Markus 1:44
Konteks1:44 He told him, 1 “See that you do not say anything to anyone, 2 but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded 3 for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 4
Markus 1:3
Konteks1:3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make 5 his paths straight.’” 6
Markus 12:1-44
Konteks12:1 Then 7 he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. 8 He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then 9 he leased it to tenant farmers 10 and went on a journey. 12:2 At harvest time he sent a slave 11 to the tenants to collect from them 12 his portion of the crop. 13 12:3 But 14 those tenants 15 seized his slave, 16 beat him, 17 and sent him away empty-handed. 18 12:4 So 19 he sent another slave to them again. This one they struck on the head and treated outrageously. 12:5 He sent another, and that one they killed. This happened to many others, some of whom were beaten, others killed. 12:6 He had one left, his one dear son. 20 Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 12:7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours!’ 12:8 So 21 they seized him, 22 killed him, and threw his body 23 out of the vineyard. 24 12:9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy 25 those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 26 12:10 Have you not read this scripture:
‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 27
12:11 This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” 28
12:12 Now 29 they wanted to arrest him (but they feared the crowd), because they realized that he told this parable against them. So 30 they left him and went away. 31
12:13 Then 32 they sent some of the Pharisees 33 and Herodians 34 to trap him with his own words. 35 12:14 When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality 36 but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 37 Is it right 38 to pay taxes 39 to Caesar 40 or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” 12:15 But he saw through their hypocrisy and said 41 to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius 42 and let me look at it.” 12:16 So 43 they brought one, and he said to them, “Whose image 44 is this, and whose inscription?” They replied, 45 “Caesar’s.” 12:17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 46 And they were utterly amazed at him.
12:18 Sadducees 47 (who say there is no resurrection) 48 also came to him and asked him, 49 12:19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, that man 50 must marry 51 the widow and father children 52 for his brother.’ 53 12:20 There were seven brothers. The first one married, 54 and when he died he had no children. 12:21 The second married her and died without any children, and likewise the third. 12:22 None of the seven had children. Finally, the woman died too. 12:23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, 55 whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her.” 56 12:24 Jesus said to them, “Aren’t you deceived 57 for this reason, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God? 12:25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels 58 in heaven. 12:26 Now as for the dead being raised, 59 have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, 60 how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the 61 God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 62 12:27 He is not the God of the dead but of the living. 63 You are badly mistaken!”
12:28 Now 64 one of the experts in the law 65 came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus 66 answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 12:30 Love 67 the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 68 12:31 The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 69 There is no other commandment greater than these.” 12:32 The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. 70 12:33 And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength 71 and to love your neighbor as yourself 72 is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 12:34 When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.
12:35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he said, “How is it that the experts in the law 73 say that the Christ 74 is David’s son? 75 12:36 David himself, by the Holy Spirit, said,
‘The Lord said to my lord, 76
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ 77
12:37 If David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 78 And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.
12:38 In his teaching Jesus 79 also said, “Watch out for the experts in the law. 80 They like walking 81 around in long robes and elaborate greetings 82 in the marketplaces, 12:39 and the best seats in the synagogues 83 and the places of honor at banquets. 12:40 They 84 devour widows’ property, 85 and as a show make long prayers. These men will receive a more severe punishment.”
12:41 Then 86 he 87 sat down opposite the offering box, 88 and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing in large amounts. 12:42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, 89 worth less than a penny. 12:43 He called his disciples and said to them, “I tell you the truth, 90 this poor widow has put more into the offering box 91 than all the others. 92 12:44 For they all gave out of their wealth. 93 But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had.” 94
Markus 5:43
Konteks5:43 He strictly ordered that no one should know about this, 95 and told them to give her something to eat.
Markus 5:7
Konteks5:7 Then 96 he cried out with a loud voice, “Leave me alone, 97 Jesus, Son of the Most High God! I implore you by God 98 – do not torment me!”
Markus 1:1-45
Konteks1:1 The beginning of the gospel 99 of Jesus Christ, 100 the Son of God. 101 1:2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 102
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way, 103
1:3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make 104 his paths straight.’” 105
1:4 In the wilderness 106 John the baptizer 107 began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 108 1:5 People 109 from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem 110 were going out to him, and he was baptizing them 111 in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 1:6 John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 112 1:7 He proclaimed, 113 “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy 114 to bend down and untie the strap 115 of his sandals. 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
1:9 Now 116 in those days Jesus came from Nazareth 117 in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 118 1:10 And just as Jesus 119 was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens 120 splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 121 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son; 122 in you I take great delight.” 123 1:12 The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness. 1:13 He was in the wilderness forty days, 124 enduring temptations from Satan. He 125 was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs. 126
1:14 Now after John was imprisoned, 127 Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel 128 of God. 129 1:15 He 130 said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God 131 is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” 1:16 As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 132 1:17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” 133 1:18 They left their nets immediately and followed him. 134 1:19 Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in their 135 boat mending nets. 1:20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
1:21 Then 136 they went to Capernaum. 137 When the Sabbath came, 138 Jesus 139 went into the synagogue 140 and began to teach. 1:22 The people there 141 were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, 142 not like the experts in the law. 143 1:23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, 144 and he cried out, 145 1:24 “Leave us alone, 146 Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One 147 of God!” 1:25 But 148 Jesus rebuked him: 149 “Silence! Come out of him!” 150 1:26 After throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 1:27 They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 1:28 So 151 the news about him spread quickly throughout all the region around Galilee.
1:29 Now 152 as soon as they left the synagogue, 153 they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John. 1:30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, so 154 they spoke to Jesus 155 at once about her. 1:31 He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to serve 156 them. 1:32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed. 1:33 The whole town gathered by the door. 1:34 So 157 he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. 158 But 159 he would not permit the demons to speak, 160 because they knew him. 161
1:35 Then 162 Jesus 163 got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. 164 1:36 Simon and his companions searched for him. 1:37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 1:38 He replied, 165 “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” 166 1:39 So 167 he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues 168 and casting out demons.
