Mark 1:14
Verse
Context
The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus
13and He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him. 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!”
Sermons
Paul Washer
J. Edwin Orr
T. Austin-Sparks
Aaron Hurst
William Seymour
Richard E. Bieber
F.F BruceSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Preaching the Gospel of the kingdom - See the notes on Mat 3:2; and on the office of the preacher, or herald, at the end of that chapter.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Now after that John was put in prison,.... In the castle of Macherus, by Herod, for reproving him for taking his brother Philip's wife: Jesus came into Galilee: again, from whence he came to be baptized of John: preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God: the good news and glad tidings of the kingdom of the Messiah, or Gospel dispensation; which lies not in worldly pomp and splendour, in outward observances, in legal rites and ceremonies, but in righteousness, peace, and joy; in peace and pardon by the blood of Christ, in justification by his righteousness, and in free and full salvation by him.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Here is, I. A general account of Christ's preaching in Galilee. John gives an account of his preaching in Judea, before this (ch. 2 and 3), which the other evangelists had omitted, who chiefly relate what occurred in Galilee, because that was least known at Jerusalem. Observe, 1. When Jesus began to preach in Galilee; After that John was put in prison. When he had finished his testimony, then Jesus began his. Note, The silencing of Christ's ministers shall not be the suppressing of Christ's gospel; if some be laid aside, others shall be raised up, perhaps mightier than they, to carry on the same work. 2. What he preached; The gospel of the kingdom of God. Christ came to set up the kingdom of God among men, that they might be brought into subjection to it, and might obtain salvation in it; and he set it up by the preaching of his gospel, and a power going along with it. Observe, (1.) The great truths Christ preached; The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. This refers to the Old Testament, in which the kingdom of the Messiah was promised, and the time fixed for the introducing of it. They were not so well versed in those prophecies, nor did they so well observe the signs of the times, as to understand it themselves, and therefore Christ gives them notice of it; "The time prefixed is now at hand; glorious discoveries of divine light, life, and love, are now to be made; a new dispensation far more spiritual and heavenly than that which you have hitherto been under, is now to commence." Note, God keeps time; when the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, for the vision is for an appointed time, which will be punctually observed, though it tarry past our time. (2.) The great duties inferred from thence. Christ gave them to understand the times, that they might know what Israel ought to do; they fondly expected the Messiah to appear in external pomp and power, not only to free the Jewish nation from the Roman yoke, but to make it have dominion over all its neighbours, and therefore thought, when that kingdom of God was at hand, they must prepare for war, and for victory and preferment, and great things in the world; but Christ tells them, in the prospect of that kingdom approaching, they must repent, and believe the gospel. They had broken the moral law, and could not be saved by a covenant of innocency, for both Jew and Gentile are concluded under guilt. They must therefore take the benefit of a covenant of grace, must submit to a remedial law, and this is it - repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. They had not made use of the prescribed preservatives, and therefore must have recourse to the prescribed restoratives. By repentance we must lament and forsake our sins, and by faith we must receive the forgiveness of them. By repentance we must give glory to our Creator whom we have offended; by faith we must give glory to our Redeemer who came to save us from our sins. Both these must go together; we must not think either that reforming our lives will save us without trusting in the righteousness and grace of Christ, or that trusting in Christ will save us without the reformation of our hearts and lives. Christ hath joined these two together, and let no man think to put them asunder. They will mutually assist and befriend each other. Repentance will quicken faith, and faith will make repentance evangelical; and the sincerity of both together must be evidenced by a diligent conscientious obedience to all God's commandments. Thus the preaching of the gospel began, and thus it continues; still the call is, Repent, and believe, and live a life of repentance and a life of faith. II. Christ appearing as a teacher, here is next his calling of disciples, Mar 1:16-20. Observe, 1. Christ will have followers. If he set up a school, he will have scholars; if he set up his standard, he will have soldiers; if he preach, he will have hearers. He has taken an effectual course to secure this; for all that the Father has given him, shall, without fail, come to him. 2. The instruments Christ chose to employ in setting up his kingdom, were the weak and foolish things of the world; not called from the great sanhedrim, or the schools of the rabbin, but picked up from among the tarpaulins by the sea-side, that the excellency of the power might appear to be wholly of God, and not at all of them. 3. Though Christ needs not the help of man, yet he is pleased to make use of it in setting up his kingdom, that he might deal with us not in a formidable but in a familiar way, and that in his kingdom the nobles and governors may be of ourselves, Jer 31:21. 