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Mar 1:1. Αρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God) There is a considerable correspondence of Mark, in part with Matthew, in part with Luke. There is described by Mark,
I. THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL.
1. John prepares the way, Mar 1:1-8
2. He baptizes Jesus, who is thereat proclaimed the SON OF GOD, Mar 1:9-11
3. Satan tempts Jesus: angels minister to Him, Mar 1:12-13
II. THE GOSPEL ITSELF,
1. In Galilee. Here three periods are to be noted:
A. John having been committed to prison: Mar 1:14.
a. Summarily and Generally:
α. The place and subject-matter of His preaching, Mar 1:14-15
β. The call of His principal apostles, Mar 1:16-20
b. Specially:
α. His actions, which were not found fault with by adversaries.
1. He teaches with power, Mar 1:21-22
2. He casts out the demon from one possessed, Mar 1:23-28
3. He cures the mother-in-law of Peter, as also many other sick persons, Mar 1:29-34
4. He prays, Mar 1:35
5. He teaches everywhere, Mar 1:36-39
6. He cleanses the leper, Mar 1:40-45
β. Actions of His, found fault with by adversaries, and gradually more severely so. In this class are to be reckoned,
1. The man sick of the palsy, Mar 2:1-12
2. The call of Levi, and His eating with publicans and sinners, Mar 2:13-17
3. The question as to fasting answered, Mar 2:18-22
4. The plucking of the ears of corn, Mar 2:23-28
5. The withered hand restored, and the lying-in-wait for Him of His adversaries, Mar 3:1-6
γ. The Lord withdraws Himself; and His acts,
1. At the sea, Mar 3:7-12
2. On the mountain, where the twelve apostles were called, Mar 3:13-19
3. In the house; where, after having refuted the most atrocious blasphemy of the Scribes, He corrects the question of His own friends, Mar 2:20-23, 31-35
4. From the ship, to the people; and apart to His disciples, Mar 4:1-2; Mar 4:10-11; Mar 4:26-27
5. On the sea, and beyond the sea, Mar 4:35-41; Mar 5:1-20
6. On the hither side of the sea again: where Jairus and the woman with the issue of blood, Mar 5:21-43
7. The Nazarites offended at Him, Mar 6:1-6
8. The sending forth of the apostles, Mar 6:7-13
B. John killed: Mar 6:14
1. Herod hearing of Jesus, and his opinion of John, whom he had killed, being revived, Mar 6:14-29
2. The withdrawal of our Lord with His apostles on their return, Mar 6:30-31
3. The eagerness of the people: the compassion of the Lord: five thousand fed abundantly, Mar 6:31-44
4. The journey by sea, Mar 6:45-52
5. In the land of Gennesareth He heals many, Mar 6:53-56
and shows what it is that defiles or does not defile a man, Mar 7:1-2; Mar 7:14-15; Mar 7:17-18
6. On the borders of Tyre and Sidon a demon is cast out, Mar 7:24-30
7. At the sea of Galilee He cures one deaf and dumb: He feeds four thousand, Mar 7:31-37; Mar 8:1-9
8. He comes to Dalmanutha, and answers as to the sign from heaven, Mar 8:10-13
9. In the ship, He warns them as to the leaven of doctrine, Mar 8:14-21
10. At Bethsaida He gives sight to the blind man, Mar 8:22-26
C. Jesus acknowledged as the Son of God.
1. On Peter confessing Him as the CHIRST, He enjoins silence on the disciples, and foretells His passion: reproves Peter: requires of His disciples that they must follow Him, Mar 8:27; Mar 9:1
2. On six days after, He is glorified at the transfiguration; explains the reasons for silence; cures a lunatic; again foretells His Passion, Mar 9:2-32
3. Teaches the disciples moderation, leniency [æquitatem], and concord, Mar 9:33-34; Mar 9:38-50
2. In Judea:
α. In the borders, Mar 10:1
1. He treats of divorce, Mar 10:2-3; Mar 10:10-11
2. Of little children, Mar 10:13-16
3. Of obtaining eternal life, and of the hinderance caused by riches, Mar 10:17-18; Mar 10:23-24; Mar 10:28-29
β. On the way to the city:
1. He predicts His passion a third time, Mar 10:32-34
2. He answers James and John, and corrects the remaining ten, Mar 10:35-36; Mar 10:41-45
γ. To Jericho; on the way He gives Bartimeus his sight, Mar 10:46-52
δ. At Jerusalem: Mar 11:1
a. His royal entry, Mar 11:2-11
b. On the following day, curses to barrenness the fig-tree, Mar 11:12-14
The temple cleansed, Mar 11:15-19
c. On the following day,
1. Near the withered fig-tree, He commends the power of faith, Mar 11:20-26
2. In the temple,
1. The authority of Jesus is vindicated, Mar 11:27-33
2. The parable of the vineyard is set forth, Mar 12:1-12
3. The question as to the lawfulness of the tribute, Mar 12:13-17
4. As to the resurrection, Mar 12:18-27
5. As to the greatest commandment, Mar 12:28-34
6. As to the Lord of David, Mar 12:35-37
7. The people are warned to beware of the Scribes, Mar 12:38-40
8. The widow’s mites are praised, Mar 12:41-44
3. At the temple, on the Mount of Olives, He predicts the end of the temple, and of the city, and of the world, Mar 13:1-4; Mar 13:14-15; Mar 13:24-25; Mar 13:28-29; Mar 13:33-37
d. TWO DAYS BEFORE THE PASSOVER: the compact between His adversaries and the traitor, Mar 14:1-11
e. THE FIRST DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD.
