translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: MRK

label: NET study note

text: By the time Mark wrote, the word gospel had become a technical term referring to the preaching about Jesus Christ and God’s saving power accomplished through him for all who believe (cf. Rom 1:16 ).


text: 33 Ï also have τοῦ [ tou ] before θεοῦ ), so the evidence seems to argue for the authenticity of the words. Most likely, the words were omitted by accident in some witnesses, since the last four words of v. 1 , in uncial script, would have looked like this: iu_c_r_u_u_u_q_u_ . With all the successive upsilons an accidental deletion is likely. Further, the inclusion of υἱοῦ θεοῦ here finds its complement in 15:39 , where the centurion claims that Jesus was υἱὸς θεοῦ ( Juios qeou , “son of God”). Even though א is in general one of the best NT mss , its testimony is not quite as preeminent in this situation. There are several other instances in which it breaks up chains of genitives ending in ου (cf., e.g., Acts 28:31 ; Col 2:2 ; Heb 12:2 ; Rev 12:14; 15:7; 22:1 ), showing that there is a significantly higher possibility of accidental scribal omission in a case like this. This christological inclusio parallels both Matthew (“Immanuel…God with us” in 1:23 /“I am with you” in 28:20) and John (“the Word was God” in 1:1 /“My Lord and my God” in 20:28), probably reflecting nascent christological development and articulation. The first verse of Mark’s Gospel appears to function as a title: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God . It is not certain, however, whether Mark intended it to refer to the entire Gospel, to the ministry of John the Baptist, or through the use of the term beginning ( ἀρχή , arch ) to allude to Genesis 1:1 (in the Greek Bible, LXX). The most likely option is that the statement as a whole is an allusion to Genesis 1:1 and that Mark is saying that with the “good news” of the coming of Christ, God is commencing a “new beginning.”


text: The opening lines of the quotation are from Exod 23:20 ; Mal 3:1 . Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.


text: This call to “make his paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.


text: A quotation from Isa 40:3 .


text: A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it.


text: John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4 ); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah ( 2 Kgs 1:8 ). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.


text: The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.


text: The forty days may allude to the experience of Moses ( Exod 34:28 ), Elijah ( 1 Kgs 19:8, 15 ), or David and Goliath ( 1 Sam 17:16 ).


text: The kingdom of God is a reference to the sovereign activity of God as he rules over his creation and brings his plans to realization.


text: This is a parenthetical comment by the author.


text: The expression followed him pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.


text: Capernaum was a town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry. map For location see Map1-D2 ; Map2-C3 ; Map3-B2 .


text: The synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41 ). Though its origin is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. (See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2.) First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and its relationship to Old Testament fulfillment.


text: Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority . A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.


text: Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.


text: The confession of Jesus as the Holy One here is significant, coming from an unclean spirit. Jesus, as the Holy One of God, who bears God’s Spirit and is the expression of holiness, comes to deal with uncleanness and unholiness.


text: The command Come out of him! is an example of Jesus’ authority (see v. 32 ). Unlike other exorcists, Jesus did not use magical incantations nor did he invoke anyone else’s name.


text: See the note on synagogue in 1:21 .


text: Note how the author distinguishes healing from exorcism here, implying that the two are not identical.


text: Why Jesus would not permit the demons to speak is much discussed. Two possibilities are (1) the mere source of the testimony (demonic) and (2) that the title, with its political implications, may have had elements that Jesus wished to avoid until the full nature of his mission was clarified.


text: The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what we call leprosy today. A leper was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured ( Lev 13:45-46 ).


text: Touched. This touch would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean ( Lev 14:46 ; also Mishnah, m. Nega’im 3.1; 11.1; 12.1; 13.6-12).


text: The silence ordered by Jesus was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 1:34; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, 30; and 9:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.


text: On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32 .