Upwards Church

The confrontation between Jesus and the religious leaders has escalated.  The Pharisees are watching Jesus on the Sabbath, hoping that he will do something that they can condemn.  Jesus frustrates their plan by involving them in the decision to heal the man. Their anger drove the Pharisees to break the Sabbath by plotting Jesus’ murder. They commit the very sin they want to pin on him.

 Jesus Heals a Man’s Hand on the Sabbath / 3:1-6

 3:1-2 As was his regular custom (noted by the word again), Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath (see 3:2). As Jesus entered, he noticed a man with a deformed hand. Luke adds that it was the man’s right hand (Luke 6:6). Jesus’ enemies were the Pharisees (3:6). They were spying on Jesus with the intention of finding some fault in his actions so that they could condemn him.

Jesus’ reputation for healing (even on the Sabbath, see 1:21-26) preceded him, but would he dare heal on the Sabbath with the Pharisees watching? God’s law prohibited work on the seventh day of the week (Exodus 31:14-17); so, the religious leaders allowed no healing to be done on the Sabbath unless the person’s life was in danger. Healing, they argued, was practicing medicine, and a person could not practice his or her profession on the Sabbath.

3:3 Jesus didn’t avoid a confrontation with his adversaries; he needed to make the important point that he would not be bound by the Pharisees’ burdensome laws and that, as God, he would perform an act of kindness and healing, even on the Sabbath. So Jesus commanded the man with the deformed hand to come to the center of the crowd so everyone could see him and his deformity. The Pharisees would not miss anything of what Jesus was about to do.

3:4 To Jesus it didn’t matter that this man’s life was not threatened by the condition of his hand; it didn’t matter that he could have waited until the next day to perform this healing legally. If Jesus had waited until another day, he would have been submitting to the Pharisees’ authority, showing that their petty rules were equal to God’s law. God is a God of people, not of rules.

So Jesus asked a rhetorical question: “Is it legal to do good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing harm?” But the Pharisees wouldn’t answer him, for to answer would have left them without an accusation to pin on Jesus. Their own laws allowed people to do good and to save life on the Sabbath—the farmer who could rescue his only sheep from a pit on the Sabbath knew that (see Matthew 12:11-12). How absurd, then, to refuse to allow a person to do good to another person on the Sabbath.

3:5 The religious leaders, the guardians of the Jewish faith, the keepers of the law, the teachers of the people—these men with their hard hearts were so spiritually and morally blind and hardened that they could not see who Jesus really was, and they could not even acknowledge a man’s need and rejoice in his healing. No wonder Jesus was angry and disturbed. But the Pharisees’ stubbornness didn’t matter. Jesus planned to make his point and to heal this man. So Jesus told the man to reach out his hand.

In response to Jesus’ command and with all eyes focused on him, the man stretched his hand out in front of him. The moment he did so, it became normal again. Jesus gave this man his life back. He could work again, and he no longer had to face the embarrassment of his deformity.

3:6 No particular action of Jesus is recorded; he told the man to move and with that movement, healing arrived. Jesus did nothing that could be called “work,” but the Pharisees would not be swayed from their purpose. Jesus had embarrassed them. In their fury, the only option they saw was to kill him. Ironically, the Pharisees had accused Jesus of breaking their law about healing on the Sabbath, yet they themselves were discussing plans for killing Jesus. Their hatred, combined with their zeal for the law, drove them to plot murder—an act that was clearly against the law.

In an unlikely alliance, the Pharisees plotted with the supporters of Herod (or Herodians), a Jewish political party that hoped to restore Herod the Great’s line to the throne. Their support of Rome’s leadership over Palestine brought them into direct conflict with the Jewish religious leaders. These two groups had little in common—until Jesus posed a threat to them both. Jesus threatened the Pharisees’ authority over the people; Jesus threatened the Herodians’ political ambitions because his talk of a “kingdom” caused them to think that this popular and powerful man was planning to set himself up as a ruler. This would jeopardize their authority derived from Herod’s power. To get rid of Jesus, the Pharisees needed the support of people with some influence with the secular leaders. So the Pharisees and Herodians, normally enemies, joined forces to discuss how to get rid of Jesus.

 Large Crowds Follow Jesus / 3:7-12

In contrast to the rejection of Jesus by certain religious leaders, Mark described the attraction and adoration of Christ by the crowds. Mark’s details provide us a picture of the context of Jesus’ ministry. People were coming from literally every direction (from Tyre and Sidon in the north; from Judea, Jerusalem, and Idumea in the far south; from across the Jordan in the east). From this whirlwind of activity, Mark highlighted a number of smaller interactions between Jesus and those around him. The character of Jesus emerges under the constant scrutiny and demand of the crowds. Jesus was rarely alone.

3:7 Up to this point, Jesus had been aggressively confronting the Pharisees’ hypocrisy. Then he decided to withdraw from the synagogue before a major confrontation developed, because it was not time for him to die. Jesus had many lessons still to teach his disciples and the people. So he went out to the lake (that is, to the Sea of Galilee), followed by a huge crowd. The actual twelve disciples had not yet been called, but those closest to Jesus were marked as following him. They had separated themselves from the religious establishment and were sharing in the glow of Jesus’ popularity.

3:8 While Jesus was drawing fire from the religious leaders, he was gaining great popularity among the people—they came literally from all directions. News of Jesus had spread far beyond Galilee. People came from Judea (the southernmost region of Israel), Jerusalem (the key city of Israel, in Judea), Idumea (the region south of Judea), east of the Jordan River (which probably refers to Perea and Decapolis), and Tyre and Sidon (pagan cities to the far north on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea). The people came for various reasons with various motives. Some were simply curious, some sought healing, some wanted evidence to use against him, and others truly wanted to know if Jesus was the Messiah. Most of them could only dimly guess at the real meaning of what was happening among them.

3:9-10 Only Mark recorded this detail, suggesting that this was an eyewitness report from one of the disciples whom Jesus asked (possibly Peter). This boat was about the size of a rowboat. As Jesus walked along the shoreline with the crowds following, the little boat was rowed along close to the shore so it would always be ready in case the people crowded Jesus right into the water. Jesus’ reputation for healing had spread everywhere (see 3:8), and many sick people came from great distances just to touch Jesus and be healed. Picture people in the throng crowding around and shoving each other out of the way, reaching out at Jesus. They were so desperate to be healed that such rudeness made no difference.

3:11-12 Mark described a second encounter between Jesus and evil spirits (see also 1:23-24). The demons recognized who Jesus was, and whenever a possessed person saw Jesus, he or she would fall down in front of him, not in worship, but shrieking to everyone, “You are the Son of God!” The demons recognized Jesus and feared him (see James 2:19). They knew his power, and they were aware that he had the authority to cast them out of their lodgings (inside a person) and even to send them away permanently (see 5:9-10). Jesus didn’t want or need the demons to endorse him. His true identity would be revealed at the right time, at his resurrection. So, he spoke sternly to the demons and warned them not to say who he was (see also note 1:25).

Ironically, the demons recognized who Jesus was but the people didn’t. Jesus warned the evil (unclean) spirits not to reveal his identity because he did not want them to reinforce a popular misconception. The huge crowds were looking for a political and military leader who would free them from Rome’s control, and they thought that the Messiah predicted by the Old Testament prophets would be this kind of man. Jesus wanted to teach the people about the kind of Messiah he really was, because he was far different from what they expected. Christ’s Kingdom is spiritual. It begins, not with the overthrow of governments, but with the overthrow of sin in people’s hearts.

 Jesus Chooses the Twelve Disciples / 3:13-19

Earlier in this Gospel, Jesus invited several persons to follow him (1:16-19; 2:14). Soon hundreds and thousands of others also tracked Jesus’ steps. Some were curious, some critical, and some were committed. From among all of them Jesus chose twelve.

The better we know the disciples, the more we come to see that God might actually choose us, too. Grace does not make humanness a disqualifying characteristic. As disappointing as the disciples may have been, they leave room for us to hope. When we are aware of our unworthiness to merit God’s mercy and love, we are in the best position to experience what he can do for us.

3:13 Jesus left the shore of the Sea of Galilee and went up on a mountain (probably referring to the hill country of Galilee instead of to one particular mountain). Luke records that Jesus “prayed to God all night” (Luke 6:12) before calling the ones he wanted to go with him—that is, the twelve disciples. Jesus did not take volunteers; he chose and called those he wanted. Jesus wanted these men; so he called them, and they came to him. They did not hesitate to obey.

3:14-15 Jesus had many disciples (learners), but he selected twelve of them to be his regular companions, calling them apostles (messengers). The apostles were Jesus’ inner circle. He gave them special training, and he sent them out with his own authority. From the hundreds of people who followed Jesus from place to place, he especially selected these twelve to receive the most intense training. We see the impact of these men throughout the rest of the New Testament, for they started the Christian church.

