Mar 1:1 . The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This commencement is laconic, beautiful, and perspicuous. Several Greek authors begin their books in this independent way. It asserts the divine and human geniture of Christ. He is the Seed, the Son of the woman, of Abraham, of David. Pagan fable, which once had pure tradition for its origin, asserts the same. To apostatize from this faith is an apostasy from the faith of the primitive world. They all expected the Messiah, and expected him from heaven.
Mar 1:2 . As it is written in the prophets. Isaiah, in chap. Isa 40:3 , had spoken of John, and of the Messiah to console the nation, after the most humiliating disclosure, that all Hezekiah’s armory and treasures, chiefly gathered after the destruction of the Assyrians, should be carried away to Babylon. In like manner the prophet Mal 3:1 , had said, with a view to revive and cherish their expectations of Christ, that JEHOVAH, for whom they waited, should suddenly, and unexpectedly come to his temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom was their delight. St. Mark was therefore justified in thus commencing his gospel, for the law and the prophets, comprising the Hebrew dispensation, continued till John; since which time the kingdom of God has been preached.
Mar 1:3 . The voice of one crying in the wilderness, professing that God had sent him to preach repentance to Israel, and to baptize them preparatory to the advent of Christ. What a novel sight — what a new era of grace! A man clothed in a rough garment, and preaching with the zeal of Elijah. Surely, said the people, this is a prophet of the ancient school. Oh how his voice resounded — how rigorous were his words. The voice still speaks, the ministry is continuous. Wisdom, the matron of the church, cries in the chief places of concourse; she expostulates with the foolish; yea, Christ is now at the door, — see that ye refuse not him that speaketh.
Mr. Maundrel, speaking of the wilderness says, “From this place we proceeded in an intricate way, among hills and vallies, all of a very barren aspect, though discovering evident signs of culture in ancient times. In a few hours we arrived at that mountainous desert in which the Saviour was tempted. It is a miserable, dry, barren scene, consisting of high rocks so torn and dislocated, as if the earth had suffered some great convulsion. From these high grounds we had a delightful prospect over the plains of Jericho, the dead sea, and the mountains of Arabia:” p. 79.
Prepare ye the way of the Lord. Ulphilas, in the year 35:0 , translated the four gospels into the Gothic language, of which the Swedes had a copy written on vellum, with a solution of silver. Hence it was called Codex argenteus, and was preserved at Upsala. But alas, it was lately destroyed, with all the library, by fire. My copy reads, RAIHTOS WAURKEITH STAIGOS GOTHS UNSARIS. Literally, work right the stages of our God; proof sufficient that this honoured missionary was untainted with the Arian heresy. God had providentially prepared the Messiah’s way by the translation of all the old testament into Greek, and politically by the tolerant character of the Roman conquests; and ecclesiastically, by the vast accession of gentile proselytes to judaism. But it is John’s ministry of repentance and faith, which prepares the way of Christ to enter the heart.
Mar 1:4 . The baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. The note of Tertullian is, “that the act of baptizing penitents prepares them as candidates for the pardon and the sanctification which follow; the act is antecedent to the grace.” In like manner circumcision was the seal of righteousness by faith; and as that rite made its subject a debtor to keep the whole law, so baptism subjected the believer to walk in all the ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.
Mar 1:5 . There went out to him all Judea, and were baptized of him in JorDaniel These were John’s first disciples. Other districts followed, including gentiles, soldiers and publicans. The last were a deputation of the learned, who declined the doctrine which he preached. John went northward towards Galilee, and completed his work as the harbinger of the Lord, before Herod had power to put him in prison.
Mar 1:12 . Immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. Beza’s ancient copy, and some others, have the Holy Spirit. The Greek εκβαλλειν denotes impulsive force.
Mar 1:15 . Repent ye, and believe the gospel. The scribes had taught salvation by works. Here Christ, the true light, reöpens the ancient way of salvation by faith. How sure is the counsel of providence. John retires in the lustre of popularity; but Jesus treads on his steps, and excels him in works. Ministers may die, but their work shall live; the pillars may fall, but the house shall stand. Repentance, we here learn, must presede faith, because it respects past sins; and faith must follow in order, because it respects future objects. Hence, I blame the many divines who put faith before repentance. True repentance consists in a just sight and sense of our sins. It hates and renounces sin; and it is completed by a lively sentiment of the goodness of God in sparing us in our sinful state, and in sparing us to experience his mercy and love in Jesus. Then follows that godly sorrow which is repentance unto life; and all the fruits of mortification, prayer, restitution, and perseverance in piety.