4. Christ puts honour upon those who, though mean in the world, are diligent in their business, and loving to one another; so those were, whom Christ called. He found them employed, and employed together. Industry and unity are good and pleasant, and there the Lord Jesus commands the blessing, even this blessing, Follow me. 5. The business of ministers is to fish for souls, and win them to Christ. The children of men, in their natural condition, are lost, wander endlessly in the great ocean of this world, and are carried down the stream of its course and way; they are unprofitable. Like leviathan in the waters, they play therein; and often, like the fishes of the sea, they devour one another. Ministers, in preaching the gospel, cast the net into the waters, Mat 13:47. Some are enclosed and brought to shore, but far the greater number escape. Fishermen take great pains, and expose themselves to great perils, so do ministers; and they have need of wisdom. If many a draught brings home nothing, yet they must go on. 6. Those whom Christ called, must leave all, to follow him; and by his grace he inclines them to do so. Not that we must needs go out of the world immediately, but we must sit loose to the world, and forsake every thing that is inconsistent with our duty to Christ, and that cannot be kept without prejudice to our souls. Mark takes notice of James and John, that they left not only their father (which we had in Matthew), but the hired servants, whom perhaps they loved as their own brethren, being their fellow-labourers and pleasant comrades; not only relations, but companions, must be left for Christ, and old acquaintance. Perhaps it is an intimation of their care for their father; they did not leave him without assistance, they left the hired servants with him. Grotius thinks it is mentioned as an evidence that their calling was gainful to them, for it was worth while to keep servants in pay, to help them in it, and their hands would be much missed, and yet they left it. III. Here is a particular account of his preaching in Capernaum, one of the cities of Galilee; for though John Baptist chose to preach in a wilderness, and did well, and did good, yet it doth not therefore follow, that Jesus must do so too; the inclinations and opportunities of ministers may very much differ, and yet both be in the way of their duty, and both useful. Observe, 1. When Christ came into Capernaum, he straightway applied himself to his work there, and took the first opportunity of preaching the gospel. Those will think themselves concerned not to lose time, who consider what a deal of work they have to do, and what a little time to do it in. 2. Christ religiously observed the sabbath day, though not by tying himself up to the tradition of the elders, in all the niceties of the sabbath-rest, yet (which was far better) by applying himself to, and abounding in, the sabbath-work, in order to which the sabbath-rest was instituted. 3. Sabbaths are to be sanctified in religious assemblies, if we have opportunity; it is a holy day, and must be honoured with a holy convocation; this was the good old way, Act 13:27; Act 15:21. On the sabbath-day, tois sabbasin - on the sabbath-days; every sabbath-day, as duly as it returned, he went into the synagogue. 4. In religious assemblies on sabbath-days, the gospel is to be preached, and those to be taught, who are willing to learn the truth as it is in Jesus. 5. Christ was a non-such preacher; he did not preach as the scribes, who expounded the law of Moses by rote, as a school-boy says his lesson, but were neither acquainted with it (Paul himself, when a Pharisee, was ignorant of the law), nor affected with it; it came not from the heart, and therefore came not with authority. But Christ taught as one that had authority, as one that knew the mind of God, and was commissioned to declare it. 6. There is much in the doctrine of Christ, that is astonishing; the more we hear it, the more cause we shall see to admire it.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
1:14-15 This summary introduces 1:14–3:6. Such summaries (see also 3:7-12; 6:6) help hearers understand what follows; most of Mark’s original audience would have heard the Gospel read aloud. 1:14 Jesus’ ministry is described as beginning after John was arrested. There was some overlap (John 3:22-24; 4:1-2), but most of Jesus’ ministry occurred after John’s. John also belongs primarily to the old order (Matt 11:7-14), while Jesus belongs primarily to the new. Both men fulfilled God’s plan through being arrested and executed (Mark 6:14-29; 9:31; 10:33). Jesus began preaching in Galilee at this time, but John 2:13–4:43 suggests that Jesus had had an earlier ministry in Judea.