1:40 Now 169 a leper 170 came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If 171 you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said. 1:41 Moved with compassion, 172 Jesus 173 stretched out his hand and touched 174 him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” 1:42 The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean. 1:43 Immediately Jesus 175 sent the man 176 away with a very strong warning. 1:44 He told him, 177 “See that you do not say anything to anyone, 178 but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded 179 for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 180 1:45 But as the man 181 went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus 182 was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still 183 they kept coming 184 to him from everywhere.
Markus 1:1-45
Konteks1:1 The beginning of the gospel 185 of Jesus Christ, 186 the Son of God. 187 1:2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, 188
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way, 189
1:3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make 190 his paths straight.’” 191
1:4 In the wilderness 192 John the baptizer 193 began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 194 1:5 People 195 from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem 196 were going out to him, and he was baptizing them 197 in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 1:6 John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 198 1:7 He proclaimed, 199 “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy 200 to bend down and untie the strap 201 of his sandals. 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
1:9 Now 202 in those days Jesus came from Nazareth 203 in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 204 1:10 And just as Jesus 205 was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens 206 splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 207 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son; 208 in you I take great delight.” 209 1:12 The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness. 1:13 He was in the wilderness forty days, 210 enduring temptations from Satan. He 211 was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs. 212
1:14 Now after John was imprisoned, 213 Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel 214 of God. 215 1:15 He 216 said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God 217 is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” 1:16 As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 218 1:17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” 219 1:18 They left their nets immediately and followed him. 220 1:19 Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in their 221 boat mending nets. 1:20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
1:21 Then 222 they went to Capernaum. 223 When the Sabbath came, 224 Jesus 225 went into the synagogue 226 and began to teach. 1:22 The people there 227 were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, 228 not like the experts in the law. 229 1:23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, 230 and he cried out, 231 1:24 “Leave us alone, 232 Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One 233 of God!” 1:25 But 234 Jesus rebuked him: 235 “Silence! Come out of him!” 236 1:26 After throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 1:27 They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 1:28 So 237 the news about him spread quickly throughout all the region around Galilee.
1:29 Now 238 as soon as they left the synagogue, 239 they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John. 1:30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, so 240 they spoke to Jesus 241 at once about her. 1:31 He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to serve 242 them. 1:32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed. 1:33 The whole town gathered by the door. 1:34 So 243 he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. 244 But 245 he would not permit the demons to speak, 246 because they knew him. 247
1:35 Then 248 Jesus 249 got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. 250 1:36 Simon and his companions searched for him. 1:37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 1:38 He replied, 251 “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” 252 1:39 So 253 he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues 254 and casting out demons.
1:40 Now 255 a leper 256 came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If 257 you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said. 1:41 Moved with compassion, 258 Jesus 259 stretched out his hand and touched 260 him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” 1:42 The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean. 1:43 Immediately Jesus 261 sent the man 262 away with a very strong warning. 1:44 He told him, 263 “See that you do not say anything to anyone, 264 but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded 265 for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 266 1:45 But as the man 267 went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus 268 was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still 269 they kept coming 270 to him from everywhere.
[1:44] 1 tn Grk “And after warning him, he immediately sent him away and told him.”
[1:44] 2 sn The silence ordered by Jesus was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 1:34; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, 30; and 9:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.
[1:44] 3 sn On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.
[1:44] 4 tn Or “as an indictment against them”; or “as proof to the people.” This phrase could be taken as referring to a positive witness to the priests, a negative testimony against them, or as a testimony to the community that the man had indeed been cured. In any case, the testimony shows that Jesus is healing and ministering to those in need.
[1:3] 5 sn This call to “make his paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
[1:3] 6 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
[12:1] 7 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:1] 8 sn The vineyard is a figure for Israel in the OT (Isa 5:1-7). The nation and its leaders are the tenants, so the vineyard here may well refer to the promise that resides within the nation. The imagery is like that in Rom 11:11-24.
[12:1] 9 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:1] 10 sn The leasing of land to tenant farmers was common in this period.
[12:2] 11 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44.
[12:2] sn This slave (along with the others) represent the prophets God sent to the nation, who were mistreated and rejected.
[12:2] 12 tn Grk “from the tenants,” but this is redundant in English, so the pronoun (“them”) was used in the translation.
[12:2] 13 tn Grk “from the fruits of the vineyard.”
[12:3] 14 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[12:3] 15 tn Grk “But they”; the referent (the tenants, v. 1) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:3] 16 tn Grk “seizing him, they beat and sent away empty-handed.” The referent of the direct object of “seizing” (the slave sent by the owner) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The objects of the verbs “beat” and “sent away” have been supplied in the translation to conform to English style. Greek often omits direct objects when they are clear from the context.
[12:3] 17 sn The image of the tenants beating up the owner’s slave pictures the nation’s rejection of the prophets and their message.
[12:3] 18 sn The slaves being sent empty-handed suggests that the vineyard was not producing any fruit – and thus neither was the nation of Israel.
[12:4] 19 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the tenants’ mistreatment of the first slave.
[12:6] 20 tn Grk “one beloved son.” See comment at Mark 1:11.
[12:6] sn The owner’s decision to send his one dear son represents God sending Jesus.
[12:8] 21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[12:8] 22 tn Grk “seizing him.” The participle λαβόντες (labontes) has been translated as attendant circumstance.
[12:8] 24 sn Throwing the heir’s body out of the vineyard pictures Jesus’ death outside of Jerusalem.
[12:9] 25 sn The statement that the owner will come and destroy those tenants is a promise of judgment; see Luke 13:34-35; 19:41-44.
[12:9] 26 sn The warning that the owner would give the vineyard to others suggests that the care of the promise and the nation’s hope would be passed to others. This eventually looks to Gentile inclusion; see Eph 2:11-22.