The choice of twelve men is highly symbolic. The number twelve corresponds to the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28), showing the continuity between the old religious system and the new one based on Jesus’ message. Jesus looked upon this as the gathering of the true people of God. These men were the righteous remnant who would carry on the work the twelve tribes were chosen to do—to build the community of God.

Jesus did not choose these twelve to be his disciples because of their faith—it often faltered. He didn’t choose them because of their talent and ability—no one stood out with unusual ability. The disciples represented a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences, but apparently they may have had no more leadership potential than those who were not chosen. The one characteristic they all shared was their willingness to obey Jesus.

The apostles remained with Jesus for the purpose of being trained, so that Jesus could then send them out as his ambassadors or representatives to preach. Their message was the Good News of salvation; they were to proclaim that message publicly and with the authority given to them by Christ himself. Not only did the disciples go out trained in the message of the gospel, they also had Jesus’ authority to cast out demons. This power was given to the disciples by Jesus; it was delegated authority. The disciples could speak the word, and God’s power would cast out the demons.

3:16 Mark listed these disciples by name or family name (“son of”). It is interesting to note the almost complete silence of the Gospels and the Epistles as to the future work of the vast majority of these twelve men. We know some about Peter, James, and John in the book of Acts; we know from 3:19 that Judas would betray Jesus. Otherwise, the Bible is silent about many of the disciples’ activities. One reason for this silence is that many of the twelve apostles, according to tradition, went far beyond the regions focused on in the book of Acts and the Epistles.

The first name recorded was Simon, whom Jesus renamed Peter (see John 1:42). Jesus gave him a name in addition to the one he already had—he did not change Simon’s name. Sometimes Peter is referred to as Cephas. “Peter” is the Greek equivalent of the Aramaic Cephas—a word meaning stone or rock. Peter had been a fisherman (1:16). He became one of three in Jesus’ core group among the disciples. He also confessed that Jesus was the Messiah (8:29). Although Peter would deny ever knowing Jesus, he would eventually become a leader in the Jerusalem church, write two letters that appear in the Bible (1 and 2 Peter), and be crucified for his faith.

3:17 James and John had also been fishermen (1:19). James would become the first martyr for the Christian faith (Acts 12:2). John would write the Gospel of John, the letters of 1, 2, and 3 John, and the book of Revelation. They may have been related to Jesus (distant cousins); so, at one point they requested special places in Christ’s Kingdom (10:35, 37). These brothers were nicknamed Sons of Thunder. Scripture gives glimpses of these men, revealing that they were somewhat short-tempered and judgmental; for example, they wanted to call fire down from heaven on an inhospitable Samaritan village (Luke 9:52-56). So Jesus gave them an appropriate name.

3:18-19 Andrew was Peter’s brother and also a fisherman (1:16). Andrew had been a disciple of John the Baptist. He left John to follow Jesus, and then brought his brother Simon Peter to Jesus (John 1:35-39). Philip was the fourth to meet Jesus (John 1:43). Philip probably knew Andrew and Peter because they were from the same town, Bethsaida (John 1:44). Philip then brought Bartholomew (also called Nathanael) as recorded in John 1:45-47. Bartholomew at first rejected Jesus because Jesus was from Nazareth. But upon meeting Jesus, his attitude changed (John 1:49). Matthew was also known as Levi. He had been a tax collector (Mark 2:14). He had been a despised outcast because of his dishonest career, but he abandoned that corrupt (though lucrative) way of life to follow Jesus. He would later write the Gospel of Matthew. Thomas is sometimes called “Doubting Thomas” because he doubted Jesus’ resurrection (John 20:24-25). But he also loved the Lord and was a man of great courage (John 11:16). Thomas was tough and committed, even if he tended to be pessimistic. So, when the other disciples said that Jesus was alive, Thomas didn’t believe them. However, when Thomas saw and touched the living Christ, doubting Thomas became believing Thomas. James is designated as son of Alphaeus to differentiate him from James the son of Zebedee (and brother of John) in 3:17. Thaddaeus is also called “Judas son of James” (see Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13). Simon was probably not a member of the party of Zealots, for that political party did not appear until a.d. 68. Most likely the word Zealot used here indicates zeal for God’s honor and not extreme nationalism; it was an affectionate nickname.

The name Iscariot is probably a compound word meaning “the man from Kerioth.” So, Judas’s hometown was Kerioth in southern Judea (see Joshua 15:25), making him the only one of the Twelve who was not from Galilee. It was Judas, son of Simon Iscariot (John 6:71), who betrayed Jesus to his enemies and then committed suicide (Luke 22:47-48; Matthew 27:3-5).

Mark presents a paradoxical picture of the disciples. They doubted and they failed, yet they were used to build the church. Some died for him, one betrayed him. The message is, what kind of disciple will you be?

 Religious Leaders Accuse Jesus of Getting His Power from Satan / 3:20-30

Mark never allowed his readers to get far from the fact that Jesus’ ministry was constantly being opposed. He balanced Jesus’ choice of disciples with the evolving group of opposition. The religious leadership chose to add the accusation of demon possession. He neutralized his enemies’ charge with a counterattack. How, he asked them, could he possibly be serving Satan when his presence and his actions were causing such devastating damage to Satan’s kingdom? Further, he pointed out that their failure to recognize the Spirit, under whose influence he was actually operating, indicated that they were committing the unforgivable sin. By identifying the Holy Spirit as Satan in Jesus’ life, the religious leaders were committing unspeakable blasphemy.

3:20 The house Jesus entered was most likely in Capernaum and may have, once again, been Peter’s house. As had happened twice previously, crowds began to gather (see 1:33; 2:1-2). Again, the demand of the people in the crowd made it impossible for Jesus and the disciples to have any quiet, to spend time in training, or even to eat.

3:21 Thinking Jesus had gone out of his mind, his family came to him. John recorded that Jesus’ brothers did not believe in him (John 7:5), although some later did believe (Acts 1:14). In fact, Jesus’ brother James became one of the leaders in the church in Jerusalem and the writer of the book of James. Mary believed that her son was special, but she didn’t understand his mission. Perhaps she thought the situation was getting out of hand, and she needed to protect her son from himself, from the demands of his ministry, or even from the relentless crowds. Jesus’ family decided that they needed to take him home with them.

3:22 These teachers of religious law probably had been summoned by the Pharisees and Herodians who were already in league to destroy Jesus (3:6). The teachers and Pharisees could not deny the reality of Jesus’ miracles and supernatural power—he had indeed been driving out demons. But they refused to believe that his power was from God because then they would have had to accept him as the Messiah. Their pride would not let them do that. So in an attempt to destroy Jesus’ popularity among the people, the teachers accused him of being possessed by Satan, the prince of demons. That is why, they said, he was able to cast out demons.

3:23-26 Jesus first addressed their second accusation—that he was driving out demons by Satan’s power—by simply asking, “How can Satan cast out Satan?” By the question, Jesus implied that it is impossible for Satan to cast out himself (or his own followers, demons). Why would Satan work against himself? Following the obvious conclusion of the accusation—that Satan was driving himself out of people—Jesus indicates that would then mean there was civil war in the kingdom of evil. His kingdom would then collapse. In the same way, a home, with people working against one another, is doomed. The answer to Jesus’ question is that Satan doesn’t and would not cast out his own, for to do so would mean the end of his power. He would never survive. The teachers’ charge that Jesus was driving out demons by Satan’s power was obviously false. But Jesus wasn’t finished.

3:27 This picture reflects a situation in the ancient world where wealthy people’s homes were virtual fortresses, and their servants could form a small army. Jesus pictured Satan as the wealthy man and his demons as his servants and possessions. The only way those possessions could be carried off would be for someone to first tie up the strong man—the only way for the demons to be cast out is for someone to first limit Satan’s power. Satan would not do that to himself.

Although God permits Satan to work in our world, God is in control. Jesus, as God, has “tied up” Satan; Jesus is able to drive out demons and end their terrible work in people’s lives. As such, every exorcism was a binding of Satan; one day Satan will be bound forever (Revelation 20:10). Jesus was not in league with Satan, as the teachers of the law tried to claim; rather, he had overpowered Satan by refusing his temptations and by constantly freeing people held in Satan’s grasp—either through demon possession or through the power of sin.

3:28-30 I assure you is a recurring phrase used only by Jesus prior to a solemn warning or pronouncement. No longer was Jesus reasoning with his accusers; he was giving them a solemn warning. Jesus had just been accused of being in league with Satan and had soundly refuted those charges. Here he had a few words for these so-called teachers of religious law, the Jewish leaders.

First he made the incredible promise that any sin can be forgiven, including blasphemy. Too often people miss this promise and worry about the warning in the next verse. But the fact is, those who believe in Jesus will be forgiven of all sins (evil acts, wrong actions, good actions not done, evil thoughts, evil motives, etc.) and of all blasphemies (evil words said against God). When there is confession and repentance, no sin is beyond God’s forgiveness.

