Mark's Exegetical Commentary

EXEGETICAL COMMENTARY
GREEK TEXT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
FRAMES
editorial clie
M.Th. Samuel Perez Millos
DEDICATION
To all who love Christ with unchanging love; to those who make Him
their reason for being and cause of life, decisively following the
footprints of His footsteps; to those who have not only received Him as
Savior, but have enthroned Him as Lord; to those who, captivated by
Him, live to serve Him and expectantly await His coming; to all those
who say with joy: Because for me to live is Christ.
INDEX
FRAMES.........................................................................................1
M.Th. Samuel Perez Millos.........................................................2
DEDICATION.........................................................................2
CHAPTER I...........................................................................21
BEGINNING OF THE MINISTRY......................................21
General introduction..............................................................22
The Gospel according to Saint Mark in the Synoptics..........22
Beginning...............................................................................22
Development..........................................................................23
Culmination............................................................................23
Differences in Marcos............................................................24
Common material with Mateo...............................................25
Common material with Lucas................................................25
Unique parables in Mark........................................................25
Place of the gospel among the synoptics...............................25
Oral tradition..........................................................................26
Immediate dependency..........................................................26
Mediate dependence...............................................................27
Double documentary hypothesis............................................27
The gospel in the early church...............................................28
Higher Criticism and the Gospel according to Mark.............30
Marcos sources.......................................................................33
The Ur-Markus hypothesis....................................................33
The writing hypothesis...........................................................35
Collection hypothesis.............................................................35
Author....................................................................................36
Date........................................................................................39
Composition place.................................................................39
Recipients...............................................................................40
Purpose...................................................................................40
The writing.............................................................................41
Syntax Peculiarities in Frameworks ......................................41
Anacolutos.............................................................................42
Pleonasms..............................................................................42
Asyndeton..............................................................................42
Parataxis.................................................................................43
The Semitic background of the gospel...................................43
Characteristics of the Gospel according to Mark...................43
Mark's narrative.....................................................................44
Gospel material......................................................................46
Declarative stories..................................................................46
Miracles..................................................................................48
Stories about Jesus.................................................................48
Marcos compositions.............................................................49
Theological points of the Gospel...........................................51
Christology.............................................................................51
Titles in Christology..............................................................52
Kingdom................................................................................53
Christology of service............................................................57
Teachings about sin................................................................57
Teachings on salvation...........................................................58
Eschatology............................................................................58
Aspects of the Greek text for exegesis...................................62
General reference...................................................................62
Koine Greek...........................................................................63
Other aspects in the use of Greek..........................................69
Sketch.....................................................................................69
YO. MINISTRY (1:1-10:52).................................................69
II. JESUS IN JERUSALEM (11:1-13:37).............................71
III. PASSION, DEATH AND RESURRECTION (14:1-
16:20).....................................................................................72
EXEGESIS OF THE GOSPEL..............................................73
YO. MINISTRY (1:1-10:52).................................................73
4. John baptized in the desert, and preached the baptism of
repentance for the forgiveness of sins....................................84
5. And all the province of Judea, and all those of Jerusalem,
came out to him; and they were baptized by him in the Jordan
River, confessing their sins....................................................90
6. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather
belt around his loins; and ate locusts and wild honey............92
7. And he preached, saying: He who is mightier than I is
coming after me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to untie
while bowed...........................................................................95
8. I have indeed baptized you with water, but he will baptize
you with the Holy Spirit.........................................................96
9. It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from
Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
98
10. And then, as he came up out of the water, he saw the
heavens open, and the Spirit descended on him like a dove.
101
11. And a voice came from heaven saying: You are my
beloved Son; I am pleased with you....................................105
Temptation (1:12-13)...........................................................108
12. And then the Spirit drove him into the desert...........108
13. And he was there in the desert forty days, and was
tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the
angels served him.................................................................109
14. After John was imprisoned, Jesus came to Galilee
preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.......................114
15. Saying: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God
is at hand; Repent, and believe in the gospel.......................118
16. Walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and
Andrew his brother casting the net into the sea; because they
were fishermen.....................................................................127
17. And Jesus said to them, Come after me, and I will
make you fishers of men......................................................128
18. And then they left their nets and followed him.........130
20. And then he called them; and leaving their father
Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, they followed him.
132
21. And they entered Capernaum; And on the Sabbath days
he entered the synagogue and taught...................................134
22. And they were amazed at his doctrine; because he
taught them as one who has authority, and not as the scribes.
136
23. But there was in their synagogue a man with an
unclean spirit, who cried out................................................138
24. Saying: Ah! What do you have with us, Nazarene
Jesus? Have you come to destroy us? Be who you are, the
Holy One of God..................................................................139
25. But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be still, and come out
of him!..................................................................................141
26. And the unclean spirit, shaking him violently, and
crying with a loud voice, came out of him...........................143
28. And very soon his fame spread throughout the province
around Galilee......................................................................146
29. When they left the synagogue, they came to the house
of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.......................147
30. And Simon's mother-in-law lay with a fever; and
immediately they spoke to him about her............................148
31. Then he came and took her by the hand and lifted her
up; and immediately her fever left her, and she served them.
149
32. When night came, after the sun had set, they brought to
him all those who had illnesses, and those who were demon-
possessed..............................................................................151
35. Getting up early in the morning, while it was still very
dark, he went out and went to a deserted place, and there he
prayed...................................................................................155
Traveling and ministering in Galilee (1:36-39) ..................157
36. And Simon and those who were with him sought him.
157
37. And finding him, they said to him: Everyone is looking
for you..................................................................................157
38. He said to them: Let us go to the neighboring places, so
that he may preach there also; because this is why I have
come. 158
39. And he preached in their synagogues throughout
Galilee, and cast out demons...............................................160
40. A leper came to him, begging him; and kneeling on her
knee, she said to him: If you want, you can cleanse me. Ç. 162
41. And Jesus, having mercy on him, stretched out his
hand and touched him, and said to him, I will, be clean......165
42. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy
left him, and he was clean....................................................167
43. Then he charged him rigorously, and then dismissed
him. 168
Chapter II.
Power and opposition.
FRAMES 1
M.Th. Samuel Perez Millos 2
DEDICATION 2
CHAPTER I 21
BEGINNING OF THE MINISTRY 21
General introduction. 22
The Gospel according to Saint Mark in the Synoptics. 22
Beginning. 22
Development. 23
Culmination. 23
Differences in Marcos. 24
Common material with Mateo. 25
Common material with Lucas. 25
Unique parables in Mark. 25
Place of the gospel among the synoptics. 25
Oral tradition. 26
Immediate dependency. 26
Mediate dependence. 27
Double documentary hypothesis. 27
The gospel in the early church. 28
Higher Criticism and the Gospel according to Mark. 30
Marcos sources. 33
The Ur-Markus hypothesis. 33
The writing hypothesis. 35
Collection hypothesis. 35
Author. 36
Date. 39
Composition place. 39
Recipients. 40
Purpose. 40
The writing. 41
Syntax Peculiarities in Frameworks . 41
Anacolutos. 42
Pleonasms. 42
Asyndeton. 42
Parataxis. 43
The Semitic background of the gospel. 43
Characteristics of the Gospel according to Mark. 43
Mark's narrative. 44
Gospel material. 46
Declarative stories. 46
Miracles. 48
Stories about Jesus. 48
Marcos compositions. 49
Theological points of the Gospel. 51
Christology. 51
Titles in Christology. 52
Kingdom. 53
Christology of service. 57
Teachings about sin. 57
Teachings on salvation. 58
Eschatology. 58
Aspects of the Greek text for exegesis. 62
General reference. 62
Koine Greek. 63
Other aspects in the use of Greek. 69
Sketch. 69
YO. MINISTRY (1:1-10:52). 69
II. JESUS IN JERUSALEM (11:1-13:37). 71
16:20). 72
EXEGESIS OF THE GOSPEL. 73
YO. MINISTRY (1:1-10:52). 73
repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 84
River, confessing their sins. 90
belt around his loins; and ate locusts and wild honey. 92
while bowed. 95
you with the Holy Spirit. 96
98
101
beloved Son; I am pleased with you. 105
Temptation (1:12-13). 108
12. And then the Spirit drove him into the desert. 108
angels served him. 109
preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. 114
is at hand; Repent, and believe in the gospel. 118
were fishermen. 127
make you fishers of men. 128
18. And then they left their nets and followed him. 130
132
he entered the synagogue and taught. 134
136
unclean spirit, who cried out. 138
Holy One of God. 139
of him! 141
crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 143
around Galilee. 146
of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 147
immediately they spoke to him about her. 148
149
possessed. 151
prayed. 155
Traveling and ministering in Galilee (1:36-39) . 157
157
for you. 157
come. 158
Galilee, and cast out demons. 160
knee, she said to him: If you want, you can cleanse me. Ç 162
hand and touched him, and said to him, I will, be clean. 165
left him, and he was clean. 167
him. 168
Chapter V.
Liberation, healing and resurrection.
FRAMES 1
M.Th. Samuel Perez Millos 2
DEDICATION 2
CHAPTER I 21
BEGINNING OF THE MINISTRY 21
General introduction. 22
The Gospel according to Saint Mark in the Synoptics. 22
Beginning. 22
Development. 23
Culmination. 23
Differences in Marcos. 24
Common material with Mateo. 25
Common material with Lucas. 25
Unique parables in Mark. 25
Place of the gospel among the synoptics. 25
Oral tradition. 26
Immediate dependency. 26
Mediate dependence. 27
Double documentary hypothesis. 27
The gospel in the early church. 28
Higher Criticism and the Gospel according to Mark. 30
Marcos sources. 33
The Ur-Markus hypothesis. 33
The writing hypothesis. 35
Collection hypothesis. 35
Author. 36
Date. 39
Composition place. 39
Recipients. 40
Purpose. 40
The writing. 41
Syntax Peculiarities in Frameworks . 41
Anacolutos. 42
Pleonasms. 42
Asyndeton. 42
Parataxis. 43
The Semitic background of the gospel. 43
Characteristics of the Gospel according to Mark. 43
Mark's narrative. 44
Gospel material. 46
Declarative stories. 46
Miracles. 48
Stories about Jesus. 48
Marcos compositions. 49
Theological points of the Gospel. 51
Christology. 51
Titles in Christology. 52
Kingdom. 53
Christology of service. 57
Teachings about sin. 57
Teachings on salvation. 58
Eschatology. 58
Aspects of the Greek text for exegesis. 62
General reference. 62
Koine Greek. 63
Other aspects in the use of Greek. 69
Sketch. 69
YO. MINISTRY (1:1-10:52). 69
II. JESUS IN JERUSALEM (11:1-13:37). 71
16:20). 72
EXEGESIS OF THE GOSPEL. 73
YO. MINISTRY (1:1-10:52). 73
repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 84
River, confessing their sins. 90
belt around his loins; and ate locusts and wild honey. 92
while bowed. 95
you with the Holy Spirit. 96
98
101
beloved Son; I am pleased with you. 105
Temptation (1:12-13). 108
12. And then the Spirit drove him into the desert. 108
angels served him. 109
preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. 114
is at hand; Repent, and believe in the gospel. 118
were fishermen. 127
make you fishers of men. 128
18. And then they left their nets and followed him. 130
132
he entered the synagogue and taught. 134
136
unclean spirit, who cried out. 138
Holy One of God. 139
of him! 141
crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 143
around Galilee. 146
of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 147
immediately they spoke to him about her. 148
149
possessed. 151
prayed. 155
Traveling and ministering in Galilee (1:36-39) . 157
157
for you. 157
come. 158
Galilee, and cast out demons. 160
knee, she said to him: If you want, you can cleanse me. Ç 162
hand and touched him, and said to him, I will, be clean. 165
left him, and he was clean. 167
him. 168
FOREWORD
There are works that require few flourishes in their