Faith in its first openings is simply a belief of the truth, the Godhead of Christ, the authenticity of the scriptures, &c. But the faith of an awakened sinner consists in seeing himself destitute of all righteousness and help, in danger of hell fire; and then in seeing Jesus Christ, as the alsufficient, the willing and ready Saviour of the soul. Consequently the mind makes every exertion to close with Christ on his own terms, and to receive all the benefits of justifying faith. This last and full act of instilling faith, bishop Jewel in the homily on faith, Saurin in his catechim, and Wesley in his sermons, define in St. Paul’s words, an assurance that Christ has loved me, and given himself for me. Consequently, It is a sure trust and confidence that my sins are forgiven through the merits of Christ. Thus he that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life.
Mar 1:16 . He saw Simon and Andrew, as he afterwards beheld James and John, casting a net into the sea. These were pious men, disciples of John the baptist, before their call to the ministry. Jesus called them with a promise of great usefulness: “I will make you to be fishers of men.” Indicative that they must work as hard in their new profession as in the old. Thus the Redeemer laid the first four stones of his spiritual temple, without either noise or tumult, and without consulting the princes of this world.
Mar 1:23 . There was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. A demon in essence, and unclean in language; and who, it would seem, disturbed the worship of God by the horror of his words.
Mar 1:24 . I know thee — the Holy One of God. This, in forty places of the old testament, is Christ’s proper title. “Great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.” Isa 12:6 . After the voice at his baptism, the demons knew him; but the princes of this world knew him not. As the Redeemer he most graciously delivered the bodies of men from Satan’s power, so he will deliver the soul from all the works of the devil, pride, self-love, and unbelief; above all, from impurity of thought.
Mar 1:30-31 . Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever. The Saviour’s presence brought peace, and health, and joy to this house. Ministers are here taught to do all the good they can to the families which they visit, not indeed forgetting the servants, who have souls of equal value with their masters’. — St. Mark, four apostles being present, puts this miracle in its proper place, it being a little anticipated in Mat 8:14 .
Mar 1:32 . When the sun did set. The sabbath was then over, because the jews kept it holy from the sunsetting of the preseding day.
Mar 1:41 . I will, be thou clean. This miracle of cleansing the leper occurred immediately after the sermon on the mount. Mat 8:2 . See on Leviticus 1:3 , 15, 16. This uncleanness was emblematical of the fouler leprosy of our hearts, incurable by human aid, but cleansed by the powerful word of Christ. — For the cure of sanctifying grace we must come kneeling, and in faith: If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. We must expect an instantaneous cure by the word of Christ: I will, be thou clean. — He is ready, he is willing, he is strong to save. But be careful to give praise and glory to God in acts of thanksgiving. — This leper, we should note, was a gentile, for the evangelical fountain can wash and make white the gentile armies of every nation, and of every tongue. Rev 7:11-14 .
REFLECTIONS.
This chapter presents us with two grand scenes, the ministry of John, rising unexpectedly as a morning star; and that of Jesus, succeeding as the sun of righteousness. John; in dress, in character, in eloquence and majesty, bore all the characters of an ancient prophet. On this head there was but one opinion among the people. He resembled Elijah, whom prophecy had said he should personate:
“The great Tishbite, who on fiery wheels
Rode up to heaven, yet once again is come.”
As John retired, having in a short course completed his mission, the Saviour confirmed his word; for the gates of hell shall not prevail against his church. And the ministry of the Saviour was connected with miracles, as stated in the eleventh of Matthew; and all his miracles were wrought to inspire belief, and to strengthen the ultimate conviction, that he was the true Messiah. The first aspects were demonstration, that he was a teacher come from God. Joh 3:2 . But the subsequent reflection carried conviction that he was the Lord himself, veiled in the likeness of sinful flesh. The works he did in his Father’s name, they bore witness who he was.
Let us then devoutly pray, that he would repeat his miracles in our hearts, and arise and maintain his cause in this our age, more inveterate against his mission and glory than that even of the scribes and pharisees.