There is one sin, however, that cannot be forgiven. Anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit refers not so much to a single action or word as to an attitude. Those who defiantly deny Jesus’ divine power and instead attribute it to Satan are blaspheming the Holy Spirit (see also Matthew 12:32). Jesus was not talking about rejecting him, but of rejecting the power behind him. Jewish history tells us that Jesus’ generation acknowledged that he performed miracles but that he did it by the power of the devil. So, the Jewish leaders rejected him as being the Messiah and thereby blasphemed the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ words were addressed directly to these teachers of religious law because they were saying he had an evil spirit. They had blasphemed the Spirit by attributing the power by which Christ did miracles to Satan instead of to the Holy Spirit. This is the unforgivable sin—the deliberate refusal to acknowledge God’s power in Christ. It indicates an irreversible hardness of heart. Deliberate, ongoing rejection of the work of the Holy Spirit is blasphemy because it is rejecting God himself. The religious leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy (see also 14:63-64), but ironically they were the guilty ones when they looked Jesus in the face and accused him of being possessed by Satan.

Sometimes believers worry that they have accidentally committed this unforgivable sin. But only those who have turned their back on God and rejected all faith have any need to worry. Jesus said they can’t be forgiven—not because their sin is worse than any other, but because they will never ask for forgiveness.

 Jesus Describes His True Family / 3:31-35

Jesus turned his rejection by his family into a compassionate invitation to recognize his true nature. They came to claim him as their family member; he challenged them to be members of God’s true family. The conflict between Jesus and his family continues in our lives. Do we avoid Jesus’ claim on us as the powerful Lord by reducing him to friendship status? Jesus is our friend and brother, but he is also our Lord. By treating him as any less, we may be neutralizing his rightful ownership of our thoughts and actions.

3:31-33 This verse continues from 3:20-21 when Jesus’ family arrived to take him home because he was “out of his mind.” Jesus’ mother was Mary (Luke 1:30-31), and his brothers were probably the other children Mary and Joseph had after Jesus (see also 6:3).

Apparently Mary had gathered her family, and they went to find Jesus. Mary hoped to use her personal relationship with Jesus to influence him. She saw her son occupied in a busy ministry that was taking its toll on him—to the point that he had no time to eat (3:20). They arrived at the house but could not get in. So they stood outside and sent their message in to Jesus. Obviously Jesus’ family thought that their relationship with him precluded all others and that he would immediately answer their request.

Instead of immediately going outside to see what his family members wanted, Jesus looked at the crowd and asked an odd question, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Jesus knew why his family had come, and he wasn’t about to be dragged home because they thought he’d gone crazy. So he used their visit as a lesson in discipleship. A relationship with Jesus is not limited to those in his immediate family. Jesus opened this relationship to all people.

3:34-35 Jesus looked at those seated around him (not the entire crowd, but probably his disciples who were seated closest to him) and answered his own question. The types of people who can have a relationship with him are those who listen, learn, believe, and follow. In these words, “These are my mother and brothers,” Jesus explained that in his spiritual family, the relationships are ultimately more important and longer lasting than those formed in his physical family. The key to discipleship in Mark’s Gospel is radical obedience to God’s will. While Jesus looked upon his disciples seated around him as members of his family, he broadened the scope to include anyone who does God’s will.

Jesus was not denying his responsibility to his earthly family. On the contrary, he was criticizing the religious leaders for not following the Old Testament command to honor their parents (Matthew 15:1-9). He provided for his mother’s security as he hung on the cross (John 19:25-27). His mother and brothers were present in the upper room at Pentecost (Acts 1:14). Instead, Jesus was pointing out that spiritual relationships are as binding as physical ones, and he was paving the way for a new community of believers to be formed as Jesus’ spiritual family. This family would be characterized by love; the members should desire to be together, work together, and share one another’s’ burdens.

 We’ll look at chapter4 tomorrow. Praying that you to KNOW Christ better.

 Darrell

For more about The Ridge Fellowship go to www.RidgeFellowship.com

Sources:

Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary

Life Application Bible Notes

New American Commentary

Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible – Commentary

Preaching the Word Commentary

 

Chapter 1 shows conflict between Jesus and the power of Satan. Chapter 2 introduces a new factor in the conflict: resistance to Jesus by the religious establishment. The religious leaders, accustomed to giving lip service to the idea of a coming Messiah, found that Jesus threatened their power and prestige. Jesus challenged their authority, questioned their teachings, and trampled on their way of doing business. Mark illustrated their reactions and rejection of Christ with five clashes that form chapter 2 and the beginning of chapter 3.

 Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man / 2:1-12

2:1-2 Jesus returned to Capernaum, which had become his base of operations while he was in Galilee. Everyone in Capernaum had been looking for him (1:37), so when the people heard that he was back, they packed the house. Instead of healing, however, this time he preached the word to them. The basic message remained the same: The long-awaited Messiah had come to break the power of sin and begin God’s personal reign on earth. The miracles Jesus performed served as a sign to Jesus’ identity, as well as revealed his compassion and love for the people he had come to save.

2:3-4 As Jesus was preaching, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man. The crowd had filled the house and the doorway (2:2), so the group couldn’t get to Jesus. But these friends would not be deterred. Determined to get their friend to Jesus, they dug through the clay roof above his head. In Bible times, houses were built of stone and had outside stairways that led onto flat roofs. Roofs were made with joists covered with a mixture of mortar, tar, ashes, and sand. So they had to “dig” through the roof (see also Luke 5:19). They attached ropes to each corner of the pallet and carefully lowered the paralyzed man in front of Jesus.

2:5 We might expect a popular preacher in the middle of speaking to an expectant crowd to be annoyed at this intrusion. Obviously, several minutes were spent as the crowd watched these men take apart the roof above them. But Jesus saw their faith acted out in their determination. If they could but get their friend within Jesus’ touch, they knew their friend would be restored.

Among the first words Jesus said to the paralyzed man were “My son, your sins are forgiven.” The man needed spiritual healing, so Jesus forgave his sins. Then Jesus healed the man.

2:6-7 These teachers of religious law were the legal specialists in Jesus’ day. Jesus’ teaching and his popularity had prompted special investigation by the powerful leaders of the Jewish faith. These teachers had been dispatched from Jerusalem to Capernaum (Luke 5:17) and had made their way into the crowd that filled this house. Jealous of Jesus’ popularity and power, these men hoped to find something to criticize or even condemn in Jesus’ teaching. When they heard Jesus tell the paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven, they were shocked. For Jesus to claim to forgive sins was considered blasphemy, defined as claiming to be God or to do what only God can do. In Jewish law, blasphemy was punishable by death (Leviticus 24:16). The religious leaders were correct in their statement that only God can forgive sins (Exodus 34:6-7; Psalm 103:3; Isaiah 43:25; Daniel 9:9), and they also rightly understood that Jesus was claiming to be God. But in labeling Jesus’ claim to forgive sins as blasphemy, the religious leaders showed they did not understand that Jesus was God. Jesus had God’s power and authority to heal bodies and forgive sins. Forgiveness of sins was a sign that the messianic age had come (Isaiah 40:2; Joel 2:32; Micah 7:18-19; Zechariah 13:1). Unfortunately, it did not occur to these Jewish leaders that perhaps this man was their Messiah.

2:8 Jesus knew what they were discussing, and their hostility and anger at Jesus’ words could not be hidden. Jesus asked them, “Why do you think this is blasphemy?” Would the teachers of religious law respond, or did they too believe this man to be the Messiah? Jesus knew the teachers’ dilemma and offered to prove his authority.

2:9 The teachers of religious law knew about Jesus’ ability to heal, and they probably had expected Jesus to immediately heal the paralyzed man. Instead, Jesus forgave the man’s sins. To the teachers, this sounded like blasphemy, and it also sounded like an easy out. Anyone can just say someone’s sins are forgiven, but it would take someone with great power and authority to heal a paralyzed person. Jesus asked them the question that they were asking themselves. He wanted to show that he had the power to forgive sins by showing that he had the power to make a paralytic pick up his mat and walk.

2:10-11 By recording this incident, Mark hoped to prove to his audience beyond any doubt that Jesus was the Messiah. The Son of Man has the delegated authority of God the Father to forgive sins. The teachers asked, “Who but God can forgive sins!” (2:7). The answer is, “No human except one delegated that authority by God himself. And the Son of Man has that authority.” However, people cannot “see” sins forgiven; they can see physical healing. Therefore, Jesus turned to the paralytic, still lying on the mat in front of him, and told him to stand up on his previously useless legs; take his mat with arms that may also have been previously useless; and go on home.