presentation, so it should not be made bombastic or too exhaustive,
either because its content in itself invites potential readers to
approach them, or because its author has achieved recognized
prestige. . In the case at hand, this book that we now prologue
fulfills both characteristics wonderfully.
The subject that fills its pages from the first to the last, a
serious and exhaustive study of the Gospel according to Mark,
leads us by the hand to a deep and rigorous reading of this unique
New Testament writing, the first fruits of the “gospel” genre
according to a opinion widely held in Christian exegetical circles
for more than a century. Marcana's work has in itself an entity and
an authority in which the purely literary is mixed with the great
mystery of the inspiration of the Holy Word. In relation to the first,
his unique style stands out, so close to the Septuagint. 1 , so alive
that it even reproduces for us on very specific occasions a series of
expressions said exactly by Jesus in his native Aramaic language,
what critics designate as ipsissima verba Domini2 ; On the other
hand, the speed of its action, which takes us from Galilee to
Jerusalem like lightning, so that we quickly change the panorama,
from the banks of Lake Gennesaret to Calvary and above all to the
confirmation of the empty tomb, In addition to his extraordinary
Koine Greek, which makes him the jewel of this special
evolutionary stage of the spoken Hellenic language, which has
attracted the attention of linguists specialized in classical philology
for centuries, all of this makes Mark a truly authentic text.
extraordinary in the most etymological sense of the term. As for
the second, we must humbly bow before the unapproachable
mystery of the work of the Holy Spirit who directed without
dictating, who guided without forcing the hand of John Mark to
put in writing the acts and sayings of the Lord - more than that.
last—according to what an ancient tradition indicates to have been
the preaching of the apostle Peter in Rome. As a literary work,
unmatched; as an inspired, immeasurable work. A book dedicated
to its study, such as the one we now present, is bound to arouse the
interest of readers.
1 The Greek translation of the OT, as the gentle reader knows.
2 “The very words of the Lord”, in Latin.
As for the author, we highly doubt that it is possible to add
anything to what is already known about Samuel Pérez Millos. His
pastoral ministry in the United Evangelical Church of his native
Vigo and his career as a teacher and lecturer in evangelical
institutions in Spain and other lands where our language is spoken,
are so well known that we would be naive to try to add anything
new about him. On the other hand, any laudatory attempt of his
person would not only greatly displease him - since it is a very
typical characteristic of the servants of the Lord to flatly reject any
self-exaltation, determined as they are to exalt Christ solely and
permanently - but for our One side would be ridiculous, given that
we would not be able to fully express the dedication and passion,
as it sounds, that evidence the writing and composition of this
book for anyone who reads it carefully.
Samuel Pérez Millos takes good care to lead us from the first
verse of the Marcano gospel to the last in such a way that we not
only learn about his sacred text, but also enjoy it, a rare skill of
good authors that an ancient Roman poet defined with the Latin
verbs prodesse et delectare3 , and which in this book has been
achieved basically in three ways:
Firstly, following the style of the great classic biblical

commentaries, whose number will undoubtedly increase in the
consideration of many scholars, it provides us with a broad
introduction in which it addresses with great skill the great
questions raised by the study of the Gospel according to Mark.
(authorship, style, recipients, place and date of composition, etc.),
mixing data that is of particular interest to the academic or
scholarly world with a large dose of pedagogy. We do not read,
therefore, a simple dissertation or a lecture given in the classroom,
but rather we hear in a living and direct way the voice of a believer
totally consecrated to the dissemination of this first Gospel at the
time.
Secondly, analyzing the sacred text with strict scientific

thoroughness, continually resorting to the Greek original with its
most notable variants, and without ignoring everything that enters
fully into the arduous terrain of grammar, philology, history or
textual criticism, but at the same time committed to making the
3 “Take advantage and at the same time delight.”
spiritual meaning of each verse, chapter or section of the Marcan
gospel shine. It is a beautiful challenge to present in the same work
levels of reading and approach to such an apparently disparate
text, aimed at a diverse audience that will appreciate them
according to their diverse sensibilities or their corresponding
academic preparation, whatever it may be.
In third and last place, following throughout all its pages a

strong and firm guiding thread from which it does not let go even
for a moment, and which is none other than the person of Jesus of
Nazareth, the carpenter (the tekton , for example). say it in the way
it appears in the original Greek text) who, when faced with the
insidious spell of the high priest commanding him to declare
whether or not he was really the Son of the Blessed One, responds
firmly: I am .
Hence, this study by Samuel Pérez Millos on the Gospel

according to Mark is destined to become a fundamental work, not
only for students of seminaries, biblical institutes or theology
faculties; not only for pastors, monitors or teachers of Bible
studies and Sunday schools for adults and youth; not only for
restless minds interested in learning about the world of the Bible
or catching up on burning issues that refer to the exegesis of the
Gospels, but also for the “ordinary” believer, the simple Christian,
that is, that group that so many thousands of us join and that wants
to know more about Jesus, to know more about his ministry, his
marvelous acts, his person in a word, because only in him, through
him and for him do we today's disciples find the full security of
our salvation and full reconciliation with God the Father.
Dr. Juan María Tellería Larrañaga