1. The two disciples get ready the passover, Mar 14:12-16
2. At evening time, the supper, Mar 14:17-18; Mar 14:22-23
3. After the hymn, He foretells that the disciples would be offended at Him, and Peter deny Him, Mar 14:26-31
4. In Gethsemane,
α. Jesus prays; rouses the sleeping disciples, Mar 14:32-42
β. Is betrayed; taken; deserted by His disciples, Mar 14:43-52
5. In the hall of the high-priest,
α. Is condemned to death, Mar 14:53-65
β. Is denied by Peter, Mar 14:66-72
f. The sixth day of the week. His acts,
α. In the Pretorium of the Governor, Mar 15:1-2; Mar 15:6-7; Mar 15:16-20
β. On the way to crucifixion, Mar 15:21
γ. In Golgotha, Mar 15:22
1. His drink, Mar 15:23
2. The cross itself, and parting of His garments, Mar 15:24-25
3. The inscription, Mar 15:26
4. The two malefactors, Mar 15:27-28
5. The railings, Mar 15:29-32
6. The darkness for three hours; the loud cry of Jesus; the scoff of the bystanders; the drink; the death; the rending of the veil, Mar 15:33-38
7. The centurion’s remark; the women looking on, Mar 15:39-41
δ. The evening time, the burial, Mar 15:42-47
g. After the Sabbath, the resurrection of our Lord, announced,
α. By the angel, Mar 16:1-8
β. By Himself,
1. To Mary Magdalene, Mar 16:9-11
2. To two men going into the country, Mar 16:12-13
3. To the eleven as they sat at meat, Mar 16:14
III. THE GOSPEL,
1. Committed by our Lord, after His resurrection, to the apostles, Mar 16:15-18
2. And confirmed after His ascension, Mar 16:19-20
First, in the very term the beginning, the new economy is opened out, Mar 1:15. on this account the time specified in Luk 3:1, is marked as an epoch of by far the greatest importance. The title, as we may see in the opening of Malachi, is משא, “The burden;” but now in the present case it is, The beginning of the Gospel. Moreover, this title has in it somewhat of an abbreviated mode of expression: for the beginning of the Gospel applies to [is in] John the Baptist; the Gospel, to the whole book. However, Mark terms it the beginning, not of his own book, but of the Gospel facts themselves, as appears by comparing Mar 1:2, as Hosea ch. Mar 1:2 [The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea]. The commencement of this book of Mark is in elegant accordance with that commencement; and at the same time answers to the prophetical clause, quoted from the close of the Old Testament, written by Malachi [Mar 1:2]: just as the close of the second book of Chronicles answers to the beginning of Ezra. The proper scope of this Evangelist, as he himself professes in such a title as he employs, is to describe the originating sources [commencements], history, principles of action, course, and consummation of the Gospel, concerning Jesus Christ the Son of God (Mar 1:11, God’s declaration at His baptism, “Thou art my beloved Son,” etc.):[1] ch. Mar 1:1; Mar 1:14, etc., Mar 8:35, Mar 10:29, Mar 13:10, Mar 14:9, Mar 16:15. Hence it is that he so often employs the term, the Gospel: hence too it is evident that the last portion of Mark[2] is genuine: ch. Mar 16:15; Mar 16:20.[3] Hence he is wont to make such particular mention of Peter, a pre-eminent preacher of the Gospel.
[1] And he so constructs the order of this description, as that, moving forward in a twofold division (dichotomia), he relates, in an accumulated series,-I. Those acts of the Saviour, which happened, it is true, at different times, yet in one place (that is, at Capernaum), and from these facts, which none impugned, gathers the inference, that Jesus is the true Messiah, the Holy One of GOD, ch. Mar 1:16-45. II. He at the same time likewise sets forth those questions and objections stated by his adversaries, which similarly were brought forward at different times, though for the most part in the same places, until their actual plotting against Him followed, ch. Mar 2:1 to Mar 3:6.-Harm., p. 203, 204.
[2] From Mar 1:9 to end of ch. 16 Not found in many of the oldest authorities.-ED.
[3] It is quite in accordance with Mark’s style of frequent and emphatic reference to the preaching of the Gospel.-ED.