Mar 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, (Joh 1:17.) “The Law and the Prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, ” (Luk 16:16 .)And with this agrees most fully the quotation which he makes from the Prophet Malachi, (Mal 3:1.) In order to inflame the minds of his people with a stronger desire of the promised salvation, the Lord had determined to leave them, for a time, without new prophecies. We know that the last of the true and lawful prophets was Malachi.
That the Jews, in the meantime, may not faint with hunger, he exhorts them to continue under the Law of Moses, until the promised redemption appear. He mentions the law only, (Joh 1:17,) because the doctrine of the Prophets was not separate from the law, but was merely an appendage and fuller exposition of it, that the form of government in the Church might depend entirely on the Law. It is no new or uncommon thing in Scripture, to include the Prophets under the name of the Law: for they were all related to it as their fountain or design. The Gospel was not an inferior appendage to the Law, but a new form of instruction, by which the former was set aside.
Malachi, distinguishing the two conditions of the Church, places the one under the Law, and commences the other with the preaching of John. He unquestionably describes the Baptist, when he says, “Behold, I send my messenger,” (Mal 3:1 :) for, as we have already said, that passage lays down an express distinction between the Law and the new order and condition of the Church. With the same view he had said a little before, (which is quoted by Mark, [Mar 9:13;] for the passages are quite similar,) “Behold, I send you Elijah the Prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord,” (Mal 4:5.) Again,
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple,” (Mal 3:1.)
In both passages, the Lord promises a better condition of his Church than had existed under the Law, and this unquestionably points out the beginning of the Gospel But before the Lord came to restore the Church, a forerunner or herald was to come, and announce that he was at hand. Hence we infer, that the abrogation of the Law, and the beginning of the Gospel, strictly speaking, took place when John began to preach.
The Evangelist John presents to us Christ clothed in flesh, “the Word made flesh,” (Joh 1:14;) so that his birth and the whole history of his appearance are included in the Gospel. But here Mark inquires, when the Gospel began to be published, and, therefore, properly begins with John, who was its first minister. And with this view the Heavenly Father chose that the life of his Son should be buried, as it were, in silence, until the time of the full revelation arrived. For it did not happen without the undoubted Providence of God, that the Evangelists leave out the whole period which Christ spent in private, and pass at once from his earliest infancy to his thirtieth year, when he was openly exhibited to the world, invested with his public character as a Redeemer; Luke excepted, who slightly touches one indication of his future calling, which occurred about his twelfth year, (Luk 2:42 .)
It had a very close connection with this object, that we should be informed, first, that Christ is a true man, (Joh 1:14,) and next, that he is “the Son of Abraham and of David, ”(Mat 1:1 ;)as to both of which, the Lord has been pleased to give us an attestation. The other matters which we have examined, relating to “the shepherds, ” (Luk 2:8 ,)the “Magi,” (Mat 2:1 ,)and “Simeon,” (Luk 2:25 ,)were intended to prove his Divinity. What Luke relates about John and his father Zacharias, (Luk 1:5 ,)was a sort of preparation for the Gospel.
There is no impropriety in the change of the person which is here made, in quoting the words of Malachi. According to the prophet, God says, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way Before Me. Mark introduces God as addressing the Son, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way Before Thee. But we see that Mark had no other intention, than to express more clearly the prophet’s meaning. Mark designates Christ the Son of God The other Evangelists testify that he was born of the seed of Abraham and David, and therefore was the Son of man, (Mat 8:20 .)But Mark shows us, that no redemption is to be expected but from the Son of God
Mar 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 publicly in his own country. But the solution is easy; for the words which Matthew employs, ἀπὸ τότε, from that time, ought to be viewed as referring, not to what immediately precedes, but to the whole course of the narrative. Christ, therefore, entered into the exercise of his office, when he arrived at Galilee. The summary of doctrine which is given by Matthew is not at all different from what, we have lately seen, was taught by John: for it consists of two parts, — repentance, and the announcement of grace and salvation. He exhorts the Jews to conversion, because the kingdom of God is at hand: that is, because God undertakes to govern his people, which is true and perfect happiness. The language of Mark is a little different, The kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel But the meaning is the same: for, having first spoken of the restoration of the kingdom of God among the Jews, he exhorts them to repentance and faith.
