Mark 1

Mark 1:4

According to this prediction of the prophets John went into the desert part of Judæa, and there proclaimed to all the Jews the necessity of their instant change of life, promising them thereupon (and on no other terms) forgiveness of sins. And all that came to him, and thus reformed upon his preaching, he took and washed them in the river, after the manner of proselytes among the Jews, (see note [d] on Matt. xxiii., and note [a] on John iii.) to signify to them the purification of their wicked lives, to which they were obliged, and on performance of which (and not otherwise) God would receive them into his favour and look on them as his people. And this

baptism and this repentance, and the benefit of it, remission of sins, he proclaimed to all every where as he went.

Mark 1:5

And the generality of people in all the country, and in the city of Jerusalem, obeyed his preaching so far as to go and receive baptism from him, (which was done in Jordan, a river convenient for that purpose, the same wherein Naaman’s leprosy had been cleansed long ago by washing in it,) and to confess the sins that they had severally been guilty of, and desiring directions from him for new life, Luke iii. 10.

a See note on Matt. iii. 4.

b I am the forerunner of one who is of infinitely more authority than I, whose disciple I am not worthy to be, or as such to be employed by him in the meanest office, such as the taking off his shoes. See note [h] on Matt. iii.

Mark 1:8

I am not worthy to be considered by you in comparison with him. All that I do is to receive you as proselytes, (after the Jewish manner,) as many as now come in and repent, and make faithful promise of amendment and new life; and so water is the only signal which I use. But he, when he comes, shall send down the Holy Ghost from heaven in a visible manner upon his disciples, and by that great signal testify to you the truth of his doctrine, &c. See Matt. iii. 11, and note [a] on Acts i.

Mark 1:10

And instantly after his baptism, as he came up from the river, he beheld a parting of the heavens and opening of the clouds, and the Spirit of God hovering over him as a dove doth when it descends and lights upon any thing. (See note [k] on Matt. iii.)

Mark 1:11

And there came a voice from heaven through the clouds, directed to Christ in these words, Thou art &c.: see Matt. iii. 17.

Mark 1:12

[a] driveth] The word ἐκβάλλειν doth not in the New Testament always signify according to the literal notation of it, to cast out, but in a softer sense to send out, Matt. ix. 25, and ver. 38, and ch. xii. 20, and 35, so ch. xiii. 52, (and besides many other in the gospels.) James ii. 25. And so it may do here, and be all one with ἀνάγειν, to lead away, which is the word used in the parallel part of the story in St. Matthew, ch. iv. 1, ἀνήχθη, he was led away, &c. But besides this, the word doth in good authors peculiarly signify to expose, to leave in a destitute helpless condition, as when Aristotle saith of the raven, ἐκβάλλει τοὺς νεο-

Mark 1:13

And having fasted in the desert forty days, Satan then set upon him to tempt him, Matt. iv. 2, 3, and after he had done tempting him he left him in the wilderness among none but wild beasts, and there the angels came and brought him food, Matt. iv. 11.

Mark 1:14

Soon after this, Herod, having for some time received instructions from John, ch. vi. 20, and at last being reproved by him about a woman with whom he lived incestuously, ch. vi. 17, imprisoned him. And after this his imprisonment, Matt. xiv. 3, Jesus went from Nazareth into Galilee, (see note [c] on Matt. iv.) and there began to proclaim the doctrine of his Father concerning this approaching reformation and change that God as a King should now work in the world, especially among the Jews.

Mark 1:15

And the form of his proclamation was in these or the like words: The days of the coming of the Messias so long expected and prophesied of are now come, and God’s remarkable judgments upon the whole nation are approaching, (see note [c] on Matt. iii.) which there is no way to avert from any but by believing the gospel now to be preached by Christ, and amending of their lives.

c washing their net: see note [a] on Luke v.

Mark 1:17

And when the eleven were come to him, they with an humble obeisance acknowledged him, but some of them entertained doubts whether it were Christ or no, Mark xvi. 13.

¶ All authority in disposing all things in or concerning the church is given unto me by my Father.

¶ teach all the nations the Christian doctrine, and persuade them to embrace it, and to live according to it, baptizing, &c.: see Pract. Cat. l. 6. §. 2.

And having first shewed them a great miracle, convinced them of his divine power, he called them to be his disciples, telling them that he would employ them in an office of greater importance, and so enable them for it that they should be able to win men to righteousness as now to get fishes into their nets.

Mark 1:18

And upon this command of his immediately they left their employments, and as disciples attended constantly on him.

d with their father Zebedee, Matt. iv. 21, and other labourers here mentioned, ver. 20, all together in a ship, mending—

Mark 1:20

And whomsoever ye shall baptize, take care that they be taught to obey with all diligence all those commands which I have delivered to you; and though I shall now shortly part with you, yet I will, by sending the Spirit upon you to lead you into all truth, and by my perpetual presence and assistance afforded to you, and by that authority that I received from my Father, and now commit unto you, John xx. 21, 22, continue with you and your successors unto the end of the world.

¶ All power in heaven and in earth is given to me, ‘L’Étée, qui v’est l’Île de la vie, &c. make all nations disciples, paupérés, into, sit.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ### SAINT MARK. THE beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

See note [a] on Luke v. * a city of Galilee, called Capernaum, Matt. iv. 13.

[c] end of the world] It hath formerly been said (note [c] Matt. xxiv.) that there was a double age famously spoken of among the Jews, the then present age, and the future age, or the state of things under the Messias, from that time to the end of the world. According to this, the destruction of that state, or end of the first age, is taken notice of as a famous period, and is set down in that very style, συντίλεια αἰῶνος, the consummation or conclusion of the age, Matt. xxiv. 3, and Matt. xiii. 40, where it is more distinctly αἰῶνος τούτου, of this age, and so again Heb. ix. 26, συντίλεια τῶν αἰώνων, the conclusion of the ages, in the plural, those last times, Heb. i. 2, wherein Christ came into the world. But then other places there are, where it may be taken in another sense, as Matt. xiii. 43, where it may well signify the end of this other age, the conclusion of the world, and so here Christ’s promise of his being with the apostles unto the end of the world. For it is to be observed that this age being the Christian state or kingdom of Christ, that doth most distinctly begin at his resurrection, all power being then given to him, ver. 18, and this being the last age, (no other state to succeed this,) it follows necessarily, that this age then beginning, shall not conclude, till the end of the world. And consequently, Christ’s promise hath no other period to determine it, but instates a power on the apostles and their successors, by this mission, and assisting and backing them in the execution of their office, πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, all the days, the whole term of this new age.

Mark 1:22

And they wondered extremely at his way of instructing them, Matt. vii. 28. For his manner of teaching was not like that of the doctors of their law, who only expound the law and tell them the traditions of their fathers the Jews; but he as one that came with power from heaven to give new rules of life delivered his doctrine with great authority. † possessed with a devil, (Luke iv. 33, see Mark iii.

30,) which cast him into a fit of epilepsy; and— ‡ subdue, quell, undo us, cast us out of our possessions? I know— § This is more than was ever heard of before, and therefore sure his doctrine comes from heaven in an extraordinary manner; for it appears that he hath an authority over the devils themselves, and they are subject to him.

† in an unclean spirit; so ch. v. 2: see note [a] on 2 Cor. xii. § the unclean spirit having

disquieted him, (troubled him, wrought or boiled within him: see note [c] on ch. ix.) and

having cried, σκαράξαν καὶ κράξαν. § what is this new doctrine? that, τίς ἡ δίδαχὴ ἡ κα-

τὴ αἴτη, ὅτι.