NOTES ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK

 

Mark 1:2-3 Mal. 3:1 "Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me."

    Exodus 23:20 (LXX) "Behold, I send my messenger before thy face."

    Isaiah 40:3 (LXX) "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord, make

straight the paths of our God."

Mark 1:10 J.B. Phillips--violence (lit. "split open") and peace together.

Mark 1:13 Verb tense indicates they ministered more than once.

Mark 1:14 About one-and-a half years of ministry occurred between verses 13 and 14.

Mark 1:17 The image includes the idea that the sea is a place of chaos and death (this world).

Mark 1:22 The scribes simply passed on the tradition; they were "a plastered cistern which loses not a 

drop." (Mishnah)

Mark 1:24 The only other use of this title is found in John 6:69.

Mark 1:32-38   v. 32. not merely to perform miracles.

    vv. 32-34. "Many" of Mark is changed to "all" in Synoptic parallels since it could be construed to 

mean that Jesus had limitations. However, "many" is a semitism for "all." See Isaiah 53:12.

Mark 1:41 Look at text. Majority texts say "feeling compassion" while one 5^th cent. manuscript reads 

"becoming angry." Latter reading is the most difficult and explains the other reading. Parallels in 

Matthew and Luke leave out the word altogether. There is another instance (Mark 3:5) in which Jesus 

shows anger and the parallels leave it out.

Mark 2:18-20 The law only prescribed fasting on the Day of Atonement.

Fasting -- (1) to please God (Matthew 6:16-18), (2) practice self control (1 Corinthians 9:24-27), or (3) 

during times of crisis or decision (Acts 13:2-3).

Mark 2:25-26 Andrew Wilson, CT Sept. 2015, p. 28. – Possible solutions to the discrepancy with I 

Samuel 21: (a) epi Abiathar can be translated “in the passage about Abiathar or (b) David = Jesus, 

Doeg the Edomite = Judas, Saul = Herod who is trying to kill the new pretender to the throne, John the 

Baptist = Samuel the prophet, and Abiathar (Eli's descendant) = the last surviving member of a line 

whose removal from priesthood is predicted. “Jesus mentions Abiathar rather than Ahimelech for good 

reason. He is saying, 'I am David, these are my men, and the current priests are Abiathar. They are in 

charge now, but in just a few years their priesthood will end, just like Abiathar's. And my kingdom will 

be established, just like David's.'”

Mark 3:21-22 Opposition comes from two different sources. It can be translated "He has become a 

religious fanatic."

Mark 3:29 "The saying about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is one of the most challenging 

utterances of Jesus. Wrongly understood it has caused untold distress. On the other hand it must not be 

explained away. The unpardonable sin is not an isolated act or utterance, but an attitude of defiant and 

deliberate rejection ol light, a preference of darkness to light." (Swift).

Mark 3:32 "and" may be an Aramaicism for "because."

Mark 4:12 Some commentators insert after "that" the phrase "the scripture might be fulfilled which 

says" as a possible explanation of Mark's thinking. It is a paraphrase of Isaish 6:9-10.

Matthew 13:13 says "because seeing they do not see, etc."

"who do not see" according to Finegan

"lest" should be translated "unless" according to Jeremias.

Mark 4:41 See Psalm 107:29.

Mark 5:7 A Greek title for Jesus is used this time.

Mark 5:19 Note that command is different this time. They are in Gentile, not Jewish, territory.

Mark 5:21-43 Another similarity between the two stories: Jesus coming into contact with both made 

him ritually unclean. People who laughed were probably not family members, but hired mourners. 

(Ben Worthington II)

Mark 6:5 God's sovereignty is limited by man's rebellion.

Matthew says "did not"

Mark 6:13 "rubbed"is not the Greek word used for sacramental anointing.

Mark 6:40 "in groups" is lit. "flower beds"

Mark 6:48-50 "by them" or "alongside them"

Compare God's passing before Moses (Exodus 33:18:34:6) or Elijah (1 Kings 19:11) or between cut 

animals with Abraham.

     v. 50  "It is I" or "I am"

Mark 7:3 One obscure Greek word is not translated. It may mean "at all," "frequently," "to the wrist,"

 or "with a fistful of water."

Mark 7:12-23 is  related to Mark 7:24-30 in the same way that the Joppa vision is related to the 

Cornelius story for Peter.

Mark 7:19 The comment of Peter's in light of Acts 10:9-16 prepares for the following story.

Mark 7:35 "If our ears are open to listen to the word of God, then our tongues will surely be unloosed 

in praise, prayer, and testimony." (Swift)

Mark 8:15 Two extremes of Christian behavior: hypocrisy (Luke 12:1) and worldliness.

Mark 8:24-25 Acted-out parable of the subsequent revelation to apostles in v. 27-30?

Mark 8:35-36 First verb of pairs is literal,the  second is figurative.