The Port de Sagunt (Valencia), May 19, 2014.
CHAPTER I
BEGINNING OF THE MINISTRY
The study of the Gospel According to Mark is of vital importance for the
believer. The gospel reveals the greatness, teachings and work of Jesus Christ. It
is the basis of the Christian faith and expression of the message of salvation.
Each of the four evangelists offer a different perspective of the Person and work
of Jesus Christ. Each one complements the others by offering as a whole the
revelation that God wanted to give about his Son, Jesus of Nazareth. This Jesus,
our Lord, is unrepeatable, being the Divine-human Person of the eternal Word of
God manifested in flesh. This is not someone similar, even if he were superior,
to the other people mentioned in the Bible, he is superior to everyone, but, at the
same time, he descended to the lowest parts of the earth, in order to be able to
replace the worst of the sinners in the history of humanity, in order to open the
door of saving hope to any man (Eph. 4:9). The infinite and eternal God
becomes a man of time and space, to save men. His descent from glory to earth
envelops him in extreme poverty , despite his absolute wealth (Phil. 2:6-8). This
Immanuel, God with men, enters the dimension of humanity to manifest the
grace of God (Jn. 1:14). In that manifestation of grace, he takes the form of a
servant , to carry out, from the supreme dimension of obedience, the work of the
Cross, through which, God provides a solution to the problem of sin, and makes
possible the justification of sin. sinner by faith (Rom. 5:1). The Divine-human
Person of Jesus Christ, the Lord, is presented in different ways by each of the
evangelists. Mark offers in the biblical text of his gospel the aspect in which the
Savior was prophesied: “Behold my servant” (Is. 42:1). For that reason, the
genealogy, which interests few, of whoever is a Servant does not appear. It
presents Jesus of Nazareth as a servant of God and men, but, nevertheless, the
greatness of God in Christ does not cease to be manifested from the beginning of
the gospel. The first words present the Servant as the Son of God. In this sense,
from the beginning, the greatness of God's proximity to men is discovered. The
Eternal not only becomes close, but also becomes neighbor , to favor those who,
as men, would have no other hope than eternal damnation for sin. The servant
came to do an admirable work, which converts himself into the path that unites,
first, God with men, and then in himself, men with God. The Gospel according
to Mark is the text that allows us to carry out the natural life of a disciple in the
humble following of the Master, because it allows us to see the exemplary
greatness of the service of God in Jesus of Nazareth. It is the necessary
complement to carry out the demand established by the writer of the Epistle to
the Hebrews , as a way of Christian life: “Looking at Jesus” (Heb. 12:2). This
Jesus, servant , is called to follow every believer, as the fundamental reason for
Christian life (Rom. 6:18, 22). There is no other title more honorable for a
believer than that of a servant of God (1 Cor. 4:1). Here is the detailed path to
follow for those who walk in the footsteps left on earth by the Servant of God (1
Pet. 2:21).
General introduction.
The Gospel according to Saint Mark in the Synoptics.
In the General Introduction to the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, a

space was dedicated to the topic of the synoptic gospels and other general
aspects that correspond to the three gospels, so in this introduction to the Gospel
according to Saint Mark, only those related to it will be selected. , referring the
reader to the aforementioned section4 .
Mark is, along with Matthew and Luke , one of the three evangelicals
called synoptics , whose term began to be used by Griesbarch (1745-1812) and
means common vision or joint vision , used because of the similarity presented
by the first three Gospel accounts, both in its presentation as in its content. From
the beginning, the stories made a certain impact because of their similar identity.
The stories have surprising similarities, common stories and also some notable
differences. Such a situation raised questions from the beginning about the
origins and sources of the stories of the four evangelists. Traditionally, the
Church considered the appearance of the gospels according to the order in which
they appear in the New Testament, considering Matthew as the first and Mark as
the second. Even Augustine claimed that Mark merely abbreviated Matthew's
text. Chrysostom also thought that Mark, Peter's interpreter, wrote the shorter
Gospel, because Peter was a man of few words.
An analysis of Mark offers the particularity that there is very little

material that appears only in this Gospel. Excluding the so-called long finale
(16:9-20), there are only about thirty verses left that are not right in either
Matthew or Luke. The texts are: (1:1; 2:27; 3:20-21; 4:26-29; 7:2-4; 3:2-7; 8:22-
26; 9:29, 48-49 ; 14:51-52). In
Mark is present more than half of the content of Matthew in identical or very
similar form. Only forty verses of Mark do not appear in Matthew, while about
two hundred are in Matthew and Luke, but absent in Mark .
The general structure of this Gospel is similar to that of the other two,
except for the length of its content. So it begins with a section dealing with the
beginning of Jesus' ministry ; Then follows the development of the ministry ; and
ends with the culmination of his work , in death and resurrection.
Beginning.
Mark offers in this section similar material, except for extension, from
the initial period of Jesus' ministry (1:15). Although it is not common in the
thematic extension to the other two Gospels, it is common in terms of the
temporal extension that it considers.
4 See General Introduction to Matthew , from this same series.
Mark , like the other two, begins with the ministry of John the Baptist,
who announces the coming of the Messiah and bears witness about Him. The
baptism of Jesus in the Jordan is another common reference. In the same way,
the experience of the temptations of the Lord, which, as will be appreciated, the
extension on this topic is very limited in Mark , consisting of a simple reference
to the fact, but without detailing anything in particular as Matthew and Luke do
(1:12 -13).
Development.
As with the other Synoptics , it places Jesus' ministry primarily in Galilee,

where Capernaum was the primary place of residence in that period (1:21; 2:1).
Mark also refers to Jesus' invitation to the first disciples, fishermen on the Sea of
Galilee. A series of miracles common to the other two Gospels form the
atmosphere surrounding the first period of Christ's ministry, from those that have
to do with supernatural wonders about creation, to those of healing and
resurrection of the dead. The description of details related to the confrontations
and rejection of Christ by the religious and political leaders of His time also
appears, also being appreciated in Mark how it was also reaching certain sectors
of the people (6:3). Following a scheme very similar to the other synoptics , it
goes on to present a change of orientation in the Lord's ministry, directing it
more towards the disciples who continually accompanied him, retiring with them
to places with a small population. However, it should be noted that Christ's
interest in the multitudes, although dedicating more time to the Twelve, does not
diminish. Mark also offers the transfer of Jesus' activities, in the final period of
His ministry, to the region beyond the Jordan, known as Perea (7:24-10:52). The
question that Jesus asked the Twelve about his Person and the testimony of Peter
(8:27-30) is also present in Matthew and Luke. It is surprising that in the three
Gospels the three occasions on which Jesus announced his death appear (8:31;
9:31; 10:33-34). Details about the transfiguration are also present in Mark (9:1-
13).
Culmination.
The final events prior to the passion, it and the resurrection, figure largely
as common material with the other synoptics , also occupying a proportionally
equal length in relation to the length of the writing (11-16). Given the length
relative to the entire content, some scholars suggest that Mark gives an account
of the passion surrounding it with a general antecedent introduction that places
the reader in the knowledge of the one who died on the Cross. This appreciation
confirms the kerygmatic aspect of the writing and not so much biographical, that
is, the orientation of the Gospel is more soteriological than descriptive. The
parallelism that occurs in this last part between the three synoptic gospels is
surprising, which suggests the common origin of sources in all three, or even a
pre-established outline, which guided the three writings. About this surprising
parallel Hendriksen writes:
“It is especially in these final chapters that the three develop in striking
parallelism. All three record the following events: The triumphal entry of Jesus
into Jerusalem, as Prince of Peace. The crowds, their minds filled with longings
for earthly glory, receive him with unbridled enthusiasm. Arriving at the temple
and noticing that its great outer court has been turned into a market, a den of
thieves, Jesus cleans it. When they question his authority, he very appropriately
asks his critics whether John's baptism—the baptism practiced by that same
John who had borne witness to Him who has now driven out the merchants—
was divine or merely human in origin. In addition, Jesus adds the parable of the
wicked tenants. He answers the leading questions of his opponents and by a
question he addresses to them clearly implies that the Son of David is nothing
less than the Lord of David.5 .
The planning of the death of Jesus by the leaders of the nation, the
bribery of Judas to hand him over, are common elements with Matthew and
Luke, within the last part of Mark. The same occurs with the establishment of
the ordinance of the Breaking of Bread. In the same way, the story of the agony
in Gethsemane, of the arrest, of Peter's denial and of the trials to which Christ
was subjected is also common. The story, to a greater or lesser extent, of the
crucifixion, the title placed on the cross, the contempt for the Crucified and the
three hours of darkness, are also common.
Differences in Marcos.
Despite the similarity there are evident differences in Mark that make this
Gospel an independent narrative and more than a simple adaptation of a source
common to all three.
It is, without a doubt, the Gospel with the least material of its own, that is,
it does not appear in the other two synoptics . 1) The beginning is different,
expressing it as the “beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God” (1:1).
2) The teaching about the Sabbath as made for man (2:27). 3) The consideration
that some, perhaps his own relatives, had that Jesus was out of his mind (3:20-
21). 4) The parable of the growth of the seed (4:26-29). 5) The explanations
about the ceremonial purifications of the Pharisees (7:3-4). 6) The healing
performed on a deaf (7:32-37). The healing of the blind man in Bethsaida (8:22-
26). 8) The warning that Jesus gives about the necessary condition for the
expulsion of a certain type of demon (9:29). 9) References to a perpetual fire
(9:48-49). 10) The story of the young man who fled naked (14:51-52).
5 Guillermo Hendriksen. The Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Christian

