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MARK CHAPTER 1
Mar_1:1-8 The Gospel begins with the preaching of John the Baptist.
Mar_1:9-11 Jesus is baptized, witnessed to from heaven,
Mar_1:12-13 and tempted of the devil,
Mar_1:14-15 preacheth in Galilee,
Mar_1:16-22 calleth Peter, Andrew, James, and John,
Mar_1:23-28 healeth one possessed of an unclean spirit,
Mar_1:29-31 Simeon's mother-in-law,
Mar_1:32-34 and divers other diseased persons,
Mar_1:35-39 prayeth alone, and goeth on to preach,
Mar_1:40-45 cleanseth a leper.
The Gospel seems to have taken its name, euaggelion, from the angel's words to the shepherds, Luk_2:10, I bring you good tidings of great joy; for the word in the Greek signifies a good message, or good news or tidings. It sometimes signifieth the historical narration of the coming of Christ, John Baptist's and Christ's preaching, and what he did in the world, his birth, life, death, &c.; sometimes the doctrine of salvation by Christ, in opposition to that of the law; sometimes, the dispensation of it, or that period of time when God began to publish the mystery hid from ages openly to the world. It seemeth here to signify the latter; for both Matthew and Luke seem to begin the history higher. Luke, from the history of John the Baptist and Christ, as to what things preceded their birth. Matthew, from the birth of Christ. But the dispensation of the gospel began with the preaching of John the Baptist. Before his time the doctrine of the gospel was made known to Adam, and Abraham and David; prophesied by Jacob, Isaiah, and several of the prophets; but John was the first in whom those promises and prophecies were fulfilled, the first public and plain preacher of the doctrine of the gospel; for the law and the prophets prophesied until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it, Mat_11:13 Luk_16:16. So as John's preaching was the beginning of the gospel; for though the doctrine of the gospel was before darkly made known, yet it then began to be plainly and publicly declared to the world. He was the first in whom the gospel prophecies began to have an end, as both the prophecies and the types of it had a more full completion in Christ. Two prophecies at least had their completion in John, which we find in Mal_3:1, which the evangelist mentions in the next verse, and Mar_4:5, concerning Elias first to come, which our Saviour applies to John, Mat_11:14 Mar_9:11-13, and the angel before him, Luk_1:17; besides Isaiah's prophecy, Isa_40:3, applied unto him by Mat_3:3 Mar_1:3, and by John applied to himself, Joh_1:23. This Gospel is called the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because the history of Christ's birth, life, and death is the matter of it. Christ was by Matthew called the Son of David, the son of Abraham, to let us know that he was truly man, a native Jew, and of the royal family, and derived from those two families, to whom the promises of the Messias were made. By Mark he is called
the Son of God, to let us know that he was more than mere man. And indeed who, but he who was the Son of God, could fully reveal his Father's will, determine the law of Moses and introduce a new way of worship, and publish a mystery of salvation, hid from all preceding ages, though not from all individual persons in them.