by Gary L. Evans
(revised 7/31/2023)
Mark — Part 1
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
Mark declares that his is “The Beginning of The Gospel of Jesus Christ.” And in truth Mark’s Gospel was the earliest one written, and also the shortest in length compared to the others. As we read, it will become clear that Mark’s emphasis is on our Lord’s Passion to complete His Mission in this world without delay to fulfill The Prophetic Scriptures and to bring Salvation to His people.
Mark 1:2-3 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Where was this written in the Old Testament regarding John The Baptist?
Mal 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Note that John The Baptist was The Messenger of The Coming Messiah who would in turn be The Messenger of The New Covenant. So John’s mission was to prepare the minds of the people just before The Messiah appeared as promised.
Isa 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Mark was an eyewitness of The Lord, even though he was not one of the twelve chosen Disciples, and also Mark was diligent in his study of The Old Testament to identify Prophesies about The Promised Messiah.
Mark 1:4-5 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
John The Baptist was a Levitical Priest, but he shunned the religious elite in Jerusalem, because there were so many hypocrites. He taught the people to Repent so that their Sins could be Forgiven, that is, he taught the people to return to obeying God’s Law. The Baptism was symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of the sinner, such that when he came up out of the water he was clean from sin and reborn into newness of Life. And this ritual was to prepare the people for the coming of The Messiah Who would Seal The New Covenant in His Blood.
Where was the Confession of Sins to The Lord mentioned in The Old Testament?
Lev 26:40-42 If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
So Confession is by the people to The Lord, and it is the act of Repentance from Sin. And The Lord promised that if we would do this, then He would remember His Covenants. Note that all of the events that Mark is documenting were Written in The Law and The Prophets.
Mark 1:6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;
The locusts and grasshoppers were clean to eat as food according to God’s Law. But note one must eat a mess of them to get a good meal. No other insects are clean and must not be eaten. John lived off the land in the wilderness area near the Jordan River. So he led a very simple life and dedicated himself to The Lord.
Where is this written that we may eat locusts and grasshoppers?
Lev 11:21-22 Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
Note that the word, “beetle,” is a small locust, not insects we call beetles today.
Mark 1:7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
John declared that another was coming to the people, that is, The Messiah, and that he was unworthy to stoop down and unloose His shoes. John used a Hebrew figure of speech to express his humility before Jesus. Where in The Law was it mentioned about loosing shoes?
Deu 25:7 And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.
The Lord Commanded that whenever a married woman without children became a widow, then her deceased husband’s next of kin should take her to wife to produce children, so that they would inherit the land of her deceased husband.
Deu 25:8-10 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house. And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.
This is an example of the custom of removing the shoe of an Israelite in general as a figure of speech who refused to agree to a contract he was eligible to enter. The man offering the contract would remove the shoe of the man who had refused the offer before witnesses to document the refusal.
Mark 1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
The Messiah would Baptize the people after their Repentance with The Holy Spirit Promised in The New Covenant.
Mark 1:9-11 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Then Jesus came to be baptized by John. (Notice events move rather fast in Mark.)
Mark 1:12-13 And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
Then Jesus went off into the wilderness to fast for forty days and to be tested by Satan.
Mark 1:14-15 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
After Herod imprisoned John, Jesus started His Ministry preaching Repentance to prepare for The Kingdom of God and to receive The New Covenant.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark — Part 2
Mark 1:16-18 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.
Then Jesus walked along the coast of the the Sea of Galilee and there He called Simon Peter and his brother Andrew to follow Him as His Disciples. Jesus said that He would teach them how to be “Fishers of Men.”
Eze 47:8-10 Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
So Ezekiel Prophesied of “The Fishers” that would catch fish out of The Waters of Life, “exceeding many.”
Mark 1:19-20 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.
Then Jesus called James and his brother John to follow Him as His Disciples.
Mark 1:21-22 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
Jesus was of the Tribe of Levi and also of Judah through Mary His mother, so He was both of the Priest line and King line. Note that Jesus even at the age of twelve was already Master of The Law and The Prophets, so no doubt the people in the synagogue in Capernaum were impressed with His Teaching.
Mark 1:23-26 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
Jesus cast out an Unclean Spirit, or Devil, out of a man who was in the synagogue. Satan is the god of this world, and all men are his servants or slaves. So Satan or one of his Fallen Angels can take control of anyone they choose. Only by The Blood of Christ are we Redeemed out of slavery to Satan.
Mark 1:27-28 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.
The people in the synagogue who saw Jesus cast out a devil from the man were amazed at His power and authority to do such a miracle.
Mark 1:29-31 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
Jesus healed the mother-in-law of Simon Peter who was sick with a fever.
Mark 1:32-34 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.
Jesus was already famous in this town, so people began bringing the sick to the house of Peter and Andrew for Jesus to heal them and cast devils out of some. The Devils that possessed certain people knew Jesus and declared that He was The Son of God. How did they know? Because before Jesus was sent into the embryo in Mary’s womb, He was in Heaven, and those Fallen Angels that served Satan knew Him.
Mark 1:35-39 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.
Jesus continued His ministry of preaching and casting out devils.
Mark 1:40-42 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.
Jesus healed a leper.
Mark 1:43-45 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
Jesus ordered the man He had healed of leprosy not to tell anyone about what He had done, but go to a priest to witness that he had been healed and give the offering prescribed in The Law for his cleansing so that he would no longer need to quarantine. Jesus obeyed all of God’s Laws and also taught the people to be obedient.
Mark 2:1-2 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
Jesus returned to Capernaum and continued preaching there, and this time there were so many people that came to the house there was no room for all of them to enter.
Mark 2:3-4 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
Four men came to the house carrying a paralyzed man but could not get in, so they climbed up onto the roof, made an opening. and lowered the paralyzed man down into the room below.
Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
Jesus forgave the sick man of his sins.
Mark 2:6-7 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
Some scribes were in the room and heard Jesus tell the sick man that his sins were forgiven, and they considered it blasphemy for any man to presume to have the authority to forgive sins. And for most men, that is a true statement.
Mark 2:8-9 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
Jesus asked the scribes a reasonable question. What is the easiest to do, to SAY, your sins are forgiven, or to SAY to a paralyzed man, get up, take your bed, and walk?
Mark 2:10-12 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
Then Jesus demonstrated His power to the scribes, and told the sick man, get up, take your bed, and walk. So the man got up, picked up his bed, and walked out of the room. Jesus was The Son of Man and had dominion both in Heaven and on Earth, and He declared that fact to the crowd. Our Lord is The Living Word of God Who calls things that are not into existence. Therefore, whatever Jesus SAID, WAS.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.