pz; 4:16-20 ^qa; 8:4 ^qb; 9:19-30 ^qc; 11:19-24 ^qd; 13:1-3 ^qe; Rom 1:1-16 ^qf; 10:7-15 ^qg; 1 Cor 9:16 ^qh; Eph 5:1 ^qi; Col 1:23 ^qj; 2 Tim 4:2 ^qk; 1 Pet 2:21 ^ql