_WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?_ ‘The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.’ Mark 1:1 As God the Father gave His Son to be the Saviour of the world, so He also appointed faithful witnesses to teach men the salvation procured for them by Christ. Mark here gives a summary of what he intends... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS_ ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness.’ Mark 1:3 In dealing with the character and work of John the Baptist as the forerunner of our Lord’s first coming, it may be pointed out that neither the man himself, nor his work, and the effects it produced, are, perhaps,... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE_ ‘The baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.’ Mark 1:4 John ‘baptized with the baptism of repentance’; in other words, those who accepted his baptism declared thereby that they repented of their sins, and were willing to forsake them, and enter upon an entirel... [ Continue Reading ]
_CHRIST’S BAPTISM AND ITS RESULTS_ ‘Jesus came from Nazareth, of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art My beloved Son, i... [ Continue Reading ]
_LENTEN LESSONS_ ‘And immediately the Spirit driveth Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan.’ Mark 1:12 In the desert country the Manhood of our Saviour was as completely isolated as it could be from contact with humanity, yet that long retreat wa... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS_ ‘And the angels ministered unto Him.’ Mark 1:13 The doctrine of the Ministry of Angels is one which appeals strongly to our religious sentiment. We delight to think that ‘God’s Messengers of Love’ are always about us; that—it may be—each individual soul is the special car... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM_ ‘Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.’ Mark 1:14 The belief in the coming of some anointed one, to be at once king and prophet, was universal even in the darkest days... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE OLD, OLD SERMON_ ‘Repent ye, and believe the gospel.’ Mark 1:15 It is important to notice _ the nature of Christ’s preaching_. He came saying, ‘Repent ye, and believe the gospel.’ I. THE OLD SERMON.—This is that old sermon which all the faithful witnesses of God have continually preached fr... [ Continue Reading ]
_CONDITIONS OF SUCCESSFUL SERVICE_ ‘And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.’ Mark 1:17 The Saviour’s promise is most reassuring. Christ was the Master Fisher of men, and He undertakes to make us ‘fishers’ like Himself, if only we will come after H... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE VOICE OF AUTHORITY_ ‘And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day He entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at His doctrine: for He taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. Mark 1:21 Where men assemble there is always opport... [ Continue Reading ]
_AN ACT OF POWER_ ‘And there was in their synagogue a men with an unclean spirit.’ Mark 1:23 All unobserved, a poor demoniac had entered the synagogue at Capernaum when our Lord was speaking with authority. Perhaps he came thinking it to be a sanctuary, where for a moment he might be soothed by m... [ Continue Reading ]
_A DOMESTIC DRAMA_ ‘But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell Him of her. And Be came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.’ Mark 1:30 In these verses we have a brief, beautiful, and interesting drama... [ Continue Reading ]
_IN A SOLITARY PLACE_ ‘He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.’ Mark 1:35 We have only to turn over the pages of the Gospel and note, as we go, the similar allusions, and we feel that we have here what is in fact an incidental glimpse into the habitual practice of our L... [ Continue Reading ]
_STRENGTH AND SYMPATHY_ ‘And Jesus … touched him.’ Mark 1:41 There is a terrible disease of which we, in England, happily know nothing, the disease of leprosy. The leper can only be described as a broken, helpless, hopeless man. A leper came to Jesus. He had doubtless heard of Him and of His wond... [ Continue Reading ]
_RESERVE IN RELIGION_ ‘And He straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away.… But he went out, and began to publish it much.’ Mark 1:43 Our Lord, having healed the leper, charged him to be silent about the cure. He was not to make it known, except to the priest; and even if any of his comrade... [ Continue Reading ]