[12:10] 27 tn Or “capstone,” “keystone.” Although these meanings are lexically possible, the imagery in Eph 2:20-22 and 1 Cor 3:11 indicates that the term κεφαλὴ γωνίας (kefalh gwnia") refers to a cornerstone, not a capstone.
[12:10] sn The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The use of Ps 118:22-23 and the “stone imagery” as a reference to Christ and his suffering and exaltation is common in the NT (see also Matt 21:42; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:6-8; cf. also Eph 2:20). The irony in the use of Ps 118:22-23 in Mark 12:10-11 is that in the OT, Israel was the one rejected (or perhaps her king) by the Gentiles, but in the NT it is Jesus who is rejected by Israel.
[12:11] 28 sn A quotation from Ps 118:22-23.
[12:12] 29 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to introduce a somewhat parenthetical remark by the author.
[12:12] 30 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[12:12] 31 sn The point of the parable in Mark 12:1-12 is that the leaders of the nation have been rejected by God and the vineyard (v. 9, referring to the nation and its privileged status) will be taken from them and given to others (an allusion to the Gentiles).
[12:13] 32 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:13] 33 sn See the note on Pharisees in 2:16.
[12:13] 34 sn Pharisees and Herodians made a very interesting alliance. W. W. Wessel (“Mark,” EBC 8:733) comments: “The Herodians were as obnoxious to the Pharisees on political grounds as the Sadducees were on theological grounds. Yet the two groups united in their opposition to Jesus. Collaboration in wickedness, as well as goodness, has great power. Their purpose was to trip Jesus up in his words so that he would lose the support of the people, leaving the way open for them to destroy him.” See also the note on “Herodians” in Mark 3:6.
[12:13] 35 tn Grk “trap him in word.”
[12:14] 36 tn Grk “and it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”
[12:14] 37 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
[12:14] 38 tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.
[12:14] 39 tn According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος (khnso") was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government.
[12:14] sn This question concerning taxes was specifically designed to trap Jesus. If he answered yes, then his opponents could publicly discredit him as a sympathizer with Rome. If he answered no, then they could go to the Roman governor and accuse Jesus of rebellion.
[12:14] 40 tn Or “the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[12:15] 41 tn Grk “Aware of their hypocrisy he said.”
[12:15] 42 tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dhnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.
[12:15] sn A denarius was a silver coin stamped with the image of the emperor and worth approximately one day’s wage for a laborer.
[12:16] 43 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate their response to Jesus’ request for a coin.
[12:16] 44 tn Or “whose likeness.”
[12:16] sn In this passage Jesus points to the image (Grk εἰκών, eikwn) of Caesar on the coin. This same Greek word is used in Gen 1:26 (LXX) to state that humanity is made in the “image” of God. Jesus is making a subtle yet powerful contrast: Caesar’s image is on the denarius, so he can lay claim to money through taxation, but God’s image is on humanity, so he can lay claim to each individual life.
[12:16] 45 tn Grk “they said to him.”
[12:17] 46 sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.
[12:18] 47 sn The Sadducees controlled the official political structures of Judaism at this time, being the majority members of the Sanhedrin. They were known as extremely strict on law and order issues (Josephus, J. W. 2.8.2 [2.119], 2.8.14 [2.164-166]; Ant. 13.5.9 [13.171-173], 13.10.6 [13.293-298], 18.1.2 [18.11], 18.1.4 [18.16-17], 20.9.1 [20.199]; Life 2 [10-11]). They also did not believe in resurrection or in angels, an important detail in v. 25. See also Matt 3:7, 16:1-12, 22:23-34; Luke 20:27-38; Acts 4:1, 5:17, 23:6-8.
[12:18] 48 sn This remark is best regarded as a parenthetical note by the author.
[12:18] 49 tn Grk “and asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[12:19] 50 tn Grk “his brother”; but this would be redundant in English with the same phrase “his brother” at the end of the verse, so most modern translations render this phrase “the man” (so NIV, NRSV).
[12:19] 51 tn The use of ἵνα (Jina) with imperatival force is unusual (BDF §470.1).
[12:19] 52 tn Grk “raise up seed” (an idiom for fathering children).
[12:19] 53 sn A quotation from Deut 25:5. This practice is called levirate marriage (see also Ruth 4:1-12; Mishnah, m. Yevamot; Josephus, Ant. 4.8.23 [4.254-256]). The levirate law is described in Deut 25:5-10. The brother of a man who died without a son had an obligation to marry his brother’s widow. This served several purposes: It provided for the widow in a society where a widow with no children to care for her would be reduced to begging, and it preserved the name of the deceased, who would be regarded as the legal father of the first son produced from that marriage.
[12:20] 54 tn Grk “took a wife” (an idiom for marrying a woman).
[12:23] 55 tc The words “when they rise again” are missing from several important witnesses (א B C D L W Δ Ψ 33 579 892 2427 pc c r1 k syp co). They are included in A Θ Ë1,(13) Ï lat sys,h. The strong external pedigree of the shorter reading gives one pause. Nevertheless, the Alexandrian and other
[12:23] 56 tn Grk “For the seven had her as wife.”
[12:24] 57 tn Or “mistaken” (cf. BDAG 822 s.v. πλανάω 2.c.γ).
[12:25] 58 sn Angels do not die, nor do they eat according to Jewish tradition (1 En. 15:6; 51:4; Wis 5:5; 2 Bar. 51:10; 1QH 3.21-23).
[12:26] 59 tn Grk “Now as for the dead that they are raised.”
[12:26] 60 sn See Exod 3:6. Jesus used a common form of rabbinic citation here to refer to the passage in question.
[12:26] 61 tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[12:26] 62 sn A quotation from Exod 3:6.
