Marcos 1
John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
Marcos 1
MacArthur has a note that helps understand in those days - We do not know the precise length of John's ministry, but according to Luke he began preaching "in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee… in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas" (Mt 3:1-2). The best assumption is that it occurred in the year a.d. 29, quite a few months, perhaps nearly a year, before Jesus' baptism. John also continued to preach for a while afterward, causing his ministry to be ending as Jesus' ministry was beginning. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew) Jesus came - The verb came is in the active voice which indicates that Jesus came of His own volition, a conscious act of His will. Jesus voluntarily entered into His Messianic role as redeemer of mankind, leaving His prior private life and stepping fully into the spotlight of public life. Luke adds that "When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age." (Lk 3:23+). So for 30 years, the “self emptied One” was just one of the people. Indistinguishable from other men; undiscovered as to any deep secret of personality, or any profound anointing for service. He had a most common names of the day Joshua. No halo round his head. Nothing strange about Him. He was one of the crowd, a man among men. He has now lived over 10,000 busy days on planet earth. An ordinary workman, honing His craft, mastering His tools, meeting carpentry deadlines. Bearing ordinary human responsibilities & entering into ordinary human experiences. (Brian Bell) From Nazareth in Galilee (See another map which shows Jerusalem or here) - The implication is that Nazareth had been his residence up to this time. It is notable that Nazareth was an obscure village, never mentioned in the Old Testament, Josephus, or the Talmud. Mark adds in Galilee which would help his non-Jewish readers understand where this obscure village was located. Hiebert adds that in Galilee "indicates that Mark’s readers would not readily know where Nazareth was located, although it was well known among the early Christians that Jesus came from Nazareth. This is further evidence that Mark wrote for non-Palestinian readers." (Mark Commentary) Matthew gives us more detail Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan (see map of Jordan River) coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him. After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”(Matthew 3:13-17) Jesus (2424)(Iesous) is transliteration of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is the transliteration of the Hebrew name Yehoshua or Yeshua which mean Jehovah is help or Jehovah is salvation. Stated another way the Greek Iesous corresponds to the OT Yehoshua which is contracted as Yeshua. Jesus is used 7x in chapter 1 - Mark 1:1 Mark 1:9 Mark 1:14 Mark 1:17 Mark 1:24 Mark 1:25 Mark 1:45 And was baptized by John in the Jordan - Jesus was sinless so His baptism was not for sin, but was an act of obedience to the sovereign plan of God (See note on Mt 3:15 for interpretations of why Jesus sought to be baptized). See Map of Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist. Keep in mind the idea of baptism conveying the picture of identification as you see Jesus willingly receive baptism, in effect willing to "identify" with sinners. Indeed, He Who knew no sin would be fully identified with sin (man's sin) on the Cross. As Paul wrote the Father "made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Cor 5:21+, 1 Jn 3:5+) Spurgeon rightly said, "Remember, Christ was not a deified man, neither was he a humanized god. He was perfectly God and at the same time perfectly man." The baptism of the Lord Jesus demonstrated He was the Kinsman-Redeemer (Goel) Who would identify with sinful men and women, without implying that He himself was a sinner.
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MacArthur adds that "while there were various ceremonial washings in Judaism (cf. Heb. 6:2+), there was no baptism of Jews. But while there was no baptism of Jews in Judaism, the Jews did baptize Gentile converts to Judaism (Gentile proselytes). Thus, those who “were being baptized by [John] in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins” (Mt. 3:6+), were publicly acknowledging that they were no better than the Gentiles. Their sins had separated them from the true and living God (cf. Isa 59:2) and cut them off from covenant blessings. For Jewish people to place themselves on the same level as the despised Gentiles was astonishing, and demonstrates the power of John’s preaching. Unfortunately, few being baptized by John were truly repentant. The nation would later reject Jesus when He failed to meet their expectations of a political Messiah, who would deliver them from the Romans. Others were superficial from the start....But those few (Mt 7:13–14+) who acknowledged their sinful condition and alienation from God and turned to Him in repentant faith were saved. (See Luke Commentary) Comment - While there were not many who were saved as a result of John's baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, there do appear to be some, and below are some examples to consider: Acts 18:24-25+ records "Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John." (COMMENT: So either directly or indirectly he had been instructed by John the Baptist. From Luke's description Apollos was clearly saved. Unlike the disciples of John the Baptist in Acts 19:1-7 there is no evidence that Apollos needed to be re-baptized.) Another possible example is two of John the Baptist's disciples, Andrew and John, who became Jesus' disciples. John records "Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples (ANDREW AND JOHN) heard him speak, and they followed Jesus." (John 1:35-37+) (COMMENT: So obviously Andrew and John manifested some degree of belief in Jesus, although exactly when they truly believed is difficult to state dogmatically. For example, in John 2:11+ we read Jesus water to wine miracle "manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.") In