Chapter 1
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Mark identifies Jesus
2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
“Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,
who shall prepare thy way;
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight—”
This is an amalgamated quotation from different prophets, referring to John the Baptist.
4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark doesn’t begin with a genealogy or infancy narratives, but jumps straight in with John, preaching in the wilderness.
5 And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
John was very popular.
6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey.
He looks like Elijah.
7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
John foretells Jesus, the Messiah.
The Baptism of Jesus
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
Jesus comes to John
10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately…
Immediately. This word is characteristic of Mark.
…he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; 11 and a voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son;[d] with thee I am well pleased.”
This is a theophany. The Spirit is represented by the dove, the voice is spoken by the Father and the Son is baptized.
The Temptation of Jesus
12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him.
This is a recapitulation of what happened to Israel in the wilderness.
The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Jesus picks up John’s baton and takes his place.
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
16 And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men.”
This phrase is found in the prophets.
18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zeb′edee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them; and they left their father Zeb′edee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed him.
James and John leave their profitable fishing business (they had servants) and follow Jesus.
The Man with an Unclean Spirit
21 And they went into Caper′na-um; …
This will be Jesus’ base.
…and immediately…
Immediately.
…on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
Jesus teaches authoritively.
23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; 24 and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.”
Others don’t know who He is, but the demon does.
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching! With authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
Jesus’ teaching is validated by His powerful works.
Jesus Heals Many at Simon’s House
29 And immediately…
Immediately…
…he left the synagogue, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him of her.31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them.
The fact that she serves them suggests that Peter could well have been a widow.
32 That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together about the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
Jesus heals many.
A Preaching Tour in Galilee
35 And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him followed him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Every one is searching for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Jesus keeps moving.
Jesus Cleanses a Leper
40 And a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”
Leprosy is symbolic of sin.
41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I will; be clean.”42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.
This act would have made Jesus ritually unclean, but His goodness is greater than the uncleanliness and the man is cleaned.
43 And he sternly charged him, and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to the people.”
Jesus tries to keep a low profile.
45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.
He ignores Jesus’ words!