^aAs it is written in Isaiah the prophet, ▼

▼Some manuscripts  in the prophets

^c“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,

Verses 2,3 As it is written in the prophets. He mentions prophets, here, without specifying which. The places are found in Mal 3:1; and in Isa 40:3. Mt 3:3.

(b) "in the prophets" Mal 3:1

^dthe voice of one crying in the wilderness:
^e‘Prepare ▼

▼Or  crying: Prepare in the wilderness

the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”

Verse 3.

(c) "The voice" Isa 40:3

^gJohn appeared, baptizing in ^hthe wilderness and proclaiming ⁱa baptism of ^jrepentance ^kfor the forgiveness of sins.

Verse 4.

(d) "John did" Mt 3:1, Lk 3:3, Jn 3:23 (1) "baptism of repentance" or, "unto repentance" (e) "remission of sins" Acts 22:16

And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, ^lconfessing their sins.

Verse 5.

(f) "confessing their sins." Lev 26:40-42, Ps 32:5, Prov 28:13 1Jn 1:8-10

Now John was ^mclothed with camel’s hair and ⁿwore a leather belt around his waist and ate ^olocusts and ^pwild honey.

Verse 6.

(g) "locusts" Lev 11:22

And he preached, saying, ^q“After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

Verse 7.

(h) "There cometh" Mt 3:11, Jn 1:27, Acts 13:25

^rI have baptized you with water, but ^she will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Verse 8.

Mt 3:3, also Mt 3:4-6,11.

(i) "baptize you with" Joel 2:28, Acts 1:5, 2:4, 10:45, 11:15,16, 1Cor 12:13

^tIn those days Jesus ^ucame from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Verse 9.

(k) "baptized of John" Mt 3:13, Lk 3:21.

And when he came up out of the water, immediately he ^vsaw ^wthe heavens being torn open ^xand the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

Verse 10.

(1) "opened" or, "cloven", or "rent"

And ^ya voice came from heaven, ^z“You are my beloved Son; ▼

▼Or  my Son, my (or the) Beloved

with you I am well pleased.”

Verse 11.

Mt 3:13, also Mt 3:14-17

(m) "my beloved Son" Psa 2:7

^abThe Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.

Verses 12,13. Mark here relates concisely what Matthew has recorded, more at length in Mt 4.

The spirit driveth. The word driveth does not mean that he was compelled forcibly against his will to go there, but that he was inclined to go there by the Spirit, or was led there. The Spirit of God, for important purposes, caused him to go. Comp. Mt 9:25, where the same word is used in the original: "But when the people were put forth"-- in Greek, all driven out.

And was with the wild beasts. This is added to show the desolation and danger of his dwelling there. In this place, surrounded by such dangers, the temptations offered by Satan were the stronger. Amidst want, and perils, Satan might suppose he would be more easily seduced from God. But he trusted in his Father, and was alike delivered from dangers, from the wild beasts, and from the power of temptation: thus teaching us what to do in the day of danger and trial.

And the angels ministered unto him. From Lk 4:2, we learn that in those days he did eat nothing. When Mark says, therefore, that the angels ministered to him, it means after the days of temptation had expired, as is said by Matthew, Mt 4:11.

^acAnd he was in the wilderness forty days, being ^adtempted by ^aeSatan. And he was with the wild animals, and ^afthe angels were ministering to him.

Verse 13.

(n) "And he was" Mt 4:1, Lk 4:1

^agNow after John was arrested, Jesus ^ahcame into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,

Verse 14. Now after that John, etc. John was imprisoned by Herod, Mt 14:3.

Jesus came into Galilee. He left Judea, and went into the more retired country of Galilee. He supposed that if he remained in Judea, Herod would also persecute him, and attempt his life. His time of death had not come; and he therefore prudently sought safety in retirement, hence we may learn, that when we have great duties to perform for the church of God, we are not wantonly to endanger our lives. When we can secure them without a sacrifice of principle, we are to do it. See Mt 24:16.

(o) "Jesus came" Mt 4:23 (p) "The Gospel" Lk 8:1

and saying, ^ai“The time is fulfilled, and ^ajthe kingdom of God is at hand; ^akrepent and believe in the gospel.”