[12:27] 63 sn He is not God of the dead but of the living. Jesus’ point was that if God could identify himself as God of the three old patriarchs, then they must still be alive when God spoke to Moses; and so they must be raised.
[12:28] 64 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[12:28] 65 tn Or “One of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[12:28] 66 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:30] 67 tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).
[12:30] 68 sn A quotation from Deut 6:4-5 and Josh 22:5 (LXX). The fourfold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.
[12:31] 69 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
[12:32] 70 sn A quotation from Deut 4:35.
[12:33] 71 sn A quotation from Deut 6:5.
[12:33] 72 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
[12:35] 73 tn Or “that the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[12:35] 74 tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[12:35] sn See the note on Christ in 8:29.
[12:35] 75 sn It was a common belief in Judaism that Messiah would be David’s son in that he would come from the lineage of David. On this point the Pharisees agreed and were correct. But their understanding was nonetheless incomplete, for Messiah is also David’s Lord. With this statement Jesus was affirming that, as the Messiah, he is both God and man.
[12:36] 76 sn The Lord said to my Lord. With David being the speaker, this indicates his respect for his descendant (referred to as my Lord). Jesus was arguing, as the ancient exposition assumed, that the passage is about the Lord’s anointed. The passage looks at an enthronement of this figure and a declaration of honor for him as he takes his place at the side of God. In Jerusalem, the king’s palace was located to the right of the temple to indicate this kind of relationship. Jesus was pressing the language here to get his opponents to reflect on how great Messiah is.
[12:36] 77 sn A quotation from Ps 110:1.
[12:37] 78 tn Grk “David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ So how is he his son?” The conditional nuance, implicit in Greek, has been made explicit in the translation (cf. Matt 22:45).
[12:38] 79 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:38] 80 tn Or “for the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
[12:38] 81 tn In Greek this is the only infinitive in vv. 38-39. It would be awkward in English to join an infinitive to the following noun clauses, so this has been translated as a gerund.
[12:38] 82 sn There is later Jewish material in the Talmud that spells out such greetings in detail. See H. Windisch, TDNT 1:498.
[12:39] 83 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
[12:40] 84 tn Grk “who,” continuing the sentence begun in v. 38.
[12:40] 85 tn Grk “houses,” “households”; however, the term can have the force of “property” or “possessions” as well (O. Michel, TDNT 5:131; BDAG 695 s.v. οἶκια 1.a).
[12:41] 86 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:41] 87 tc Most
[12:41] 88 tn On the term γαζοφυλάκιον (gazofulakion), often translated “treasury,” see BDAG 186 s.v., which states, “For Mk 12:41, 43; Lk 21:1 the mng. contribution box or receptacle is attractive. Acc. to Mishnah, Shekalim 6, 5 there were in the temple 13 such receptacles in the form of trumpets. But even in these passages the general sense of ‘treasury’ is prob., for the contributions would go [into] the treasury via the receptacles.” Based upon the extra-biblical evidence (see sn following), however, the translation opts to refer to the actual receptacles and not the treasury itself.
[12:41] sn The offering box probably refers to the receptacles in the temple forecourt by the Court of Women used to collect freewill offerings. These are mentioned by Josephus, J. W. 5.5.2 (5.200); 6.5.2 (6.282); Ant. 19.6.1 (19.294), and in 1 Macc 14:49 and 2 Macc 3:6, 24, 28, 40 (see also Luke 21:1; John 8:20).
[12:42] 89 sn These two small copper coins were lepta (sing. “lepton”), the smallest and least valuable coins in circulation in Palestine, worth one-half of a quadrans or 1/128 of a denarius, or about six minutes of an average daily wage. This was next to nothing in value.
[12:43] 90 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[12:43] 91 tn See the note on the term “offering box” in v. 41.
[12:43] 92 sn Has put more into the offering box than all the others. With God, giving is weighed evaluatively, not counted. The widow was praised because she gave sincerely and at some considerable cost to herself.
[12:44] 93 tn Grk “out of what abounded to them.”
[12:44] 94 sn The contrast between this passage, 12:41-44, and what has come before in 11:27-12:40 is remarkable. The woman is set in stark contrast to the religious leaders. She was a poor widow, they were rich. She was uneducated in the law, they were well educated in the law. She was a woman, they were men. But whereas they evidenced no faith and actually stole money from God and men (cf. 11:17), she evidenced great faith and gave out of her extreme poverty everything she had.
[5:43] 95 sn That no one should know about this. See the note on the phrase who he was in 3:12.
[5:7] 96 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[5:7] 97 tn Grk “What to me and to you?” (an idiom). The phrase τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί (ti emoi kai soi) is Semitic in origin, though it made its way into colloquial Greek (BDAG 275 s.v. ἐγώ). The equivalent Hebrew expression in the OT had two basic meanings: (1) When one person was unjustly bothering another, the injured party could say “What to me and to you?” meaning, “What have I done to you that you should do this to me?” (Judg 11:12, 2 Chr 35:21, 1 Kgs 17:18). (2) When someone was asked to get involved in a matter he felt was no business of his own, he could say to the one asking him, “What to me and to you?” meaning, “That is your business, how am I involved?” (2 Kgs 3:13, Hos 14:8). These nuances were apparently expanded in Greek, but the basic notions of defensive hostility (option 1) and indifference or disengagement (option 2) are still present. BDAG suggests the following as glosses for this expression: What have I to do with you? What have we in common? Leave me alone! Never mind! Hostility between Jesus and the demons is certainly to be understood in this context, hence the translation: “Leave me alone….”
[5:7] 98 sn Though it seems unusual for a demon to invoke God’s name (“I implore you by God”) in his demands of Jesus, the parallel in Matt 8:29 suggests the reason: “Why have you come to torment us before the time?” There was an appointed time in which demons would face their judgment, and they seem to have viewed Jesus’ arrival on the scene as an illegitimate change in God’s plan regarding the time when their sentence would be executed.
