Markus 13:13

13:13 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. ¹  But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ² 

Markus 2:14

2:14 As he went along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth. ³  “Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him.

Markus 9:37

9:37 “Whoever welcomes ⁴  one of these little children ⁵  in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

[13:13]  ¹ sn See 1 Cor 1:25-31.

[13:13]  ² sn But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Jesus was not claiming here that salvation is by works, because he had already taught that it is by grace (cf. 10:15). He was simply arguing that genuine faith evidences itself in persistence through even the worst of trials.

[2:14]  ³ tn While “tax office” is sometimes given as a translation for τελώνιον (telwnion, so L&N 57.183), this could give the modern reader a false impression of an indoor office with all its associated furnishings.

[2:14]  sn The tax booth was a booth located on the edge of a city or town to collect taxes for trade. There was a tax booth in Capernaum, which was on the trade route from Damascus to Galilee and the Mediterranean. The “taxes” were collected on produce and goods brought into the area for sale, and were a sort of “sales tax” paid by the seller but obviously passed on to the purchaser in the form of increased prices (L&N 57.183). It was here that Jesus met Levi (also named Matthew [see Matt 9:9]) who was ultimately employed by the Romans, though perhaps more directly responsible to Herod Antipas. It was his job to collect taxes for Rome and he was thus despised by Jews who undoubtedly regarded him as a traitor.

[9:37]  ⁴ tn This verb, δέχομαι (decomai), is a term of hospitality (L&N 34.53).

[9:37]  ⁵ sn Children were very insignificant in ancient culture, so this child would be the perfect object lesson to counter the disciples’ selfish ambitions.