Literature Subcommittee. Grand Rapids, 1986.
Common material with Mateo.
There are several references that appear in the two Gospels and are
missing in Luke. Among others, it is worth highlighting: 1) The audience, style
of clothing and diet of John the Baptist (1:5-6; Mt. 3:4-5). 2) Jesus' prohibition
of many of those who had been healed from testifying about Him (3:7-12; Mt.
12:16). 3) Reference to the parabolic use by Jesus (4:33; Mt. 13:34). 4) Allusion
to Herod's birthday party, where the death of John the Baptist occurred (6:17-19;
Mt. 14:3-12). 5) Jesus walking on the sea (6:45-52; Mt. 14:25-26). 6) The
healing of the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman (7:24-31; Mt. 15:21-29).
7) The feeding of the four thousand (8:13-21; Mt. 15:32-39). 8) The disciples'
question about Elijah (9:10-13; Mt. 17:10-13). 9) The most extensive teaching
on divorce (10:1-12; Mt. 19:3-12). 10) The prophecy about false Christs and
false prophets (13:21-23; Mt. 24:23-25). 11) The secret about the date of the
second coming of Jesus (13:32; Mt. 24:36). 12) The anointing of Jesus in
Bethany (14:3-9; Mt. 26:6-13). 13) The departure of the group with Jesus
towards the Mount of Olives (14:26; Mt. 26:30). 14) The silence of Christ before
Pilate (15:2-5; Mt. 27:11-14). 15) Jesus crowned with thorns 15:17-20; Mt.
27:29-31). 16) The cry of Jesus after the hours of darkness (15:34-36; Mt. 27:46-
49). 17) The great commission detailed (16:15-16; Mt. 28:19-20).
Common material with Lucas.
There are approximately twenty-four textual references that are paralleled

only in Mark and Luke. It is worth highlighting among them: 1) The expulsion
of a demon in Capernaum (1:23-28; Luke. 4:33-37). 2) The evangelizing
ministry of Jesus and its purpose (1:35-38; Lk. 4:42-44). 3) Lamps that must
shine and ears that must pay attention (4:21-24; Lk. 8:16-18). 4) Reference to the
return of the Twelve after the fulfillment of the first commission (6:30; Lk.
9:10). 5) John's action in relation to the exorcist (9:38-41; Lk. 9:49-50). 6) The
widow's offering (12:41-44; Luke. 21:1-4).
Unique parables in Mark.
Of all the parables of Jesus, only that of the seed that grows in secret can
be considered peculiar to Mark (4:26-29).
Place of the gospel among the synoptics.
Especially sensitive in relation to Mark is determining what place he

occupies in the order of appearance of the Gospels. Based on the different
proposed solutions to the problem of the synoptics , some point to Mark as the
first of the three. This leads to new questions: Did the other two have Marcos as
their drafting draft? Did all three come from the same source? Does a source
exist and can be demonstrated that served as the basis for Mark's writing?
Oral tradition.
From the beginning it has been defended to justify the identity between
the three, that they all had as their source the oral tradition that had been
established in the early church. Such a proposal was defended by B. F. Westcott
and Arthur Wright, according to which the tradition about the life and work of
Jesus Christ was compiled by giving it literary form and grouping them
following the usual order of teaching, so that from the beginning the stories
acquired a similar and fixed form. The small differences in Marcos are justified
as contributions that the author makes to the tradition that had been structured in
a certain way, and also as a consequence of the objectives he intends with the
writing.
It is also suggested that Peter was the apostle who most influenced the
maintenance of the central core of the tradition about the life and work of Jesus,
so Mark being his interpreter, this Gospel should be considered the first ordered
writing of the ecclesial tradition. . This proposal regarding the order of Mark 's
appearance as the first among the synoptics has been well received by both the
liberal and conservative sectors. It is considered valid because teachers in the
early church had to memorize the teachings given by the apostles. Paul tells
Timothy to teach what he had heard repeatedly from him (2 Tim. 2:2). It is not
strange that Mark, taking into account the maintenance of the historical tradition
that circulated in the Church about Jesus Christ, wrote this gospel and did so in
the order of writing in which it is known.
However, a difficulty arises in this that prevents the claim that Mark is
the first of the written Gospels. It is true that oral transmission was originally the
teaching used in the Church, as a fulfillment of Jesus' mandate to teach the first
Christians everything He had established (Mt. 28:20). However, although oral
transmission was the initial basis for the communication of the facts and work of
Jesus Christ (Lk. 6:12-16; 9:1-2), there is evidence that before Mark was written,
there were written outlines of the teaching and work of the Lord, as Luke
emphatically states (Lk. 1:2). Therefore, there were written sources of the life
and teachings of Christ very early in the development of the Church. The
traditions were preserved with great interest and respect. The apostles
themselves emphasized the need to preserve them (Acts. 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 10:39-
43; 13:31; 22:15; 26:16; Ro. 6:17; 1 Cor. 11:2, 23, 24; 15:8-11, 15; Ga. 1:9; Phil.
4:9; 1 Thes. 4:1; 2 Ti. 2:1-2; 4:1-5; Heh. 13:7-8).
Immediate dependency.
The theory of an initial gospel that served as a basis for the other two has
been proposed as a generic outline or scheme. The difficulty with this hypothesis
is determining which of the gospels was the first and the model of the following.
It should not be forgotten that there are six possible combinations and that each
of them can count on the support of someone who understands that this is the
natural relationship. As time passes since the proposals about Mark in the
synoptic environment, the idea that this is the first of the gospels has gained
more followers. Almost no one doubts that Mark is Peter's interpreter. However,
in a detailed study of this gospel, some discover that some of its material may
have depended on Matthew's notes or his personal testimony. Furthermore, if
Mark was the first document, how could it have failed to consider matters of
such importance as the Sermon on the Mount?
Mediate dependence.
The hypothesis presents a supposed primitive gospel that served as the

basis for the three synoptics and, consequently, for Mark . The main objection to
this proposal consists of the lack of copies of a document as important as the
first writing of the acts and words of Jesus, which had to have been widely
transmitted in the early church and which was known to the editor of the Gospel.
Double documentary hypothesis.
Especially from the sector of liberal criticism , an attempt has been made
to solve the synoptic problem, and especially that of Mark , by proposing two
sources used for the writing of this gospel. The fragmentary theory is mainly due
to Schleimacher, made by him at the beginning of the 20th century. XIX. It
proposes that the sayings and deeds of Jesus were recorded in different
documents that collected oral traditions, in an unconnected and separate manner.
These documents were grouped by Mark and served as the basis for the writing
of the gospel, this being the one that served as a source for the other two.
The basis for establishing this hypothesis is based on the comparative

study of content, language and sequence. The double documentary hypothesis
reasons that Jesus had a very extensive ministry for approximately three and a
half years. He taught at length and performed many miracles among the people.
These facts were preserved in the minds of the disciples and gave rise to later
oral tradition. It is difficult to think that without a primary document, in this case
and according to the proposal, the Gospel according to Saint Mark , they would
have such a similar common development and deal with the same themes and
teachings on so many occasions. In an idiomatic analysis, the grammatical
construction in the places where it produces a coincidence, which are many, is so
similar that it could only be carried out under the control of the same source. As
an illustrative example, the identity is absolute in the words that Jesus addressed
to the paralytic: “So that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth
to forgive sins (he said to the paralytic): “I say to you: Arise, take your bed and
go home” (2:10-11; comp. Mt. 9:6; Lk. 5:24). However, this is no reason to give
priority to Marcos over the other two.
If Mark is the first gospel that serves as a script for the other two, another
problem arises: why is there more material in Matthew and Luke? The proposed
solution is that of a second document that they call the source Q , from which
they have taken it. However, there is no written testimony of this second
document, like the first, despite its importance.
The gospel in the early church.
The presence of Mark in the early church at the beginning of the 20th
century. II is fully attested, citing some references that show it:
Papias . Bishop of Hierapolis, in his writing Exegesis of the Oracles of

the Lord , around the year 140, mentions the Gospel according to Mark .
Although it is true that the writing has been lost, the reference is known from the
quote that Eusebius makes of it in his Ecclesiastical History : “And the
presbyter also said this: Mark, as Peter's interpreter, wrote faithfully, although
without order. , everything he remembered, of the sayings and deeds of Jesus.
He had not personally heard the Lord nor been his disciple, but later he had
been a companion of Peter, as I already said. The apostle had adapted his
teaching to the needs (of his listeners), but without the intention of composing
an ordered account of the Lord's words. Thus, Marcos was not wrong to write
down things exactly as he remembered them, because his only concern was not
to omit or falsify anything that he had heard.6 ” .
Papias explains his thoughts on the work of Mark, possibly challenging

criticism of that gospel, making the observation that the writing is faithful
although he admits that it is not a very careful work, but he shows with his
testimony that he took great care to maintain faithfully the acts and teachings of
Jesus, indicating that the source of the gospel is the apostle Peter, whose
interpreter Mark was.
Anti-Marcionite Prologue . It is known that from the very beginning of

the writings of Christianity, they were preceded by prologues against the ideas of
Marcion. But it is also appreciated, through recent discoveries, that the gospels
circulated with prologues for each one, as found in manuscripts from the Vetus
Latina. The prologue to Mark's is incomplete, but a fragment says: “…declared
Mark, who is nicknamed 'with crippled fingers', because his fingers were rather
small compared to his height. He was Peter's interpreter; and after his death, he
wrote this same gospel in Italy7 ”.
The importance of this reference is especially in the manifestation of it

being a writing made in Italy, after the death of Peter.
6 Eusebius. Ecclesiastical History, III, 39-15 .

