Mark 1
DorrisMark 1:1-8
ON THE GOSPEL
TO MARK
PART FIRST
THE OF JESUS IN GALILEE
Mark 1:1 to 9:50
SECTION ONE
THE BAPTISM AND OF JESUS
- THE OF THE GOSPEL
(Matthew 3:1-12; Luke 3:1-18; John 1:6-34)
1 The beginning–[Mark begins the account of the gospel of Jesus Christ by quoting the prophecy concerning the messenger that was to prepare for the coming of Jesus. John came as his herald to announce his coming, and to make ready the people whom God had been preparing from the days of Abraham to receive Jesus.]
of Jesus Christ,– The promised Messiah. [Jesus means Savior. He came to save people from their sins. To save from sin is to save from all evil–from all suffering. Sin is the cause of all sorrow–all suffering. Jesus was given as the human name of him who came to save people from sin. “Christ” means anointed–sent of God. Christ and Messiah mean the same. He was sent and anointed of God to save man from sin. Jesus was divine–begotten of God, born of woman. He was the Godman, both divine and human.]
the Son of God.– Matthew and Luke introduce Jesus first as “son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1.) Mark introduces him as “the Son of God.” He emphasizes the relation of Jesus to God rather than to Abraham and the Jewish people. Mark points out his divine origin and Matthew his human.
Not only is the ministry of John the beginning of the unfolding of a new dispensation of mercy and love; but it is the beginning of the end of the old dispensation. The old covenant was having its death knell tolled by John in the wilderness and the work was completed by Christ “nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:14.)
2 Even as it is written in Isaiah the prophet,–[He quotes here the prophecy first of Malachi (3:1) to show that the coming of John as the forerunner of Christ had been foretold by the prophets, and that the gospel had begun in accordance with the prophecy.] “The gospel of Jesus Christ” began to be unfolded, not according to uninspired men, but according to the prediction of inspired prophets, with the preaching and practices of John the Baptist.
Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way;–[It was customary with princes and kings and the great ones of earth, when going on a journey or visiting a new place, to send messengers, or herald, before to make ready for the reception. Jesus adopted this order, but the preparation differed from that of the kings of earth. Malachi says (4:5, 6): “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers; lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” Jesus has told us that John was the Elijah that was to come. Jesus as the Son of God was coming, and if he should come and find the people unprepared to receive him, he would smite the earth with a curse. When God meets man, it is to bless, if he is worthy.
If he is not worthy, then he will smite with a curse. John says he is not the very Elijah. Jesus says he came in the power and spirit of Elijah.]
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness,–[A thinly populated country. John grew up in this country south of Jerusalem, and began his preaching preparatory to the coming of Jesus.] This was the wilderness of Judea. (Verse 1.)
Make ye ready the way of the Lord,–Luke records him as more fully quoting the prophecy of Isa 40:3-5.
All of which means that John should turn the people from their sins and make them willing to receive the message that Christ should bring. He preached Christ as the coming Savior. The people too were to prepare “the way of the Lord.” That is, make ready themselves–prepare your own hearts, to entertain the glad tidings of the gospel. The preparation was to be made in their hearts. The way of the Lord is through the heart. They prepared “the way of the Lord” by preparing and making the heart fit for receiving the Lord. John prepared the way by telling the people what the Lord required of them and they by removing everything from the heart that might obstruct or hinder the Lord from entering.
Make his paths straight;–Highways that have not been properly surveyed at the beginning are straightened later. So are the ways of men when no preparation of heart has been made by them to receive Christ. The burden of John’s work was to induce men to stop their crooked ways and prepare themselves to receive their coming guest–Christ. He admonished them to remove all obstructions out of the way, so that the Savior and King might have a ready passage, and free access to their hearts, and there erect his spiritual kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy, and rule their lives and conduct by his holy laws. “His paths” which he travels is the heart of man. Every human heart is a path.
4 John came,–[John the Baptist was six months older than Jesus. He had grown to manhood in the wilderness of Judea; was stern, unbending, courageous, and faithful in denouncing sin and warning the people to repent and flee from the wrath to come. He began his ministry at about thirty years of age, as he seems to have been preaching only a few months when Jesus, about thirty years of age, came to him to be baptized of him. At thirty years of age the Levites were required to enter on their service in the temple. It is said in Numbers (Numbers 8:24) that they began at twenty-five. It is supposed at twenty-five they entered the service as pupils under the old Levites to fit them for the full service at thirty.