addition Jesus alludes to some who believed - "For John came to you ("the chief priests and the elders" - Mt 21:23) in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse (metamellomai) afterward so as to believe him." (Mt 21:32, cf Mt 21:25) In a similar allusion by Jesus we read - “I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves (Ryle = "they rejected God’s offer of salvation"), not having been baptized by John. (Lk 7:28-30+) MacArthur on Mark 1:4 - Multitudes from Jerusalem, Jericho, and all the country of Judea came to hear John, to confess their sins, and to be baptized by him. By confessing their sins, the people agreed with God that they had broken His law and needed to be forgiven. But in the end, this revival proved to be largely superficial. Sadly, the nation that flocked to John at the peak of his popularity would later reject the Messiah to Whom his whole ministry pointed. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Mark 1-8) John Martin - John’s baptism was associated with repentance, that is, it outwardly pictured an inner change of heart. The word “for” (eis) refers back to the whole “baptism of repentance.” The baptism did not save anyone, as is clear from what follows (Lk 3:7–14+). Repentance was “unto” (literal rendering of eis) or resulted in sins forgiven. Since John’s function was to be Christ’s forerunner, so also his baptism prefigured a different baptism (Luke 3:16+) (Bible Knowledge Commentary - Luke) J. Oswald Sanders lists the following characteristics of the ministry of John the Baptist, characteristics that every believer should seek to imitate (cf Heb 6:12): 1. GENUINE HUMILITY - true humility is not putting ourselves down but lifting other up. John's life was utterly oriented towards lifting up the person of Christ (Mk 1:7-8). "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). 2. BURNING CONVICTIONS - an opinion is something we hold, a conviction is something which holds us. We may argue our opinions, but we must be willing to die for our convictions. John's convictions about sin, righteousness, and judgment ultimately cost him his freedom and life (Mk 1:14). 3. TRANSPARENT SINCERITY- The crowds saw something in John which was markedly absent in the religious leaders of the day - utter sincerity. "He was the burning and shining lamp" (John 5:35). At every turn he denounced hypocrisy and shallow commitment, and used his life to call attention to the person and work of Christ. 4. DAUNTLESS COURAGE - John's preaching was never warped by seeking the praise of men. When confronted by Herod, John's message never deviated - "It is not lawful for you to have her (his brother's wife)" (Matt 14:4). 5. RIGOROUS SELF-DISCIPLINE - His clothing, housing, and diet were a sharp rebuke to the soft and easy lifestyles of the religious leaders of his day. John's was a ministry which cost him, and we must not be deluded into believing that we can serve without sacrifice (Mal 1:6-8, 12-14; 2 Sa 24:24). Gotquestions addresses the question of the meaning of John's baptism - Though today the word baptism generally evokes thoughts of identifying with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, baptism did not begin with Christians. For years before Christ, the Jews had used baptism in ritual cleansing ceremonies of Gentile proselytes. John the Baptist took baptism and applied it to the Jews themselves—it wasn’t just the Gentiles who needed cleansing. Many believed John’s message and were baptized by him (Matthew 3:5–6). The baptisms John performed had a specific purpose. In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist mentions the purpose of his baptisms: “I baptize you with water for repentance.” Paul affirms this in Acts 19:4: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” John’s baptism had to do with repentance—it was a symbolic representation of changing one’s mind and going a new direction. “Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River” (Matthew 3:6). Being baptized by John demonstrated a recognition of one’s sin, a desire for spiritual cleansing, and a commitment to follow God’s law in anticipation of the Messiah’s arrival. There were some, like the Pharisees, who came to the Jordan to observe John’s ministry but who had no desire to step into the water themselves. John rebuked them sternly: “When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance’” (Matthew 3:7–8). Even the religious leaders needed to repent of their sin, although they saw no need of it. Christian baptism today also symbolizes repentance, cleansing, and commitment, but Jesus has given it a different emphasis. Christian baptism is a mark of one’s identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It is representative of a cleansing that is complete and a commitment that is the natural response of one who has been made new. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross completely washes away our sins, and we are raised to new life empowered by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17–21; Romans 6:1–11). With John’s baptism, a person repented of sin and was therefore ready to place his faith in Jesus Christ. John’s baptism foreshadowed what Jesus would accomplish, much as the Old Testament sacrificial system did. John prepared the way for Christ by calling people to acknowledge their sin and their need for salvation. His baptism was a purification ceremony meant to ready the peoples’ hearts to receive their Savior. Mark 1:6 John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey. John was clothed with camel's hair : 2Ki 1:8 Zec 13:4 Mt 3:4 his diet was locusts and wild honey: Lev 11:22 Map of ministry of John the Baptist Mark 1 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JOHN'S STRANGE CLOTHING AND DIET John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist - He was outfitted for survival in the wilderness—like a desert monk." (Barton) In the parallel description in Mark 1:6+ the verb "clothed" is in the perfect tense that indicates John's garb was not his occasional dress when he preached (like a pastor might