Verse 15. The time is fulfilled. That is, the time for the appearance of the Messiah. The time, so long foretold, has come.

The kingdom of God is at hand. Mt 3:2.

Repent ye. Exercise sorrow for sins, and turn from them. And believe the Gospel. Literally, trust in the gospel, or believe the good tidings--to wit, respecting salvation. Mt 4:17.

(q) "time is" Dan 2:44, 9:25, Gal 4:4, Eph 1:10 (r) "repent ye" Acts 2:38 (s) "believe" Rom 16:26

^alPassing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

Verse 16.

(t) "Now as he" Mt 4:18, Lk 5:4

And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become ^amfishers of men.” ▼

▼The Greek word anthropoi refers here to both men and women

And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.

And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

^aoAnd they went into Capernaum, and immediately ^apon the Sabbath ^aqhe entered the synagogue and was teaching.

Verses 21-27. See Lk 4:31-37

Verse 21. And they went into Capernaum. For the situation of Capernaum, see Mt 4:13.

Straightway. Immediately. On the following Sabbath.

The synagogue. Mt 4:23.

And taught. In the synagogue, the presiding elder, after reading the Scriptures, invited any who chose to address the people, Acts 13:15. Though our Saviour was not a priest of the Levitical order, or an officer of the synagogue, yet we find him often availing himself of this privilege, and delivering his doctrines to the Jews.

And ^arthey were astonished at his teaching, ^asfor he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

Verse 22. He taught them as one that had authority, etc. Mt 7:29.

(u) "And they" Mt 7:26

And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,

Verse 23. A man with an unclean spirit. See Mt 4:24. It is probable that this man had lucid intervals, or he would not have been admitted into the synagogue. While there, one of his fits came on, and he suddenly cried out.

(v) "And there was" Lk 4:33.

^at“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? ^auI know who you are— ^avthe Holy One of God.”

Verse 24. Let us alone. Though but one impure spirit is mentioned as possessing this man, yet that spirit speaks also in the name of others. They were leagued together in the work of evil, and this one knew that if he was punished, others would also share the same fate.

What have we to do with thee? This seems to mean, "Have we injured thee?" or, We have done nothing to injure thee. See "1Ki 17:18". By this the spirit meant to say, that if Jesus cast him out, he would use an improper interference. But this was untrue. The possession of the man was a direct assault on God and his works. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, and he had a right, therefore, to liberate the captive, and to punish him who had possessed him. So Satan still considers it an infringement of his rights, when God frees a sinner from bondage, and destroys his influence over the soul. So he still pleads to be let alone, and to be suffered to lead men captive at his will.

Art thou come to destroy us? Implying that this could not be the intention of the benevolent Messiah; that to be cast out of that man would, in fact, be his destruction, and that therefore he might be suffered still to remain. Or implying, as in Mt 8:29, that the time of their destruction had not come, and that he ought not to destroy them before that.

I know thee, etc. Evil spirits seem to have been acquainted at once with the Messiah. Besides, they had learned from his miracles that he was the Messiah, and had power over them.

The Holy One of God. The Messiah. See Dan 9:24. He is called the Holy One of God, because,

1st, he was eminently pure;

2nd, because he was the only begotten Son of God--equal with the Father; and,

3rd, because he was anointed, or set apart to the work of the Messiah, the Mediator between God and man.

But Jesus ^awrebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”

Verse 25. And Jesus rebuked him. Chode him, or commanded him, with a threatening, to be still. This was not the man that he rebuked, but the spirit, for he instantly commanded the same being to come out of the man. In all this Jesus did not once address the man. His conversation was with evil spirit; proving conclusively that it was not a mere disease, or derangement---for how could the Son of God hold converse with disease, or delirium?--but that he conversed with a being, who also conversed, reasoned, cavilled, felt, resisted, and knew him. There are, therefore, evil spirits; and those spirits have taken possession of men.

Hold thy peace. Greek, Be muzzled. Restrain thyself. Cease from complaints, and come out of the man. This was a very signal proof of the power of Jesus, to be able by a word to silence an evil angel, and, against his will, to compel him to leave a man whom he delighted to torment.