2:12 The man did not doubt Jesus’ words; when Jesus told him to get up, he did so—before the stunned onlookers including Jesus’ critics. The healing showed Jesus’ power and authority. The teachers of religious law who questioned Jesus’ ability to forgive sins (2:6-7) saw the formerly paralyzed man get up and walk. Jesus’ question in 2:9 forced their answer: Jesus had the power to make the paralyzed man walk; so he also had the authority to forgive his sins. The people in Capernaum had already seen numerous healings by Jesus on his previous visit. But the crowd’s amazement is expressed in Mark’s words, they all praised God. While the religious leaders questioned and debated, the people recognized God’s power and realized that Jesus had been given authority by God.

Jesus Eats with Sinners at Matthew’s House / 2:13-17

The next clash between Jesus and the religious leaders revolved around the company he kept. Not only had Jesus not separated himself from distasteful characters, he sought them out. Jesus was charged with befriending sinners. Just as Jesus entered the world to save sinners, he still enters sinful human lives to rescue those he loves.

2:13 Jesus left Capernaum and went back to the lakeshore (that is, the Sea of Galilee). A crowd of people gathered, and Jesus taught them. While Jesus often spoke in synagogues or homes, he also taught groups of people on hillsides (Matthew 5:1) or on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The hillsides and sloping shoreline of the Sea of Galilee provided a convenient place for large crowds to gather and listen.

2:14 Levi (also called Matthew, and later the author of the Gospel of Matthew) was a Jew who worked for the Romans (specifically for Herod Antipas) as the area’s tax collector. He collected taxes from the citizens as well as from merchants passing through town. (Capernaum was a customs post on the caravan route between Damascus to the northeast and the Mediterranean Sea to the west.) Tax collectors were expected to take a commission on the taxes they collected, but most of them overcharged and kept the profits. So, tax collectors were hated by most Jews because of their reputation for cheating and because of their support of Rome. A Jew who accepted such an office was excommunicated from the synagogue and shamed his family and friends. So, a Jewish tax collector was looked down upon for valuing money over reputation, respectability, purity before God, and concern for his own people, who had to pay extremely high taxes to the imperial power.

The tax-collection booth was an elevated platform or bench. Everyone knew who Levi was, and anyone passing through the city who had to pay taxes could find him easily. Levi’s tollbooth taxed commercial goods being transported from the sea to land routes. This was probably not the first time Jesus saw Levi, for Jesus walked these shores many times.

Mark’s words emphasize the brevity of Jesus’ call and Levi’s radical obedience. Jesus’ words, “Come, be my disciple,” are in the imperative mood, meaning this was a command, not an invitation. Levi recognized that Jesus wasn’t inviting him; Jesus was calling him. So Levi got up and followed.

Levi’s radical obedience is amazing for the change it would effect in his life. Already ostracized by family and friends, following Jesus probably made no difference in this regard. But Levi was probably very wealthy—tax collecting was a lucrative occupation. Levi had been an outcast; now he was wanted as a member of a group. But he would have to learn to live in poverty.

2:15 Levi responded, as Jesus would want all his followers to do; he followed his Lord immediately, and he called his friends together to meet him too. He held a dinner for his fellow tax collectors and many other notorious sinners so they also could meet Jesus.

In Levi’s house there gathered a crowd that Jesus could not reach in the synagogues. The tax collectors had been excommunicated. The term sinners referred to the common people who were not learned in the law and did not abide by the rigid standards of the Pharisees. The Pharisees regarded these people as wicked and opposed to the will of God because they did not observe the rituals for purity, which enabled them to eat with others. In any case, Jesus had attracted a following among these people. These people gathered at Levi’s house, where they knew they had a welcome, and they too sat with Jesus and his disciples at dinner and listened to the message this marvelous teacher had for them.

2:16 Many of these teachers of religious law were also Pharisees—a strict religious group of Jews who also advocated minute obedience to the Jewish laws and traditions. Their job was to teach the Scriptures and the Law and to protect them against anyone’s willful defiance. They saw themselves as righteous and everyone else as sinners. When Jesus sat down to a meal with these “scum,” the Pharisees were quite surprised. Here was a man who seemed to have the entire law at his fingertips, who taught with great authority, yet who stooped to the level of the poor, unlearned, common people (even sinners!). So the Pharisees pulled his disciples aside and asked why Jesus did this.

2:17 The question apparently made its way to Jesus’ ears, and Jesus had an answer for the self-righteous, influential religious leaders. The first part of Jesus’ answer was from a common proverb on the healthy and the sick. People who are well don’t seek out a physician; the physician’s waiting room is filled with people who are sick. They recognize their need and come to the one who can make them well.

Jesus carried the proverb a step further and explained his messianic mission. Jesus did not come to call those who think they are already good enough (used ironically—those, like these Pharisees, who thought they were righteous) to repentance, for the self-righteous did not recognize their sinfulness. But these sinners saw their need. This was Jesus’ audience.

Religious Leaders Ask Jesus about Fasting / 2:18-22

At every turn, Jesus challenged the Pharisees’ way of looking at life. They lived by appearance; he challenged motives. They constructed elaborate behavior patterns to indicate their holiness; Jesus taught that good behavior done for the wrong reasons has no spiritual value.

In response to their questions about fasting, Jesus turned the discussion from proper behavior to the reasons for fasting. Jesus made it clear that fasting was not a self-justifying action. It was right in its proper place, but there was also a proper place for feasting and joy. To further underscore this truth, Jesus added two other analogies (clothing repair and wineskin care). A worn item of clothing cannot be repaired with a new piece of cloth that shrinks when washed. A well-stretched wineskin filled with new wine will expand and burst when the wine ferments. So also the new spiritual age brought by Christ would not fit the old system; indeed it would burst the confines of the old system.

2:18 John’s disciples refers to the remaining disciples of John the Baptist. These men and the Pharisees were fasting—that is, they were going without food in order to spend time in prayer repenting and humbling themselves before God. The Old Testament law set aside only one day a year as a required day of fasting for all Jews—the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29). The Pharisees, however, fasted on Mondays and Thursdays (see Luke 18:12) as an act of piety, and most likely promoted this among the people.

John the Baptist was in prison, and his disciples erroneously sided with the Pharisees on this issue, fasting when they should have been feasting with Jesus. Naturally this caused a question: “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?”

2:19 The Pharisees fasted as a show of piety; the disciples of John the Baptist fasted as a sign of mourning for sin and to prepare for the Messiah’s coming. But, like Jesus’ disciples, they did not need to fast because the Messiah was with them! To be with Jesus the groom is as joyous as a wedding feast. Wedding guests do not mourn or fast; a wedding is a time of celebration and feasting. Likewise, Jesus’ coming was a sign of celebration, not mourning and fasting. Jesus did not condemn fasting—he himself fasted (Luke 4:2). He emphasized that fasting must be done at the right time for the right reasons.

2:20 While Jesus walked the earth, his presence was a cause for celebration—the Messiah had come! The people did not need to mourn, they needed to rejoice. But Jesus knew that soon he (the groom) would be taken away from them. The word someday refers to the day of Jesus’ crucifixion. On that day, Jesus’ disciples would indeed fast and mourn.

2:21 Jesus’ arrival on earth ushered in a new time, a new covenant between God and people. The new covenant called for a new way of expressing personal faith. The newness of the gospel and its relationship to people could not be combined with the religion of Judaism any more than a piece of unshrunk cloth should be used as a patch on a worn-out garment. When the garment is washed, the patch will shrink, pull away from the old garment, and leave a bigger hole than before.

2:22 In Bible times, wine was not kept in glass bottles, but in goatskins sewn around the edges to form watertight bags called wineskins. New wine expanded as it fermented, stretching its wineskin. After the wine had aged, the old wineskin (that had gotten brittle with age and couldn’t stretch anymore) would burst if more new wine was poured into it. New wine, therefore, needs new wineskins.

Like old wineskins, the Pharisees and indeed the entire religious system of Judaism were too rigid to accept Jesus, who could not be contained in their traditions or rules. They were the self-appointed guardians of the “old garments” and the “old wineskins.” Christianity required new approaches and new structures.

The Disciples Pick Wheat on the Sabbath / 2:23-28

Jewish life in Jesus’ day revolved around the Sabbath. Elaborate laws had been designed so that everyone knew exactly how to “keep the Sabbath.” The fourth clash between Jesus and the power of Satan recorded by Mark occurred on a Sabbath. The way Jesus kept the Sabbath irritated his critics to the point of fury. The religious leaders, by imposing a bewildering system of Sabbath laws, had in fact made themselves masters of the Sabbath and so masters over the people. They made the seventh day dreaded rather than enjoyed.

By claiming the title “Lord of the Sabbath,” Jesus was stating his own divinity. But this claim was also an affront to the position of the religious leaders. His remaking the Sabbath into a day of refreshment, worship, and healing pried open the tight-fisted control the Pharisees held on the people. No wonder Jesus’ approach to the Sabbath led his enemies to plot his death.

2:23-24 Mark prepares us for a conflict with the opening words, one Sabbath day. Jesus, determined not to be confined to the Pharisees’ petty rules, always seemed to be doing something against those rules on the Sabbath.

