Mark 1:1._The beginning of the Gospel. _Though what we have hitherto taken out of Matthew and Luke is a part of _the Gospel, _yet it is not without reason that Mark makes _the beginning of the Gospel _to be the preaching of John the Baptist. For the Law and the Prophets then came to an end, (John 1:... [ Continue Reading ]
Mark 1:14._Preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God. _Matthew appears to differ a little from the other two: for, after mentioning that Jesus left his own city Nazareth, and departed to Capernaum, he says: _from that time Jesus began to preach. _Luke and Mark, again, relate, that he taught publicl... [ Continue Reading ]
This demoniac was probably one of that multitude, which was mentioned, a little before, by Matthew 4:24. Yet the narrative of Mark and Luke is not superfluous: for they relate some circumstances, which not only present the miracle in a more striking light, but also contain useful instruction. The de... [ Continue Reading ]
Mark 1:26_When the unclean spirit had torn him _Luke uses a milder phrase, _when the devil had thrown him down: _but they agree perfectly as to the meaning; for the design of both was to show, that the devil went out of the man in a violent manner. He threw down the unhappy man, as if he had intende... [ Continue Reading ]
Mark 1:27_What new doctrine is this? _They call it _new _doctrine, not by way of reproach, but as an acknowledgment, that there was something in it unusual and extraordinary. It is not for the sake of blame, or to lessen its credit, that they speak of it as _new. _This is rather a part of their admi... [ Continue Reading ]
Mark 1:29._They came, with James and John, into the house of Simon and Andrew. _There is reason to conjecture, that Matthew does not relate this history in its proper order: for Mark expressly states, that there were only four disciples who attended Christ. Besides, when he left the synagogue, he we... [ Continue Reading ]
Mark 1:34._He did not permit the devils to speak. _There might be two reasons why _he did not permit _them: a general reason, because the time of the full revelation was not yet come; and a special reason, which we hinted at a little ago, that he refused to have, as heralds and witnesses of his divi... [ Continue Reading ]
Mark1:38._For on this account I came out. _Luke 4:43._For on this account am I sent. _These words deserve our attention: for they contain a declaration of his earnest desire to fulfill his office. But it will perhaps be asked, is it better that the ministers of the Gospel should run here and there,... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 8:4; Mark 1:44._For a testimony to them _Some consider _testimony _to mean here a law or statute, as it is said in the Book of Psalms, God laid down this _“ _for a testimony to Israel,” (Psalms 122:4.) But this appears to me to be a poor exposition: for I have no doubt that the pronoun _to t... [ Continue Reading ]
Mark 1:45._So that Jesus could no longer enter openly into cities _Hence we learn the reason why Christ did not wish the miracle to be so soon made known. It was that he might have more abundant opportunity and freedom for teaching. Not that his enemies rose against him, and attempted to shut his mo... [ Continue Reading ]