An invitation; a new beginning 1 The beginning🔑 Mark’s book is the only one in that claims to start at the beginning./jesuss-arrival of the Good News of Jesus: the one who God chose, the one with God’s approval, and the one with God’s own authority.Lit: Christ / Messiah / Anointed One The one who is the Son of God.
Prepare yourself–to be introduced to Jesus 2 The prophets wrote–speaking for God himself:
Look! I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your road ahead of time:Mal 3:1
3 the voice of one shouting in the desert, “Make The Ruler’sWho is the Ruler? What is the nature of this Ruler’s authority? road ready! Make his paths straight!”Isa 40:3
4 John came, ceremonially immersing people (under water)baptizing, which means “immersing” in the desert and declaring peoples’ need to immerse their affectionsa baptism in God’s straight paths instead of their own.of repentance John said that when they fulfilled this condition they would be forgiven for preferring selfish pleasureJas 4:1-3 (and the hurt that this causes) instead.for their sins
5 All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem left their homes and towns to find John; he ceremonially immersedbaptized them in the Jordan river as they turned to God’s way. They took responsibility for and began changingrepented the selfish paths they had chosen–paths that ultimately hurt themselves, God, and others as a consequence of their preference for selfish pleasure.of their sins
6 John was clothed with camel’s hair, wore a leather belt around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey for food.
7 John foretold:
A man will come after me who is more powerful than I am; out of deep respect it would not even be appropriate for me to stoop down and untie his sandal straps!”I am not worthy to stoop down and…
8 I ceremonially immersedbaptized you in water, but he will immersebaptize you in the Holy Spirit–the One Spirit whose purposeTo be holy is to be uniquely set apart for a special purpose. is to help you enter and follow God’s Way.
Jesus chooses God’s road for his life 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth (a town in Galilee) and John ceremonially immersedbaptized him in the Jordan river.Jesus (the ‘greater one’) was ceremonially immersed by John (the ‘lesser one’), indicating Jesus’s choice to follow God’s paths–no matter the personal cost.Mrk 10:38-40 10 Immediately when Jesus broke the water’s surface, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him in the form of a dove. 11 A voice came out of the sky, “You are my dearly-loved Son; I am delighted with you!”
12 Immediately the Holy Spirit drove Jesus away from there into the desert. 13 He stayed in the desert forty days, tempted by Satan;Lit: Accuser or plaintiff; the chief evil spirit or demon (as opposed to the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of God.) he was with the wild animals and the angelsLit: God’s messengers were helping him.
There is a good kingdom and a perfect king 14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus entered Galilee declaring the Good News of God’s Kingdom. Jesus is the kingly Ruler who John and the prophets foretold.
15 “The time is fulfilled! God’s Kingdom is here!” Jesus said.
“Change your citizenship from your own kingdom to God’s, surrender to his leadership, and align your own preferences to his values.repent And believe in the Good News!”
A king has authority over his followers’ lives 16 Passing along the sea of Galilee, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew (Simon’s brother) casting a net into the sea; they worked as fishermen. 17 He said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you into fishers for men.” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 Going on a little further from there, Jesus saw James, Zebedee’s son, and John his brother. (James and John were in their boat repairing their nets.) 20 Immediately Jesus called to James and John and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with his hired helpers and followed Jesus!
The king has authority to speak God’s word 21 They entered Capernaum, and when the Sabbath day came Jesus immediately entered the synagogue and taught. 22 Everyone was amazed at his teaching because Jesus taught them like a person with authority, and not like the religious leaders who were scribes.
The king has authority over demons 23 Immediately in their synagogue a man with a an evil spiritDemons were also known as evil or unclean spirits; see also verse 32 shouted, 24 “Ha! What do we have to do with you Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holye.g.: Chosen; separated to a purpose of perfect good-will One of God!”
25 Jesus strongly corrected the evil spirit! “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Jesus commanded the spirit.
26 The unclean spirit convulsed the man and shrieked loudly! Then the evil spirit came out of him.
27 Everyone was amazed! They all wondered about this! They all discussed the news!
“What is this? A new teaching? Jesus even has authority to command the evil spirits! And they obey him!” they said.
28 The news about Jesus immediately spread everywhere in the region known as “Galilee” and its surrounding area.
The king has authority over sickness 29 Immediately, (when they had left the synagogue) they entered Simon and Andrew’s house with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever and they told Jesus about her immediately.
31 He came, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever immediately left her and she served them!
32 In the evening after the sun had set people who knew about Jesus brought all who were sick and those who were possessed by demons to him. 33 All the city was gathered together at the door!
34 Jesus healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.
Jesus chooses God’s way over human expectations…Mark now begins a series of stories that compare and contrast expectant trust in God with things that get in the way of expectant trust. 35 Early in the morning while it was still dark Jesus got up, went out, left Capernaum for a deserted place, and prayed there.
36 Simon and those who were with him searched for Jesus. 37 When they found him they said, “Everyone is looking for you!”
38 Jesus replied, “Let’s go somewhere else—into the next towns—so I can speak there too. This is why I came.”
39 So Jesus visited synagogues throughout the region of Galilee, speaking and casting out demons.
…But a sick man doesn’t 40 A man with the highly contagious, incurable, fatal skin disease known asThese characteristics of leprosy were common knowledge in Mark’s time leprosy found Jesus in order to beg. Lowering himself to his knees in front of Jesus he said, “If you want to, you can make me clean!”
41 With deep compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched the LeperLepers were a lower class in society, not just people with the disease known as leprosy in reply and said, “I want to! Be cleansed.”
42 When Jesus said this, immediately the leprosy left the man–he was made clean; he was completely healed!
43 Jesus strictly warned the man (immediately sending him on his way), 44 “Be careful that you don’t speak a word about this to anybody. Instead, go show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices Moses commanded for your cleansing. (This will be a witness to the priests.)”
45 However, when the man left he told everybody and spread the news all over!
As a result, Jesus couldn’t enter cities any more but instead stayed outside the cities in the desert.
People still came to Jesus from all around.