Jesus and the disciples were walking through some grain fields. As they walked, they began breaking off heads of wheat to eat. The Pharisees (who apparently were following them around) pointed out that they were breaking the law against harvesting grain on the Sabbath. The Pharisees had established thirty-nine categories of actions forbidden on the Sabbath, based on interpretations of God’s law and on Jewish custom. Harvesting was one of those forbidden actions. By breaking off heads of wheat to rub in their hands to eat, the disciples were technically harvesting, according to the religious leaders. However, Jesus and the disciples were picking grain because they were hungry (see Matthew 12:1), not because they wanted to harvest the grain for a profit. The disciples, who were not farmers, were not doing their daily work on the Sabbath. Neither were they stealing grain, for God’s law allowed for this kind of sharing among his people (see Deuteronomy 23:25). So, though they may have been violating the Pharisees’ rules, they were not breaking any divine law. The Pharisees, however, could not (and did not want to) see beyond their legalisms.

2:25-26 This story is recorded in 1 Samuel 21:1-6. Each week twelve consecrated loaves of bread, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, were placed on a table in the house of God, here meaning the Tabernacle. This bread was called the bread of the Presence. After its use, it was to be eaten only by priests. On one occasion, when fleeing from Saul, David and his men were given this special bread to eat by the high priest. The priest understood that the men’s need was more important than ceremonial regulations. The loaves given to David were the old loaves that had just been replaced with fresh ones. Although the priests were the only ones allowed to eat this bread, God did not punish David because his need for food was more important than the priestly regulations.

The Pharisees knew the Scriptures thoroughly, yet Jesus’ question, “Haven’t you ever read,” reveals their ignorance of the true meaning of the Scriptures that they claimed to know so well. Yes, they had read this story many times, but they had obviously not discerned or applied its meaning. Jesus justified his disciples’ action on the grounds that they were hungry and that their need superseded the technicalities of ceremonial law. When Jesus compared himself and his disciples to David and his men, Jesus was saying, in effect, “If you condemn me, you must also condemn David.” Jesus was not condoning disobedience to God’s laws. Instead, he was emphasizing discernment and compassion in enforcing the ceremonial laws, something the self-righteous Pharisees did not comprehend. People’s needs are more important than technicalities.

2:27 The Pharisees, having added all kinds of restrictions for the Sabbath, had completely forgotten God’s purpose in creating the Sabbath. God mercifully provided the Sabbath as a day of rest for his people—a day to set aside the normal duties of the workweek and spend time resting and worshiping (Genesis 2:1-3). But the Pharisees had only succeeded in making the Sabbath an impossible burden. Jesus made clear that the Sabbath was made to benefit people by providing them a day of rest. God did not create people in order to place impossible restrictions and burdens on their lives.

2:28 Who created the Sabbath? God did. Therefore, because Jesus, the Son of Man, is God’s Son, given authority and power by God himself, then he is master even of the Sabbath. By saying this, Jesus claimed to be greater than the law and above the law. To the Pharisees, this was heresy. They did not realize that Jesus, the divine Son of God, had created the Sabbath. The Creator is always greater than the creation; so Jesus had the authority to overrule their traditions and regulations.

 Tomorrow we’ll look at chapter 3, I am praying for you to KNOW Christ better.

 Darrell

For more about The Ridge Fellowship go to www.RidgeFellowship.com

Sources:

Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary

Life Application Bible Notes

New American Commentary

Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible – Commentary

Preaching the Word Commentary

 

John the Baptist Prepares the Way for Jesus / 1:1-8

Reading Mark’s first words, we can sense his excitement. His account doesn’t give background biographical information because he wanted his readers to see Jesus in action as quickly as possible. The power of Jesus’ ministry and character alone would impact the reader. Mark introduced his account as “the Good News.” For Mark, the purpose of writing was to convey a crucial message, the life-changing Good News about Jesus Christ.

With Mark’s help, we can picture ourselves in the crowd as Jesus healed and taught, imagine ourselves as one of the disciples, and respond to his words of love and encouragement. And we can remember that Jesus came for us who live today, as well as for those who lived two thousand years ago.

Before the curtain rises, already we can hear someone shouting. Words about a wilderness come from a man who would be called wild-looking in any age. He lived in a geographical wilderness, and he preached about a spiritual one. We meet John the Baptist as he sets the stage for Jesus’ entrance.

1:1 The first verse, here begins the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, acts as both a title to the book and a summary of its contents. No mention is made of the author, generally considered to be John Mark. Mark was not one of the twelve disciples of Jesus but probably knew Jesus personally. For further information about Mark, see the “Author” section in the Introduction. (in yesterday’s blog post)

While we generally call this book the Gospel of Mark, the title correctly penned by Mark was the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. The first name, “Jesus,” was a common name in Israel (Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:21) as the Old Testament form of the name Joshua (meaning “Yahweh saves”). The second name, “the Messiah,” is from the Greek word Christos meaning “the Anointed One.” The Anointed One, the Messiah, would fulfill the Old Testament prophecies (see, for example, Genesis 49:10; Psalms 2; 110; Isaiah 9:1-7; 11:1-9; Zechariah 9:9-10).

Mark gave no genealogy because he presented Jesus as the servant. A servant needs no pedigree, but demonstrates his validity by the worth of the service he provides. The book portrays Jesus as a man who backed up his words with actions that proved he was the Son of God. Because Mark wrote the Gospel for Christians in Rome, where many gods were worshiped, he wanted his readers to know that Jesus was the one true Son of God. He is coeternal with God—and is himself God. He alone was fully man (Jesus), God’s Anointed One (the Messiah), and fully divine (Son of God). Mark’s Gospel fully develops Jesus’ claims to be the Christ and the Son of God by showing how he was anointed by God’s Spirit to carry out the divine plan of salvation.

1:2-3 Verses 2 and 3 are a composite quotation, taken first from Malachi and then from Isaiah. Malachi was a prophet to the Jews in Jerusalem who had returned to rebuild their beloved city after the exile. Isaiah was one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament and one of the most quoted in the New. The second half of the book of Isaiah is devoted to the promise of salvation. Isaiah wrote about the coming of the Messiah and the man who would announce his coming, John the Baptist (Isaiah 40:3). Like Isaiah, John was a prophet who urged the people to confess their sins and live for God.

Although quoting from two prophets (Isaiah and Malachi), Mark simply applied the words to Isaiah. The theme in both references is the focus on a messenger who would prepare the way. With the help of the Holy Spirit, Mark understood the ministry of John the Baptist as fulfilling these promises. This messenger considered himself a voice shouting out to the people of Israel, “Prepare a pathway for the Lord’s coming! Make a straight road for him!” How were they to do this? The picture could come from the Oriental custom of sending servants ahead of a king to level and clear the roads to make them passable for his journey. The people in Israel needed to prepare their minds—clear away the spiritual debris and straighten any “crooked” moral paths—in eager anticipation of their King and Messiah.

1:4 This messenger was John the Baptist. There had not been a prophet in Israel for more than four hundred years. It was widely believed that when the Messiah came, prophecy would reappear (Joel 2:28-29; Malachi 3:1; 4:5). Some people thought John himself was the Messiah. John spoke like the prophets of old, saying that the people must turn from their sin to avoid punishment and turn to God to experience his mercy and approval. This is a message for all times and places, but John spoke it with particular urgency—he was preparing the people for the coming Messiah.

Important Roman officials of this day were always preceded by an announcer or herald. When the herald arrived in town, the people knew that someone of prominence would soon arrive and they would be called to assemble. Because Mark’s audience was comprised of primarily Roman Christians, he began his book with John the Baptist, whose mission was to announce the coming of Jesus, the most important man who ever lived.

John preached in the wilderness in the area near the Jordan River, but he did more than that. He urged his listeners to be baptized. Some scholars think that baptism by immersion (going down into the water) was a rite required by the Jews for Gentiles who wished to convert to Judaism. The ritual of immersion symbolized the death and burial of the old way of life; coming up out of the water symbolized the beginning of a new life. If so, then John took a known custom and gave it new meaning. While it was customary for Gentiles to be baptized in order to become Jews, John was demanding that Jews be baptized to show that they had turned from their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. John’s baptism was immersion, and it was a visible sign that a person had decided to change his or her life, giving up a sinful and selfish way of living and turning to God. It was a public action signifying that a person had been cleansed of sin through repentance and had chosen a new way of life.

After Christ’s death and resurrection, baptism became an outward sign for identifying with Christ and his resurrection and for signifying entrance into the Christian community. (See, for example, Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21.) Baptism did not give forgiveness; baptism was a visible sign that the person had repented and received God’s forgiveness for his or her sins. Matthew recorded that some of the Jewish religious leaders (Pharisees and Sadducees) came to be baptized and John angrily turned them away, for he knew there was no humble repentance in their hearts (Matthew 3:7-9).

