Mark 1
CHAPTER 1
John the Baptist
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 Just as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Look, I send My messenger before your face, he will prepare your way. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 John came and baptized in the wilderness, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 And there went out to him all the country of Judea and all they of Jerusalem: and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
6 And John was clothed with camel's hair and had a leather girdle about his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He preached, saying: There comes after me he that is mightier than I, whose shoelaces I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptized you in water, but he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
9 And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the river Jordan. 10 And immediately coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens open and the Spirit as a dove descending upon him. 11 And a voice came out of the heavens: You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.
12 And the Spirit immediately drove him 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 took care of him.
Calling the disciples
14 Now after John was delivered up, 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.
16 And passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them: Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 18 And immediately they left the nets and followed him.
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. 20 And immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after him.
21 And they went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 saying: What have we to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are- the Holy One of God. 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying: Hold your peace and come out of him. 26 And the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so much so they questioned each other, saying: What is this? What a new teaching! With authority he commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him! 28 And the report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee and thereabout.
At Simon’s home
29 And immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and raised her up; and the fever left her, and she served them.
32 When evening came, and when the sun had set, they brought to him all that were sick and those possessed with demons. 33 And all the city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many that were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons; and he did not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
35 And in the morning, a great while before daybreak, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place; and there prayed. 36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. 37 And they found him, and said to him: All are seeking you. 38 And he said to them: Let us go elsewhere, into the next towns, so that I may preach there also; for this is why I came. 39 And throughout all Galilee he went into their synagogues, preaching and casting out demons.
Healing a leper
40 And a leper came to him, begging him as he knelt down before him, saying to him: If you will, you can make me clean. 41 And being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him: I will. Be cleansed. 42 And immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was made clean; and 43 he immediately sent him away with a stern warning, 44 saying to him: See you say nothing to anyone, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them. 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news, so much so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but stayed in deserted places. But still they came to him from every quarter.
Commentary
1:3 The way of Jesus was prepared in the wilderness by John baptizing people in the wilderness (:4).
1:5 John baptized in a river- by immersion, not sprinkling of water.
1:7 Truly preaching Christ involves telling others of our own unworthiness.
1:10 Up out of – Baptism is by immersion, not sprinkling. Jesus was baptized as an adult to set us an example- that we also should be.
1:12 Immediately- Many such words occur in the early chapters of Mark (1:10,18,20,21,28,29,42). The impression is created of a hectic, exhausting time for Jesus with everything moving at high speed. When we’re in those situations, remember that He knows how it feels.
1:16 Jesus called them at the most inconvenient time- just as they were casting their nets. But they let the nets sink, v. 18, and followed Him. Jesus too calls us to uphold His principles and do His work often at the most humanly inconvenient moments.
1:27 The authority and credibility of Jesus’ teaching was given by His works. And so with us. Teaching people ideas about God will have little power nor conviction until they see them lived out in our lives.
1:35 This regular quiet time with God at the start of busy days was the key to the Lord’s spiritual success, as it can be for ours.
1:41 Touching the leper would’ve been a very radical thing to do. The man had probably not been touched by a human being for many years. We too should be unafraid to be associated with those whom others are scared of and have rejected.
1:44 Nobody was cleansed of leprosy and so the priests would’ve been amazed that someone was bringing them the offering proscribed in the Law for a cleansed leper. Jesus would’ve appeared unrealistically hopeful in thinking that the priests might respond; as they were the very class who were opposed to Him and later killed Him. But His hopefulness for people worked- many of the priests did later repent and accept Him (Acts 6:7).