7 Vincent Taylor. Gospel according to Saint Mark . Edit Christendom. Madrid,
1979. P. 31.
Justin Martyr In none of his writings does he directly mention the Gospel
according to Saint Mark , but he speaks of words taken from Peter, who referred
to the boanerges, sons of thunder , whose reference only appears in this gospel
(3:17).
Irenaeus. In a writing that quotes the gospels, he states that Matthew

wrote the gospel while Peter and Paul were in Rome, where they were martyred,
and he also says: “After their death, Mark, Peter's disciple and interpreter, also
transmitted to us by written the preaching of Peter8 ” .
Clement of Alexandria . The Gospel according to Saint Mark is

mentioned in three of his writings. Two of them come from quotes from
Eusebius, both cited by Vincent Taylor. They read:
“After Peter's public preaching in Rome, announcing the gospel by the

Spirit, many of those present asked Mark to put his words in writing, since they
had been his disciple for a long time and remembered his preaching. Mark did
so, and transmitted the gospel to those who had asked him. When Pedro found
out, he neither prevented him nor encouraged him in his task.9 .
“They say that, when the apostle knew through revelation of the Spirit
what had been done, he saw with pleasure the enthusiasm of those men, and he
ratified the writings so that they could be read in the Churches”10 .
The Latin text reads: “When Peter was publicly preaching the gospel in
Rome before some of Caesar's knights and adduced many testimonies about
Christ, at the request of these, who wanted to remember what had been
announced, Mark, a follower of Peter, wrote the gospel called according to
Mark, based on what Peter had preached11 ”.
In the references to Mark , it is confirmed that the gospel had Peter's

teaching as its source, although it does not coincide with the anti-Marcionite
prologue, in that it was written during the life of the apostle Peter, although this
aspect cannot be historically verified.
Origins . When he dealt with the four gospels, he remained in the

tradition of Papias, agreeing with it, so that he said, according to Eusebius: “The
second, according to Mark, who did what Peter told him, and whom Peter
recognized as his son, in his Catholic letter, with these words: 'She who is in
Babylon, chosen like you, greets you, and my son Mark.'12 .
8 Irenaeus. Adversus Haereses III, 1.2.

9 Eusebius. Ecclesiastical History , VI, 14,6s.
10 Eusebius. Ecclesiastical History, II, 15.2.
11 Vincent Taylor. oc, p. 33.
12 Eusebius. Ecclesiastical History VI, 25.5.
Jerome , writing in his Commentarium in Matthaeum. Prooemium, 6,
says: “The second is Mark, interpreter of the apostle Peter and first bishop of
the Church of Alexandria; He did not know the Savior, but he told what he had
heard his teacher preach, more faithfully to the facts than to the order in which
they happened.13 .
There is hardly any difference between the previous testimonies and that
of Jerome, except that Mark was bishop of the church of Alexandria. This
tradition is not present in the writings of Papias, Clement, Origen or Irenaeus.
However, the testimonies of Roman tradition affirm that Mark died in
Alexandria in the eighth year of Nero's reign, therefore before the deaths of Peter
and Paul.
These previous data confirm that since the end of the s. I and beginning
of the s. II, Mark was accepted as the author of the second synoptic gospel, as an
interpreter of Peter, setting the place of composition in Rome. There are various
traditions in ancient church history regarding the dating of Mark , but they
mostly place it as writing immediately after Peter's death. According to these
testimonies, the source that Mark used for writing the gospel was directly from
Peter's teaching. In a more or less veiled way, it can be seen in ancient
testimonies that the gospel was considered a somewhat disordered writing.
Higher Criticism and the Gospel according to Mark.
As indicated before, the general theme of liberal criticism in relation to

the Synoptics was treated at sufficient length in the introduction to them in
Matthew. Some reference to this problem in relation to Mark will therefore
suffice. It must be taken into account that the criticism's proposals were
formulated at the beginning of the 20th century. XIX, from which the proposal
arises that Mark was the first of the gospels and that it served as a script for the
other two. However, since the time of Augustine, it was considered that the
Gospel according to Mark is a summary of the first, written by Matthew. 14 .
Possibly for this reason no comments were made on the gospel until three
centuries later by Bede the Venerable (672-735). It was after the Reformation
that the best-known commentaries were written. The gospel achieved the highest
consideration due to the proposal of Higher Criticism as the first of the gospels.
In the development of High Criticism during the x. XIX, different

proposals were made. The first of them was presented and defended by J. g.
Eichhorn, who in 1804 proposed the hypothesis that Mark was the original
gospel, in his book Einleitung in das Neue Testament . The hypothesis is simple:
it is assumed that in the early church, due to catechumenate needs, a brief
14 Augustine, De Consensu Evangelistarum 1,2: “Marcus eum subsecutus tamquam
pedisequus et breviator eius videtur.”
synthesis of the Person and work of Jesus Christ was available, whose material
the three evangelists took for their respective writings. Some others made a
second proposal, that this small summary was complemented by other writings
with biographical notes or short translations of Christ's teachings, constituting
themselves as sources for writing the three synoptics. All this necessarily led to
the fragmentary hypothesis that is defended by Schleiermacher, assuming the
existence of different documents that were compiled by Mark for the writing of
the gospel. The third hypothesis was defended by J. L. Gieseler in his work
Historisch-kritischer Versuch über die Entstehung und die frühesten Schicksale
der schriftlichen Evangelien (1818). This proposal assumes the existence of an
original tradition received from the apostles and transmitted by teachers in the
churches and by evangelists in the missionary field, which was later written
down in Mark and the other synoptics. Some defended this proposal until the
beginning of the 20th century. XX, as is the case of A. Wright, G. Salmon and
some more. The latter wrote: “The most probable explanation for the fact that
we have three stories of the life of Jesus, so similar to each other, and yet so
independent in many points, is that the oral gospel has been preserved for us as
it was transmitted. in three different centers”15 .
Subsequent investigations generated more concrete proposals regarding

Marcos . c. Lachmann based on his studies and formulated Marcos' priority
proposal. He made a comparative study between the three synoptics,
appreciating notable differences between Matthew and Luke, comparing them
with each other, but he observed that there were very few differences comparing
Mark with Matthew and again Mark with Luke. Given this, he formulated the
proposal that has been generally accepted in all theological contexts, whether
conservative or liberal, about the priority of Mark, in the sense that being the
first he was later taken by the other two as a script for the development of their
respective gospels. Others accepted the proposal and developed it, among them
C. g. Wilke and C. H. Weisse. The proposal was developed as a demonstration
by H. J. Holtzmann, in his work Die Shnoptiker (1901).
Already in the s. XX, the proposal of the two documentary sources for
the synoptics and, therefore, for Marcos was established 16 , which would justify
the differences between the three gospels. One of the sources for Matthew and
Luke had, according to this proposal, to be Mark. This hypothesis that sees Mark
as one of the sources of the synoptics is supported by the coincidences of the
parallels, so that Matthew has 90% of the verses of Mark, and Luke 51%. They
also appreciate that the order of thematic development of both is that which
appears in Mark .
In a manifestation of Mark 's sources, Julius Wellhausen made the
15 g. Salmon. Human Element in the Gospels, p. 27.

16 Among others, in England, W. Sanday, V. H. Stanton, John C, Hawkins, J.
MoffattV in the United States, C. S. Patton, E. De Witt BurtonV in France A. Loisy.
proposal of the Aramaic content and Jewish background of the gospel.
Especially for the kerygmatic-eschatological comparison of the text. Also
observing the silences about the messianism of Jesus, which, according to the
proposal, have definitive links with the request that he made on many occasions
and that will no longer be limited after the resurrection.
For his part, J. Weiss considers that the meaning of the kingdom in Mark
has a future content. However, the most important thing for this introductory
aspect is the proposal he makes of Mark's sources, distinguishing them into 1)
Peter's narratives; 2) stories that come from controversies; 3) sentences with or
without historical framework; 3) general traditions. In addition to this, it raises
doubt about the authorship of Mark , as written by John Mark, the companion of
Paul and Barnabas (Acts. 12:12, 25; 15:37), leaning towards denying that
authorship, since there is a lack of testimony in the early church about this.
It is necessary to remember here the French theologian Alfred Loisy, the

best known and most radical of the modernists who in 1907, Les Évangiles
synoptiques . In it he makes a distinction between a first account of Mark , where
stories from memories of Peter's preaching appear, proposed as Protomarchos ,
and the later additions of an editor who completes the work. Finally, he proposes
that the current Mark is a compilation that reflects a strong influence of early
Christianity and, especially, of Pauline doctrine. Coincident with Loisy, B. W.
Bacon, in his book The Beginnings of Gospel Story , which appeared in 1909,
mentions many of these coincidences, arguing that more than Petrine Mark is
Pauline.
He advanced this criticism of the authorship and purpose of the gospel in another
essay titled Is Mark a Roman Gospel? From the year 1919, maintaining that
Mark represents the strong thinking of Romans 14, with a markedly anti-Jewish
attitude. Going deeper into this matter, in his book The Gospel of Mark ,
published in 1925, he studies the Christology of Paul and Mark , reaching the
conclusion that it is not possible to understand the gospel without linking it to
the doctrine that Paul preached. It speaks of an apocalyptic prophecy that
circulated in the early church, formulated around the year 40 in which Caligula's
intention to desecrate the temple was announced, which, according to this
modernist, served as the basis for the writing of chapter thirteen.
The Macos structure was heavily attacked by K. L. Schmidt, in his work