1:5 From Jerusalem (the holy city of the Jews) and from all over Judea, a stream of people constantly flowed into the wilderness to hear John the Baptist preach. Why did John attract so many people? He was the first true prophet in four hundred years. He blasted both Herod and the religious leaders, a daring act that fascinated the common people. But John also had strong words for his audience—they too were sinners and needed to repent. When they confessed their sins, John baptized them in the Jordan River. Confession is more than simply acknowledging one’s own sinfulness; it is agreeing with God’s verdict on sin and expressing the desire to get rid of sin and live for God. Confessing means more than verbal response, affirmation, or praise; it means agreeing to change to a life of obedience and service.

1:6 John’s clothes were much like the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:8) in order to distinguish him from the religious leaders, whose flowing robes reflected their great pride in their position (12:38-39). John’s striking appearance reinforced his striking message. Elijah had also been considered a messenger preparing the way for God (see Malachi 3:1). His diet, locusts and wild honey, was common for survival in wilderness regions.

1:7 Although John was the first genuine prophet in four hundred years, Jesus the Messiah would be far greater than he. John saw himself as even lower than that slave in comparison to the coming Messiah (see John 3:30). What John began, Jesus finished. What John prepared, Jesus fulfilled.

1:8 John’s baptism with water indicated immersion in the water of the Jordan River. John’s baptism demonstrated repentance, humility, and willingness to turn from sin. This was the beginning of the spiritual process. To be effective, it had to be accompanied by an inward change of attitude leading to a changed life. John’s baptism did not give salvation; it prepared a person to welcome the coming Messiah and receive his message and his baptism.

John’s statement, He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit, revealed the identity of the “one” coming after John as the promised Messiah. The coming of the Spirit had been prophesied as part of the Messiah’s arrival (see Isaiah 44:3; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Joel 2:28-29). The Old Testament promised a time when God would demonstrate his power among people and give special relationship and blessings to his people. This looked ahead to Pentecost (Acts 2). All believers, those who would later come to Jesus Christ for salvation, would receive the Holy Spirit. When Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit, the entire person would be transformed by the Spirit’s power. Jesus would offer both forgiveness of sin and the power to live for him. We need more than repentance to save us; we need the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.

 The Baptism of Jesus / 1:9-11

Mark proceeded to describe Jesus’ baptism by John. The signs of the voice and dove from heaven affirmed Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and showed the uniqueness of Jesus’ baptism. But the words of God the Father’s declaration clearly signified who Jesus was. What Jesus was doing, including undergoing baptism by John, totally pleased God. Jesus was in no way “becoming” God’s Son; instead, his true nature was being revealed. Jesus’ baptism showed that he was identifying with sinful men and women without implying that he himself was a sinner.

1:9 The coming one was identified as Jesus. Although born in Bethlehem, Jesus moved to Nazareth when he was a young boy and grew up there (Matthew 2:22-23). Nazareth was a small town in Galilee, located about halfway between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea. The city was despised and avoided by many Jews because it had a reputation for independence. Nazareth was an unlikely hometown for so great a king as Jesus. Yet even Jesus’ hometown demonstrated his humility and identification with ordinary people.

If John’s baptism was for repentance from sin, why was Jesus baptized? While even the greatest prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) had to confess their sinfulness and need for repentance, Jesus didn’t need to admit sin—he was sinless (John 8:46; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:5). Although Jesus didn’t need forgiveness, he was baptized for the following reasons: (1) to confess sin on behalf of the nation (see Isaiah 6:5; Nehemiah 1:6; 9:1ff.; Ezra 9:2); (2) to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15) in order to accomplish God’s mission and advance God’s work in the world; (3) to inaugurate his public ministry to bring the message of salvation to all people; (4) to show support for John’s ministry; (5) to identify with the penitent people of God, thus with humanness and sin; (6) to give us an example to follow.

Jesus, the perfect man, didn’t need baptism for sin, but he accepted baptism in obedient service to the Father, and God showed his approval. We need this same attitude of humility, submission to God, and dedication to servanthood.

1:10 Apparently the action of the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove was a sign for John that Jesus was the Messiah. The “splitting” of the heavens presents God’s intervention into humanity in the human presence of God in Jesus Christ. It was as if the heavens rolled back to reveal the invisible throne of God (Isaiah 63:19–64:2).

The dove is used as a symbol for the Holy Spirit. However, it is not the bird itself that was important, but the descent of the Spirit like a dove to emphasize the way the Holy Spirit related to Jesus. The Spirit descending portrays a gentle, peaceful, but active presence coming to indwell Jesus. In the same way, since Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit, he is available to us as well.

1:11 The Spirit descended and a voice came from heaven proclaiming the Father’s approval of Jesus as his divine Son. That Jesus is God’s divine Son is the foundation for all we read about Jesus in the Gospels. This voice came from the heavenly realm that had been briefly “split open” (1:10).

The voice said, “You are my beloved Son.” Jesus Christ has a unique relationship with God because he is God’s one and only Son. The phrase “I am fully pleased with you,” means that the Father takes great delight, pleasure, and satisfaction in the Son. Jesus did not become the Son or the Messiah at this baptism. Jesus already had his divinity from eternity past. The opened heavens, the dove, and the voice revealed to John the Baptist that Jesus was God’s Son, come to earth as the promised Messiah to fulfill prophecy and bring salvation to those who believe.

In this event, we see all three members of the Trinity together—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the Trinity means that God is three persons and yet one in essence. In this passage, all three persons of the Trinity are present and active. This is one of God’s incomprehensible mysteries. Other Bible references that speak of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are Matthew 28:19; Luke 1:35; John 15:26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-13; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5; and 1 Peter 1:2.

 Satan Tempts Jesus in the Wilderness / 1:12-13

This temptation by Satan shows us that though Jesus was human and subject to temptations such as we are, he was also divine because he overcame Satan and was ministered to by angels. Jesus’ temptation was an important demonstration of his sinlessness. He faced temptation and did not give in. As his servants, we will also be prepared for discipleship by testing.

1:12 Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, takes the offensive against the enemy, Satan, by going into the lonely and desolate wilderness to fight temptation (see 1:13). The word for compelled is very forceful in the Greek, conveying the meaning of “thrown out” or “cast out.” (Mark used the same word to describe Jesus driving out demons, as in 1:34, 39.) This does not imply that Jesus was reluctant, but rather that God’s Spirit was intensely motivating him to go. As with Jesus’ disciples, the Spirit may have in mind to test us in order to prepare us for greater service.

1:13 Jesus remained alone for forty days; Matthew and Luke add that Jesus fasted during that time (Matthew 4:2; Luke 4:2). The Gospels of Matthew and Luke describe in more detail the temptation endured by Jesus. Satan is an angel who rebelled against God. He is real, not symbolic, and he is constantly working against God and those who obey him. Satan tempted Eve in the Garden and persuaded her to sin; he tempted Jesus in the wilderness and did not persuade him to fall. The verb being tempted describes continuous action because Jesus was tempted constantly during the forty days. Jesus’ personal victory over Satan at the very outset of his ministry set the stage for his command over demons throughout his ministry, but it did not dissuade Satan from continuing to try to ruin Jesus’ mission.

The wilderness was a dangerous and desolate place, inhabited by wild animals. The wilderness regions of Palestine had animals such as boars, jackals, wolves, foxes, leopards, and hyenas. Mark is the only Gospel writer to mention this, pointing out the hostile nature of the wilderness where Jesus spent forty days being tempted. That angels took care of him in no way lessens the intensity of the temptations that Jesus faced. Angels, like these who waited on Jesus, have a significant role as God’s messengers. These spiritual beings were involved in Jesus’ life on earth by (1) announcing Jesus’ birth to Mary, (2) reassuring Joseph, (3) naming Jesus, (4) announcing Jesus’ birth to the shepherds, (5) protecting Jesus by sending his family to Egypt, and (6) ministering to Jesus in Gethsemane.

From Jesus’ temptation we can learn that following our Lord could bring dangerous and intense spiritual battles. It warns us that we won’t always feel good; there will be times of deprivation, loneliness, and hostility. It also shows that our spiritual victories may not always be visible to the watching world. Above all, it shows that we must use the power of God to face temptation, and not try to withstand it in our own strength.

 Jesus Preaches in Galilee / 1:14-15

Approximately one year elapsed between 1:13 and 1:14, which begins a new section. In this section Mark focuses on Jesus’ choosing of his disciples. This section also tells how Herod removed John the Baptist from ministry while Jesus’ public ministry was beginning (see John 3:30). Mark then includes a summary of Jesus’ message. Jesus echoed John’s call for repentance and added the challenge that each person must believe the Good News. From the beginning, Jesus did not allow himself to be only a topic for debate or even admiration. He expected those who approached him to believe or to reject him. He never allowed the middle ground of indecision.

