Markus 3:27

3:27 But no one is able to enter a strong man’s ¹  house and steal his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can thoroughly plunder his house. ² 

Markus 4:11

4:11 He said to them, “The secret ³  of the kingdom of God has been given ⁴  to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables,

Markus 8:27

Peter’s Confession

8:27 Then Jesus and his disciples went to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. ⁵  On the way he asked his disciples, ⁶  “Who do people say that I am?”

Markus 16:7

16:7 But go, tell his disciples, even Peter, that he is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you.”

[3:27]  ¹ sn The strong man here pictures Satan.

[3:27]  ² sn Some see the imagery here as similar to Eph 4:7-10, although no opponents are explicitly named in that passage. Jesus has the victory over Satan. Jesus’ acts of healing mean that the war is being won and the kingdom is coming.

[4:11]  ³ tn Grk “the mystery.”

[4:11]  sn The key term secret (μυστήριον, musthrion) can mean either (1) a new revelation or (2) a revealing interpretation of existing revelation as in Dan 2:17-23, 27-30. Jesus seems to be explaining how current events develop old promises, since the NT consistently links the events of Jesus’ ministry and message with old promises (Rom 1:1-4; Heb 1:1-2). The traditional translation of this word, “mystery,” is misleading to the modern English reader because it suggests a secret which people have tried to uncover but which they have failed to understand (L&N 28.77).

[4:11]  ⁴ tn This is an example of a “divine passive,” with God understood to be the source of the revelation (see ExSyn 437-38).

[8:27]  ⁵ map Fpr location see Map1 C1; Map2 F4.

[8:27]  ⁶ tn Grk “he asked his disciples, saying to them.” The phrase λέγων αὐτοῖς (legwn autois) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.