[1:1] 99 sn By the time Mark wrote, the word gospel had become a technical term referring to the preaching about Jesus Christ and God’s saving power accomplished through him for all who believe (cf. Rom 1:16).
[1:1] 100 tn The genitive in the phrase τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (tou euangeliou Ihsou Cristou, “the gospel of Jesus Christ”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“the gospel which Jesus brings [or proclaims]”) or an objective genitive (“the gospel about Jesus Christ”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which Jesus proclaims is in fact the gospel about himself.
[1:1] 101 tc א* Θ 28 l2211 pc sams Or lack υἱοῦ θεοῦ (Juiou qeou, “son of God”), while virtually all the rest of the witnesses have the words (A Ë1,13 33 Ï also have τοῦ [tou] before θεοῦ), so the evidence seems to argue for the authenticity of the words. Most likely, the words were omitted by accident in some witnesses, since the last four words of v. 1, in uncial script, would have looked like this: iu_c_r_u_u_u_q_u_. With all the successive upsilons an accidental deletion is likely. Further, the inclusion of υἱοῦ θεοῦ here finds its complement in 15:39, where the centurion claims that Jesus was υἱὸς θεοῦ (Juios qeou, “son of God”). Even though א is in general one of the best NT
[1:1] sn The first verse of Mark’s Gospel appears to function as a title: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is not certain, however, whether Mark intended it to refer to the entire Gospel, to the ministry of John the Baptist, or through the use of the term beginning (ἀρχή, arch) to allude to Genesis 1:1 (in the Greek Bible, LXX). The most likely option is that the statement as a whole is an allusion to Genesis 1:1 and that Mark is saying that with the “good news” of the coming of Christ, God is commencing a “new beginning.”
[1:2] 102 tc Instead of “in Isaiah the prophet” the majority of
[1:2] 103 sn The opening lines of the quotation are from Exod 23:20; Mal 3:1. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
[1:3] 104 sn This call to “make his paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
[1:3] 105 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
[1:4] 107 tn While Matthew and Luke consistently use the noun βαπτίστης (baptisths, “[the] Baptist”) to refer to John, as a kind of a title, Mark prefers the substantival participle ὁ βαπτίζων (Jo baptizwn, “the one who baptizes, the baptizer”) to describe him (only twice does he use the noun [Mark 6:25; 8:28]).
[1:4] 108 sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it.
[1:5] 109 tn Grk “And the whole Judean countryside.” Mark uses the Greek conjunction καί (kai) at numerous places in his Gospel to begin sentences and paragraphs. This practice is due to Semitic influence and reflects in many cases the use of the Hebrew ו (vav) which is used in OT narrative, much as it is here, to carry the narrative along. Because in contemporary English style it is not acceptable to begin every sentence with “and,” καί was often left untranslated or rendered as “now,” “so,” “then,” or “but” depending on the context. When left untranslated it has not been noted. When given an alternative translation, this is usually indicated by a note.
[1:5] 110 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:5] 111 tn Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
[1:6] 112 sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.
[1:7] 113 tn Grk “proclaimed, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[1:7] 114 tn Grk “of whom I am not worthy.”
[1:7] sn The humility of John is evident in the statement I am not worthy. This was considered one of the least worthy tasks of a slave, and John did not consider himself worthy to do even that for the one to come, despite the fact he himself was a prophet.
[1:7] 115 tn The term refers to the leather strap or thong used to bind a sandal. This is often viewed as a collective singular and translated as a plural, “the straps of his sandals,” but it may be more emphatic to retain the singular here.
[1:9] 116 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[1:9] 117 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
[1:9] 118 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
[1:10] 119 tn Grk “and immediately coming up out of the water, he saw.” The present participle has been translated temporally, with the subject (Jesus) specified for clarity.
[1:10] 120 tn Or “sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The same word is used in v. 11.
[1:10] 121 sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.
[1:11] 122 tn Grk “my beloved Son,” or “my Son, the beloved [one].” The force of ἀγαπητός (agaphtos) is often “pertaining to one who is the only one of his or her class, but at the same time is particularly loved and cherished” (L&N 58.53; cf. also BDAG 7 s.v. 1).
[1:11] 123 tn Or “with you I am well pleased.”
[1:11] sn The allusions in the remarks of the text recall Ps 2:7a; Isa 42:1 and either Isa 41:8 or, less likely, Gen 22:12,16. God is marking out Jesus as his chosen one (the meaning of “[in you I take] great delight”), but it may well be that this was a private experience that only Jesus and John saw and heard (cf. John 1:32-33).
[1:13] 124 sn The forty days may allude to the experience of Moses (Exod 34:28), Elijah (1 Kgs 19:8, 15), or David and Goliath (1 Sam 17:16).
[1:13] 126 tn Grk “were serving him,” “were ministering to him.”
[1:14] 127 tn Or “arrested,” “taken into custody” (see L&N 37.12).
[1:14] 128 tc Most witnesses, especially later ones (A D W Ï lat), have τῆς βασιλείας (ths basileias) between τὸ εὐαγγέλιον (to euangelion) and τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou): “the gospel of the kingdom of God.” On the one hand, it is perhaps possible that τῆς βασιλείας was omitted to conform the expression to that which is found in the epistles (cf. Rom 1:1; 15:16; 2 Cor 11:7; 1 Thess 2:2, 8, 9; 1 Pet 4:17). On the other hand, this expression, “the gospel of God,” occurs nowhere else in the Gospels, while “the gospel of the kingdom” is a Matthean expression (Matt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14), and “kingdom of God” is pervasive in the synoptic Gospels (occurring over 50 times). Scribes would thus be more prone to add τῆς βασιλείας than to omit it. Further, the external support for the shorter reading (א B L Θ Ë1,13 28* 33 565 579 892 2427 sa) is significantly stronger than that for the longer reading. There is little doubt, therefore, that the shorter reading is authentic.