Mark 1:14
The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus
13and He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him. 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!”
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
True Gospel - Pt4 - Repent and Believe
By Paul Washer3.4K1:19:46ISA 66:2MRK 1:14In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the need to stop wavering between two positions and make a clear choice between the love of the world and the desire for Christ. He criticizes the practice of relying on religious formulas and repeating prayers as a means of salvation, stating that true repentance and faith are necessary. The preacher highlights the power of God in the salvation process and urges listeners to have a deep understanding of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. He shares a story of a missionary who gave up worldly success to preach the Gospel, emphasizing the willingness to lose everything for the sake of Christ.
Sunday #2 Repentance
By J. Edwin Orr2.8K49:42RepentanceMAT 4:17MRK 1:14In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of repentance in the preaching of the gospel. He refers to Matthew's Gospel chapter 4 verse 17, where Jesus began his preaching by saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The preacher highlights that repentance is the first word of the gospel and the evidence of the new birth. He argues that the preaching of repentance is often missing in evangelism today and calls for a revival and awakening through a renewed emphasis on repentance in preaching. The preacher also emphasizes that every great awakening in history has involved a renewal of the preaching of repentance.
The Holy Spirit - Part 3
By T. Austin-Sparks2.2K59:20Holy SpiritMAT 16:28MRK 1:14ACT 1:3GAL 4:4In this sermon, the preacher discusses the four major features of the function of the eternal spirit as revealed in the Bible. The first feature is the eternal spirit's commitment to effecting God's eternal purpose. The preacher cites scriptures that show the spirit's active role in creation and as the custodian of the divine purpose. The second feature is the fulfillment of time, as seen in the coming of Jesus and his preaching of the gospel of God. The third feature is the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus, which are foundational truths in Christianity. The fourth feature is the diverse and varied ways in which the Holy Spirit works to accomplish God's purpose, with different methods employed at different times. The preacher emphasizes the unchanging and eternal nature of God's purpose, while highlighting the changing methods used by the Holy Spirit.
The Other Mission Fields
By Aaron Hurst1.1K1:23:53Mission FieldMAT 28:16MRK 1:14ACT 11:20In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a vision and purpose in our lives as believers. He encourages the audience to see themselves as missionaries in a foreign field, constantly seeking to share the gospel and live for God's kingdom. The speaker highlights the significance of both our actions and our words in preaching the message of Christ to others. He also challenges the listeners not to neglect their mission field, which includes their workplace and even funerals, where opportunities to share the gospel may arise. Overall, the sermon emphasizes the need to live out our faith and be intentional in sharing the love of Christ with those around us.
Azusa Street's Confession of Faith
By William Seymour1EXO 15:26PRO 28:13ISA 55:7EZK 33:15MAT 9:13MRK 1:14MRK 16:16LUK 15:21LUK 19:8JHN 3:8JHN 17:15ACT 3:19ACT 10:42ROM 3:252CO 7:91TH 4:3HEB 12:14JAS 5:14William Seymour preaches on The Confession of Faith Statement of the Apostolic Faith Mission at 312 Azusa Street, Los Angeles, California, emphasizing the Apostolic Faith Movement's stand for the restoration of the old-time religion and Christian unity. The sermon covers teachings on repentance, godly sorrow for sin, confession of sins, forsaking sinful ways, restitution, faith in Jesus Christ, justification, sanctification as the second work of grace, and the baptism with the Holy Ghost as a gift of power upon the sanctified life.