David (1 Chronicles 23:27) reduced the age of entering on the service to twenty. “For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered, from twenty years old and upward.” David greatly extended the service. It is thought this made need of greater numbers in the service. Whether this addition to the service and change of the age by David was acceptable to God has always been a question of doubt with many. When the added service is referred to in subsequent history, it is spoken of “as ordained by David.” John and Jesus entered upon their missions at the age of thirty years.]
who baptized in the wilderness and preached–[This does not mean that he baptized before he preached, but that he preached repentance that led them to baptism. He preached baptism of repentance. This means the baptism connected with repentance. John preached that they should repent of their sins–turn to God–and to show their repentance they must be baptized. Baptism was commanded by God as the act of the person which declared his repentance. Their sins arose from disobedience to God.
Baptism was an act of submission that declared to the world their willingness to obey God. Baptism is what is called a positive ordinance–a command of God–humiliating in itself, is unpleasant to be submitted to, in which human reason can see no good, resting on the authority of God, and given to test man’s willingness to obey God. It is claimed by some that baptism had been an ordinance of admission of proselytes to the Jewish faith, but there is no intimation of such ordinance in the Bible, nor in any authentic history before John preached it. Bathings and ablutions had been connected with the purifications of the Jewish law, but John introduced the ordinance, and by preeminence he is called the “Baptist”–one who baptizes.]
unto remission of sins.–Baptism connected with the repentance as preached by John was for, or unto, the remission of sins. This means God had appointed this act as the expression and embodiment of repentance which brought the state and place in which God would forgive sins. There was no virtue or efficacy in the act to bring pardon. God forgives sin.
5 And there went out unto him all the country of Judaea, and all they of Jerusalem;–This is a figurative expression, as the land itself could not go to him. The place, or country, where the people lived is placed for the people themselves. It means the people, not all the people, but the people generally from all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem.
and they were baptized of him–Whether John in person baptized all that were baptized we know not. Jesus is said to have baptized, and yet it is stated that he in person did not baptize but his disciples. (John 3:22; John 4:1-2.)
in the river Jordan,–The baptism did not take place at, or near, but in the river Jordan.
confessing their sins.–They, in coming to baptism, confessed their sins as preparatory to God forgiving their sins when they were baptized. Confession of sins–owning their sins–is in order to the forgiveness of sins. The sins were forgiven in baptism, the confession preceded the baptism. Pardon takes place in heaven where the pardoning power is. Baptism is nothing, if it does not carry with it the confession and abandonment of sin.
6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair,–[The camel’s hair cloth was the sackcloth that the poorer classes wore, and that was worn in affliction and humiliation. It was made of coarse hair of the goat, or camel. John lived an abstemious life. He was of the priestly order, and lived the life of a Nazarite. Jesus says to the people: “John the Baptist is come eating no bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a demon. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold, a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!” (Luke 7:33-34.)]
and had a leathern girdle about his loins,–[He had a girdle of untanned skins about his loins.]
and did eat locusts–Living in the wilderness, his food was that of the wilderness. Several varieties of locusts, after being denuded of the legs and wings, are boiled, roasted or fried, sprinkled with salt, and eaten by the poorer classes to this day. This probably was the Egyptian locust. It was a large, voracious insect which the Jews were permitted to eat. “Even these of them ye may eat:the locust after its kind, and the bald locust after its kind.” (Leviticus 11:22.)
and wild honey.–[The wild honey was the honey of the wild bees that abounded in the land of Judea. This dress and food showed that he lived an austere life of self-denial. There is but little doubt that this life lends zeal and fervor to the religious and devotional spirit. He denounced sin in great and small, and proclaimed repentance with such earnestness and fervor that he struck terror to the multitudes and they came to him to be baptized. Luke and Matthew both tell us that he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, and said unto them: “Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance: and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” (Matthew 3:7-9.) Many think he refused to baptize these persons until they had first brought forth fruit worthy of repentance.
I do not believe this is true. He baptized them, and told them, now bring forth fruit worthy of the repentance into which he had baptized them. The meaning of the language as reported by Luke is, the Jewish family, as the people of God, will be rejected, and every man must depend on what fruit he bears in his life for favor of God. He cannot depend on fleshly relation to Abraham.]
7 And he preached, saying, There cometh after me he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.–An expression of intense humility. Matthew says: “Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.” Luke and John omit the expression “stoop down.”
[John came to make ready a people for the Lord, Christ; so he preached the coming of Christ–his majesty, and power. Those who heard John thought highly of him as a prophet of God and a preacher of righteousness but he exalts Jesus by saying, “I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose” his shoes. Loosing the shoes was a menial service. Jesus was so much greater than he, he was not worthy to do this for him.]
