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Feb 22, 2023 · Mark picks up after John the Baptist has already begun his ministry and Jesus is about to begin His. Gospel means “good news”. Mark is writing to his audience about the good news of the Messiah. Jesus was good news to the Jews and Gentiles because His mission was to take away the sins of all people.
Mark 1 sets a brisk pace for the Gospel, underlining the urgency and importance of Jesus' message and mission. From John the Baptist's prophecies to Jesus' early ministry, the chapter paints a picture of a Messiah who embodies authority, compassion, and humility.
- A. Introduction: The Unique Character of The Gospel of Mark.
- B. John The Baptist and Preparation For The Coming of Jesus, The Messiah.
- C. Four Disciples Are called.
- D. A Busy Day in Galilee.
- E. Preaching and Healing in Galilee.
1. Revelation 4:7 describes the cherubim around God’s throne as beings with four faces: a lion, a calf, a man, and an eagle. By long tradition, the church has attributed one of these “faces” to eac...
a. For this reason, the Gospel of Mark is a “busy” book. In this Gospel, Jesus seems the busiest, quickly moving from one event to another. One of the key words in the Gospel is immediately, occurring more than 40 times in Mark. We see Jesus as a servant– busy meeting needs and busy being God’s Messiah. b. In the Gospel of Mark, the emphasis is on the deeds of Jesus more than on the wordsof Jesus. “The Gospel of Mark pictures Christ in action. There is a minimum of discourse and a maximum of...
2. Strong church tradition says that the Apostle Peter is the main source of Mark’s gospel. Some think of Mark as “The Gospel According to Peter.”
a. One indication of Peter’s influence is that Peter speaks very affectionately of Mark, referring to him as Mark my son in 1 Peter 5:13. He also wrote that Mark was with him in 1 Peter 5:13. i. Mark (who is also called John-Mark in passages like Acts 12:25) was a failure in ministry as pictured in the book of Acts with Paul (Acts 15:36-41). His relationship with Paul was restored in the end (2 Timothy 4:11). ii. Like Mark, Peter also knew what it was like to be a failure in following Jesus a...
3. Many believe Mark to be the first of the four Gospels written, and that it was written in Rome.
a. Most scholars agree that the Gospel of Mark was the first of the four written, though some believe that Matthew was perhaps first. i. “One of the clearest results of modern critics study of the Gospels is the early date of Mark’s Gospel. Precisely how early is not definitely known, but there are leading scholars who hold that A.D. 50 is quite probable.” (Robertson) b. Mark was not one of the 12 disciples. Perhaps the only mention of him in the Gospel is a shadowy reference in Mark 14:51-52...
1. (1-5) The place and ministry of John the Baptist.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.’” John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan R...
2. (6-8) John the Baptist: the man and his message.
Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” a. Clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt: In his personality and ministry, John the Baptist was patterned after the bold Elijah (2 Kings 1:8), who fearle...
3. (9-11) The baptism of Jesus.
It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” a. Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan: Jesus was not baptized because He needed cleansing from sin; He was sinless, as John himself understood...
1. (14a) The Galilean ministry of Jesus begins.
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, a. After John was put in prison: There is a detailed description of John’s fate in prison in Mark 6:17-28. b. Jesus came to Galilee: Jesus spent most of His time in the region of Galilee, usually only going up to Jerusalem for the appointed feasts. Galilee was a large, populated area north of Judea and Jerusalem, where Jews and Gentiles lived together, though usually in their own distinct cities. i. Galilee was not a small backwater reg...
2. (14b-15) What Jesus did in His ministry.
Preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” a. Preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God: Jesus was a preacherand He brought the message of God’s rule on earth, though not in the manner that was popularly expected or desired. Most people wanted a political kingdom that would replace the oppressive occupation of the Romans. i. Contrary to the expectations of most people in His day, Jesus...
3. (16-20) Four disciples are called.
And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the h...
1. (21-22) Jesus teaches in the synagogue.
Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. a. They went into Capernaum: One can go to Capernaum today and see the remains of an ancient Jewish synagogue, which still has the foundation of this same building Jesus taughtin. b. Immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught: Typically, the synagoguehad no set teache...
2. (23-24) An outburst from an unclean spirit.
Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are; the Holy One of God!” a. A man… with an unclean spirit: In describing the man who was demon possessed, Mark used the same grammar Paul used to describe the Christian’s being “in Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:30). This unclean spiritwas the evil lord of this poor man’s life. i. The similarity in the wo...
3. (25-28) Jesus rebukes the spirit and gains great acclaim.
But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee. a. Jesus rebuked him: Jesus didn’t need to rely on hocus-pocus o...
1. (35) Jesus prays in a solitary place.
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. a. Now in the morning: After a long day, we would certainly excuse Jesus for sleeping in. Yet He, having risen a long while before daylight, made less time for sleep and moretime for prayer. i. “Look no man in the face till thou hast seen the face of God. Speak thou with none till thou hast had speech with the Most High.” (Spurgeon) b. He prayed: Jesus did not need...
2. (36-39) The tour through the Galilee region.
And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.”But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons. a. Searched for Him: This was early in Jesus’ relationship with His disciples. As they got to know Him, they learned that whenever they could not find Him,...
3. (40) A leper comes to Jesus.
Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” a. A leper came to Him: Leprosy was one of the horrific diseases of the ancient world. Today, leprosy afflicts 15 million across the world, mostly in third world nations. i. Leprosy begins as small red spots on the skin. Before too long the spots get bigger and start to turn white, with a shiny or scaly appearance. The spots soon spread over the body and hair begins to...
- The Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry. Mark starts with a bang! In Chapter 1, John the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus by preaching repentance and baptizing in the wilderness.
- Jesus Heals and Teaches. In Chapter 2, Jesus is in Capernaum and heals a paralytic man, which astonishes the crowd. He calls Levi, the tax collector, to follow Him.
- Jesus Heals on the Sabbath and Appoints the Twelve. In Chapter 3, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, infuriating the Pharisees.
- Jesus Teaches in Parables. Chapter 4 sees Jesus teaching in parables, including the Parable of the Sower. He explains the purpose of parables and interprets the Parable of the Sower for His disciples.
Mark means that the gospel announcement by Jesus Christ had such a beginning as had been predicted by Isaiah and Malachi, namely, the preaching of John the Baptist, and his testimony concerning Christ, to be fully laid open by the preaching and the death of Christ.
He summarized the ministry of John the Baptist (Mark 1:1-8), related the baptism of Christ (Mark 1:9-11), and recorded the temptation (Mark 1:12-13) in the first brief section of things preparatory to Jesus’ ministry.
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May 23, 2011 · Mark 1. PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS* * Although they are not inspired, paragraph divisions are the key to understanding and following the original author's intent. Each modern translation has divided and summarized the paragraphs. Every paragraph has one central topic, truth, or thought.