The Gospel We Live
By Richard E. Bieber0MAT 6:31MAT 16:24MRK 1:14MRK 10:29LUK 9:62JHN 15:7JHN 16:2ROM 3:4Richard E. Bieber preaches about the robust gospel of Jesus, emphasizing the high promises and extreme demands it entails. He highlights the need for repentance, belief in the good news, and radical commitment to live out the gospel in its fullness. Bieber challenges believers to embrace the unfiltered, undiluted gospel of Jesus, which transforms ordinary people into passionate followers obsessed with the glory of God, prayer, love, and spreading the life-changing message. He warns against reducing the gospel to mere theological formulas, urging a return to the powerful, hopeful, and challenging message of Jesus.
Does It Matter?
By F.F Bruce0MAT 16:16MRK 1:14LUK 1:1JHN 20:311CO 15:3F.F. Bruce emphasizes the importance of the reliability of the New Testament documents in Christianity. He argues that the essence of Christianity is not just a code of ethics or a metaphysical system, but rather good news rooted in historical events like the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The historical 'once-for-allness' of Christianity, as recorded in the New Testament, is crucial for understanding the faith's foundation. Even from a purely historical perspective, the character and influence of Jesus, as portrayed in the New Testament, have significantly impacted human history, making the reliability of these records a vital subject of investigation.
The Apostolic Faith: A Doctrinal Overview
By William Seymour0EZK 33:15MAT 9:13MRK 1:14LUK 15:21LUK 18:13LUK 19:18JHN 3:3JHN 17:15JHN 17:20ACT 2:1ACT 3:19ACT 10:42ACT 10:45ACT 17:30ACT 19:6ROM 3:25ROM 4:251CO 4:212CO 1:152CO 5:172CO 7:9HEB 13:12William Seymour preaches about the Apostolic Faith Mission's commitment to restoring the old-time religion of camp meetings, revivals, missions, and Christian unity based on the faith delivered to the saints. He emphasizes the importance of repentance, godly sorrow for sins, confession, restitution, and faith in Jesus Christ as foundational steps in the believer's journey. Seymour teaches on the first work of grace, justification, and the second work of grace, sanctification, highlighting the cleansing and empowering work of the Holy Spirit. He stresses the significance of the baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire for experiencing God's love, power, and truth, with speaking in tongues as a sign. Seymour also addresses the importance of marriage, water baptism, feet washing, and the Lord's Supper as essential ordinances in the Apostolic Faith Mission.
A Celebration of Baptism
By John Piper0MAT 28:19MRK 1:14ROM 6:4ROM 9:7GAL 3:7John Piper delves into the significance of Christian baptism, tracing its origins from John the Baptist to Jesus and the early church. He emphasizes that baptism symbolizes repentance and faith in Christ, representing a turning from the old life to align with Jesus. Piper highlights the distinction of believer baptism, rejecting infant baptism and emphasizing that only those who believe should receive this symbol of entry into the spiritual Israel, the Church.
Jesus - the Greatest Preacher
By Keith Malcomson0GEN 1:5GEN 3:9MRK 1:14LUK 4:17LUK 24:47Keith Malcomson delves into the significance of Jesus as a preacher, emphasizing the public proclamation and widespread message of the Gospel. He explores the lineage of preachers in the Old Testament, leading to the era heralded by John the Baptist and the apostolic preachers around Christ. Jesus, ordained by God as a Preacher, fulfilled the prophecy of the coming Messiah anointed to preach the gospel to the poor and bring deliverance to the captives.