Rahmen der Geschichte Jesu , published in 1919, states that overall the work is
an artificial construction. He directly states that "as a whole we cannot speak of
the life of Jesus in the sense of a progressive biography, nor of a chronological
outline of the history of Jesus, but only of isolated stories, pericopes, that are
integrated into a 17 structure."
In the development of the history of the forms related to Mark , Bultmann

cannot fail to be mentioned, especially in his work Die Geschichte der
synoptischen Tradition that appeared in 1921, in which he speaks of the
sentences of the gospel that he classifies in this way:1 ) Lodge or wisdom
sentences; 2) prophetic and apocalyptic sentences; 3) community laws and
norms; 4) personal words, sentences in the first person singular, and 5)
parables1718 . Bultmann's criticism is extremely radical.
Marcos sources.
As a consequence of the Critique of Forms, in the openly modernist and

liberal proposals, it resulted in research to try to find the sources that, according
to them, served Marcos for the composition of the gospel. Among the
propositions relating to this subject, what they call duplicity of accounts has been
presented as evidence from more than one source, thus considering the first
multiplication of the loaves and the following passages (6:30 7:37) compared
with the second and subsequent texts (8:1-26), as the same account taken from
different sources, and the second incorporated into the text by some later
redactor. On the other hand, they propose that a series of gospel passages had to
have been taken from a source of Jesus' sayings (4:21-25; 8:34-9:1, 42-50). The
peculiar form of the prophetic sermon (ch. 13), as well as data on the passion
and, above all, the absence in Luke of a parallel to 6:45-8:26, serve to propose
that Mark used sources prior to the other two synoptics, which is worth it, not
only to affirm that this is the first of the three gospels, but to prove the existence
of diverse sources in Mark and not only that coming from Peter. This has
generated from the sector of Higher Criticism , several propositions related to
the sources, introducing what will be considered in its own section as the Ur-
Markus, that is, the original Marcos, as a primitive outline that served for the
writing of the gospel. However, although the Ur-Markus has not been
demonstrated, an unprejudiced investigation will allow us to find important
aspects of the tradition as it was expressed in the writer's time.
Vincent Taylor's summary of the main proposals for Ur-Markus will

serve as a basis for what follows 19 , following the same order used, and
continuing with the following hypotheses in the same way.
The Ur-Markus hypothesis.
There are many hypotheses formulated to confirm the existence of this,

let's say, Proto-evangelium , giving below the main ones.
AND. Wendling . He put forward his proposal in the book titled Ur-
Markus , which appeared in 1905, reaffirming it later in the work Die
Entstehung des Markusevangeliums published in 1908. The hypothesis
17 P. 317.
19 Vincent Taylor. oc, p. 90 ff.
distinguishes three stages in the formation of the gospel, which it calls M 1 , M 2
and M 3 . In chapter 4 he distinguishes two levels, the first in verses 1 to 9, 26 to
33 and 10 to 25. The second is editorial. The result of comparisons between
passages led Wedling to propose later insertions in the original text, thus
distinguishing two isolated blocks, formed by late elements, arriving at the
existence of a triple structure in which M 1 is the work of a historian, M 2 is that
of a poet and M 3 that of a theologian. In defense of his hypothesis he says that
doctrinal reasons decisively influenced the compilation of the three sources.
There is no doubt that the hypothesis raises a question: Could it not be a single
person who met the conditions of historian, poet and theologian?
H. von Soden. He explains in his book Die wichtigsten Fragen im Leben

Jesu , which appeared in 1907, that the content and style of Mark make
necessary the existence of an outline prior to the gospel, which, because it was
unknown in terms of extension, should be considered as the Ur- Markus.
Therefore, understand that there were two types of narratives: the most primitive
ones paid special attention to the very words of Jesus; the following ones are
more focused on events. Therefore, passages such as 2:1-3:6 would correspond
to the first sources, while the passages from 4:35-5:43 would belong to the later
sources. The basic pieces would correspond to 1:4-11, 16 20, 21-39; 2:1-3:6;
3:13-19, 20-35; 4:1-8, 26-32; 6:1-16; 8:27-9:1; 9:33 40; 10:13-31; 12:13-44;
13:1-6, 28-37. These passages correspond, according to Soden, to Peter's
tradition, which Mark interspersed with the other materials he had. These stories
present Jesus as a man like few others. By making distinctions between Peter's
tradition, passages centered on the words of Jesus, and historical accounts, he is
already accepting the propositions of the history of forms, which liberals have
established. In the same way he is anticipating another series of sources, when
he makes a distinction between stories, such as 7:32-37; 8:22-26; from 2:1-12;
3:1-6. Understanding that in the first group the main interest is healing itself,
while in the second group the interest is in the forgiveness of sins and the law of
the Sabbath. These distinctions do not allow us to lay the groundwork for talking
about a first edition of Mark. The first stories cited above were considered prior
to the second ones, which, for Soden, reached their current form through a
process of wear and tear. Adopting these hypotheses he comes to the conclusion
of the existence of an Ur-Markus, noticeably different from the Marcos we have
today. However, there is no doubt about the subjectivism surrounding the
proposal.
W. Bussmann. In the work Synoptische Studien , published in three

volumes between 1925 and 1931, he also offers a three-stage hypothesis, like
Wendling, but with different assumptions. The first of them is called G and,
according to Bussmann, it was the gospel as Luke knew it; The second is called
B, which is an expansion of G made by a Galilean editor, which was the source
used by Matthew; The final form is called B and is the result of the redaction
done by a Roman writer, which is the gospel as we have it now. These
hypotheses, very similar to those of Wendling, are rejected by N. Q. Willan in
the work Oxford Studies in the Symoptic Problem , proposing that the gospel had
circulated in three recensions between the seventies to the one hundred of our
era: 1) the original form in which 6:45-8:26 and chapter 13 were missing ; 2)
another that did not include only 6:45 8:26, which was used by Luke; 3) the
canonical gospel, as we know it today, which was the source of Matthew. For his
part, W. W. Holdsworth also distinguishes three forms of the gospel: 1) the
primitive one that circulated in Palestine, in which the passage from 6:45 to 8:26
was not present and which served as a source for Luke; 2) the one used by
Matthew for the Jews of the dispersion; 3) the gospel as we know it today,
composed by Mark and addressed to the church in Rome, including brief
additions that are the differences between it and Matthew and Luke.
The writing hypothesis.
Faced with the Ur-Markus hypothesis, others formulated what is known

as the redaction hypothesis , in which it is stated that the gospel we have was the
result of the redaction done by Mark . Among those who formulate this
hypothesis, only two scholars can be cited here to express the idea of this
proposal.
J. c. Hawkins . In his work Horae Synopticae , published in 1909, he

rejects the Ur-Markus hypothesis, however he affirms, like the vast majority of
critics, that Mark was the gospel used by Matthew and Luke. However, he sees
the intervention of a redactor in names such as Jesus Christ (1:1); in Christ -like
expressions (9:41), in citations to persecutions and the gospel (8:35; 10:29 f.),
and probably in references to the Jews (7:3).
v. H. Stanton . He develops the editorial hypothesis in his work The

Gospels as Historical Documents . Quoting verbatim from V. Taylor. He also
highlights differences, probably from a later editor, such as the use of the word
gospel , in an absolute sense (1:1; 1:14 f.; 8:35; 10:29); calling Jesus the
carpenter (6:3); the anointing of the sick with oil (6:13); Jesus' phrase the
Sabbath is made for man (2:27); the sentence on the servant of all (9:35);
temporary historical elements (4:35 s.); the references to the silence imposed by
Jesus who did not want anyone to know and the reason he had because he taught
his disciples (9:30, 31); both times and second time , in the account of Peter's
denial (14:30, 72). Also following the hypothesis of Mark as the first gospel, he
proposes that the one Luke knew was missing the following passages: 3:22-30;
4:13b, 24b, 26-34; 6:45-7:23; 8:1-10, 14, 16-21; 9:41-50; 10:2-12; 11, 11b-14,
19-25; 13:10, 34-37; 14:3-9). Added to the hypothesis is the difficulty of
subsequent added assumptions, which, since there is no textual evidence,
become mere assumptions.
Collection hypothesis.
This proposal aims to reveal the way that the evangelists used to arrive at
the final composition of the gospel and how they used the sources available to
them. In all the cases taken as examples for this hypothesis, the authors consider
that the evangelist was the same person who wrote the gospel.
AND. Meyer . He presents the defense of the compilation , in his work