put on a suit), but his permanent attire. He probably would not make the front cover of "GQ Magazine!" John's attire was in striking contrast to that of the religious leaders in Israel, whose flowing robes reflected their great pride in their position and their desire to be noticed by men (Mt 23:5) Broadus writes that the "clothing of camel’s hair was a coarse cloth made by weaving camel’s hair, and such cloth is still often worn in the East by the poor." The wealthy of John's day wore girdles of costly linen or silk, often wrought with silver or gold. John scorned such embellishments preferring instead a simple leather belt. A leather belt is referred to in the KJV a girdle of skin which "was a necessary and almost universal part of an Oriental’s dress (Mt 10:9, Acts 21:11+), being required to bind the long, loose robe (Mt 5:40), in order to active labor, or rapid locomotion, and it was often very costly and showy (cp. Rev. 1:13). John’s girdle was made of leather, cheap and rude, as was Elijah’s, (2 Ki 1:8)" (Broadus) "A camel hair garment bound with a leather belt might suggest poverty in another context, but here it is suggestive of John’s prophetic role and stern message of repentance....All in all, John’s clothing and diet modeled the message he preached. He was unconcerned with the niceties of wardrobe and food (Mt 11:8, 18), and he called Israel away from preoccupation with such things and toward the Kingdom." (David Turner) As D A Carson said "Both Elijah and John had stern ministries in which austere garb and diet confirmed their message and condemned the idolatry of physical and spiritual softness.” (EBC) Undoubtedly John's father had told him of the prophetic pronouncement over his life and ministry that he would "go as a forerunner before Him (MESSIAH) in the spirit and power of Elijah." (Lk 1:17+). THOUGHT - Would such an uncouth figure be welcome today in any pulpit in our cities? In the wilderness it did not matter. It was probably a matter of necessity with him, not an affectation. (Robertson) Also consider that some Jews undoubtedly came out of curiosity and heard a call to repent. Are unbelievers curious about your Christian lifestyle and values? As Peter exhorts the believers in his first epistle "Sanctify (aorist imperative) Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence" (1 Pe 3:15+, cf Ro 11:11NLT+). John was in the mold of the powerful prophet Elijah - They answered him (THE KING OF SAMARIA - 2 Ki 1:1-7), “He was a hairy man with a leather girdle bound about his loins.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” (2 Ki 1:8) And his diet was locusts and wild honey - Click the locust above to make him big and somewhat intimidating. I wonder if John ate "kosher locusts?" Leviticus had put the stamp of approval on locusts declaring "These of them you may eat: the locust in its kinds, and the devastating locust in its kinds, and the cricket in its kinds, and the grasshopper in its kinds." (Lev 11:22+) One commentator says modern Bedouins still wear camel hair garments and eat locusts (grasshoppers). Honey is mentioned several times in the OT (Gen 43:11; Exod 3:8; Deut 32:13; Jdg 14:8; 1 Sam 14:25; Ps 81:16; Ezek 27:17) Broadus - The law of Moses (Lev. 11:22) allowed locusts, at least of certain kinds, to be eaten; and a treatise in the Talmud copiously discusses the marks by which ‘clean’ locusts might be distinguished. To eat these is still common in the East among the poor. The heads, legs, and wings being removed, they are boiled, stewed, or roasted, and sometimes dressed with butter. They are eaten both fresh, and dried, or salted. They are very different from what we call locusts. THOUGHT - And just in case you are wondering wild honey is basically devoid of protein, so John would have had to depend solely on his locust intake. "The protein content in fresh weight is between 13–28 g/100g for adult locust, 14–18 g/100g for larvae, as compared to 19–26 g/100g for beef." So let's say an average male needs about 60 grams of protein per day and the average locust weighs 2 grams which means John would have had to eat about 100 fresh locusts each day to achieve his minimum daily requirement for protein! Wikipedia on locusts as food - Locusts are edible insects. Several cultures throughout the world consume insects, and locusts are considered a delicacy and eaten in many African, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries. They have been used as food throughout history. They can be cooked in many ways, but are often fried, smoked, or dried. Bruce Barton - BEING WEIRD - John’s appearance and lifestyle dramatically contrasted with the people of his day. He looked and lived as he did both out of necessity and to further demonstrate his message. Some people go to great extremes today to demonstrate their loyalty to sports teams: They buy jackets, license plates, ties, and collectibles. Since the days of the early church, faithful Christians have shown loyalty in many ways. Some have adopted clothes and eating habits similar to John’s. Some have tried to imitate Peter or other early Christian leaders. Today, with so much loyalty evident on any city block (just count the baseball caps), Christians need “caps” to show their commitment to Jesus. And the Bible suggests the most important emblems: attitudes like loving others, being hopeful under stress, and trusting in God for daily needs. Badges like these show others how faith in the living God makes a difference in your life. What loyalties does your life portray? (Life Application Commentary) Related Resource: What is the Christian view of asceticism / monasticism? Mark 1:7 And he was preaching, and saying, "After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. Mt 3:11,14 Lu 3:16 7:6,7 Joh 1:27 3:28-31 Ac 13:25 Mark 1 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries PROPHET PREACHES OF A GREATER PROPHET And he was preaching - Preaching is in the imperfect tense indicating over and over, again and again. John understood his purpose for existence and stuck with the divine plan for his life. THOUGHT - Do you know God's plan for your life? Paul writes of every believer that "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. " (Eph 2:10+). So clearly our goal is to discern the "good works" Gos has pre-prepared for us to walk in! Preaching (proclaiming) (2784) see previous discussion of kerusso used 6x in chapter 1 - Mk. 1:4; Mk. 1:7; Mk. 1:14; Mk. 1:38; Mk. 1:39; Mk. 1:45 And saying, "After me One is coming who is mightier than I - John never sought (like so many do) to take center stage, but always pointed men to the only One Who rightly deserved center stage in the great drama of redemptions. This description is clearly important for it is repeated in the other synoptic Gospels (Mt 3:11+, Lk 3:16+) Henry
