TOM · The Owner's Manual · New Testament

Mark 1

Before you read Mark: who, when, why

BOOK 41 OF 66 · NEW TESTAMENT · GOSPELS

The Servant who came to give His life

AUTHOR: John Mark, a young man from Jerusalem whose mother’s house was a meeting place for the church (Acts 12:12). The book does not name its author, but Papias, around AD 125, said Mark wrote down what Peter preached.
EVENTS TOOK PLACE: About AD 26 to 30, from the preaching of John the Baptist to the resurrection of Jesus.
DATE WRITTEN: Many conservative scholars say the AD 50s or 60s. Many others say about AD 65 to 70. Most scholars think it was the first Gospel written.
WRITTEN TO: Mostly Gentile believers, likely in Rome. Mark explains Jewish customs and translates Aramaic words, which Jewish readers would not need.
ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS: Mark survives in well over a thousand Greek manuscripts.
KEY VERSE: Mark 10:45. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

The Oldest Copies of Mark

Papyrus 45 is a book of papyrus pages from Egypt that once held all four Gospels and Acts. It is dated about AD 250 and is kept at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin, Ireland. It still has pieces of Mark 4 to 12. An even smaller scrap, Papyrus 137, has a few words from Mark 1 and was published in 2018. Its editors dated it to the late 100s or early 200s. Some had claimed it was from the first century, but that date did not hold up.

The Setting

Rome rules the world, and in the 60s things turn ugly for Christians there. In AD 64 a fire burns much of the city, and Emperor Nero blames the Christians. Tradition says Peter was killed there. Mark writes for believers who are suffering and scared, and he shows them a Savior who also suffered, and then walked out of His tomb.

What Was Going Wrong

Hard Hearts. Even after seeing miracles, people and the disciples did not understand (6:52; 8:17).
Tradition Over God. Leaders set aside God’s command to keep their own rules (7:8 to 9).
A Temple For Profit. The house of prayer for all nations had become a den of robbers (11:17).
Chasing Greatness. The disciples kept arguing about who was greatest (9:34; 10:37).
Fear. When things got hard, the disciples ran away and Peter denied Jesus (14:50; 14:71).

Where to Find Jesus

Mark 1:2 to 3. A messenger prepares His way. Fulfills Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3.
Mark 11:7 to 10. Rides into Jerusalem on a young donkey. Fulfills Zechariah 9:9.
Mark 14:27. The Shepherd is struck and the sheep scatter. Fulfills Zechariah 13:7.
Mark 15:34. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Fulfills Psalm 22:1.

Cool Stuff Most People Miss

Immediately. The Greek word for immediately shows up about forty times in Mark. Mark is in a hurry.
Jesus' Own Words. Mark keeps some of the Aramaic words Jesus actually spoke: Talitha koum (5:41), Ephphatha (7:34), Abba (14:36) and Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani (15:34).
The Streaker in the Garden. Only Mark tells about a young man who ran away naked when Jesus was arrested (14:51 to 52). Many think it was Mark himself, but nobody knows.
Keep It Quiet. Jesus keeps telling people not to tell who He is. He did not want a crowd that only wanted a show. They told everyone anyway.
Peter Looks Bad. If Mark got his stories from Peter, Peter let him include his worst moments, like being called Satan and denying Jesus three times. He knew he was forgiven.

Did Anybody Listen?

Most scholars believe Matthew and Luke used Mark when they wrote. Tradition says Mark started the church in Alexandria, Egypt. In AD 828 merchants from Venice smuggled what they believed were his bones out of Egypt under pork, so the guards would not look. They rest in St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.

Chapter 1 in 30 seconds

Mark skips the baby stories and the family tree and starts running. John baptizes, the heavens tear open, the devil tempts, fishermen drop their nets, demons scream and a leper is healed, all in one chapter. Mark says immediately so often you get out of breath reading it.

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In this chapterField Notes · ArchaeologyThe Capernaum Synagogue · after verse 21 Field Notes · ArchaeologyThe House of Peter · after verse 38 MapJesus Around the Sea of Galilee · after verse 20

The Mission of John the Baptist// Isaiah 40:1–5; Matthew 3:1–17; Luke 3:1–22; John 1:19–34

¹This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ²As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You,

who will prepare Your way.”

MK 1:2[FULFILLS]A messenger would prepare His way ← MAL 3:1a

³“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

make straight paths for Him.’”

⁴John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵People went out to him from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

⁶John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ⁷And he proclaimed: “After me will come One more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

MK 1:8[PROPHECY]The One coming after John would baptize with the Holy Spirit → ACTS 1:5; ACTS 2:1-4; ACTS 11:16

⁹In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. ¹¹And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

MK 1:10[MIRACLE]The heavens tear open and the Spirit descends at Jesus' baptism
MK 1:11[ALLUDES TO]Refers to ← PS 2:7; IS 42:1

The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus// Matthew 4:1–17; Luke 4:1–15

¹²At once the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness, ¹³and He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him.

MK 1:12[DEMONIC]Jesus is tempted by Satan for forty days

¹⁴After the arrest of John, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God. ¹⁵“The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”

The First Disciples// Matthew 4:18–22; Luke 5:1–11; John 1:35–42

¹⁶As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” ¹⁸And at once they left their nets and followed Him.

¹⁹Going on a little farther, He saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat, mending their nets. ²⁰Immediately Jesus called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.

Jesus Expels an Unclean Spirit// Luke 4:31–37

²¹Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and right away Jesus entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach. ²²The people were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

MK 1:21[ARCHAEOLOGY]Capernaum Synagogue
MK 1:21[DEMONIC]Demon in synagogue at Capernaum cried out before Jesus

Field Notes · Archaeology

The Capernaum Synagogue

Mark 1:21 to 28 · Luke 7:5

Inside the white limestone synagogue at Capernaum.