But it may be asked, since repentance depends on the Gospel, why does Mark separate it from the doctrine of the Gospel? Two reasons may be assigned. God sometimes invites us to repentance, when nothing more is meant, than that we ought to change our life for the better. He afterwards shows, that conversion and “newness of life” (Rom 6:4) are the gift of God. This is intended to inform us, that not only is our duty enjoined on us, but the grace and power of obedience are, at the same time, offered. If we understand in this way the preaching of John about repentance, the meaning will be:” The Lord commands you to turn to himself; but as you cannot accomplish this by your own endeavors, he promises the Spirit of regeneration, and therefore you must receive this grace by faith.” At the same time, the faith, which he enjoins men to give to the Gospel, ought not, by any means, to be confined to the gift of renewal, but relates chiefly to the forgiveness of sins. For John connects repentance with faith, because God reconciles us to himself in such a manner, that we serve him as a Father in holiness and righteousness.
Besides, there is no absurdity in saying, that to believe the Gospel is the same thing as to embrace a free righteousness: for that special relation, between faith and the forgiveness of sins, is often mentioned in Scripture; as, for example, when it teaches, that we are justified by faith, (Rom 5:1.) In which soever of these two ways you choose to explain this passage, it still remains a settled principle, that God offers to us a free salvation, in order that we may turn to him, and live to righteousness. Accordingly, when he promises to us mercy, he calls us to deny the flesh. We must observe the designation which Paul gives to the Gospel, the kingdom of God: for hence we learn, that by the preaching of the Gospel the kingdom of God is set up and established among men, and that in no other way does God reign among men. Hence it is also evident, how wretched the condition of men is without the Gospel.
This demoniac was probably one of that multitude, which was mentioned, a little before, by Mat 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 devil dexterously acknowledges, that Christ is the Holy One of God, in order to insinuate into the minds of men a suspicion, that there was some secret understanding between him and Christ. By such a trick he has since endeavored to make the Gospel suspected, and, in the present day, he is continually making similar attempts. That is the reason why Christ rebukes him. It is, no doubt, possible, that this confession was violently extorted from him: but there is no inconsistency between the two suppositions, that he is forced to yield to the power of Christ, and therefore cries out that he is the Holy One of God, — and yet that he cunningly attempts to shroud in his own darkness the glory of Christ. At the same time, we must observe that, while he flatters Christ in this manner, he indirectly withdraws himself from his power, and in this way contradicts himself. For why was Christ sanctified by the Father, but that he might deliver men from the tyranny of the devil, and overturn his kingdom? But as Satan cannot endure that power, which he feels to be destructive to himself, he would desire that Christ should satisfy himself with an empty title, without exercising it on the present occasion. (344)
Mar 1:22; Luk 4:32.And they were astonished at his doctrine The meaning of the Evangelists is, that the power of the Spirit shone in the preaching (345) of Christ with such brightness, as to extort admiration even from irreligious and cold hearers. Luke says, that his discourse was accompanied with power, that is, full of majesty. Mark expresses it more fully, by adding a contrast, that it was unlike the manner of teaching of the Scribes As they were false expounders of Scripture, their doctrine was literal and dead, breathed nothing of the power of the Spirit, and was utterly destitute of majesty. The same kind of coldness may be now observed in the speculative theology of Popery. Those masters do indeed thunder out whatever they think proper in a sufficiently magisterial style; but as their manner of discoursing about divine things is so profane, that their controversies exhibit no traces of religion, what they bring forward is all affectation and mere drivelling: for the declaration of the Apostle Paul holds true, that the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power, (1Co 4:20.) In short, the Evangelists mean that, while the manner of teaching, which then prevailed, was so greatly degenerated and so extremely corrupted, that it did not impress the minds of men with any reverence for God, the preaching of Christ was eminently distinguished by the divine power of the Spirit, which procured for him the respect of his hearers. This is the power, or rather the majesty and authority, at which the people were astonished.
(344) “Mais pource que Satan ne pent endurer ceste vertue et puissance, aquelle il sait estre le destruire et ruiner, il voudroit bien que Christ se contenant d'un beau titre en l'air, se reposast, et se deportast de luy rien faire.” — “But because Satan cannot endure that power and might, which he knows to be to destroy and ruin him, he would rather wish that Christ, satisfying himself with a fine title in the air, should take repose, and refrain from doing any thing to him.