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MacArthur has an interesting comment considering that Jesus had come to give His life as a sacrifice for sins (Heb 10:12+, cf Heb 9:26+) - "God had examined, as it were, His beloved Son, who would offer Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of those with whom He was willing to identify Himself. No imperfection could be found in Him, and God was delighted." (Matthew 1-7 Chicago: Moody Press) J C
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MacArthur comments that "So, while the word euaggelion (and verb euaggelizo) might have some broad meanings, its technical meaning was to describe the very best news possible, which was the ascent of a new King, the ascent of a sovereign to His throne over His people to produce salvation and peace and happiness. That is the way the Jews would view it, and that is the way it is used there by Isaiah. Both passages (Isaiah 40:9, 52:7) consider, then, the return of the Jews from Babylonian exile. When they go back to their land and God again will dwell in Zion, God again will ascend to His throne. A new temple will be built, which is like God’s palace in which He dwells. And during the time of captivity, remember the temple had been destroyed, as it were. God’s palace had been turned to rubble. The people had been carried away. God had dwelt with the exiles in Babylon, according to the prophet Ezekiel. But the day would come, says Isaiah, when the people will go back, and God will go back with them and ascend to His throne. This will happen in the near future. And it did, in the great return of the Jews from Babylonian exile and the rebuilding of the temple, and God again taking His place as the sovereign over His theocratic nation Israel. So, it is a word of enthronement. It is the word of the good news of a sovereign ruler taking His throne. And the imagery is of God, the God of Israel, the only true God, establishing His throne in Jerusalem. In the near fulfillment, that happened in the return from Babylon. In the far fulfillment, that is the messianic promise that the King will come in the future and establish His kingdom in Israel, and set up His rule and His throne there, and that will happen when Jesus returns and sets up His millennial kingdom. (Ed: The upshot is that the Jewish readers of Mark's Gospel would have had some concept of the meaning of Mark's use of the word euaggelion.) How would pagans (Romans, gentiles) understand the word Gospel? MacArthur reads an inscription from 9 BC extolling the Roman emperor Augustus which says "The Providence, which has ordered the whole of our life”showing concern and zeal, has ordained the most perfect consummation for human life by giving it to Augustus, by filling him with virtue for doing the work of a benefactor among men and by sending in him, as it were, a savior for us and those who come after us, to make war to cease, to create order everywhere. The birthday of the god Augustus is the beginning for the world of the euaggelion that has come to men through him.” This is fascinating for it is almost like a satanic counterfeit of Christ - a benefactor, a savior, make war cease, create order everywhere, arrival of a god! Is that not what Jesus did when He became a man, to the pagan mind euaggelion was the birth of a man, Augustus, who was worshiped as deity. This was the "Gospel" to the pagan world. So they understood the basic meaning of the Greek word euaggelion. As MacArthur says "So, the Jews and the pagans would both see that word as signifying the arrival of a new monarch, and that would signify the arrival of a new era. And the new era would be an era of order and peace and salvation and blessing." (Sermon) William Hendriksen on the Gospel of God - What could be a better commentary than the following series of passages: John 3:16; Ro 8:3, 32; 2 Cor. 5:20, 21; Gal. 4:4, 5; Eph. 2:8-10; Titus 3:4-7? (Baker New Testament Commentary – Exposition of the Gospel According to Mark) The writers of the New Testament adapted the term as God's message of salvation for lost sinners. Euaggelion is found in several combination phrases, each describing the Gospel like a multifaceted jewel in various terms from a different viewpoint (from the NASB, 1977): the Gospel of the kingdom (Mt 4:23+) the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mk 1:1+) - it centers in Christ the Gospel of God (Mk 1:14+) - it originates with God and was not invented by man the Gospel of the kingdom of God (Lk 16:16+) the Gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24+), the Gospel of His Son (Ro 1:9+) the Gospel of Christ (Ro 15:19+) the Gospel of the glory of Christ (2Co 4:4+) the Gospel of your salvation (Ep 1:13+) the Gospel of peace (Ep 6:15+) the Gospel of our Lord Jesus (2Th 1:8) the glorious Gospel of the blessed God (1Ti 1:11) In Ro 16:25, 26+ Paul called it “my Gospel” indicating that the special emphasis he gave the Gospel in his ministry. Mark 1:15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. The time is fulfilled: Da 2:44 Da 9:25 Ga 4:4 Eph 1:10 The kingdom of God is at hand - Mt 3:2 4:17 10:7 Lu 10:9,11 Repent Mt 21:31,32 Lu 24:47 Ac 2:36-38 20:21 2Ti 2:25,26 believe in the Gospel: Ro 16:26 Mark 1 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE OPPORTUNE TIME FOR THE GOSPEL God's sovereign clock had struck the note that it was the time for the Messiah to present