WHAT IT IS: A large white limestone synagogue in Capernaum, Jesus’ home base on the Sea of Galilee. Under it is a floor and walls of black basalt, the dark local stone, from an older building.
HOW OLD IT IS: The white synagogue is from about AD 350 to 450, which is about 300 years after Jesus. Some scholars once dated it about AD 200, so the date has been argued. The black basalt floor under it is older. The Franciscan diggers dated it to the first century, the time of Jesus, but not everyone agrees.
WHERE AND WHEN FOUND: The ruins were spotted in 1838 and first dug by German archaeologists in 1905. Franciscan archaeologists Virgilio Corbo and Stanislao Loffreda dug there from 1968 on.
WHERE IT IS TODAY: Still standing at Capernaum, now called Kfar Nahum, on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. Visitors can walk inside it.
WHAT IT CONFIRMS: Capernaum was a real fishing town with a synagogue, just as Mark says. Jesus taught there, and Luke says a Roman officer paid to build the town’s synagogue.
WHAT IT DOES NOT PROVE: The white building is not the one Jesus stood in. Many believe the black basalt floor belongs to the synagogue of His day. This is likely, but it is still debated.

CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM

²³Suddenly a man with an unclean spirit cried out in the synagogue: ²⁴“What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

²⁵But Jesus rebuked the spirit. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!” ²⁶At this, the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out with a loud shriek.

²⁷All the people were amazed and began to ask one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!” ²⁸And the news about Jesus spread quickly through the whole region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals at Peter’s House// Matthew 8:14–17; Luke 4:38–41

²⁹As soon as Jesus and His companions had left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and they promptly told Jesus about her. ³¹So He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them.

MK 1:29[ARCHAEOLOGY]House of Peter at Capernaum
MK 1:29[MIRACLE]Peter's mother in law healed of a fever

³²That evening, after sunset, people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed, ³³and the whole town gathered at the door. ³⁴And He healed many who were ill with various diseases and drove out many demons. But He would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

MK 1:32[DEMONIC]Jesus drives out many demons at sundown

Jesus Prays and Preaches// Luke 4:42–44

³⁵Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went out to a solitary place to pray. ³⁶Simon and his companions went to look for Him, ³⁷and when they found Him, they said, “Everyone is looking for You!”

³⁸But Jesus answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns so I can preach there as well, for that is why I have come.” ³⁹So He went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

MK 1:39[DEMONIC]Jesus preaches and drives out demons in Galilee

Field Notes · Archaeology

The House of Peter

Mark 1:29 to 34 · Mark 2:1

Ruins of the eight sided church built over the house of Peter at Capernaum.

WHAT IT IS: A simple house of black basalt stone with rooms around a courtyard, a short walk from the synagogue in Capernaum. One room was later turned into a meeting place for Christians.
HOW OLD IT IS: The house was built about 100 years before Jesus. Later in the first century one room got plastered walls and floors, which was rare in a fishing house, and the diggers think it became a church meeting room then. That early date is debated. A bigger house church was built around it by about AD 350, and an eight sided church was built over it about AD 450.
WHERE AND WHEN FOUND: Found by Franciscan archaeologists Virgilio Corbo and Stanislao Loffreda in 1968, under the ruins of the eight sided church.
WHAT WAS INSIDE: Over a hundred prayers and words scratched into the plaster by early visitors, in Greek, Aramaic, Syriac and Latin. Some mention Jesus as Lord and Christ. A few scholars read the name Peter, but that reading is disputed.
WHERE IT IS TODAY: Still at Capernaum. A modern church built in 1990 floats above the ruins on pillars, with a glass floor so you can look straight down into the house.
WHAT IT CONFIRMS: Early Christians honored this house as Peter’s home. A pilgrim named Egeria visited around AD 380 and wrote that Peter’s house had been made into a church. It fits Mark’s story of Jesus staying at Peter’s house and healing his mother in law.
WHAT IT DOES NOT PROVE: No sign says Peter lived here. It is likely the house the early church honored as his, but this cannot be proven.

CONFIDENCE: MEDIUM

The Leper’s Prayer// Leviticus 14:1–32; Matthew 8:1–4; Luke 5:12–16

⁴⁰Then a leper came to Jesus, begging on his knees: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

MK 1:40[MIRACLE]A leper cleansed when Jesus touches him

⁴¹Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” ⁴²And immediately the leprosy left him, and the man was cleansed.

⁴³Jesus promptly sent him away with a stern warning: ⁴⁴“See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

MK 1:44[ALLUDES TO]Refers to ← LEV 14:2-4

⁴⁵But the man went out and openly began to proclaim and spread the news.

Consequently, Jesus could no longer enter a town in plain view, but He stayed out in solitary places. Yet people came to Him from every quarter.

Mark 1

The Oldest Copies of Mark

The Setting

What Was Going Wrong

Where to Find Jesus

Cool Stuff Most People Miss

Did Anybody Listen?

The Mission of John the Baptist// Isaiah 40:1–5; Matthew 3:1–17; Luke 3:1–22; John 1:19–34

The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus// Matthew 4:1–17; Luke 4:1–15

The First Disciples// Matthew 4:18–22; Luke 5:1–11; John 1:35–42

Jesus Expels an Unclean Spirit// Luke 4:31–37

Jesus Heals at Peter’s House// Matthew 8:14–17; Luke 4:38–41

Jesus Prays and Preaches// Luke 4:42–44

The Leper’s Prayer// Leviticus 14:1–32; Matthew 8:1–4; Luke 5:12–16

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