Coping With the Press 0f Time
By Richard E. Bieber0MAT 25:6MRK 1:14MRK 13:32LUK 12:49JHN 9:4Richard E. Bieber preaches about the importance of being prepared for the return of the bridegroom, emphasizing the need to bring the glory of God into our daily lives in our interactions with others, handling of finances, and management of time. He highlights the temptations that come with the pressure of time, such as slothfulness, anxiety, vain ambition, and triviality, and how Jesus navigated time with holy peace and purpose. Bieber urges believers to enter the realm of sanctified time through prayer, watchfulness, and labor, ensuring that their lamps are filled with oil to partake in the marriage feast.
Repentance: An Operating Principle of Your Life
By Paris Reidhead0MRK 1:14LUK 5:31LUK 24:46GAL 2:20REV 3:14Paris Reidhead preaches about the fundamental principle of repentance as a continuous change of mind, will, and intention, emphasizing that repentance is not merely an emotion but a complete change of direction towards God. He highlights the importance of recognizing sin as a rebellion against God's authority and the need for a genuine change of heart and purpose. Reidhead stresses the ongoing necessity of repentance in the life of a Christian, urging believers to maintain zeal and fervor for Christ, and to constantly realign their thoughts and actions with God's will.
The Message of Mark
By G. Campbell Morgan0Gospel of SalvationServanthoodMRK 1:14G. Campbell Morgan emphasizes the central message of the Gospel of Mark, portraying Jesus as the Servant of God who came to create a gospel of salvation through sympathy, suffering, and sacrifice. He highlights the importance of repentance and belief as the foundational responses to the gospel, urging the Church to maintain confidence in this message for both life and service. Morgan illustrates that the essence of Jesus' mission is to provide salvation, culminating in His resurrection, which serves as the ultimate good news for humanity. The sermon calls believers to recognize their role in sharing this message of hope and restoration with the world, emphasizing the need for personal and communal faith in the gospel. Ultimately, the message is one of transformation through the perfect Servant's work.
(New Wine in New Wineskins) 8. True Spirituality - Seeking God's Interests
By Zac Poonen0MAT 3:2MAT 16:18MAT 16:21MRK 1:14JHN 12:25ROM 11:312CO 11:3PHP 2:192TH 2:10Zac Poonen preaches about the danger of being led astray from devotion to Christ by the deceitfulness of Satan, who disguises himself as an angel of light. He warns against pursuing righteousness like the Pharisees without truly seeking God's interests and walking in the light of His Word. The essence of salvation lies in being saved from 'seeking our own', as seen in the contrast between the Old Testament gospel of personal blessings and the New Testament gospel of God's purposes and heavenly things.
Tidings From Judea
By Clement of Rome0MAT 9:35MRK 1:14JHN 10:37ACT 10:38Clement of Rome preaches about the spreading of the good news of God, detailing how a report about a certain One in Judæa, preaching the kingdom of the invisible God and performing miraculous signs, gradually grew and spread throughout the world despite efforts to silence it. This One, believed to be full of the Godhead, healed the sick, raised the dead, and performed countless miracles, leading to gatherings and inquiries about His identity and purpose.
Innocent Blood
By Richard E. Bieber0HAB 2:12MAT 5:21MAT 23:29MRK 1:14LUK 13:1REV 6:12Richard E. Bieber preaches on the importance of repentance in Jesus' message of the kingdom, emphasizing the need to turn away from arrogance before God and mercilessness towards others. He highlights that repentance is not just about acknowledging imperfections but about a deep change in heart and life to avoid the consequences of sin. Through various Bible verses, he illustrates how repentance involves acknowledging our sins, seeking reconciliation with others, and embracing mercy and humility as essential aspects of entering God's kingdom of forgiveness.