His good news of the kingdom, a present kingdom (followed by a future earthly kingdom and then an eternal kingdom). Believers ought to be like the little boy whose family clock malfunctioned and struck 15x so that he rushed wide-eyed to his mother crying, “Mommy, it’s later than it’s ever been before!” And saying, "The time is fulfilled - Literally "saying fulfilled is the season." The word time has the idea of “a favorable season of action; a golden opportunity. The time which God had appointed for the Messiah’s arrival had now fully come (cf "fullness of the time" = Gal 4:4+, "the fullness of the times," = Eph 1:10+). As Hendriksen phrases it "The appropriate season or golden opportunity for the fulfillment of God’s redemptive promises and along with it for the promulgation of the gospel had arrived. The hour for the realization of Isa. 9:1, 2+ had struck." (Ibid) Jesus was preaching a message calling for immediate life change among His hearers. He was calling them to come to Him right now and not miss this opportunity. As the old saying goes, it may be true of the Gospel, that opportunity will only knock once at the door of your heart! Don't procrastinate or it could lead to your perpetual ruin! (cf 2 Cor 6:2) After beginning His ministry in Galilee as discussed in Mark 1:14, Luke recorded an event that is not described in Mark's version: He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written (QUOTING Isaiah 61:1-2a+), 18 “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, 19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.” 20 And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Lk 4:16-21+) In short, Jesus formally declared that the time is fulfilled and the Old Testament promise of the proclamation of the Good News had been formally commenced! The verb Jesus used in Luke 4:21+ for has been fulfilled is pleroo, the same verb Mark used in Mark 1:15, and both in the perfect tense indicating a past completed action with ongoing or lasting effect. As Grassnick says "God's appointed time of preparation and expectation, the Old Testament era, now stood fulfilled." (Ibid) Guzik on time as used by Jesus - His idea was, “The strategic time for the kingdom of God is now. Now is your time of opportunity. Don’t let it pass you by.” Paul also alludes to the time is fulfilled in Galatians writing that "When the fullness (pleroma derived from pleroo) of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law." (Gal. 4:4+) Time (season, proper time, opportune time) (2540)(kairos) means a period of time, frequently with the implication of being especially fit for something and without emphasis on precise chronology. Kairos does not refer to clock time or calendar time like the Greek word chronos but speaks of the fixed point in history, an opportune time, a season if you will for an event to occur. It describes the period as especially appropriate and favorable (the right time). Stated another way kairos is distinguished from chronos (time) because kairos views TIME from the aspect of the strategic opportunity it provides, and not simply a change from the past into the present into the future, not mere duration. (Trench) Kairos can refer to a fixed and definite time, the time when things are brought to crisis, the decisive epoch waited for or a strategic point in time. Kairos is used by Luke after the temptation of Jesus, Luke recording that "When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time (kairos)." (Lk 4:13+).
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MacArthur comments "In essence Jesus was saying, “Because I am the King, wherever I am My kingdom is present.” (Ibid)
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MacArthur notes that "Not all Pharisees were scribes, but the scribes were primarily Pharisees, who were interpreters and teachers of the law of Moses and the traditional rabbinic writings. Their teaching provided the theological framework for the Pharisees’ legalistic system of works-righteousness. The scribes were the dominant force in Judaism, not only theologically, but socially. Their views affected every aspect of life, and they also handled all legal matters, including property, estates, and contracts. They were revered, and given the respectful title of Rabbi ("an honorary title for outstanding teachers of the law" - Mt. 23:7). That title was sometimes given to Jesus because He was a teacher (cf. John 1:38, 49; 3:2, 26; 6:25). It was commonly believed that Moses received the law, then gave it to Joshua, who gave it to the elders, who gave it to the prophets, who gave it to the scribes. (Luke Commentary on Lk 20:46+) David
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MacArthur explains that "That the two disciples followed Jesus does not imply that they became His permanent disciples at this time....Later, they became His permanent disciples (Mt. 4:18–22+). (Mark 1:16-20) Click to enlarge - from the Holman Bible Atlas (digital book; Hardcover) © 1998 B&H Publishing Group, Used by permission, all rights reserved. This is one of the best resources for Bible maps. Please do not reproduce this map on any other webpage. JESUS STEPPING ALONG THE SHORE As He was going along - Jesus was not just listlessly, idly strolling along the seashore, but to the contrary, every step of His short time on earth was very purposeful and fruitful (cf Jn 4:34 with Jn 17:4 see also Jn 5:19, 30, 36, Jn 8:28) . THOUGHT - Jesus is the perfect Prototype of One Who continually redeemed the time and as such is a perfect example for us "to follow (epakoloutheo) in His steps" (1 Pe 2:21+) As a child we used to play "Follow the Leader," but now as children of the living God (1 Jn 3:1+) the game is serious with eternal ramifications and therefore enabled by the Holy Spirit we should strive daily (Gal 5:16+) to FOLLOW THE LEADER, Jesus Christ our Lord, our Example to Emulate! Play and practice "Step by Step!" By the Sea of Galilee - Galilee is a large somewhat kidney shaped inland lake on the eastern side of the region of Galilee (note) which is also known by three other names in Scripture - (1) the