And the unclean spirit, ^axconvulsing him and ^aycrying out with a loud voice, came out of him.

Verse 26. And when the unclean spirit, etc. Still malignant, though doomed to obey--submitting because he was obliged to, not because he chose--he exerted his last power, inflicted all the pain he could, and then bowed to the Son of God, and came out. This is the nature of an evil disposition. Though compelled to obey, though prevented by the command and Providence of God from doing what it would, yet, in seeming to obey, it does all the ill it can, and makes even the appearance of obedience the occasion for increased crime and mischief.

And they were all ^azamazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? ^baA new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

Verses 27,28. And they were all amazed, etc. The power of casting out devils was to them new. It was done by a word. He did it in his own name, and by his own authority. This proved that he was superior to all the unclean spirits. In consequence, his fame spread throughout all the country, and the impression became prevalent that he was the Messiah.

And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

^bbAnd immediately he ▼

▼Some manuscripts they

^bdleft the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

Verses 29-31. See Mt 8:14,15

(w) "And forthwith" Mt 8:14, Lk 4:38

Now ^beSimon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.

And he came and ^bftook her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or ^bgoppressed by demons.

Verses 32-34. See Mt 8:16,17. And at even, when the sun did set. Mt 8:1, etc.

And the whole city was gathered together at the door.

Verse 33. All the city. A great part of the city. A great multitude from the city.

^bhAnd he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And ^bihe would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Verse 34. And suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. They knew that he was the Messiah. If they had spoken, they would have made that known to the people. Jesus was not desirous, at that time, that that should be publicly known, or his name be blazoned abroad. The time had not come when he wished it to be promulgated, and he therefore imposed silence on the evil Spirits.

(1) "because they knew him" or, "to say that they knew him"

^bjAnd rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and ^bkthere he prayed.

Verses 35-37. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day. Luke says, (Lk 4:42,) it was day. The passage in Mark means, in the original, not literally a great while before day, but very early, or while there was yet much appearance of night. The place in Luke means, at daybreak, at the beginning of day. Then, also, there is much appearance of night; and Luke and Mark, therefore, refer to the same time--before it was fully light, or just at daybreak.

And departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. Here observe,

(1.) that the Saviour, though perfectly holy, regarded the duty of secret prayer as of great importance.

(2.) That he sought a solitary place for it--far away from the world, and even his disciples.

(3.) That it was early in the morning--the first thing after rising-- always the best time, and a time when it should not be omitted.

(4.) If Jesus prayed, how much more important is it for us! If he did it in the morning, how much more important is it for us, before the world gets possession of our thoughts; before Satan fills us with unholy feelings; when we rise fresh from beds of repose, and while the world around us is still! David also thus prayed, Ps 5:3. He that wishes to enjoy religion will seek a place of secret prayer in the morning. If that is omitted, all will go wrong. Our piety will wither. The world will fill our thoughts. Temptations will be strong. And through the day we shall find it impossible to raise our feelings to a state of proper devotion. This will be found to be true, universally, that the religious enjoyment through the day will be according to the state of the heart in the morning; and can, therefore be measured by our faithfulness in early secret prayer, how different, too, was the conduct of the Saviour from those who spend the precious hours of the morning in sleep! He knew the value of the morning hours; he rose while the world was still; he saw when the light spread abroad in the east with fresh tokens of his Father's presence, and joined with the universal creation in offering praise to the everywhere present God.

And Simon and those who were with him searched for him,

Verse 36. And Simon. Simon Peter.

They that were with him. The other disciples.

and they found him and said to him, ^bl“Everyone is looking for you.”

Verse 37. All men seek for thee. That is, many men, or multitudes. The inquiry after him was general. They told him this evidently with a view to induce him to leave his place of retirement, and to prevail upon him to appear publicly, to instruct the multitudes.

And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for ^bmthat is why I came out.”

Verse 38. And he said unto them, etc. This was said in answer to their implied request, that he would go and meet the multitudes. "Since the anxiety to hear the truth is so great; since such multitudes are waiting to hear the word, let us go into the next towns," etc.