[1:14] 129 tn The genitive in the phrase τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ (to euangelion tou qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself.
[1:15] 130 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:15] 131 sn The kingdom of God is a reference to the sovereign activity of God as he rules over his creation and brings his plans to realization.
[1:16] 132 sn This is a parenthetical comment by the author.
[1:17] 133 tn The Greek term ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, thus “people.”
[1:17] sn The kind of fishing envisioned was net – not line – fishing (cf. v. 16; cf. also BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμφιβάλλω, ἀμφίβληστρον) which involved a circular net that had heavy weights around its perimeter. The occupation of fisherman was labor-intensive. The imagery of using a lure and a line (and waiting for the fish to strike) is thus foreign to this text. Rather, the imagery of a fisherman involved much strain, long hours, and often little results. Jesus’ point may have been one or more of the following: the strenuousness of evangelism, the work ethic that it required, persistence and dedication to the task (often in spite of minimal results), the infinite value of the new “catch” (viz., people), and perhaps an eschatological theme of snatching people from judgment (cf. W. L. Lane, Mark [NICNT], 67). If this last motif is in view, then catching people is the opposite of catching fish: The fish would be caught, killed, cooked, and eaten; people would be caught so as to remove them from eternal destruction and to give them new life.
[1:18] 134 sn The expression followed him pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.
[1:19] 135 tn Or “a boat.” The phrase ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ (en tw ploiw) can either refer to a generic boat, some boat (as it seems to do in Matt 4:21); or it can refer to “their” boat, implying possession. Mark assumes a certain preunderstanding on the part of his readers about the first four disciples and hence the translation “their boat” is justified (cf. also v. 20 in which the “hired men” indicates that Zebedee’s family owned the boats).
[1:21] 136 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[1:21] 137 sn Capernaum was a town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
[1:21] map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
[1:21] 138 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
[1:21] 139 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:21] 140 sn The synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though its origin is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. (See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2.) First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and its relationship to Old Testament fulfillment.
[1:22] 142 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
[1:22] 143 tn Or “the scribes.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.
[1:23] 144 sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.
[1:23] 145 tn Grk “he cried out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[1:24] 146 tn Grk “What to us and to you?” This is an idiom meaning, “We have nothing to do with one another,” or “Why bother us!” The phrase τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί (ti Jhmin kai soi) is Semitic in origin, though it made its way into colloquial Greek (BDAG 275 s.v. ἐγώ). The equivalent Hebrew expression in the OT had two basic meanings: (1) When one person was unjustly bothering another, the injured party could say “What to me and to you?” meaning, “What have I done to you that you should do this to me?” (Judg 11:12, 2 Chr 35:21, 1 Kgs 17:18). (2) When someone was asked to get involved in a matter he felt was no business of his own, he could say to the one asking him, “What to me and to you?” meaning, “That is your business, how am I involved?” (2 Kgs 3:13, Hos 14:8). Option (1) implies hostility, while option (2) merely implies disengagement. BDAG suggests the following as glosses for this expression: What have I to do with you? What have we in common? Leave me alone! Never mind! Hostility between Jesus and the demons is certainly to be understood in this context, hence the translation: “Leave me alone….” For a very similar expression see Lk 8:28 and (in a different context) John 2:4.
[1:24] 147 sn The confession of Jesus as the Holy One here is significant, coming from an unclean spirit. Jesus, as the Holy One of God, who bears God’s Spirit and is the expression of holiness, comes to deal with uncleanness and unholiness.
[1:25] 148 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[1:25] 149 tn Grk “rebuked him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[1:25] 150 sn The command Come out of him! is an example of Jesus’ authority (see v. 32). Unlike other exorcists, Jesus did not use magical incantations nor did he invoke anyone else’s name.
[1:28] 151 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[1:29] 152 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[1:29] 153 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
[1:30] 154 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[1:30] 155 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:31] 156 tn The imperfect verb is taken ingressively here.
[1:34] 157 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[1:34] 158 sn Note how the author distinguishes healing from exorcism here, implying that the two are not identical.
[1:34] 159 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[1:34] 160 sn Why Jesus would not permit the demons to speak is much discussed. Two possibilities are (1) the mere source of the testimony (demonic) and (2) that the title, with its political implications, may have had elements that Jesus wished to avoid until the full nature of his mission was clarified.
[1:34] 161 tc The
[1:35] 162 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[1:35] 163 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:35] 164 tn The imperfect προσηύχετο (proshuceto) implies some duration to the prayer.
[1:38] 165 tn Grk “And he said to them.”
[1:38] 166 tn Grk “Because for this purpose I have come forth.”
[1:39] 167 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[1:39] 168 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
[1:40] 169 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[1:40] 170 sn The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what we call leprosy today. A leper was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured (Lev 13:45-46).
[1:40] 171 tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.
[1:41] 172 tc The reading found in almost the entire NT ms tradition is σπλαγχνισθείς (splancnisqei", “moved with compassion”). Codex Bezae (D), {1358}, and a few Latin
[1:41] 173 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:41] 174 sn Touched. This touch would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean (Lev 14:46; also Mishnah, m. Nega’im 3.1; 11.1; 12.1; 13.6-12).
[1:43] 175 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:43] 176 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:44] 177 tn Grk “And after warning him, he immediately sent him away and told him.”
[1:44] 178 sn The silence ordered by Jesus was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 1:34; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, 30; and 9:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.
[1:44] 179 sn On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.
[1:44] 180 tn Or “as an indictment against them”; or “as proof to the people.” This phrase could be taken as referring to a positive witness to the priests, a negative testimony against them, or as a testimony to the community that the man had indeed been cured. In any case, the testimony shows that Jesus is healing and ministering to those in need.
[1:45] 181 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:45] 182 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:45] 183 tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) often has a mildly contrastive force, as here.
[1:45] 184 tn The imperfect verb has been translated iteratively.