1:14 Mark mentioned the arrest of John the Baptist as merely a signal for the ministry of Jesus into Galilee, his home region. Luke explained that John was arrested because he publicly rebuked King Herod for taking his brother’s wife. John’s public protests greatly angered Herod, so he put John in prison, presumably to silence him. The family of Herods were renowned for their cruelty and evil; it was Herod the Great who ordered the murder of the babies in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16). The Herod who imprisoned John was Herod Antipas; his wife was Herodias, Herod Antipas’ niece and formerly his brother’s wife. The imprisonment of John the Baptist was only one evil act in a family filled with incest, deceit, and murder.

1:15 The Old Testament prophets often spoke of the future Kingdom, ruled by a descendant of King David, that would be established on earth and exist for eternity. Thus when Jesus spoke of the time and the presence of the Kingdom of God, the Jews understood him to mean that the Messiah had come to fulfill or inaugurate his long-awaited Kingdom. Jesus reassured them that God was in sovereign control. He had begun to act in a new and decisive way.

This caused great excitement among the people. The problem arose, however, in the misunderstanding of the nature of this Kingdom. The Kingdom of God began when God entered history as a human being. But the Kingdom of God will not be fully realized until all evil in the world has been judged and removed. Christ came to earth first as a Suffering Servant; he will come again as King and Judge to rule victoriously over all the earth. The Kingdom was as near as people’s willingness to make Jesus king over their lives. Jesus began his ministry with the very words people had heard John the Baptist say: Turn from your sins. The message is the same today.

 Four Fishermen Follow Jesus / 1:16-20

Jesus confronted Simon and Andrew with a challenge beyond the one he presented in his public preaching. He called the crowds to repentance and belief. He invited Simon and the others to follow him. They had already repented and believed. Now they were being called into discipleship.

The Lord used their previous vocation as a metaphor of their new calling. The former fishermen would now be fishers of people. God finds a way to make good use of every past experience we have to help us serve him.

1:16 The Sea of Galilee is, in reality, a large lake—650 feet below sea level, 150 feet deep, and surrounded by hills. Fishing was the main industry for the approximately thirty fishing towns that surrounded the Sea of Galilee during Jesus’ day. Fishing with nets was the most common fishing method. A circular net (ten to fifteen feet in diameter) was cast into the sea. Then it was drawn up, and the catch was hoisted into the boat.

The first pair of men Jesus called to follow him were brothers, Simon and Andrew. This was not the first time Simon and Andrew had met Jesus. Andrew had been a disciple of John the Baptist who, when introduced to “the Lamb of God,” turned and followed Jesus (John 1:35-39). Andrew then brought his brother Simon to Jesus (John 1:42). These men understood and believed who Jesus was.

1:17 Jesus told Simon (Peter) and Andrew to leave their fishing business, come and be his disciples, and fish for people to also follow Jesus. These disciples were adept at catching fish, but they would need special training before they would become able to fish for people’s souls. Jesus was calling them away from their productive trades to be productive spiritually by helping others believe the Good News and carry on Jesus’ work after he was gone.

1:18 After their previous meeting with Jesus, Simon Peter and Andrew had returned to fishing. But when Jesus called them to follow him as disciples, they left their nets at once. Their lives had changed; their allegiance was now to their teacher. Mark taught radical discipleship; a person must leave all behind to follow Jesus.

1:19 Not far down the beach was another pair of brothers, James and John, Simon Peter’s partners (Luke 5:10). These men were sitting in their moored boat mending their nets. The weight of a good catch of fish and the constant strain on the nets meant that the fishermen had to spend a lot of time keeping their nets repaired and in good shape.

John had met Jesus previously. In his Gospel, John records his own and Andrew’s discipleship with John the Baptist and then their turning to follow Jesus (John 1:35-39). James probably knew about Jesus from his brother, John. These men were ready for Jesus’ call.

1:20 Both sets of brothers immediately left behind the lives they had known and embarked on an incredible adventure. Surely the impression Jesus made upon them must have been great, and the certainty of their call must have been strong for them to follow without hesitation.

 Jesus Teaches with Great Authority / 1:21-28

Earlier in chapter 1, Satan attacked Jesus in the wilderness. Then Mark directed our attention to Jesus’ counterattack. He carried the spiritual warfare into the domain of Satan, to those controlled by evil spirits. As will be the case repeatedly, the battle took place in a synagogue on the Sabbath. Perhaps this shows that Satan can be active even in our houses of worship.

1:21 Capernaum, located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, was the largest of the many fishing towns surrounding the lake. Jesus had recently moved to Capernaum from Nazareth (Matthew 4:12-13). Capernaum was a thriving town with great wealth as well as great sin and decadence. Because it was the headquarters for many Roman troops, heathen influences from all over the Roman Empire were pervasive.

The Temple in Jerusalem was too far for many Jews to travel for regular worship, so many towns had synagogues serving both as places of worship and as schools. Beginning in the days of Ezra, about 450 b.c., a group of ten Jewish families could start a synagogue. There, during the week, Jewish boys were taught the Old Testament law and Jewish religion (girls could not attend). Each Saturday, the Sabbath, the Jewish men would gather to hear prayers, the Scriptures read, and an interpretation from a teacher. Because there was no permanent teacher, it was customary for the synagogue leader to ask visiting teachers to speak. This is why Jesus often spoke in the synagogues in the towns he visited.

1:22 The people were completely amazed by Jesus’ teaching. The Jewish teachers of religious law often quoted from well-known rabbis to give their words more authority. But Jesus didn’t have that need. Because Jesus was the Son of God, he knew exactly what the Scriptures said and meant. He was the ultimate authority. The people had never heard such teaching. The teachers of religious law were the legal specialists in Jesus’ day. They interpreted the law but were especially concerned about the halakah or “rules” for life that came to be as binding as God’s written law in the Torah. Their self-assured authority, in fact, became a stumbling block for them, for they denied Jesus’ authority to reinterpret the law, and they rejected Jesus as the Messiah because he did not agree with nor obey all of their traditions.

1:23-24 Evil spirits, or demons, are ruled by Satan. They work to tempt people to sin. They were not created by Satan, because God is the Creator of all. Rather, the evil spirits and demons are fallen angels who joined Satan in his rebellion and thus became perverted and evil. The evil spirit had entered the man’s body and possessed him. Though not all disease comes from Satan, sometimes demons can cause a person to become mute, deaf, blind, or insane. But in every case where demons confronted Jesus, they lost their power. Thus God limits what evil spirits can do; they can do nothing without his permission. During Jesus’ life on earth, demons were allowed to be very active to demonstrate once and for all Christ’s power and authority over them.

The evil spirit knew two facts—that Jesus had indeed come to destroy demonic power and that Jesus was the Holy One sent from God. While the people in the synagogue were astounded at Jesus’ teaching and wondered who this man could be, the demon knew. At this time, people believed that to know a person’s precise hidden name was to be able to gain control over the person. Thus the demon’s first attempt against Jesus was to state his divine identity in public. By including this event in his Gospel, Mark was establishing Jesus’ credentials, showing that even the spiritual underworld recognized Jesus as God’s Son.

1:25 Jesus simply and sternly commanded the demon to be silent. Two explanations may help us understand why Jesus asked this: (1) Jesus wanted to contain the enthusiasm for a political messiah. He did not wish to be the people’s king in the way they desired, nor did he want to be a military leader; (2) To confess Jesus’ deity without a proper understanding of his mission is partial and invalid. He did not want people to wildly proclaim him to be God’s Son unless they understood the meaning of his death for them on the cross. This would explain why even his disciples lacked understanding until his resurrection.

To silence the demon was not enough, for Jesus wanted to free the man possessed by the demon. So Jesus next commanded, “Come out of the man,” again demonstrating his power and authority over Satan and his demons.

1:26 Without any recourse except to submit to a higher authority, the evil spirit left the man. But first, to show its anger and protest, the evil spirit screamed and threw the man into a convulsion. This could have been a severe spasm or a blow that thrust the man to the ground. With a final shriek, the demon left.

Many psychologists dismiss all accounts of demon possession as a primitive way to describe mental illness. Although throughout history mental illness has often been wrongly diagnosed as demon possession, clearly a hostile outside force controlled the man described here. Mark emphasized Jesus’ conflict with evil powers to show his superiority over them, so he recorded many stories about Jesus driving out evil spirits. Jesus’ power over demons reveals his absolute power over Satan, even in a world that seems to be in Satan’s control. Satan is presently under God’s authority; when God chooses to command, Satan must obey. Satan’s workings are only within God’s prescribed limits; he can do no more evil than God allows. In the end, Satan and all his demons will be tormented in the lake of fire forever (Revelation 20:10).

1:27 Jesus’ display of his authority in the showdown with a demon caused amazement in the people. With a simple and stern command, the evil spirit obeyed and the possessed man was set free. The people called Jesus’ teaching new; his teaching challenged them. Jesus taught with authority; he spoke to the powerful underworld with authority. Surely this man was someone to watch closely.