8 I baptized you in water;–[John shows here the contrast between himself and Jesus. John used water, Jesus the Spirit of the living God, with which to overwhelm man. The Spirit is in reality at the command of Jesus to be used by him, as water was at the command of John. The Authorized Version puts it “with water.” From the expression “with” many contend the water was applied to the individual, not the person baptized in the water. The first meaning of the word translated “with” is “in,” but “with” does not carry the idea of applying the substance to the person. A woman colors her cloth with dye; the smith cools his iron with water; but neither does it by sprinkling or pouring water on the substance. The woman colors her cloth and the smith cools his iron by dipping–immersing them in water, and “baptized with water” shows the substance used in baptism and not the manner of applying it.]
but he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit.–[Some would ask, were they baptized in the Spirit? They were overwhelmed with it. It does not mean a little of the Holy Spirit was poured out, or sprinkled, on one spot of the person. The expressions, the baptism of the Spirit, the pouring out of the Spirit, the shedding forth of the Spirit, are figurative expressions. The Spirit is a person of the Godhead, and we cannot pour out the person of the Godhead as a liquid from one vessel to another. It indicates the person is brought completely under the influence and control of the Spirit of God, or that the Spirit is sent from heaven to control and guide man.
So were they baptized–overwhelmed in suffering.] Matthew (Matthew 3:11) adds “and in fire,” which shows that John’s audience was mixed–some good and some bad. Some to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and others in fire.
Mark 1:9-11
- THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
(Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:21-23)
9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee,–[John was baptizing in Jordan; Nazareth was sixty miles or more from where John was baptizing. Jesus doubtless walked the distance, that he might be baptized of John. This was his emergence into history from the obscurity of his village life in Nazareth since his visit to Jerusalem at twelve years of age. He could go to John by way of the plain of the Jordan without passing through Jerusalem, and probably did so. During this interval of about eighteen years he seems to have been working at the carpenter’s bench (Mark 6:3; Matthew 13:55) with Joseph. He came, therefore, from obscurity to publicity, from manual labor to spiritual teaching.]
and was baptized of John in the Jordan.–Immersed. [Matthew and Luke give more of the incidents connected with the baptism of Jesus than Mark. Matthew (Matthew 3:13-17) says “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffereth him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Luke (3:21, 22) gives this account of it: “Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form, as a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” John (John 1:31-34) says: “And I knew him not , but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water.
And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon him. And I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize in water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, the same is he that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit. And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”] From obscurity Jesus went to widespread fame, through duty performed. Do your duty , the rest will take care of itself.
10 And straightway coming up out of the water,–How needless, if baptism was sprinkling or pouring!
he saw the heavens rent asunder,–The sky seemed to have parted to allow the emergence of the beautiful vision: the heavens were opened to show that which had been closed against us on account of our sins. The first Adam shut us out of heaven, but the second Adam opened, and will now let us into it.
and the Spirit as a dove descending upon him:–The Spirit’s connection with Jesus was made unmistakable. This was necessary for the reason it was the sign given by God to John, by which he was to recognize the Son of God. (John 1:33.)
11 and a voice came out of the heavens, Thou art my beloved Son,–God spake from heaven and sanctioned the acts of both John and Jesus. Expressing the relationship between the two. Son, not by adoption, but by eternal existence.
in thee I am well pleased.–The Father was pleased when at twelve years of age he manifested anxiety to be about his life-work; he was pleased when he quietly submitted in hard-working obscurity to wait his time; he was pleased by his daily life; and he was pleased when he came to John to be baptized by him. [From Luke (Luke 3:23) we learn he was thirty years old. From Matthew (Matthew 3:14), that when he came to John to be baptized of him, John objected. As the wed he felt he had need to be baptized of Jesus. He was preaching that they should repent, and baptizing for the remission of sins. Jesus had no sin to repent of or to be remitted. Why should he baptize him then?
Jesus said: “Suffer it now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” Righteousness means the provisions of God for making men righteous. It becomes us to, or we ought to, fulfill all the will of God for making men righteous. He then baptized him, and as he came up out of the water, he prayed (Luke 3:21), and the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit in the likeness of the dove descended, lighted upon him, and abode with him, and a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Both Jesus and John saw the Spirit descending, and heard the voice. We are not told that others saw or heard these.]
