translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: MRK

label: NET study note

text: Jesus’ hometown (where he spent his childhood years) was Nazareth, about 20 miles (30 km) southwest of Capernaum.


text: See the note on synagogue in 1:21 . Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and the relation of both to OT fulfillment.


text: The reference to Jesus as the carpenter is probably derogatory, indicating that they knew Jesus only as a common laborer like themselves. The reference to him as the son of Mary (even though Jesus’ father was probably dead by this point) appears to be somewhat derogatory, for a man was not regarded as his mother’s son in Jewish usage unless an insult was intended (cf. Judg 11:1-2 ; John 6:42; 8:41; 9:29 ).


text: The phrase unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.


text: Neither Matt 10:9-10 nor Luke 9:3 allow for a staff. It might be that Matthew and Luke mean not taking an extra staff, or that the expression is merely rhetorical for “traveling light,” which has been rendered in two slightly different ways.


text: Jesus telling his disciples to stay there in one house contrasts with the practice of religious philosophers in the ancient world who went from house to house begging.


text: To shake the dust off represented shaking off the uncleanness from one’s feet; see Luke 10:11 ; Acts 13:51; 18:6 . It was a sign of rejection.


text: Herod was technically not a king , but a tetrarch, a ruler with rank and authority lower than a king. A tetrarch ruled only with the approval of the Roman authorities. This was roughly equivalent to being governor of a region. In the NT, Herod, who ruled over Galilee, is called a king ( Matt 14:9 , Mark 6:14-29 ), reflecting popular usage rather than an official title.


text: It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife. This was a violation of OT law ( Lev 18:16; 20:21 ). In addition, both Herod Antipas and Herodias had each left marriages to enter into this union.


text: The expression up to half my kingdom is a proverbial comment meaning “great wealth.”


text: The silver coin referred to here is the denarius. A denarius, inscribed with a picture of Tiberius Caesar, was worth approximately one day’s wage for a laborer. Two hundred denarii was thus approximately equal to eight months’ wages. The disciples did not have the resources in their possession to feed the large crowd, so Jesus’ request is his way of causing them to trust him as part of their growth in discipleship.


text: The statement he wanted to pass by them is somewhat difficult to understand. There are at least two common interpretations: (1) it refers to the perspective of the disciples, that is, from their point of view it seemed that Jesus wanted to pass by them; or (2) it refers to a theophany and uses the language of the Greek Old Testament (LXX) when God “passed by” Moses at Sinai (cf. Exod 33:19, 22 ). According to the latter alternative, Jesus is “passing by” the disciples during their struggle, in order to assure them of his presence with them. See W L. Lane, Mark (NICNT), 236.


text: Gennesaret was a fertile plain south of Capernaum (see also Matt 14:34 ). This name was also sometimes used for the Sea of Galilee ( Luke 5:1 ).