Mark 9:1 May refer to (1) transfiguration, (2) resurrection and ascension, (3) Pentacost, or (4) 

the destruction of Jerusalem. See Matthew 16:28 also.

Mark 9:12 The phrase "and how...contempt" may belong after verse 11.

Mark 9:31 is  best understood as delivered (by God) rather than betrayed (by Judas).

Mark 9:42 may refer back to verse 38.

Mark 9:49 Ssee Lamentations 4:1.

Mark 10:1 summarizes six months of ministry.

Mark 10:2 This was a current topic of discussion between the followers of Hillel (divorce for any 

cause) and Shammai (divorce only for adultery).

Mark 10:15-16 v. 15 -- Not because of qualities like sinlessness or innocence but because of their (1) 

objective helplessness or (2) humble, loving trust.

"bless" is a verb indicating "with fervor."

Mark 10:22 He may have later changed his mind. Conjecture--he was Barnabas.

Mark 10:38-39 cup = suffering (Psalm 11:6, Isaiah 51:17)

Prophecy fulfilled. See Acts 12:2 and Revelation 1:9

Mark 10:51-52 Jesus does not object to the Messianic title and does not warn him to keep silent. 

Christ's appointed time had almost arrived.

Mark 11:9-10 Read Zechariah 9:9.  Hosanna = "O save" or "save now." Read Psalm 118:22-27.

Mark 11:12-14 Objection--destructive and selfish act. Answer--really a parable more than a miracle.

At the time of this event it was about 6 weeks before figs would appear. However, this was the time 

that taqsh would be on tree if it were fruit-bearing. These are small edible knobs that drop off before 

the real figs appear (F.F. Bruce)

Mark 11:17 See Jeremiah 7:11 and Isaiah 56:6-8 for other reasons.

Mark 11:22-23 lit. "the faith of God". It may refer to the spiritual gift listed in 1 Corinthians 12:9.

Mount of Olives. See Zechariah 14:1-4 for destruction of this mountain on the Day of the Lord. It has 

been suggested that Jesus was saying that Second Coming would happen swiftly if followers had 

enough faith.

Mark 12:12-17 The background is Judas the Galillean's actions in announcing the coming of the 

kingdom,  cleansing the temple and refusal to pay tax. Two other political stances are not addressed 

(implicitly rejected) by Jesus: that of the zealots (violent confrontation) and the Essenes (withdrawal).

Mark 12:17 render = give back. It is unlike the word in vv. 14-15, which means "give."

"Render unto God" may mean (a) pay the temple tax in addition to Roman tax, (b) money is part of 

Caesar's world only, or (c) do not pay homage to Caesar as god (as implied on the coin).

J.B. Phillips: "We are to give ourselves to God because we are stamped with the image of God."

Mark 12:26 Jesus chooses an example from the Pentateuch, which the Sadducees will accept as valid 

authority. This is a lesson to us in trying to convincing others; use reasons they will accept.

Mark 12:29 In Greek, "one" is plural such as in "the two shall become one."

Mark 13:9 This provides a good lesson on hostile authorities and how to handle them.

Mark 14:2 Josephus says there were about 3 million people in Jerusalem during the 65AD Passover.

Mark 14:25 could apply to post-resurrection appearances of Christ (Christ has come on earth--realized

eschatology).

Mark 14:26 Psalms 115-118?

Mark 14:35-41  v. 35. Jesus usually prayed standing, but here he "bows down in lowly submission and 

distress." (Ralph Martin)

    v. 41. The Passover was considered over when one guest fell asleep and did not answer when talked 

to.

Mark 14:50-51 This may in fact be John Mark. See another use of “deserted” in Acts 5:38.

Mark 15:21 On a first-century ossuary from the Kidron Valley is inscribed in Greek "Alexander, the 

son of Simon" and in Hebrew "Alexandros qrnyh." This last word may stand for qireniyah (Cyrene).

Mark 15:23 Either (1) he did not want to blunt his suffering or (2) see Mark 14:25.

Mark 15:25 In synoptic Gospels, Hebrew time is used (starts at sunrise or 6 AM). In John, Roman 

time is used (starting at midnight).

Mark 15:26 "This is Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews" may have been the full inscription.

Mark 15:31 Not that he was unable to save himself, but that he was able not to save himself. (G. 

Campbell Morgan).

Mark 11:33 "Darkness at Noon" is the title of a famous novel by Arthur Koestler.

Mark 12:1 Field towers were rare but have been found by archeologists. Their use is not entirely 

understood, but they may have provided defense against predators during harvest season, shade for 

workers, and a temporary storage place for juice. See Matthew 21:33 and Isaiah 5:2.

Mark 15:33-34 Not a solar eclipse since it was the time of the full moon.

Read the whole of Psalm 22 (of which this is the opening words or title), which ends on a triumphant 

note.

Mark 15:38 see Hebrews 10:19-20.