(345) “En la facon d’enseigner de Jesus Christ;” — “in Jesus Christ's manner of teaching.”
Mar 1:26When 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 intended to tear him: but Luke says that the attempt was unsuccessful; for he hurt him nothing Not that the attack was, in no degree whatever, attended by injury, or at least by some feeling of pain; but that the man was afterwards delivered from the devil, and restored to perfect health.
Mar 1:27What 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 admiration, that they pronounce it to be not common or ordinary. Their only fault lies in this, that they remain in their state of hesitation, (346) whereas the children of God ought to make increasing progress.
(346) “En leur doute et estonnement.” — “In their doubt and astonishment.”
Mar 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 went straight to Peter’s house; which also shows clearly, that Matthew did not observe, with exactness, the order of time. The Evangelists appear to have taken particular notice of this miracle; not that, in itself, it was more remarkable, or more worthy of being recorded, than other miracles, — but because, by means of it, Christ gave to his disciples a private and familiar illustration of his grace. Another reason was, that the healing of one woman gave occasion to many miracles, so that they came to him in great numbers, from every direction, to implore his assistance. A single word, in Luke’s narrative, presents to us more strikingly the power which Christ displayed; for he says, that Simon’s mother-in-law was held by a GREAT fever. It was a clearer and more affecting proof of divine power, that, in a moment, and by a single touch, he removed a strong and violent disease. He might have done it by the slightest expression of his will; but he touched her hand, (Mat 8:15 ,)either to mark his affection, or because he was aware that this sign was, at that time, advantageous: for we know, that he freely used outward signs, when the time required them.
Mar 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 divinity, those whose praise could have no other effect than to soil and injure his character. This latter reason is undoubtedly true: for he must have known, that the prince of death, and his agents, are in a state of irreconcileable enmity with the Author of eternal salvation and life.
Mark1:38.For on this account I came out. Luk 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, to give only a slight and partial taste of it in each place, or that they should remain, and instruct perfectly the hearers whom they have once obtained? I reply. The design of Christ, which is here mentioned, was agreeable to the injunction and call of the Father, and was founded on the best reasons. For it was necessary that Christ should travel, within a short period, throughout Judea, to awaken the minds of men, on all sides, as if by the sound of a trumpet, to hear the Gospel. But on this subject we must treat more fully under another passage.
Mat 8:4; Mar 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,” (Psa 122:4.) But this appears to me to be a poor exposition: for I have no doubt that the pronoun to them refers to the priests. (496) Christ said this, in my opinion, with a view to the present occurrence: for this miracle was afterwards to be a sufficiently clear proof for convicting them of ingratitude. There is nothing inconsistent with this in the command which Christ gave to the leper to maintain silence: for he did not intend that the remembrance of the miracle which he had wrought should remain always buried. When the leper, at the command of Christ, came into the presence of the priest, this was a testimony to them, which would render them inexcusable, if they refused to receive Christ as the minister of God; and would, at the same time, take away occasion for slander, since Christ did not neglect a single point of the law. In a word, if they were not past cure, they might be led to Christ; while, on the other hand, so solemn a testimony of God was sufficiently powerful to condemn them, if they were unbelievers.
(496) According to the view which Calvin rejects, the words, which Moses commanded for a testimony to them, mean, “which Moses delivered to them, that is, to the people of Israel, as a divine ordinance.” The view which he adopts may be more clearly brought out by a different arrangement of the words. Present, for a testimony to them, that is, “to the priests,” the offering which Moses commanded. —Ed
Mar 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 mouth, but because the common people were so eager to demand miracles, that no room was left for doctrine. He wished that they would all be more attentive to the word than to signs. Luke accordingly says, that he sought retirement in the deserts He avoided a crowd of men, because he saw, that he would not satisfy the wishes of the people, without overwhelming his doctrine by a superfluity of miracles. (497)
(497) “Que quant et quant il ne fist tant de miracles, que cela les empescheroit de bien penser a la doctrine;” — “without doing so many miracles as to prevent them from thinking properly about his doctrine.”
