Commentari biblici

Mark 1:1-3. The beginning of the gospel — That is, of the gospel history; of Jesus Christ, the Son of God — Who was, or is, in the bosom of the Father, John 1:18, and came down from heaven, John 3:13, to reveal his Father’s will unto us, to confirm his doctrine by a great variety of astonishing miracles, to set us a perfect example of every branch of piety and virtue, to expiate our sins by the sacrifice of himself, and to abolish death, with respect to such as believe aright in him, by rising from the dead as the first-fruits of them that sleep. The evangelist speaks with strict propriety in this sentence, for the beginning of the gospel is in the account of John the Baptist, contained in the first paragraph; the gospel itself in the rest of the book. Thus the verse must be considered as being connected with the following, and as signifying that the gospel of Jesus Christ began, according to the prediction of the prophets, with the preaching and baptism of John the Baptist. In styling Jesus the Song of Solomon of God, while the other evangelists describe him chiefly as the Song of Solomon of man, Mark gives him a title the most likely, as being the most august, to engage the attention and obedience of the Romans, those lords of the earth, to the religion which was promulgated by him. Behold, I send my messenger, &c. — See notes on Malachi 3:1; Matthew 11:10. The voice of one, &c. — See notes on Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3.

Mark 1:4. John — Who was the very person spoken of by those prophets, being sent of God for that end, did baptize in the wilderness — Which lay east from Jerusalem, along the river Jordan and the lake Asphaltites, also called the Dead sea. By wilderness, in the Scriptures, it is plain that we are not always to understand what is commonly denominated so with us, a region either uninhabitable or uninhabited. No more seems to have been denoted by it than a country fitter for pasture than for agriculture, mountainous, woody, and but thinly inhabited. These ερημοι, wildernesses, did not want their towns and villages. And preach the baptism of repentance — That is, preach repentance, and baptize as a sign and means of it. Thus John endeavoured to prepare men for the coming of that Messiah who was to save his people from their sins. See notes on Matthew 3:2-3. This baptism, says Dr. Lightfoot, may belong to children, though it be the baptism of repentance, and they know not what repentance means; for it requireth not their repentance at the receiving of this sacrament, but it engageth them to it for the time to come, namely, when they shall come to the use of reason, and the knowledge of the engagement. And so was it with the children that were circumcised; for they by that sacrament became debtors to observe the whole law, Galatians 5:3, when they knew not what obedience or the law meant; but that bound them to it when they came to years of knowledge and discretion.

Mark 1:5-8. There went out to him all Judea, &c. — So disposed were the people to receive his baptism. See note on Matthew 3:5. The latchet of whose shoes, &c. — That is, whose servant I am not worthy to be, or to perform for him the meanest offices. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost — The promise of which is made to you and your children, Acts 2:39; where see the note, and on Matthew 3:11.

Mark 1:9-11. It came to pass in those days — Of John’s baptism at the river Jordan; that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee — Where he lived for many years in a retired manner, with his parents; and was baptized of John in Jordan — Near Bethabara. John 1:28. See on Matthew 3:13-17.

Mark 1:12-13. Immediately the Spirit driveth him — Gr. εκβαλλει, thrusteth him out, or, sends him away, as the same word signifies, Mark 1:43. Luke says, ηγετο, he was moved, or led; Matthew, ανηχθη, he was led up, namely, from the plain of Jordan. He was forty days tempted of Satan — Invisibly. After this followed the temptation by him in a visible shape, related by Matthew. These forty days, says Dr. Lightfoot, the holy angels ministered to Christ visibly, and Satan tempted him invisibly; at the end of them, Satan puts on the appearance of an angel of light, and pretends to wait on him as they did. See on Matthew 4:2-11. And was with the wild beasts — Though they had no power to hurt him. Mark, we may observe, not only gives us a compendium of Matthew’s gospel, but likewise several valuable particulars, which he and the other evangelists have omitted; especially such particulars as might enable the Romans, or Gentiles in general, better to understand him. Thus, as a Roman might not know how wild and uninhabited the deserts of Arabia were, in which Christ was tempted, he adds here, that he was with the wild beasts.

Mark 1:14-15. After John was put in prison — By Herod; Jesus came into Galilee, preaching, &c. — Till that time, say the fathers, ανεμεινε αυτον μαρτυρησαι περι αοτου, he waited for John’s testimony concerning him. Accordingly, St. Peter represents Christ as beginning thus to preach from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached was ended, Acts 10:37. Now hence it is evident, that his coming into Galilee, mentioned Luke 4:14, must refer to the same time, that so all the evangelists may agree. The time is fulfilled — The time of my kingdom, foretold by Daniel, and expected by you, is fully come. The kingdom of God is at hand —

That kingdom which God is about to erect by the Messiah, (foretold by Daniel 2:44; and Daniel 7:14,) whereby he will rescue men from the dominion of Satan and of sin, of the world and of the flesh, and constitute them his loyal subjects and obedient servants; whereby he will reign in them, as well as over them, ruling their hearts by his grace as well as their lives by his laws; that kingdom, which is not in word, but in power, 1 Corinthians 4:20, which is righteousness, internal and external, love to God and all mankind, and obedience flowing therefrom; peace with God and peace of conscience, consequent on deliverance from the guilt and power of sin, and joy in the Holy Ghost, arising from the Holy Spirit’s influences assuring us of our adoption into the family of God, inspiring us with a lively hope of his glory, Galatians 4:6; Romans 5:2; and giving us an earnest of our future inheritance in our hearts, Ephesians 1:14. See note on Romans 14:17. This kingdom of God, of which believers are possessed on earth, is at once a preparation for, and an earnest of, the kingdom of God in heaven. Repent ye, and believe the gospel — That you may be Christ’s loyal subjects in time and in eternity, and be made partakers of this two-fold kingdom. Observe well, reader, the one, only way leading to the kingdom of God on earth and in heaven, is, repentance toward God, productive of fruits worthy of repentance, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the great truths and precious promises of his holy gospel. See on Matthew 3:2; John 1:12; and John 3:16.

Mark 1:17-20. Come, and I will make you fishers of men — I will enable you to draw them into my true church by the net of my gospel. And straightway — Upon his call; leaving their nets, they followed him — From this time they forsook their employ, and constantly attended him. Happy they who follow Christ at the first call! When he had gone thence, he saw James — See on Matthew 4:21. Mending their nets, which they had washed, Luke 5:2. The Greek word, καταρτιζοντας, here rendered mending, or refitting, signifies also preparing, or making.

Mark 1:21-22. And they went into Capernaum — When our Lord had thus called Peter, Andrew, James, and John, they all left the side of the lake, and entered with him into the city of Capernaum. And straightway on the sabbath day — Doubtless the next sabbath, which was probably the very next day. The word for sabbath day, τοις σαββασιν, is in the plural number, and the expression is frequently the same where it is evidently to be understood of a particular day, as Matthew 12:1; Matthew 28:1; Acts 13:14. And taught — Declared the important truths which he was in so extraordinary a manner commissioned to reveal and vindicate. And they were astonished at his doctrine — Were again struck with amazement at it, as they had been when he first came to preach among them. See Luke 4:23, and note on Matthew 7:28. There seems to have been something in the discourses, as well as in the miracles of this last sabbath that he spent among them at this time, which raised their wonder, and affected them in a peculiar manner, as appears from the multitude of sick people which were brought to him that evening, Mark 1:32-33; Luke 4:40; Matthew 8:16.