Mark 1:12-13
- OF JESUS
12 And straightway the Spirit driveth him forth into the wilderness.–Mark uses a stronger term than any of the other writers. Matthew says he was “led up of the Spirit.” (Matthew 4:1.) Mark shows more clearly that it was not at the volition of Jesus that he entered into the temptation. That he was led by the Spirit to be tempted shows that he was subjected to temptation in accordance with a deliberate purpose, but a purpose not his own. It was not of voluntary entrance into temptation, but of being divinely led into it for a special divine purpose. God desires the faith and loyalty of all his children and servants to be tried and approved before he can commit high trust to them. Jesus was entering on the highest work that pertained to earth–that of rescuing the world from the rule of the devil and of bringing it back to its loyalty to God, and to its proper and harmonious relations to the universe, and of adjusting all the forces and operations of the world to the workings of the divine order.
They had all been disturbed and broken by the rule of the devil on earth. Christ had come to rescue the world from the devil. The devil naturally sought to induce him to turn from his purpose and to enter his service.
13 And he was in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan;– [Whether this fast was entered upon voluntarily to bring him into a state of close and holy communion with God, and to give him spiritual strength for the temptation, or whether it was the devil’s work to weaken him bodily to make him an easy prey to the tempter, we have no means of determining. He fasted forty days, so had Moses done twice (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:9), and once Elijah (1 Kings 19:8). Possibly this was the limit of human endurance, that it was selected by or for each of them. Some have thought they were miraculously sustained. If so, the effect of the fast would have been counteracted. But at the close of the forty days he hungered–the pangs of hunger were intense, the bodily powers were exhausted, and all fleshly strength of will, he was at the mercy of the tempter.
But his spirit by the fast had been probably drawn into closer union with God, and had grown the stronger. Spiritual power was and is gained by fasting and prayer. “This kind goeth not out save by prayer and fasting,” explained Jesus when his disciples could not cast out a demon. (Matthew 17:19.)]
and he was with the wild beasts;–He had no comfort from and no association with man. His only earthly companions were wild beasts, which were more likely to annoy and hurt him than in any way to help and comfort him.
and the angels ministered unto him.–The angelic world is represented. No human being was with him, yet he was not alone. Angels were present. Angels communed with Christ in his glory of transfiguration, sustained him in the anguish of the garden, watched over him at the tomb; they thronged the earth at his coming, and hovered in the air at the hour of his ascension. We could not imagine our Lord in the wilderness without angelic love. Twice has the destiny of the world been suspended on the action of a single person, and each of these was made an object of especial temptation by our cunning adversary.
The first Adam fell and the race fell with him. The second Adam defeated the tempter and redeemed the race from the fall. He won his victory by familiarity with the word of God, coupled with his loyalty to the will of the Father.
[It is a part of the order of God that every servant of God shall be tried and tested. This means that only what is worthy and well-approved shall enter into the eternal home of God. The testing, the proving of persons, is temptation in the better sense of that word. All suffering, all self-denial for right is temptation. “My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art reproved of him; for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. It is for chastening that ye endure; God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father chasteneth not?” (Hebrews 12:5-7.) Jesus was tried and tempted that he might prove himself worthy to be the Son of God, and that he might fully sympathize with man whom he came to rescue and redeem. “For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that bath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)]
It seems to our wisdom needful that man should be tempted and his weakness shaken to call out the character of God. If we had no trials, temptations, and weaknesses we would never know good from evil. If our fellow men never sinned against us, were never weak, helpless, and in distress, our own better natures would never be brought out and strengthened. If man had not sinned there would have been no occasion to call out the mercy, love, wisdom, and to prove the excellencies and glory of God; and we would be in ignorance of the qualities of the divine character that are most helpful to us and that draw us to God and call out the best elements of man. The mistakes, errors, misfortunes, weaknesses, and wants of the child call out the love and tenderness of the parent. So man, a weak, erring sinner, calls out the love of God, shows who and what he is, and excites man’s love to him. “We love, because he first loved us.”
Mark 1:14-15
SECTION TWO
OF THE OF JESUS IN GALILEE
- TIME AND THEME OF HIS
(Matthew 4:12-17; Luke 4:14-15; John 4:1-3)
14 Now after John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,–He “returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.” (Luke 4:14.) The same Spirit that had impelled him into the wilderness to be tempted. Having presented the preliminaries of our Savior’s ministry, Mark now proceeds to the ministry itself.
15 and saying,–The mouth and organ of speech are very necessary in proclaiming the gospel. Christ used both and authorized his disciples to do likewise which thing they did. Paul requested the brethren to pray in his behalf; “that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:19-20.) However, we are not to understand from this that the Lord forbids teaching through the medium of the pen and printing press. The apostles taught through the medium of the pen when they wrote the gospel on scrolls and sent it out. The art of printing had not been invented at that time. If it had doubtless they would have taken advantage of it. Whether we teach by word of mouth, pen, or the printed sheet, in either case, we do no more nor no less than what the Lord commanded–we teach.