1:28 The people who left the gathering in the large synagogue in Capernaum had witnessed an authoritative and captivating new teacher with unheard-of power. The news spread quickly across the region of Galilee. Jesus’ growing popularity becomes a major theme in chapter 1. This popularity among the common folk stands in glaring contrast to the religious leaders’ opposition expressed in 2:1–3:6.

 Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-Law and Many Others / 1:29-34

After ending his clash with the demons in the synagogue, Jesus immediately healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever. By the time evening arrived, there were many sick and demon-possessed crowding to Jesus for attention. Mark noted that Jesus was commanding the demons not to identify him. His goal was not to draw attention to himself, but to meet the real needs of others.

1:29 As the crowd hurriedly dispersed from the synagogue or continued talking among themselves, Jesus and the four disciples left for their own lodgings. They arrived at Simon and Andrew’s home. Jesus and the disciples probably stayed in this home during their visits to Capernaum (2:1; 3:20; 9:33; 10:10)

1:30-31 Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed, burning with a high fever. Jesus went to the mother-in-law’s bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her to sit up. Jesus’ touch on the woman’s hand brought instant and complete healing—the fever suddenly left. She went and prepared a meal as she had probably planned.

1:32-33 The people came to Jesus on Saturday evening at sunset. The day had been the Sabbath (1:21), their day of worship and rest, lasting from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. Jewish law prohibited traveling and carrying burdens on the Sabbath, so they waited until sunset. After the sun went down, Sabbath was over, and the people searched for Jesus. The Greek word for brought means “to carry.” Many of the sick and demon-possessed people were literally carried to Peter’s home so Jesus could heal them. The crowd was so huge that it appeared that people from all over Capernaum had gathered there. This was no unruly mob; the people had come on a mission and were there to stay until their mission was accomplished.

1:34 Jesus patiently healed all the sick people. No disease took Jesus by surprise, and no disease was beyond his ability to heal. Jesus’ authority over the demons continued to be revealed as he ordered many demons to come out from the victims brought to him. Again, Jesus simply had to command the demon to come out, and it obeyed. However, this time Jesus refused to allow the demons to speak because they knew who he was (see 1:25).

 Jesus Preaches throughout Galilee / 1:35-39

Jesus had just spent a Sabbath in feverish activity. Early in the morning of the next day, he set aside a time of prayer by himself. By the time the disciples found him, he was ready to face the next challenge. We must follow Christ’s example by making time for personal prayer. Those who help and serve on Sunday especially need to set aside time with God to restore their strength. Our ability to serve will be hindered if we neglect times of spiritual replenishment.

1:35 Before the sun came up, Jesus went out alone into the wilderness to pray. During his ministry on earth, Jesus was in constant prayer with the Father. Mark recorded three of these times of prayer: (1) after the successful ministry in Capernaum with the healing of many sick and demon-possessed people; (2) after the miracle of feeding more than five thousand people (6:46); (3) in Gethsemane, just prior to his arrest, trial, and crucifixion (14:32-42).

What did Jesus pray about? After his great successes with the crowds in Capernaum and on the mountainside, his prayers may have focused on fulfilling his mission as the Suffering Servant, when it seemed (at least humanly) more strategic to be a conquering king. Popularity was a temptation in itself, for it threatened to turn Jesus away from his mission. Jesus had a mission to fulfill—and death on the cross was the key, for only Jesus’ death could accomplish salvation. Jesus, in his humanity, may have continued to face the temptation to turn away from the difficult path and take the easier one. He constantly needed strength from God. Going into the wilderness, alone with the Father, helped Jesus focus on his task and gain strength for what that task entailed.

1:36-38 Apparently the people in Capernaum continued to arrive at Simon Peter’s house the next morning hoping to hear more of Jesus’ teaching and see him perform more miracles. The disciples were surprised that Jesus would not follow up on his great success from the previous day’s ministry in Capernaum, but instead disappeared before anyone awoke. So they went out to find him and bring him back. But Jesus had a mission to fulfill and a very limited time to accomplish it. Not only was Jesus not going to capitalize on his great popularity in Capernaum, he was not even going back into the city. Instead, he was leaving on an extended trip throughout the region. Many people needed to hear Jesus preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God (1:14-15), as Jesus explained, “That is why I came.” Jesus would not be deterred from his mission to preach the Good News to as many people as possible. His primary mission was to bring people to a place of decision to have faith in God.

1:39 Jesus and the disciples left the early morning bustle of Capernaum behind and began a preaching and healing tour throughout the region of Galilee. The Romans had divided the land of Israel into three separate regions: Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. Galilee was the northernmost region, an area about sixty miles long and thirty miles wide. Jesus did much of his ministry in this area, an ideal place for him to teach because there were over 250 towns concentrated there, with many synagogues. Jesus’ action of expelling demons verified his authority and power and showed compassion to those who had been possessed and, by Jesus’ word, had been set free.

 Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy / 1:40-45

Once the news was out that Jesus could heal diseases, people with serious needs converged from every direction. Perhaps the greatest handicap God accepted in coming to earth was to limit himself to space and time. He was a single individual with divine power in a sea of human needs. Even those he helped, like this man cured of leprosy, hampered Jesus by telling everyone of Jesus’ miraculous power. By so doing, he drew attention to the sensational and miraculous aspect of Jesus’ ministry and away from the need for repentance and faith that leads to a life of service.

1:40 Leprosy was a terrifying disease because of the social rejection and the devastating impact it had on its victims. In Jesus’ day, the Greek word for leprosy was used for a variety of similar diseases; some forms were contagious, disfiguring, and / or deadly; some were as innocuous as ringworm. In keeping with the law in Leviticus 13 and 14, Jewish leaders declared people with leprosy (lepers) unclean. This meant that lepers were unfit to participate in any religious or social activity. Because the law said that contact with any unclean person made that person unclean too, some people even threw rocks at lepers to keep them at a safe distance. Even the mention of the name of this disabling disease terrified people because they were afraid of catching it. Lepers lived together in colonies outside their community. Most would remain there until they died. Sometimes, however, leprosy would go away. Then the person could return to the priest and ask to be declared “clean” before returning to the community.

That this man with leprosy came to Jesus reveals the man’s great courage; that he knelt reveals his desperation and his humility; his words to Jesus reveal his faith. The priest would declare him clean, but only Jesus could make him clean. “If you want to” reveals the man’s faith in Jesus’ authority in this matter of healing. What this man wanted was to be made well, a huge request.

1:41 Jesus’ love and power go hand in hand. Mark revealed Jesus’ heart of compassion. While all people shunned lepers, Jesus touched this man covered with a dreaded, contagious disease. The fact that Jesus’ touch precedes his pronouncement of healing indicates that Jesus disregarded the Jewish law not to touch a leper (Leviticus 5:3; 13:1-46; Numbers 5:2). This shows Jesus’ compassion and his authority over the law. With the words, “I want to . . . Be healed!” the leprosy immediately disappeared. The words were simple but effective, revealing Jesus’ divine authority over sickness.

1:42 We are not told the stage of this man’s leprosy—he may already have lost portions of his body to the disease. But when Jesus spoke, the man’s health was restored completely. The disease did not go into a type of “remission”—it disappeared. The man’s becoming healed meant he had his life back. He could return to his community, to his family, and to worshiping in the synagogue.

1:43-44 When a leper was cured, he or she had to go to a priest to be examined. Then the leper was to give a thank offering at the Temple. Jesus adhered to these laws by sending the man to the priest. Jesus wanted this man to give his story firsthand to the priest to prove that his leprosy was completely gone so that he could be restored to his family and community. This would be done as proof of his healing.

Jesus also told the man: “Don’t talk to anyone along the way.” Why would Jesus ask this man not to tell anyone about his healing? Wouldn’t this have been great advertising for Jesus, bringing more people to hear his message? While we might think so, Jesus knew better (John 2:24-25). Jesus’ mission was to preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God. If crowds descended on him to see miracles accomplished or to benefit from his power, they would not be coming with the heart attitude needed to hear and respond to the gospel. Jesus did not want to be a miracle worker in a sideshow; he wanted to be the Savior of their souls.

1:45 The man disobeyed Jesus’ strong warning. Perhaps the man thought he was helping Jesus’ ministry; perhaps he just couldn’t help himself. In any case, he spread the news. His disobedience to Jesus’ command, even if from good motives, hindered Jesus’ work because the publicity Jesus received severely hampered his ministry in the synagogue. Jesus had planned to go into towns throughout Galilee and preach in the synagogues. But his notoriety as a healer made this impossible. Mark recorded that Jesus couldn’t enter a town anywhere publicly—probably crowds of people pressed on him, all seeking special favors. So Jesus had to stay out in the secluded places. But that did not hinder people in need of healing or desiring to see this healer. They still came to him there.

 Darrell

For more about The Ridge Fellowship go to www.RidgeFellowship.com

Sources:

Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary

Life Application Bible Notes

New American Commentary

Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible – Commentary

Preaching the Word Commentary