Sea of Chinnereth (Hebrew name - Nu 34:11, Dt 3:17, 1 Ki 15:20), (2) the Lake of Gennesaret (Lk 5:1+), and (3) the Sea of Tiberias (Jn 6:1+). This freshwater lake is about 13 miles long and 8 miles wide, and lies some 690 feet below sea level making it the lowest body of freshwater on earth (Dead Sea is lower but is salty). The primary source of inflow for the Sea of Galilee is the Jordan River, which arises from several sources near Mt Hermon (9,200 ft above sea level) and flows into the lake from the north. The enlarged Jordan River exits the southern end of the lake, and flows south into the Dead Sea. It is well known for its clear pure water, abundant fish, and frequent storms. From the context of Mark 1:16-20, it is clear that the Sea of Galilee was home to a thriving fishing industry, which included the redbelly tilapia (picture - does it make you hungry?) which is know as "St Peter's fish." Wikipedia - The Sea of Galilee, Lake Tiberias, Kinneret or Kinnereth, is a freshwater lake in Israel. It is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth and the second-lowest lake in the world (after the Dead Sea, a saltwater lake), at levels between 215 metres (705 ft) and 209 metres (686 ft) below sea level. It is approximately 53 km (33 mi) in circumference, about 21 km (13 mi) long, and 13 km (8.1 mi) wide. Its area is 166.7 km2 (64.4 sq mi) at its fullest, and its maximum depth is approximately 43 m (141 feet).[6] The lake is fed partly by underground springs, although its main source is the Jordan River, which flows through it from north to south David Thompson - There were many fishermen who made a living by fishing this sea. Josephus claims in his day, which was just a few years after this event, that there were 330 fishing boats on the Sea of Galilee. People ate a lot of fish. It was their main meat source. Now by virtue of the fact that there were so many fishermen, we know that the ones Jesus calls are very specific choices that He is making as God. Three of the four that He calls here–Peter, James and John–will become key inner circle disciples (Mark 5:37; 9:2; 14:33) Was going along (3855)(parago from para = beside, by + ago = lead) means literally to pass alongside or to pass by. Polybius (ca. Second Century B.C.) used paragō intransitively and spoke about a god “passing by,” causing a man to become blind. Here in Mark we see not "A god" but THE God-Man passing by, One Who would make the blind to see physically (cf Mt 20:30-34) but more importantly would open the eyes of the spiritually blind! The "gods" of the pagans were not compassionate. Jesus was (is) the epitome of God's compassion for all men are born spiritually blind (Ro 5:12+). It is interesting that the verb parago (which is from para) is followed by another "para" which would seem to emphasize that Jesus was right on the side of the Sea, on the shore.
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MacArthur comments on the unclean spirit cried out - They don’t attack Jesus. Jesus attacks them just by showing up, they panic. They are terrified. They blow their cover. They can’t restrain their fear because while to us they are invisible, they know to Him they are not invisible. And when in His presence, they are fully aware that He recognizes them, and they must scream because of the terror that grips their wicked souls....What terrified the demon? What terrified the demon was the truth. He knew that with the arrival of Jesus was the arrival of the truth. The demons knew that they had developed an untrue, false system of religion that was highly successful in Israel. And it held people captive unto their damnation. They are disguised as angels of light (ED: AND "DISGUISE THEMSELVES AS SERVANT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS" - 2 Cor 11:14-15). They hide in the middle of false religion. Satan is, before all other things, a liar and a murderer (Jn 8:44). He wants to catch everybody in deception and then kill their eternal souls. Truth is therefore deadly to the demonic operation - deadly. This is where the initial conflict comes.....the first thing that makes demons scream, the first attack on them comes from the authority of Christ as exhibited in His Word. The truth crushes Satan’s lies. The truth destroys his fortresses, his ideological fortresses (cf 2 Co 10:3-5+)...the demons are also terrified by the Son of God, not only because of the authority of His Word, but the authority of His judgment,. (Cosmic Authority) NOTE: Demonic forces are very much at work in our world today, although sometimes they are given more credit than they deserve. The world and the flesh are usually quite capable of dragging us into sin without demonic influence. Believers are indwelled by the Holy Spirit and thus cannot be possessed by demons, but believers can come under demonic attack (Eph. 6:10-20) and opposition (2 Cor. 2:11; 1 Thess. 2:18). Evil spirits are sometimes behind false doctrine, and thus we must be discerning (1 Tim. 4:1; 1 John 4:1). (Steven Cole) James alludes to the demonic reaction to God writing "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder (present tense)." (James 2:19+) The verb shudder is the Greek verb phrisso has the primary meaning of to be rough or to bristle up and then evolves to mean (as in this context) to shiver, shudder, or tremble. The picture is vivid for it is that of one's hair standing up on end! Clearly the implication is that the shivering or quaking is the result of the fear the unholy unclean spirits in the face of the triune holy God. The present tense indicates that their bristling at the true knowledge of God is the continual fearful response of the unclean spirits. In short demons dread the divine! Why? Because they know their final fate is the Lake of fire which was prepared for "the devil and his angels" (Mt 25:41). John describes the final fate of the devil and his fallen angelic horde writing that "the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented (cf "torment" in Lk 8:28+ - basanizo both passages) day and night (INTERESTING PHRASE TO DESCRIBE ETERNITY - SUGGESTS THERE