Mark 1:29-45
Summary for Mark 1:29-30: 1:29-30 a Simon (Peter) was married (see 1 Cor 9:5 b).1:31 c Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law instantaneously (see also 1:40-45 d; 2:1-12 e; 3:1-6 f; 5:25-34 g; 7:31-37 h; 8:22-26 i; 10:46-52 j).
Summary for Mark 1:32-34: 1:32-34 k These public healings took place after sunset following the Sabbath (1:21 l, 29 m), and there were many witnesses (see also 1:39 n; 3:10-11 o; 6:5 p, 53-56 q).
1:33 r Jesus’ popularity among the crowds was growing (also in 1:37 s, 39 t, 45 u), as contrasted with the growing rejection by the leaders (2:1–3:6 v).
1:34 w the demons knew who he was: See 1:23-25 x.
1:35 y Despite Jesus’ busy ministry, he sought time to pray (6:46 z; 14:32-39 aa). Mark emphasizes the importance of prayer in Jesus’ life (cp. Luke 3:21 ab; 6:12 ac; 9:18 ad, 28-29 ae; 11:1-4 af; 18:1 ag; 22:32 ah).
Summary for Mark 1:38-39: 1:38-39 ai Prayer (1:35 aj) 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 ak; Luke 4:16-30 al). Paul later used this same opportunity (Acts 13:5 am, 14-15 an; 14:1 ao; 16:13 ap; 17:1 aq).
• Jesus counted on Jewish hospitality when he traveled (cp. Mark 6:10 ar; Gen 18:1-8 as; 19:1-8 at; Luke 10:7 au; Heb 13:2 av; 3 Jn 1:5-8 aw).
• 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 ax 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 ay; Num 12:9-12 az; 2 Chr 26:16-21 ba; Luke 17:12 bb).
1:41 bc Jesus’ willingness to touch a ceremonially unclean leper reflects the new order of the Kingdom of God (1:15 bd; 5:25-34 be; Luke 7:36-50 bf; see Matt 10:8 bg; 11:5 bh).
Summary for Mark 1:43-45: 1:43-45 bi 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 bj).
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 bk; cp. 1:16-20 bl; 2:14 bm) but to all who desired to follow him (Mark 8:34 bn; cp. 2:15 bo; 10:21 bp, 52 bq). For some, the call to discipleship is very hard (Mark 10:17-25 br), but God provides grace (10:27 bs). Others find it easy to respond to Jesus’ call (Mark 2:14 bt; cp. Luke 7:36-50 bu).
For everyone, following Jesus requires a total commitment to turn from selfish ways (Mark 8:34-35 bv). 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 bw). For one rich man, turning from his selfish ways required selling all he had and giving the proceeds to the poor (Mark 10:21 bx). Following Jesus also means being identified with him without being ashamed and being faithful to him and his teachings (Mark 8:38 by; cp. Rom 10:9 bz). It requires removing anything that would interfere with following Jesus, regardless of how painful doing so might be (Mark 9:43-48 ca). It requires entrusting one’s life entirely to Jesus and repenting of sin (Mark 1:15 cb; 6:12 cc). It even requires putting loyalty to Jesus above loyalty to one’s own father and mother (Matt 10:37 cd; Luke 14:26 ce).
Jesus explicitly commanded his disciples to proclaim his message (Matt 28:18-20 cf; Luke 24:47-49 cg; Acts 1:8 ch). 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 ci; 3:12-26 cj; 4:1-2 ck, 20 cl; 8:4 cm; 9:20 cn; 11:19-26 co; 13:1-3 cp; Rom 1:1-16 cq; 10:14-15 cr; 15:18-21 cs; 1 Cor 9:16 ct; Col 1:23 cu; 1 Thes 2:9 cv; 2 Tim 4:2 cw).
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 cx; 10:23-31 cy). They receive his forgiveness for their sins (Mark 2:10-11 cz; see also 3:28 da; 11:25 db), and they become members of the family of God (John 1:12 dc). They are saved from judgment (Mark 8:35 dd; 13:13 de) and obtain eternal life (Mark 9:43 df; 10:29-30 dg; 1 Jn 5:11-12 dh).
Passages for Further Study
Hos 6:3 di; Matt 10:37-39 dj; 28:18-20 dk; Mark 1:15-20 dl; 2:14-15 dm; 3:13-15 dn; 5:18-20 do; 6:6-13 dp, 30-32 dq; 8:34-38 dr; 9:38-50 ds; 10:17-31 dt; 11:22-25 du; 13:9-13 dv; Luke 14:25-35 dw; 24:47-49 dx; John 8:12 dy; 10:27 dz; 12:26 ea; Acts 1:8 eb; 2:42-47 ec; 4:16-20 ed; 8:4 ee; 9:19-30 ef; 11:19-24 eg; 13:1-3 eh; Rom 1:1-16 ei; 10:7-15 ej; 1 Cor 9:16 ek; Eph 5:1 el; Col 1:23 em; 2 Tim 4:2 en; 1 Pet 2:21 eo
Mark 2:1-12
Summary for Mark 2:1-3:6: 2:1–3:6 ep Five controversy stories (2:1-12 eq, 13-17 er, 18-22 es, 23-28 et; 3:1-6 eu), grouped by their common theme, reveal Jesus’ great authority and the leaders’ hostility toward him.Summary for Mark 2:1-12: 2:1-12 ev This controversy story is also a miracle story, which links it to the previous collection (1:21-45 ew). 2:1 ex back home: See Matt 4:13 ey. The crowd’s size shows Jesus’ popularity.
2:4 ez because of the crowd: See 2:1 fa.
• The roof would have been flat, constructed of mud, thatch, and branches. They literally dug a hole to make an opening.
2:5 fb Jesus saw the faith of the paralytic and the four men who brought him.
• your sins are forgiven: Those listening understood Jesus’ words as a claim to divine authority (2:6-10 fc; Luke 7:48-49 fd).
Summary for Mark 2:6-7: 2:6-7 fe Only God can forgive sins, yet Jesus had authority to do so (2:10 ff).
Summary for Mark 2:9-11: 2:9-11 fg It is easier to say ... your sins are forgiven because this claim cannot be directly proved or disproved, while the claim to heal can be. Jesus showed his ability to heal in order to show his authority to forgive.
2:12 fh We’ve never seen anything like this before! Mark consistently records Jesus creating amazement (1:22 fi, 27 fj; 4:41 fk; 6:50-51 fl).
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