- Adam Clarke
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Preaching the Gospel of the kingdom - See the notes on Mat 3:2; and on the office of the preacher, or herald, at the end of that chapter.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Now after that John was put in prison,.... In the castle of Macherus, by Herod, for reproving him for taking his brother Philip's wife: Jesus came into Galilee: again, from whence he came to be baptized of John: preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God: the good news and glad tidings of the kingdom of the Messiah, or Gospel dispensation; which lies not in worldly pomp and splendour, in outward observances, in legal rites and ceremonies, but in righteousness, peace, and joy; in peace and pardon by the blood of Christ, in justification by his righteousness, and in free and full salvation by him.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Here is, I. A general account of Christ's preaching in Galilee. John gives an account of his preaching in Judea, before this (ch. 2 and 3), which the other evangelists had omitted, who chiefly relate what occurred in Galilee, because that was least known at Jerusalem. Observe, 1. When Jesus began to preach in Galilee; After that John was put in prison. When he had finished his testimony, then Jesus began his. Note, The silencing of Christ's ministers shall not be the suppressing of Christ's gospel; if some be laid aside, others shall be raised up, perhaps mightier than they, to carry on the same work. 2. What he preached; The gospel of the kingdom of God. Christ came to set up the kingdom of God among men, that they might be brought into subjection to it, and might obtain salvation in it; and he set it up by the preaching of his gospel, and a power going along with it. Observe, (1.) The great truths Christ preached; The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. This refers to the Old Testament, in which the kingdom of the Messiah was promised, and the time fixed for the introducing of it. They were not so well versed in those prophecies, nor did they so well observe the signs of the times, as to understand it themselves, and therefore Christ gives them notice of it; "The time prefixed is now at hand; glorious discoveries of divine light, life, and love, are now to be made; a new dispensation far more spiritual and heavenly than that which you have hitherto been under, is now to commence." Note, God keeps time; when the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, for the vision is for an appointed time, which will be punctually observed, though it tarry past our time. (2.) The great duties inferred from thence. Christ gave them to understand the times, that they might know what Israel ought to do; they fondly expected the Messiah to appear in external pomp and power, not only to free the Jewish nation from the Roman yoke, but to make it have dominion over all its neighbours, and therefore thought, when that kingdom of God was at hand, they must prepare for war, and for victory and preferment, and great things in the world; but Christ tells them, in the prospect of that kingdom approaching, they must repent, and believe the gospel. They had broken the moral law, and could not be saved by a covenant of innocency, for both Jew and Gentile are concluded under guilt. They must therefore take the benefit of a covenant of grace, must submit to a remedial law, and this is it - repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. They had not made use of the prescribed preservatives, and therefore must have recourse to the prescribed restoratives. By repentance we must lament and forsake our sins, and by faith we must receive the forgiveness of them. By repentance we must give glory to our Creator whom we have offended; by faith we must give glory to our Redeemer who came to save us from our sins. Both these must go together; we must not think either that reforming our lives will save us without trusting in the righteousness and grace of Christ, or that trusting in Christ will save us without the reformation of our hearts and lives. Christ hath joined these two together, and let no man think to put them asunder. They will mutually assist and befriend each other. Repentance will quicken faith, and faith will make repentance evangelical; and the sincerity of both together must be evidenced by a diligent conscientious obedience to all God's commandments. Thus the preaching of the gospel began, and thus it continues; still the call is, Repent, and believe, and live a life of repentance and a life of faith. II. Christ appearing as a teacher, here is next his calling of disciples, Mar 1:16-20. Observe, 1. Christ will have followers. If he set up a school, he will have scholars; if he set up his standard, he will have soldiers; if he preach, he will have hearers. He has taken an effectual course to secure this; for all that the Father has given him, shall, without fail, come to him. 2. The instruments Christ chose to employ in setting up his kingdom, were the weak and foolish things of the world; not called from the great sanhedrim, or the schools of the rabbin, but picked up from among the tarpaulins by the sea-side, that the excellency of the power might appear to be wholly of God, and not at all of them. 3. Though Christ needs not the help of man, yet he is pleased to make use of it in setting up his kingdom, that he might deal with us not in a formidable but in a familiar way, and that in his kingdom the nobles and governors may be of ourselves, Jer 31:21. 