The time is fulfilled,–The time foretold by the prophets for the appearance of Christ is accomplished. “When the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” (Galatians 4:4; Daniel 9:24-27.)
and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe in the gospel.–The kingdom of God, so long promised by the prophets and expected by the people, has drawn near. (Luke 10:9.) The doctrine of faith and repentance is taught at the threshold of the kingdom of Christ, and accordingly ought, in a special manner, to be preached and insisted upon by all proclaimers of the gospel.
Mark 1:16-20
- CALL OF THE FOUR
16 And passing along by the sea of Galilee,–This sea was formed by a depression in the ground where the river Jordan spread out, for it ran into the northern end of the sea and out at the southern end. At Capernaum and around this lake Jesus did the most of his marvelous works and spent the most of his public life.
he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishers.–It was a casting net –that one could be thrown in different directions in order to enclose the fish. Fishing was their occupation. Moses and David were called from keeping sheep; Gideon from threshing wheat; Elisha from the plow. God has honored humble, yet honest labor, from the beginning.
17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.–Passing over the extraordinary draught of fishes recorded by Luke (Luke 5:4-7), Mark records the call of these two brothers. The last clause is a beautiful allusion to their former occupation as a figure of the one which they were now to undertake. They are now to be fishers of men, winners of souls to Christ. They were to catch men in the gospel net and lead them into the kingdom of God. Note that Jesus did not at this time call them to be fishers of men, but promised to train them to be such on their becoming his followers. He said: “I will make you to become fishers of men.”
18 And straightway they left the nets, and followed him. –Leaving their nets, not only for the present but forever, as their permanent employment and the means of their subsistence.
19 And going on a little further, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending the nets.–Counting the “hired servants” of the next verse, there were not less than five in this fishing crew. Jesus saw only two of this number with enough material in them to suit his purpose at this particular time.
20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.–The fact that they left their father with the hired servants shows that they did not leave him without help or company. Doubtless he was just as able to continue his business as when his sons were with him.
Mark 1:21-28
- A DEMON CAST OUT
21 And they go into Capernaum and straightway on the sabbath day–Our Saturday. The seventh day was used by our Creator as a rest from his six days’ work of creation (Genesis 2:3), and enacted as a Jewish law at the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 20:8-11) to commemorate the day Israel was delivered from Egyptian bondage.
he entered into the synagogue and taught.–[After his baptism Jesus made Capernaum his home. It is called “his own city.” (Matthew 9:1.) It was on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was more accessible as a center of travel that suited his work. Peter and Andrew, James and John, were with him here, and also made the city their home. On the Sabbath he went into the synagogue. It was the custom of the Jews to meet in the synagogue on the Sabbath to read the law and to worship God.
The synagogue grew up after the Babylonian captivity, and brought the worship of God to the homes of the Jews, secured the reading and expounding of the law on every Sabbath, and from this time there was much less tendency to idolatry and to rebellion against God. Their responsibility to God and their knowledge of the law was kept before them more constantly by these more frequent meetings and reading of the law. In the synagogue the reading and expounding of the law were not confined to the priests, but every Jew could do this. Jesus did it here, as did the apostles afterwards. (Acts 13:15-17)]
22 And they were astonished at his teaching: for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.–This is a broad contrast, most accurately drawn, between the manner in which Jesus taught and that of the scribes.
[They were accustomed to the reasonings of the scribes dealing in forms and traditions and observances. The teaching of Jesus was peculiar. First, the matter of it differed from that of the scribes and Pharisees. He taught not traditions or ceremonials or observances, but he taught great, practical truths embodying man’s duty to God and to his fellow men. He demanded right, justice, mercy, and love to man. He demanded reverence and love for God shown by obedience to his laws.
He announced these duties in plain and simple terms that the simplest could understand. He did not reason and philosophize about them, nor undertake to show their reasonableness, but he announced the truth as without doubt and as one speaking by authority, knowing whereof he spoke, and he presented these truths in simple, axiomatic forms and addressed them to the hearts of his hearers. He spoke as one who knew the truth without doubt and spoke it by the authority of God. You are not to listen to Jesus as an expounder, but as an authoritative lawgiver.]
23 And straightway there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,– [The unclean spirits were demons. They were evil spirits that took possession of men and afflicted them in various ways. It is often a trouble to know why they should have existed then and not now. This seems to be true that when God exercised miraculous power or sent forth angels, or good spirits to minister good under his direction, he permitted the devil to exercise miraculous power and to send forth evil spirits to do his bidding. The difference between them was in the quality of their work. God wrought miracles, and sent forth his Spirit to bless, help, benefit man.
