Mark 1 & Introduction

Mark 1

With Introduction

Many scholars believe that John Mark, the nephew of Barnabas and a son of one of the New Testament Mary’s is the author of this Gospel. Some believe that it was dictated by the Apostle Peter. It is believed to be the first of the Gospels written in the late 50’s or early 60’s.

1:1-8 “The beginning of the Good News of YESHUA the Messiah, the Son of GOD: It is written in the prophet Yesha’yahu (Isaiah),

‘See, I Am sending My messenger ahead of you;

He will prepare the way before You.’

‘The voice of someone calling out:

“In the desert prepare the way for ADONAI!

Make straight paths for Him!”’”

1:1-3 CJB (Malachi 3:1, Isaiah 40:3)

1:4-8 Mark introduces John The Baptist in the wilderness calling the Jewish people to a baptism in water for returning to GOD and repentance from sin. The people flock to him to be baptized and they wonder if he is the Messiah. John proclaims, “After me is coming someone who is more powerful than I – I’m not worthy even to bend down and untie His sandals. I have immersed you in water, but He will immerse you in The Ruach HaKodesh (The HOLY SPIRIT).” 1:7-8 CJB

1:9-13 Mark introduces JESUS of Nazareth in Galilee and describes His baptism by John in the Jordan river. “Immediately upon coming up out of the water, He saw Heaven torn open and The SPIRIT descending upon Him like a dove, then a voice came from Heaven, : ‘You are My Son, whom I Love; I Am well pleased with You.’” JESUS being filled by The HOLY SPIRIT and then driven by The SPIRIT into the wilderness where He was tempted for forty days by the adversary (the devil), that He was with wild animals and the angels took care of Him. In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke it is recorded that JESUS did not eat during the forty days of testing.

1:14-15 After John The Baptist in arrested JESUS went through Galilee proclaiming the Good News from GOD:

“The time has come,

GOD’s Kingdom is near!

Turn to GOD from your sins

And believe the Good News!”

1:16-20 JESUS calls His first disciples Peter, Andrew, James and John, all while they are fishing or repairing their fishing nets. They all four left their trade and income at that point to follow JESUS. This condensed introduction of JESUS, John The Baptist and the first disciples is evidence that Mark was writing to Messianic Jews, they already knew the facts of JESUS’ birth and baptism, they did not need convincing.

1:21-28 Mark’s first ministry of JESUS is on the Sabbath in a synagogue, it is in Capernaum, “They were amazed at the way He taught, for He did not instruct them like the Torah-teachers but as One who had authority Himself.” Then a man in the synagogue that had a demonic spirit shouted, “What do You want with us. YESHUA from Natzeret (Nazareth)? Have you come to destroy us? I know who You are – The Holy One of GOD!” JESUS rebuked the unclean spirit saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” The unclean spirit threw the man into a convulsion and with a shriek left him. The people were amazed and began asking each other, “What is this? A new teaching, one with authority behind it! He gives orders even to the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!” Then the news about JESUS spread quickly throughout Galilee. JESUS introduces Himself as a teacher and minister of the authority of GOD but in Mark’s Gospel He often downplays His role as the Messiah to the general public.

1:29-34 JESUS, Peter, Andrew, James and John leave the synagogue and go to Peter’s home where his mother-in-law is sick with a fever, for a woman to be in bed with a fever it had to be very serious, JESUS takes her by the hand and lifts her from the bed healed of the fever so that she then begins to minister to them as she would as the head female of the household. Later, after sunset the town’s people bring their sick and those with unclean spirit to Peter’s house for JESUS to heal and set free.

1:35-39 “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, YESHUA got up, left, went away to a lonely spot and stayed there praying.” JESUS as the Son of Man needed to be in the presence of His Heavenly Father as the Son of GOD to be refreshed and strengthened for the Work of The Kingdom that He was here to do. How much more do we need to spend quite time alone with our Heavenly Father and His Word to refresh and strengthen ourselves for the Work of His Kingdom that He called us to.

1:40-45 “A man afflicted with tzara’at (leprosy) came to YESHUA and begged Him on his knees, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’” JESUS was moved and touching the man said, “I Am willing, be cleansed!” Instantly the man was cleansed and JESUS sent him away with the instructions not to tell anyone but to show himself to the priests and offer what Moses commanded for his cleansing. But the man went out and told everyone about what JESUS had done for him, so then JESUS could no longer go openly into the towns but stayed in the country, but the people still flocked to wherever He was. Touching is important in praying for others, James 5:14 tells us to lay hands and anoint with oil when praying for the sick. Only three times in the Gospels is someone healed or set free who were not in JESUS’ presence or touched by Him; the Centurion’s servant (Luke 7:1-10), the Syro-Phoenician’s daughter (Mark 7:24-30) and the nobleman’s son (John 4:46-54).

The anointing that was on JESUS as the Son of Man – The Son of GOD was unique and we should never claim it or try to duplicate it; but we should be sensitive to GOD’s SPIRIT and know His Word so that when He leads us we will obey as a faithful servant to do what He says, how He says, when He says and where He says to do it.