4. Christ puts honour upon those who, though mean in the world, are diligent in their business, and loving to one another; so those were, whom Christ called. He found them employed, and employed together. Industry and unity are good and pleasant, and there the Lord Jesus commands the blessing, even this blessing, Follow me. 5. The business of ministers is to fish for souls, and win them to Christ. The children of men, in their natural condition, are lost, wander endlessly in the great ocean of this world, and are carried down the stream of its course and way; they are unprofitable. Like leviathan in the waters, they play therein; and often, like the fishes of the sea, they devour one another. Ministers, in preaching the gospel, cast the net into the waters, Mat 13:47. Some are enclosed and brought to shore, but far the greater number escape. Fishermen take great pains, and expose themselves to great perils, so do ministers; and they have need of wisdom. If many a draught brings home nothing, yet they must go on. 6. Those whom Christ called, must leave all, to follow him; and by his grace he inclines them to do so. Not that we must needs go out of the world immediately, but we must sit loose to the world, and forsake every thing that is inconsistent with our duty to Christ, and that cannot be kept without prejudice to our souls. Mark takes notice of James and John, that they left not only their father (which we had in Matthew), but the hired servants, whom perhaps they loved as their own brethren, being their fellow-labourers and pleasant comrades; not only relations, but companions, must be left for Christ, and old acquaintance. Perhaps it is an intimation of their care for their father; they did not leave him without assistance, they left the hired servants with him. Grotius thinks it is mentioned as an evidence that their calling was gainful to them, for it was worth while to keep servants in pay, to help them in it, and their hands would be much missed, and yet they left it. III. Here is a particular account of his preaching in Capernaum, one of the cities of Galilee; for though John Baptist chose to preach in a wilderness, and did well, and did good, yet it doth not therefore follow, that Jesus must do so too; the inclinations and opportunities of ministers may very much differ, and yet both be in the way of their duty, and both useful. Observe, 1. When Christ came into Capernaum, he straightway applied himself to his work there, and took the first opportunity of preaching the gospel. Those will think themselves concerned not to lose time, who consider what a deal of work they have to do, and what a little time to do it in. 2. Christ religiously observed the sabbath day, though not by tying himself up to the tradition of the elders, in all the niceties of the sabbath-rest, yet (which was far better) by applying himself to, and abounding in, the sabbath-work, in order to which the sabbath-rest was instituted. 3. Sabbaths are to be sanctified in religious assemblies, if we have opportunity; it is a holy day, and must be honoured with a holy convocation; this was the good old way, Act 13:27; Act 15:21. On the sabbath-day, tois sabbasin - on the sabbath-days; every sabbath-day, as duly as it returned, he went into the synagogue. 4. In religious assemblies on sabbath-days, the gospel is to be preached, and those to be taught, who are willing to learn the truth as it is in Jesus. 5. Christ was a non-such preacher; he did not preach as the scribes, who expounded the law of Moses by rote, as a school-boy says his lesson, but were neither acquainted with it (Paul himself, when a Pharisee, was ignorant of the law), nor affected with it; it came not from the heart, and therefore came not with authority. But Christ taught as one that had authority, as one that knew the mind of God, and was commissioned to declare it. 6. There is much in the doctrine of Christ, that is astonishing; the more we hear it, the more cause we shall see to admire it.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
1:14-15 This summary introduces 1:14–3:6. Such summaries (see also 3:7-12; 6:6) help hearers understand what follows; most of Mark’s original audience would have heard the Gospel read aloud. 1:14 Jesus’ ministry is described as beginning after John was arrested. There was some overlap (John 3:22-24; 4:1-2), but most of Jesus’ ministry occurred after John’s. John also belongs primarily to the old order (Matt 11:7-14), while Jesus belongs primarily to the new. Both men fulfilled God’s plan through being arrested and executed (Mark 6:14-29; 9:31; 10:33). Jesus began preaching in Galilee at this time, but John 2:13–4:43 suggests that Jesus had had an earlier ministry in Judea.