[1:1] 185 sn By the time Mark wrote, the word gospel had become a technical term referring to the preaching about Jesus Christ and God’s saving power accomplished through him for all who believe (cf. Rom 1:16).
[1:1] 186 tn The genitive in the phrase τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (tou euangeliou Ihsou Cristou, “the gospel of Jesus Christ”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“the gospel which Jesus brings [or proclaims]”) or an objective genitive (“the gospel about Jesus Christ”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which Jesus proclaims is in fact the gospel about himself.
[1:1] 187 tc א* Θ 28 l2211 pc sams Or lack υἱοῦ θεοῦ (Juiou qeou, “son of God”), while virtually all the rest of the witnesses have the words (A Ë1,13 33 Ï also have τοῦ [tou] before θεοῦ), so the evidence seems to argue for the authenticity of the words. Most likely, the words were omitted by accident in some witnesses, since the last four words of v. 1, in uncial script, would have looked like this: iu_c_r_u_u_u_q_u_. With all the successive upsilons an accidental deletion is likely. Further, the inclusion of υἱοῦ θεοῦ here finds its complement in 15:39, where the centurion claims that Jesus was υἱὸς θεοῦ (Juios qeou, “son of God”). Even though א is in general one of the best NT
[1:1] sn The first verse of Mark’s Gospel appears to function as a title: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is not certain, however, whether Mark intended it to refer to the entire Gospel, to the ministry of John the Baptist, or through the use of the term beginning (ἀρχή, arch) to allude to Genesis 1:1 (in the Greek Bible, LXX). The most likely option is that the statement as a whole is an allusion to Genesis 1:1 and that Mark is saying that with the “good news” of the coming of Christ, God is commencing a “new beginning.”
[1:2] 188 tc Instead of “in Isaiah the prophet” the majority of
[1:2] 189 sn The opening lines of the quotation are from Exod 23:20; Mal 3:1. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
[1:3] 190 sn This call to “make his paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
[1:3] 191 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
[1:4] 193 tn While Matthew and Luke consistently use the noun βαπτίστης (baptisths, “[the] Baptist”) to refer to John, as a kind of a title, Mark prefers the substantival participle ὁ βαπτίζων (Jo baptizwn, “the one who baptizes, the baptizer”) to describe him (only twice does he use the noun [Mark 6:25; 8:28]).
[1:4] 194 sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it.
[1:5] 195 tn Grk “And the whole Judean countryside.” Mark uses the Greek conjunction καί (kai) at numerous places in his Gospel to begin sentences and paragraphs. This practice is due to Semitic influence and reflects in many cases the use of the Hebrew ו (vav) which is used in OT narrative, much as it is here, to carry the narrative along. Because in contemporary English style it is not acceptable to begin every sentence with “and,” καί was often left untranslated or rendered as “now,” “so,” “then,” or “but” depending on the context. When left untranslated it has not been noted. When given an alternative translation, this is usually indicated by a note.
[1:5] 196 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:5] 197 tn Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
[1:6] 198 sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.
[1:7] 199 tn Grk “proclaimed, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[1:7] 200 tn Grk “of whom I am not worthy.”
[1:7] sn The humility of John is evident in the statement I am not worthy. This was considered one of the least worthy tasks of a slave, and John did not consider himself worthy to do even that for the one to come, despite the fact he himself was a prophet.
[1:7] 201 tn The term refers to the leather strap or thong used to bind a sandal. This is often viewed as a collective singular and translated as a plural, “the straps of his sandals,” but it may be more emphatic to retain the singular here.
[1:9] 202 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[1:9] 203 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
[1:9] 204 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
[1:10] 205 tn Grk “and immediately coming up out of the water, he saw.” The present participle has been translated temporally, with the subject (Jesus) specified for clarity.
[1:10] 206 tn Or “sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The same word is used in v. 11.
[1:10] 207 sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.
[1:11] 208 tn Grk “my beloved Son,” or “my Son, the beloved [one].” The force of ἀγαπητός (agaphtos) is often “pertaining to one who is the only one of his or her class, but at the same time is particularly loved and cherished” (L&N 58.53; cf. also BDAG 7 s.v. 1).
[1:11] 209 tn Or “with you I am well pleased.”
[1:11] sn The allusions in the remarks of the text recall Ps 2:7a; Isa 42:1 and either Isa 41:8 or, less likely, Gen 22:12,16. God is marking out Jesus as his chosen one (the meaning of “[in you I take] great delight”), but it may well be that this was a private experience that only Jesus and John saw and heard (cf. John 1:32-33).
[1:13] 210 sn The forty days may allude to the experience of Moses (Exod 34:28), Elijah (1 Kgs 19:8, 15), or David and Goliath (1 Sam 17:16).
[1:13] 212 tn Grk “were serving him,” “were ministering to him.”
[1:14] 213 tn Or “arrested,” “taken into custody” (see L&N 37.12).
[1:14] 214 tc Most witnesses, especially later ones (A D W Ï lat), have τῆς βασιλείας (ths basileias) between τὸ εὐαγγέλιον (to euangelion) and τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou): “the gospel of the kingdom of God.” On the one hand, it is perhaps possible that τῆς βασιλείας was omitted to conform the expression to that which is found in the epistles (cf. Rom 1:1; 15:16; 2 Cor 11:7; 1 Thess 2:2, 8, 9; 1 Pet 4:17). On the other hand, this expression, “the gospel of God,” occurs nowhere else in the Gospels, while “the gospel of the kingdom” is a Matthean expression (Matt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14), and “kingdom of God” is pervasive in the synoptic Gospels (occurring over 50 times). Scribes would thus be more prone to add τῆς βασιλείας than to omit it. Further, the external support for the shorter reading (א B L Θ Ë1,13 28* 33 565 579 892 2427 sa) is significantly stronger than that for the longer reading. There is little doubt, therefore, that the shorter reading is authentic.