The devil could not do this kind of work. He did evil. “Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” the Jews asked. (John 10:21.) The devil and his spirits always wrought to injure, afflict, degrade man. When God ceased to work miracles or to use these evil spirits as his messengers, he curtailed the power of the devil so that he could not work miracles. These demons, or unclean spirits, all seemed to know Jesus and his true work and character, and would cry out at his approach. We think it true that none save immoral and bad persons were possessed of demons. As God’s Spirit dwells with, and his angels watch over, only the holy and upright, so the demons, or spirits of the Evil One, dwell only in the hearts of the wicked.
The devil seeks to ruin both soul and body.]
24 saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art,–“The demons also believe, and shudder.” (James 2:19.) The invisible world of evil had a clear recognition of the character and mission of Jesus.
the Holy One of God.–King James Version adds: “Let us alone,” which is a common cry today among those in error. They do not want their error exposed, so they preach the doctrine, “Let us alone.” [The demons and evil spirits seemed to understand that Jesus came into the world to overthrow and destroy them and to consign them to torment. He came to overthrow the devil, to “destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8.) He came to overthrow and consign to ruin all his servants and subjects, so they begged Jesus to let them alone, and asked what they had to do with him. “Art thou come to destroy us” or “to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29); and then he declared, “I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.” What prompted the demons to testify that Jesus was the Son of God, or the Holy One of God, we do not understand. They always were ready to bear this testimony, possibly with the view to appease his wrath and to cause him to deal kindly with them.]
25 And Jesus rebuked him,–From the beginning of his encounters with these evil spirits he rebuked them for speaking favorably of him, and commanded them to hold their peace and depart from their victims. It was important that he do this for at least two reasons: (1) That the faith of those who believed in him should not rest even in part on the testimony of evil spirits. (2) That he should not appear to sustain friendly relations with these evil beings and with the devil who ruled over them. In spite of all his precautions the charge was made that he cast out demons by the power of Satan (Matt. 3:22-26);and it was perhaps for this very purpose of giving apparent grounds for this charge that the devil prompted the demons to testify as they did.
saying, Hold thy peace,–Be muzzled, restrain thyself. Cease from complaints. He would accept no testimony from such a source.
and come out of him.–This was proof of the power of Jesus and that he had no hesitancy in using it. Instead of accepting the testimony of the demon that he was “the Holy One of God,” Jesus rebuked his impious audacity, forbade him to speak further, and commanded him to leave his victim. The most brilliant proclamation of the claims of Christ does not authorize an unholy proclaimer. The church should reject an unholy preacher.
26 And the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.–The demon yields because he was obliged to, not because he chose to do so. He exerted his last power, tried to inflict all the pain he could, and then unwillingly bowed to the Son of God and came out of the man.
27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? a new teaching!–They did not know whether to rejoice or to be alarmed. What might not such a being as Jesus do to those around him? How powerful is this man’s word or command? His calm assumption of original authority as a teacher had already excited their wonder.
with authority he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.–The climax is reached, the teaching is vindicated, the authority is proved and acknowledged, and the result is what might be expected.
28 And the report of him went out straightway everywhere into all the region of Galilee round about.–[It was natural that a report of these wonderful manifestations of power and this deliverance from afflictions so terrible, this power over the demons that were subject to no human power, should spread abroad among these people of Galilee. The evil spirits, or those possessed of them, entered the synagogue. Such could not enter the temple.]
[They were amazed to see one who could command these demons so they would obey him, and they questioned one another, and said: What thing is this? What does it mean? What new teacher and power is this? It was unheard of that these unclean spirits should be subjected to the authority of man. But Jesus was ruler over the spiritual as over the material world, and when he commanded they obeyed.]
The miraculous cure, which led them to make earnest inquiry of the doctrine of this new teacher in the synagogue, to whom the demons even were obedient, had great effect on the people. The evil spirits could exert miraculous power, but it was always for evil to those possessed of them. We must sometimes suffer greatly to get rid of our sins, but had better suffer than sin. They are never idle, working night and day seeing whom they can devour.
Mark 1:29-31
- PETER’S MOTHER-IN-LAW HEALED
(Matthew 8:14-15; Luke 4:38-39)
29 And straightway, when they were come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.–These are specially mentioned as guests. Simon, together with Andrew his brother, had lived at Bethsaida, and had also removed to Capernaum with Jesus.