Ursprung und Anfäge des Christentums , published in 1921. He notes that Mark
refers to Jesus' disciples simply as his disciples , using the term twelve on some
occasions (3:14; 4:10; 6:7; 9:35; 10:32; 11:11; 14: 10, 17, 20, 43). Based on this,
he understands that Mark used two main sources, the first, which could be called
the Disciples source , or another, which could be called the Twelve source. The
latter would not be a Petrine source, used in narratives that expressly mention
disciples , or twelve . For the writing of chapter 13, Mark used a different source,
which he also used in the passages of 6:30-7:37 and 8:1-26. However, especially
where the Twelve is referred to, the evidence of the text shows that they are
compositions by Mark and not elements taken from a previous tradition, so it is
difficult to attribute them to a specific documentary source.
TO. T. Cadoux . In the work entitled The Sources of the Second Gospel ,
published in 1935, he hypothesizes three sources for the writing of the gospel. A
Palestinian account of the gospel, identified by A, written in Aramaic about the
year 40, probably under the direction of Peter; a gospel intended for the
diaspora, which he identifies as source B, written around the year 67 in
Alexandria, very inclined to the Jews and hardly attributable to the tradition of
Peter; a third source called C, which is a Gentile gospel, written around the year
50, for Paul to use on his missionary trips. The apparent discrepancies in the
gospel and the somewhat abnormal form of the situation in the story come from
the use of these three sources. This would also explain, according to Cadoux, the
repetitions in the gospel. However, all these arguments are still hypotheses that
do not definitively justify the proposed sources.
J. M. c. Crum . In a critical study published in his work St. Mark's

Gospel: Two Stages of its Making , published in 1936, makes a distinction
between what it calls Mark I and Mark II. For him, the first is an evangelical
story narrated by a person between the 1930s and 1960s, closely related to Peter.
The second, Mark II, was produced around the year 65, which elaborates and
expands Mark I, using the language of the LXX, which reflects a later
Christology.
All the previous hypotheses reflect a common idea, that Mark used
different sources in addition to Peter's, for the writing of the gospel.
Author.
Since the earliest times of Christianity, it has been unanimously admitted

that John Mark, who was long associated with Peter, was the author of the
gospel. However, some consider that this Mark is not the one who was a
companion of Paul and Barnabas during part of the first missionary journey.
It is, as always, Higher Criticism , which questions this, as with most

biblical writings, the always accepted authorship. For some critics, such as
Johannes Weiss, it is doubtful that the author of the gospel is John Mark of Acts.
They justify internal evidence such as the deep knowledge that the author has
about the places, especially those of Jerusalem, as is the case with the house of
the high priest, or the use of proper names from the Jerusalem environment such
as Bethphage, Bethany, Gethsemane or Golgotha, as an expression of the
tradition of Peter, but not as the author's own knowledge. Critics claim that the
direct reference to John Mark as the author of the gospel began with Jerome
commenting on a reference to John Mark of Phil. 24, says: “He who is, as I
believe, the author of the gospel.”20 . However, the fact that John Mark is not
mentioned in the ancient church writers does not mean doubt of his authorship,
but rather evidence of it, since he was recognized by everyone and no
confirmation was necessary. Although, obviously, the identification of the
author is of some importance, what is really important is the content of the
gospel, even if the identity of the author was not known.
It is also necessary to establish that John Mark is not the direct name of a
person, but a composition of the name John and the nickname Mark, as Luke
calls him (Acts. 12:12, 25; 15:37). Along with the name and nickname, it is also
Luke who gives a family fact by relating his mother's house to one of the places
where the church met in Jerusalem, referring to her name as Mary (Acts. 12:12).
It is very likely that the upper room, where Jesus celebrated the last supper with
the apostles, was in that house, in which case John Mark would have known
Jesus personally (14:15; Luke. 22:12), but it does not allow us to assume the
presence of Mark at the celebration of the last supper, therefore, the story he
gives about it comes from the apostle Peter. It can also be thought that in that
room, known to all the disciples, their meeting took place prior to the moment of
the ascension (Acts. 1:13). The large house assumed that its owners were well-
off people in Jerusalem society. Possibly the son of a distinguished widow in the
city.
Soon John Mark appears related to the leaders of the Church, especially
with Barnabas and Paul, who took him with them (Acts. 12:25). It is from Luke's
account that we know that John Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their
first missionary journey, although Luke does not mention the nickname Mark at
20 Jerome. Migne , XXVI, 618.

the beginning of the journey, calling him simply John (Acts. 13:15), however the
context claims the identity of this with John who was nicknamed Mark, since
Luke says that he separated from Paul and Barnabas from Pamphylia (Acts
13:13), to later identify him as the reason for the violent argument between Paul
and Barnabas at the beginning of the second missionary journey, when Barnabas
wanted to take with them John, who was nicknamed Mark, but Paul objected
because he was the one who had left them in Pamphylia (Acts. 15:37-38). Being
the assistant of the two on the first trip, it is assumed that he was in charge of the
administration and general affairs, while the responsibility for the proclamation
of the gospel and teaching was in the hands of Barnabas and Paul. John Mark
was taken by Barnabas on a journey that we know began in Antioch and reached
Cyprus (Acts. 15:39).
Without a doubt, John Mark's relationship with the two companions, Paul
and Barnabas, meant for him extensive knowledge of the doctrine that was
taught in the churches founded in the Greco-Roman world. The time and life of
John Mark made Paul use him again in the ministry, so that it appears in the
greeting he makes to the church in Colosse, in the epistle he sent to them,
specifying that John to whom he refers was the nephew of Barnabas (Col. 4:10).
Paul tells the
Colossians that if Mark visited them they should receive him without
any hesitation, which suggests that the conflict between him and Barnabas
because of John Mark had been resolved and that he was a trustworthy person.
In Paul's first prison in Rome, John Mark was with him, we do not know if all
the time, but he was when he wrote the letter to Philemon, where he also quotes
him in the greeting (Flm. 24). It is in the final writing of the apostle that the
recovery and the specific weight that John Mark had in the churches is
appreciated, when he asked Timothy, then in the church in Ephesus, to take him
with him on the last visit he would make to Paul before his death, because it was
useful to the apostle for the ministry, using the nickname Mark instead of the
name John (2 Tim. 4:11). This suggests that John Mark came with Timothy to
Rome and, perhaps, stayed there for a time after Paul's death.
It is not only Luke and Paul who quote John Mark. The apostle Peter also
does so at the end of his first epistle: “The church that is in Babylon, chosen
with you, and Mark my son, greet you” (1 Pet. 5:13). If Babylon is used as a
veiled reference to Rome21 , is evidence that he was at Peter's side in that city,
perhaps until the apostle's death, which would place that time around the year
63. Luke links Peter with the family of John Mark, going to the house of Mary,
his mother, when he was miraculously released from prison (Acts. 12:12). There
is no doubt that the source for writing the gospel came from this relationship.
Date.
The proposal that Mark precedes Matthew and Luke in the synoptic
writings produces a certain conflict in what would be the logic of dating. If the
gospel according to Luke was written around the year 60 and had Mark's draft as
its draft, it would have to date back at least ten years earlier, which would mean
writing around the year 50. However, such an early date is not necessary, taking
into account that Mark's presence in Rome before the apostle's death and, even
more so, if he was in Rome after Peter's death, cannot be dated before 60. To
this it must be added that the prophetic sermon of chapter 13 would have no
reason to exist after the year 70, the date of the destruction of Jerusalem by the
forces of Titus. However, the writing should not be dated beyond the year 60, if
it really is the second of the gospels in the order of appearance. A large majority
of scholars place the writing between the years 65-67.
Composition place.
Some, based on the testimony of Chrysostom, present the possibility

21
that it was written in Egypt. But, this openly contradicts other testimonies
such as that of Clement of Alexandria and that of Origen. It is very likely that
Chrysostom misinterpreted a somewhat ambiguous phrase from Eusebius that
was translated as: “They say that Mark, who was sent to Egypt, first preached
the gospel and then put it in writing.22 ” , which should be understood as being
in Egypt and preaching the gospel, which he also put into writing.
21See commentary on the verse in 1 Peter , from this same series.
The greatest probability is that it was written in Rome, among other
things there are a series of references that suggest that the recipients were
Gentiles, especially due to the explanation of Aramaic words, references to
Jewish customs, and also some Latinized words that appear in the text. .
Recipients.
One proposal is that it was written in Rome for the use of the church in
that city and then spread from there to other parts of the Roman world. There is
no doubt that the recipients are people from the Greco-Roman world, especially
considering that the meaning of Aramaic words is explained: Boanerges (3:17);
Talitha kumi (5:41); corban (7:11); effata (7:34); Abba (14:36); Golgotha
(15:22); Eloi, Eli, lamma sabachtani (15:34).
As was also said in the previous section, it explains certain uses and
customs of the Jews such as ablutions (3:3 f.); the Passover lamb (14:22); the
parasceve (15:42).
However, it cannot be stated that the recipients of the writing were only
the Christians of the church in Rome, but rather it must extend to the scope of
the Roman Empire. In short, the gospel is intended for non-Jewish and probably
Latin people.
Purpose.
Many themes have been proposed, including the motives that led Mark to
write the gospel. Higher Criticism has formulated proposals such as that the
writing is an apologetic for deviations or incorrect positions of the early church.
These proposals of the critics were expressed in writings such as The Heresy that
Necessitated Mark's Gospel .23 . These questions of the liberal world, like a large
part of them, cannot be verifiable. Accepting these proposals requires
considering Mark as a controversial writer, a matter that has never been
considered possible in the history of the church. It is simply a proposition made
by scholars who question Mark's reasons for writing this gospel. In some cases,
the concept of God the man , from ancient Christology, was appealed to as a
philosophical influence by which the disciples were explained as receptive to the
Hellenistic ideal, in the sense of Jesus as a man who, by performing wonders,
was considered by them as semi-divine. The liberal proposal is that Mark wrote
to oppose this idea and present Jesus as the suffering Servant who calls his
followers to the path of humility and unconditional surrender, so that the
Messiah he presents in the gospel, rejected, questioned and killed, was the
22 Proem. in Matt.: kaiV Mavrko ς deV ejn Aijguvptw/ tw``n maqhtw``n