[1:14] 215 tn The genitive in the phrase τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ (to euangelion tou qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself.
[1:15] 216 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:15] 217 sn The kingdom of God is a reference to the sovereign activity of God as he rules over his creation and brings his plans to realization.
[1:16] 218 sn This is a parenthetical comment by the author.
[1:17] 219 tn The Greek term ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, thus “people.”
[1:17] sn The kind of fishing envisioned was net – not line – fishing (cf. v. 16; cf. also BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμφιβάλλω, ἀμφίβληστρον) which involved a circular net that had heavy weights around its perimeter. The occupation of fisherman was labor-intensive. The imagery of using a lure and a line (and waiting for the fish to strike) is thus foreign to this text. Rather, the imagery of a fisherman involved much strain, long hours, and often little results. Jesus’ point may have been one or more of the following: the strenuousness of evangelism, the work ethic that it required, persistence and dedication to the task (often in spite of minimal results), the infinite value of the new “catch” (viz., people), and perhaps an eschatological theme of snatching people from judgment (cf. W. L. Lane, Mark [NICNT], 67). If this last motif is in view, then catching people is the opposite of catching fish: The fish would be caught, killed, cooked, and eaten; people would be caught so as to remove them from eternal destruction and to give them new life.
[1:18] 220 sn The expression followed him pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.
[1:19] 221 tn Or “a boat.” The phrase ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ (en tw ploiw) can either refer to a generic boat, some boat (as it seems to do in Matt 4:21); or it can refer to “their” boat, implying possession. Mark assumes a certain preunderstanding on the part of his readers about the first four disciples and hence the translation “their boat” is justified (cf. also v. 20 in which the “hired men” indicates that Zebedee’s family owned the boats).
[1:21] 222 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[1:21] 223 sn Capernaum was a town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
[1:21] map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
[1:21] 224 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
[1:21] 225 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:21] 226 sn The synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though its origin is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. (See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2.) First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and its relationship to Old Testament fulfillment.
[1:22] 228 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
[1:22] 229 tn Or “the scribes.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.
[1:23] 230 sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.
[1:23] 231 tn Grk “he cried out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[1:24] 232 tn Grk “What to us and to you?” This is an idiom meaning, “We have nothing to do with one another,” or “Why bother us!” The phrase τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί (ti Jhmin kai soi) is Semitic in origin, though it made its way into colloquial Greek (BDAG 275 s.v. ἐγώ). The equivalent Hebrew expression in the OT had two basic meanings: (1) When one person was unjustly bothering another, the injured party could say “What to me and to you?” meaning, “What have I done to you that you should do this to me?” (Judg 11:12, 2 Chr 35:21, 1 Kgs 17:18). (2) When someone was asked to get involved in a matter he felt was no business of his own, he could say to the one asking him, “What to me and to you?” meaning, “That is your business, how am I involved?” (2 Kgs 3:13, Hos 14:8). Option (1) implies hostility, while option (2) merely implies disengagement. BDAG suggests the following as glosses for this expression: What have I to do with you? What have we in common? Leave me alone! Never mind! Hostility between Jesus and the demons is certainly to be understood in this context, hence the translation: “Leave me alone….” For a very similar expression see Lk 8:28 and (in a different context) John 2:4.
[1:24] 233 sn The confession of Jesus as the Holy One here is significant, coming from an unclean spirit. Jesus, as the Holy One of God, who bears God’s Spirit and is the expression of holiness, comes to deal with uncleanness and unholiness.
[1:25] 234 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[1:25] 235 tn Grk “rebuked him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[1:25] 236 sn The command Come out of him! is an example of Jesus’ authority (see v. 32). Unlike other exorcists, Jesus did not use magical incantations nor did he invoke anyone else’s name.
[1:28] 237 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[1:29] 238 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[1:29] 239 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
[1:30] 240 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[1:30] 241 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:31] 242 tn The imperfect verb is taken ingressively here.
[1:34] 243 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[1:34] 244 sn Note how the author distinguishes healing from exorcism here, implying that the two are not identical.
[1:34] 245 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[1:34] 246 sn Why Jesus would not permit the demons to speak is much discussed. Two possibilities are (1) the mere source of the testimony (demonic) and (2) that the title, with its political implications, may have had elements that Jesus wished to avoid until the full nature of his mission was clarified.
[1:34] 247 tc The
[1:35] 248 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[1:35] 249 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:35] 250 tn The imperfect προσηύχετο (proshuceto) implies some duration to the prayer.
[1:38] 251 tn Grk “And he said to them.”
[1:38] 252 tn Grk “Because for this purpose I have come forth.”
[1:39] 253 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[1:39] 254 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.
[1:40] 255 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[1:40] 256 sn The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what we call leprosy today. A leper was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured (Lev 13:45-46).
[1:40] 257 tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.
[1:41] 258 tc The reading found in almost the entire NT ms tradition is σπλαγχνισθείς (splancnisqei", “moved with compassion”). Codex Bezae (D), {1358}, and a few Latin
[1:41] 259 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:41] 260 sn Touched. This touch would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean (Lev 14:46; also Mishnah, m. Nega’im 3.1; 11.1; 12.1; 13.6-12).
[1:43] 261 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:43] 262 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:44] 263 tn Grk “And after warning him, he immediately sent him away and told him.”
[1:44] 264 sn The silence ordered by Jesus was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 1:34; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, 30; and 9:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.
[1:44] 265 sn On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.
[1:44] 266 tn Or “as an indictment against them”; or “as proof to the people.” This phrase could be taken as referring to a positive witness to the priests, a negative testimony against them, or as a testimony to the community that the man had indeed been cured. In any case, the testimony shows that Jesus is healing and ministering to those in need.
[1:45] 267 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:45] 268 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:45] 269 tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) often has a mildly contrastive force, as here.
[1:45] 270 tn The imperfect verb has been translated iteratively.