30 Now Simon’s wife’s mother–A conclusive proof that Peter was a married man. Roman Catholics claim Peter is the head of the church, and the vicegerent of Christ. The Pope, according to their views, is the successor of Peter. On what pretense do they claim that it is wrong for priests to marry? Why did Christ not at once reject Peter from being an apostle for having a wife?
lay sick of a fever; and straightway they tell him of her:–Luke (Luke 4:38) says: “Holden with a great fever,” indicating length and severity. How long she had been confined to her bed we have no means of knowing.
31 and he came and took her by the hand, and raised her up; and the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.–Matthew interjects “and she arose,” which Luke intensified with “immediately.”
The completeness of the restoration is seen by her returning to her ordinary household duties, so that she, who a moment before, lay helpless in their presence, was now serving them. The fever did not leave her weak and exhausted; she was raised to her full strength and to perfect health.
Mark 1:32-34
- MANY OTHERS WERE HEALED
(Matthew 8:16-17; Luke 4:40-41)
32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were sick, and them that were possessed with demons.–[These miracles occurred on the Sabbath day. There was a feeling against even the healing of the sick on the Sabbath. Jesus, from the beginning, healed as occasion offered on the Sabbath, and spoke not a word during his ministry urging the observance of the Sabbath. Many of the Jews, especially the scribes and Pharisees about Jerusalem, insisted rigidly on the observance, and as the Sabbath ended at six o’clock in the evening, it is generally thought that those sick were not brought until this hour to avoid breaking the Sabbath, or to avoid the condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees. But it is certain that those living in Galilee did not so sacredly observe the day as did the Jews. In Galilee they had failed to retain the strong religious feelings of the Jews.
So while this feeling may have influenced them it is probable that the sun was hot, and they waited until the setting of the sun and the cool evening shadows made it more favorable to bring them out. Whatever the cause, all that were sick in Capernaum and many possessed of evil spirits at even were brought unto him.]
33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.–[All the well were gathered at the door, curious and interested to see what they could of his wonderful deeds in healing the diseased and casting out the evil spirits. Many followed him from curiosity and to see and hear something wonderful.]
34 And he healed many that were sick with divers diseases, and cast out many demons; and he suffered not the demons to speak, because they knew him.–They knew him as the Holy One of God (Luke 4:41), but he adhered to his steady purpose to accept no testimony from them. Mark 3:22 and its parallels show how ready the scribes, etc., were to ascribe these miracles to a compact with Beelzebub. To such a charge Jesus will furnish no help. [Luke (Luke 4:40) says, “He laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.” The persons were many, the diseases were manifold. He laid his hands on everyone suffering and healed them. He cast out the demons from all that were possessed with them, and suffered not the devils to speak because they knew him. If they spoke they would declare who he was, and he would not permit this.]
Mark 1:35-39
- AND PRAYER OF JESUS
35 And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there prayed.–Luke (4:42) says: “When it was day.” The writers do not contradict each other, since both are proper expressions for a point of time not certainly defined, to wit, the dawn or break of day, when light and darkness are in conflict, and although the day is breaking, it is really still night. One of the notable things in the life of Jesus is the record of his habits of prayer. Divine as he was, there was a constant appeal to and communion with his Father. The vision at his baptism was given while he prayed. (Luke 3:21.) The night before he selected the twelve, he continued the whole night in prayer on a mountain. (Luke 6:12.) The conversation about his Messiahship in Cesarea was preceded by prayer. It was during prayer in a mountain that the transfiguration took place. (Luke 9:28-29.) It was at the close of a season of prayer that he taught his disciples how to pray. (Luke 11:1.) Also we may recall the prayer of John 17, and the agonizing prayer of Gethsemane.
36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him;–On rising, they missed him, and, perhaps in some alarm, went to seek him.
37 and they found him, and say unto him, All are seeking thee.–The town was already astir to see and hear the wonderful stranger, and finding him not at Peter’s house, were seeking him in all directions.
38 And he saith unto them, Let us go elsewhere into the next towns,–There was much ground to cover, and a short time in which to do it. Capernaum had received a great benefit. It must not engross too much of his time.
that I may preach there also; for to this end came I forth.–He came, not from the house of Peter, as some claim, but from his Father, as explained by Luke (Luke 4:43). Christianity is for all the world. As soon as one town receives the gospel, the motto should be, “Let us go elsewhere into the next towns.”
39 And he went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee,–The plan of going into the “next towns” so he could preach to the people there was carried into execution. Not only did he preach in “the next towns” as first proposed but throughout all Galilee.
preaching and casting out demons.–He doubtless wrought other healings, but this is put for the whole, as the most striking, up to his time, of his wonderful works. Jesus confirmed and attested his teaching by the miracles he performed wherever he went, the chief among which was casting out demons. This showed his great opposition to the kingdom of Satan.