MAY BE SOME FORM OF KEEPING OF TIME) forever and ever (see eternal punishment)." (Rev 20:10+) That is another reason the unclean spirit shrieked! Cried out (349)(anakrazo from aná = intensifies force of + krazo = to cry, croak or shriek like a raven) means to cry out from the depth of the throat, exclaim with deeply felt screams as from someone suffering or someone traumatized. It could refer to a scream or shout with strong emotion producing a loud cry (like a shriek) in this case from a demon possessed person (the demon controlling and crying out through the possessed man's vocal cords). Anakrazo is used only 5x in the NT. Here in Mark 1:23 and in Luke's parallel description it describes the reaction of unclean spirits when confronted by the teaching of Jesus (Lk 4:33+). It is uses in Jesus' confrontation with the Gadarene demoniac who upon "Seeing Jesus, he cried out (anakrazo) and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” (Lk 8:28+). Anakrazo is used once to describe the fearful cry of the disciples who saw Jesus "walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out (anakrazo)." (Mk 6:49+). The last use is the saddest as it is at the judgment of Jesus by Pilate where the Jews "cried out (anakrazo) all together, saying, “Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!”" (Lk 23:18+). Related Resources: John MacArthur's summary of four ways Scripture describes demon possession What does the Bible say about demons? Do demons exist? What does Satan look like? What do demons look like? Can demons attach themselves to non-living/inanimate objects? If angels and demons can’t die, what is the point of their engaging in battle? Can a Christian today perform an exorcism? What does the Bible say about casting out demons? How are idols connected to demons (Deuteronomy 32:16-17)? Are the demons the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim? Questions about Angels & Demons Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the herd of pigs? Are demons fallen angels? What are unclean spirits? Are unclean spirits demons? Is Satan the master of hell? Do Satan and his demons punish people in hell? Why did God allow Satan and the demons to sin? Is there activity of demonic spirits in the world today? What does the Bible say about demon possession / demonic possession? Why is "the devil made me do it" not a valid excuse? Can a Christian today perform an exorcism? What does the Bible say about casting out demons? How are Catholics able to perform exorcisms if many of their beliefs are unbiblical? Mark 1:24 saying, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!"
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MacArthur has an interesting comment - He was not permitting the demons to speak because they knew who He was and He didn’t want demons as His publicity agents because that would just feed the already growing frenzy that He did what He did by the power of Satan (Lk 11:15-20+, Mk 3:22+). Who could deny that if His agents are demons? So whenever they affirmed who He was, He shut them up....He doesn’t want him promoting His true identity. (Cosmic Authority) See Note below by Daniel Akin on why Jesus did not let demons and often those He miraculously cured to speak. Rebuked (2008)(epitimao from epi = upon + timao = to honor) means literally to put honor upon and then to mete out due measure and so then to find fault with, to censure severely, to rebuke, to express strong disapproval of, or to denounce (cp the incredible example in Mt 16:22).
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MacArthur - Cosmic Authority) ILLUSTRATION - One night a church caught on fire and was burning to the ground. As the Pastor watched it burn, he noticed a man standing in the crowd watching the church burn. The Pastor recognized the man, because he had invited him to church many times with no success. The Pastor went to him and said, “I’ve invited you to come to this church many times, but you never came. Why are you here tonight?” The man replied, “Well, I’ve never seen this church on fire before!” There is a lot of truth in that illustration! Mark 1:29 And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. they came into the house of Simon and Andrew: Mt 8:14,15 Lu 4:38,39 Lk 9:58 Mark 1 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Click to Enlarge for Labels Ruins of Home in Capernaum Purported to be Peter's Home JESUS DEPARTS SYNAGOGUE FOR SIMON'S HOME Synoptic parallel passages: Matthew 8:14; 15+ When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him. Luke 4:38; 39+ Then He got up and left the synagogue, and entered Simon’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him to help her. 39 And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately got up and waited on them. At the very outset of Jesus' ministry as described by Mark (beginning in Mark 1:21-28), Mark establishes that Jesus Christ is the authority first as Teacher and then over the supernatural world healing a demon possessed man, the first miracle recorded in Mark (Satan and the demons). Mark will take us through the remainder of this Sabbath day in the life of Jesus and show us that Jesus has authority over disease. Daniel Akin sets the stage for this next section (Mark 1:29-34) - Mark presents the events of Mark 1:21-38 as “one day in the life of Jesus.” He does so with 5 uses of his favorite word: “immediately” (Mk 1:21, 23, 28, 29, 30). With a sense of mission and urgency Jesus is here and He is there ministering to this one and then another. He truly is the Servant of the Lord (Mk 10:45) healing the physically sick and setting free spiritual prisoners held captive by the prince of darkness and his demonic hosts (cf Lk 4:18-19+)! (See Jewish believer Alfred Edersheim's description of A Sabbath in Capernaum). And immediately - see preceding discussion on euthus (11x - Mk. 1:10; Mk. 1:12; Mk. 1:18; Mk. 1:20; Mk. 1:21; Mk. 1:23; Mk. 1:28; Mk. 1:29; Mk. 1:30; Mk. 1:42; Mk. 1:43 (Mk 1:3 means "straight"). None of the Gospel writers tell us the length of the synagogue service but if they were similar to modern