Next towns. Towns in the neighbourhood or vicinity of Capernaum. He proposed to carry the gospel to them, rather than that multitudes should leave their homes and attend him in his ministry.

Towns. The word here rendered towns denotes places in size between cities and villages, or large places, but without walls.

For therefore came I forth. That is, came forth from God, or was sent by God. Luke says, (Lk 4:43) "for therefore am I sent." Compare Jn 16:28. "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world." The meaning of this verse therefore is--Since multitudes press to hear the word, let us not remain here, but go into the neighbouring towns also, for I was sent by God not to preach at Capernaum only, but throughout Judea, and it is therefore improper to confine my labours to this place.

(x) "therefore" Isa 61:1,2, Jn 17:8

^bnAnd ^bohe went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Verse 39. And he preached in their synagogues. See Mt 4:23.

All Galilee. See Mt 2:22.

And cast out devils. Mt 8:1-4.

^bpAnd a leper ▼

▼Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13

came to him, imploring him, and ^brkneeling said to him, ^bs“If you will, you can make me clean.”

Verses 40-45. And there came a leper, etc. Mt 8:1, and Mt 8:1.

Kneeling down to him. He kneeled, and inclined his face to the ground, in token of deep humiliation, and earnest entreaty. Compare Lk 5:12.

If thou wilt. There was an acknowledgment of the almighty power of Jesus, and an appeal to his benevolence.

Make me clean. Canst heal me of this loathsome and offensive disease--in the eye of the law justly regarded as unclean--and render me legally clean, and restore me to the privileges of the congregation.

And Jesus--touched him. It was by the law considered as unclean to touch a leprous man. See Nu 5:2. The fact that Jesus touched him was evidence that the requisite power had been already put forth to heal him; that Jesus regarded him as already clean.

I will. Here was a most manifest proof of his Divine power. None but God can work a miracle. Yet Jesus does it by his own will --by an exertion of his own power. He was, therefore, Divine.

See thou say nothing to any man. The law of Moses required that the man who was healed of the leprosy should be pronounced clean by the priest, before he could be admitted again to the privileges of the congregation, Lev 19:1, etc. Christ, though he had cleansed him, yet required him to be obedient to the law of the land; to go at once to the priest, and not to make delay by stopping to converse about his being healed. It was also possible, that if he did not go at once, evil-minded men would go before him and prejudice the priest, and prevent his declaring the healing to be thorough because it was done by Jesus. It was further of importance that the priest should pronounce it to be a genuine cure, that there might be no cavils among the Jews against its being a real miracle.

Offer--those things, etc. Two birds, and cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. And after eight days, two he-lambs, without blemish, and one ewe-lamb, and fine flour, and oil, Lev 14:4,10.

For a testimony unto them. Not to the priest, but to the people, that they may have evidence that it is a real cure. The testimony of the priest on the subject would be decisive.

(a) "those things" Lev 14:2-32 (b) "testimony" Rom 15:4, 1Cor 10:11

Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”

And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.

And ^btJesus ▼

▼Greek he; also verse 45

sternly charged him and sent him away at once,

and said to him, ^bv“See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, ^bwshow yourself to the priest and ^bxoffer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, ^byfor a proof to them.”

^bzBut he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter ^caa town, but was out in ^cbdesolate places, and ^ccpeople were coming to him from every quarter.

Verse 45. Began to publish it much. That is, the subject of his own cure. He was so deeply affected with it, and so much rejoiced, that he followed the natural dictates of his own feelings, rather than the command of the Saviour.

Jesus could no more openly enter into the city. The word could, here, does not refer to any natural inability, or to any physical obstacle in his way, but only denotes that there was difficulty, or inconvenience, or impropriety, in his doing it then; that he judged it best not then to enter into the city. The difficulty was, probably, that his being in the city drew such crowds of people as rendered it difficult to accommodate them, or so as to excite the opposition of civil rulers.

The city. The city, or large town, where the leper was cured. The same reason for not entering that city applied also to others; so that he remained in the deserts, where the multitudes could come to him without any difficulty or opposition.

(c) "began to publish" Ps 77:11,12, Tit 1:10 (c) "and they came to him" Mk 2:13