He did not become a “pastor” devoting his time and talent at one place. He made Capernaum his headquarters and from there he carried the gospel of the kingdom into all Galilee. It was his purpose to preach this gospel everywhere, and for this reason he never located and confined his ministry to any particular place, but went to the smallest towns and villages. The place never got too small and the people too poor for Jesus to visit and break unto them the bread of life. He was no salaried preacher, seeking the largest towns and the greatest pay. Herein is an example of wisdom that ought to be followed by preachers now.
Mark 1:40-45
- JESUS HEALS A LEPER
40 And there cometh to him a leper,–“A man full of leprosy.” (Luke 5:12.) One of the greatest unfortunates the world contains physically. This awful disease demands special notice, for a description of which consult Leviticus 13:1-46, where a variety of symptoms and manifestations are described. God selected this disease as a type of sin.
beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.–That is, “Thou canst completely heal my leprosy.” According to Matthew he called him “Lord,” but the term was used with much latitude. The clearness of faith shown by his words we must notice. His only doubt is as to Christ’s willingness, but the words do not imply strong doubt even of this.
41 And being moved with compassion,–This expresses the Savior’s feelings of pity. We may be assured that he looks on no scene of suffering without deep sympathy. If thus tenderly compassionate to the type of the sinner, how much more to the more wretched antitype?
he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou made clean.–Jesus is just as compassionate now as ever. He will be as sympathizing with us as with the poor leper. If you are not saved through him it will not be because he is not willing, but because you are not.
42 And straightway the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.–The offensive appearance was all gone on the instant, and his flesh was like the flesh of those about him. The certainty and suddenness of the cure without means was a proof of his Messiahship. Jesus not only showed a willingness but power and authority. The instruction which this miracle gives us is that our soul is overspread with the leprosy of sin, and that we must apply for help to the healing power and recovering grace of this same Jesus. His blood is our remedy. We appropriate its cleansing power to ourselves by complying with all conditions upon which salvation is promised in the gospel.
43 And he strictly charged him, and straightway sent him out,–It was characteristic of the miracles of Christ that they were neither preceded nor followed by unnecessary words or acts, but as soon as the desired change was wrought, the subject was dismissed to make way for another. Peter’s mother-in-law instantly returned to her household duties (verse 31) without any interval of convalescence. So the leper is no sooner healed than he is sent away.
44 and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man:–He was not to talk about being healed to any one except the priest. Our Lord frequently gave such prohibition. (5:43; 7:36.) His reasons for doing so varied according to circumstances.
but go show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses commanded,–That is, for his ceremonial cleansing, in order that he might be officially declared free of the disease. This was the duty of subjecting himself to the inspection of a priest and making the offering Moses commanded. While Christ was Lord also of the law, yet he required the man to make the offerings prescribed in the Mosaic law for such occasions. (Leviticus 14:1-12.)
for a testimony unto them.–Unto whom? Meyer says “Unto the people that thou art healed.” Crysostom says “For a testimony that I do not destroy the law.” We do not think either the true meaning. If the man shall go to the priest, be pronounced clean, offer the sacrifices and be restored to his family, whenever the question of the claims of Jesus shall arise, all this will be a “testimony unto them,” which will also be a testimony against them if they reject him. Prior to this the priest had pronounced him unclean, and had cast him out of the congregation, and now the priest must pronounce him clean and restore him to society.
45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to spread abroad the matter,–He gives vent to his joy not realizing the importance of obeying his Lord in the matter. He was so deeply affected and overjoyed with the cure that he followed the dictates of his own feelings rather than the command of his Lord.
Probably his intentions were good, but his disobedience to Christ’s command was a fault and shows the weakness in human nature in following the dictates of human feelings rather than obeying exactly what the Lord commands. He might have felt that he was honoring Christ, but it is a sin to do anything against the command of Christ, though with ever so good a meaning, purpose, and intention to exalt and honor him. Christ can never be exalted and honored save through his own appointments. He can never be honored and exalted through the appointments and institutions of men. These are only parasites sucking the life’s blood out of the appointments and institutions ordained of God and sealed by the blood of his Son. Whether the healed man went to the priest at all is no record.
insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was without in desert places:–Any city. Perhaps on account of a false report of a legal defilement contracted by his contact with the leper, which had made scandal, or perhaps on account of the disturbance made by the crowds which thronged around him.
and they came to him from every quarter.–Every quarter of Galilee. Out in the wilderness the great throngs could incommode no one but themselves. So the fame of Jesus is spreading in ever-widening circles.