Judaism the service would have likely lasted most of Saturday morning and ended around noon (3-4 hours total). So it would be early Saturday afternoon. The point is that there are still several hours of daylight until evening which marks the end of the Sabbath. THOUGHT - What a privilege Peter had to be allowed to host the King of kings and Lord of lords! But beloved, you and I have the same privilege and in fact it is an even greater one, to actually "host" Him in our "house" or "tent" (2 Cor 5:2, 4+)! And He never leaves this "house" (Heb 13:5+) as He did Peter's! John records "Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him." (Jn 14:23, cf Col 1:27b+) I fear we (I) far too often forget this great privilege and fail to treat our (my) bodies as His holy dwelling place! Lord forgive us for being to prone to wander. In Jesus' Name. Amen. J D Jones has an interesting comment on immediately - The commentators tell us the word is characteristic of St Mark's eager and vivid literary style. But it is really much more than an indication of St Mark's active and bustling mind; it is a revelation of the ceaseless activity of our Lord's life. This word "straightway" illustrates, shall I say, the "pace" of our Lord's life. He had no slack time; He had no intervals of ease; He had no holidays from service. Our Lord had an abiding sense of the urgency and pressure of life. "I have a baptism to be baptised with," He said once, "and how am I straitened till it be accomplished" (Luke 12:50+). "How am I straitened!"—what a tremendous urgency the phrase implies! And so He gave Himself to service with a devotion that filled all who beheld Him with wonder and awe. Its Example to us. What an example our Lord sets to us! We are slow, and slack, and listless. We sit at ease in Zion. We let opportunity slip, instead of buying it up. Here is the motto for the Christian—"straightway." John Ruskin had on his desk, confronting him whenever he stood by it, the words, "Do it now." The Christian might grave this word "straightway" on the tables of his heart. Now is always the accepted time; now is always the day of salvation. (Mark Commentary)
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MacArthur adds that "A typical synagogue service ended around noon. Jesus’ first four disciples, whom He called just a short time earlier (cf. Mk 1:16-20), would have attended the synagogue service with Him and, along with the crowds, been amazed by His preaching (Mk 1:22) and astonished by His authority over the demon who confronted Him (Mk 1:27). As the hubbub subsided, and the people were dismissed, the four former fishermen came with Jesus out of the synagogue, undoubtedly talking excitedly with one another about the spectacular deliverance they had just witnessed." They came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John - When they first met Jesus along the banks of the Jordan, Andrew and Peter were identified as being from Bethsaida (John 1:44), but had moved to Capernaum. Only Mark adds this personal touch of with James and John, so that all 4 witnessed the miracle that was about to occur. Luke's version (Lk 4:38+) has entered Simon's home, and here the house of Simon and Andrew. Perhaps the note on the loan for the home was in Peter's name (just kidding). Simon and Andrew were brothers (Mk 1:16+, Lk 6:14+, Mt 4:18, 10:2, Jn 1:40+, Jn 6:8+) so presumably they were co-owners, and this detail is found only in Mark. Notice only 4 disciples are mentioned at this time, four fishermen being trained to be fishers of men! These four always are the first mentioned in any list of the 12 disciples and were more intimate with Jesus than the other eight (see notes on Luke 6:13). The home of Simon and Andrew will function as somewhat of a “base of operations” for Jesus when He is around Capernaum (cf use of "home" or "house" in Mk 2:1; Mk 3:20; Mk 9:33; Mk 10:10, see also Mt 9:1 where Matthew calls Capernaum "His [JESUS'] own city."). Notice that these four men brought Jesus home with them after church. Sadly so many today leave Jesus at church. Lowell
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MacArthur has an interesting comment stating that Mark 1:39 "summarizes weeks if not months of time as Jesus continued doing exactly what He had done in Capernaum-preaching the good news and overpowering the demons. In this way, Jesus both validated His identity as the messianic King, while also proclaiming that salvation can be found only through faith in His name (cf. Acts 4:12). When He taught throughout the synagogues of Galilee, His emphasis was on gospel proclamation. The apostle Paul would later articulate the importance of such preaching in Ro 10:13-15. (Mark Commentary) Preaching (present tense = continually publicly proclaiming) is the same verb used earlier kerusso. Jesus was functioning like a herald (kerux) whose mission was to announce to the people the good news of the Gospel, calling for repentance and belief (Mk 1:15+). In fact kerusso is used 6 times in chapter 1 (Mk. 1:4; Mk. 1:7; Mk. 1:14; Mk. 1:38; Mk. 1:39; Mk. 1:45) and thus is clearly a "key word" which emphasizes that for Jesus preaching took preeminence, which means it had "a high status importance owing to marked superiority." THOUGHT - If preaching was preeminent for Jesus, it should be a priority with His followers. The truth is that every age has attempted to diminish the importance of preaching God’s Word and ours is no different! Satan's first "attack" was leveled against the Word (Ge 3:1-5+) for he knows that the Word alone has the power to convert sinners and edify saints (Ro 1:16+). The corollary is that if you are a pastor or teacher and are seeking to preach and teach the pure milk of the word that by it saints may grow in respect to salvation (1 Pe 2:2+), then you need to be aware that will very likely need to "Preach the Word and duck!" The enemy will fight you at every step and often he will use people within your own assembly! (I speak from painful experience!) Sadly many pulpits have caved to the pressure and are preaching “sermonettes for Christianettes!" Steven