parakalesavntwn aujtoVn aujtoV tou``to poih``sai, sunqei``nai toV eujaggevlion.
23 T. J. Weeden. Beihefte zur Zeitschrft für die netestamentliche
Wissenschaft. 1968.
attempt he made against a thought that presented only the divine aspect of Jesus.
In the same way, according to liberals, presenting the disciples with an
understanding of the Kingdom of God different from the teaching of Jesus was
done to radicalize in Christians and readers in general an idea of the kingdom
different from the one they was usually offered.
Mark's concern was essentially to present the reality of the Son of God
who lives as a man among men, acts in the power of God that belonged to him,
and in his human nature gives his life on the Cross for men for the forgiveness of
his sins. sins and the gift of eternal life through faith in Him.
Yet Mark's main interest in writing about Jesus and his work was to
present Him as the Teacher he understood Him to be and to call men to a faithful
following of His Person. He is not interested in opposing the thoughts of men,
but in presenting Jesus, not as the suffering Son of God, in a state of extreme
limitation and humiliation, but as the glorious manifestation of the Deity of
Jesus, expressed in the triumph of the work done on the Cross.
Mark writes from the heart of a teacher and pastor of the early church.
What interests him is to present Jesus as the Savior and the Teacher who
demands faithful following of his people, explaining through the story what it
means to be a follower of Christ. Hence, the purpose of the gospel is established
under two large areas that arise from it: Christology and discipleship.
The writing.
Mark is written in a low-level Greek, it is practically the written translation

of popular Greek, marking a great distance from classical Greek. However, the
descriptive brilliance and the forms of the writing reveal Marcos' status as a
narrator. The dynamics of the gospel are unique in this sense and immediately
capture the reader's attention.
Syntax Peculiarities in Frameworks24 .
1. Abundant use of participles, as will be noted in the textual analyses.
2. Use of a[n with indicative is also notable.
3. Use of eijmiv with participle, a construction that involves the use of

Semitisms in writing.
4. Use of two negations ouj mhv, unusual form, given the bluntness it implies.
5. Frequent use of the historical present, where it appears more than 100 times,
24 The order that appears in Vicent Taylor's text is followed.

which is typical and characteristic of Marcos' style, for some it represents an
Aramaic influence.
6. Use of h[rxanto, as an auxiliary verb, where a Semitic construction could be

seen, but, in any case, it is a typical form of Marcos' style.
In the construction of sentences, the gospel has notable peculiarities:
Anacolutos.
Cut or incomplete constructions, which appear little in the other synoptics,

are common and, arguably, characteristic of Mark, for example 3:16, 17; 4:31,
32; 5:23; 6:8, 9; 11:32; 12:19, 38, 40; 13:14; 14:49. Some of these constructions
are parentheses in the story, such as 7:3 f., or clarifications: “This is what he
said, making all foods clean” (7:19). The parentheses, of which some cite more
than fifteen, are a characteristic of Mark's style. All these forms, which will be
considered in the commentary, reveal the language of the gospel, like a popular
Greek.
Pleonasms.
The introduction of redundant words, including also the double negation,

appear with some frequency in Mark . Without a doubt, as happens in any
writing, some of the pleonasms add precision, as occurs in 1:28, which literally
translated says: “And the fame of him immediately spread everywhere
throughout the entire region of Galilee,” another example. in the same chapter
1:32: “And in the evening, when the sun was set.” Other times it is used to
complete the idea more firmly: “And immediately the leprosy left him, and he
was cleansed” (1:42); later “go to your house, to your loved ones” (5:19). On
other occasions it adds vividness to the story, as will be considered.
Asyndeton.
The figure of speech that omits binding conjunctions that serve as a link, or
particles used in Greek in that same sense, appear several times in the
construction of sentences in the gospel. This is an improper form of classical
Greek, except in rhetorical constructions, but very typical of Aramaic. Of the
twenty-five times that Mark uses the asyndeton in parallel passages, it only
appears twice in Luke and never in Matthew. Mark sometimes uses this figure to
emphasize the authority of Jesus. Therefore the asyndeton is also characteristic
of this gospel.
Parataxis.
It occurs in the coordination or juxtaposition of sentences. Mark

coordinates sentences in the usual way by using kaiV, instead of using
subordinate clauses or participles. It is also one of the characteristics of Marcos'
style. This also highlights the great distance between the Greek of the gospel and
the Greek culture.
The Semitic background of the gospel.
There is no doubt that the Greek of the gospel presents a notable influence
of the Aramaic language. However, it is not possible to affirm, as some critics
claim, that Mark is the translation of a gospel that had been written in Aramaic.
Some like W. F. Howard, insist that although one cannot speak of a translation
into Greek of an Aramaic text, it is possible to think that Mark was greatly
influenced by the catechism of new believers given in Jerusalem or to converts
from Judaism. However, the possible Aramaic influences that appear in sentence
constructions correspond better to a writer who writes in Greek but whose usual
language is Aramaic. It would require a deep study of the style and structure of
the sentences to reach any conclusion on this, a task that exceeds in everything
the introduction that is intended to be made of the Gospel.25 .
Characteristics of the Gospel according to Mark.
Many have tried to define the structure of Mark , but each one appreciates
it in a different way. Generally a division is created from the moment in which
Peter makes the declaration about who Jesus is, recognizing him as the Messiah
(8:29), moment in which Jesus declares how he would end his mission with the
rejection of the leaders and the people, who will end with his death (8:31). From
here the story focuses on Jerusalem, with the events prior to his death on the
cross, his burial and the resurrection.
As a consequence, a division is seen, generally established into three parts.

The first has to do with the beginning of Jesus' ministry, his presentation in the
temporal environment of the service of John the Baptist, then developing the
story of His activity, which can be closed with Peter's testimony about the
identification of who He is, or follow it to the entrance to Jerusalem. The second
section has to do with the time of the passion, which goes from the entry into
Jerusalem to his death and burial. The third goes from this to the resurrection.
Geographically these three divisions can be established in this way: The

first corresponds to Galilee and its surroundings, from the beginning of the
gospel to 8:21. The second is linked to the road to Jerusalem (8:22-10:52). The
third occurs in Jerusalem (11:1-16:20).
The structure of the Gospel is designed by Mark and oriented toward one
goal: The culmination of the work of salvation that was occurring in Jerusalem.
Hence, Mark refers to a single visit of Jesus to Jerusalem, whose journey
25 For a reflection on this topic see Vincent Taylor, oc, p. 79 ff.

practically goes from Galilee to the nation's capital. It is also notable to observe
that from the very beginning of the writing, he prepares the narrative for the end
of Jesus in Jerusalem by mentioning that the opposition to Christ's ministry came
from Jerusalem (3:22; 7:1). In the same way it refers to the opposition of the
political-religious leaders, which continually interrupts the journey from Galilee
to Jerusalem (8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34). This presents a notable contrast with the
Gospel according to John , which recounts several journeys from Galilee to
Jerusalem, especially on the occasion of Jewish holidays.
The outline of Mark's account could be summarized in a reference to the

extensive ministry that occurred in Galilee, followed by a carefully recounted
journey to Jerusalem, culminating in the city, where his death occurs. There is
no doubt that the structure of the gospel comes from the objective that the author
had when writing it, which does not always fit the historical chronology of the
events recounted in it. The evangelist has a purpose in the book that conditions,
to a certain extent, its structure. This scheme has been maintained, in general
terms, in the Analytical Sketch given below.
Mark's narrative.
The ancient church considered the Gospel according to Mark as a

disordered story, to a certain extent that was the reason why Papias apologized
for considering Mark's story unstructured. However, as Higher Criticism entered
the analytical study of the gospel, along with unacceptable propositions, it
produced a resurgence of general interest in all aspects of the writing. The other
two synoptics were considered for centuries to be more organized, better
presented in historical aspects and with a better theological expression in their
content. At the same time, the Greek of Matthew and Luke, much higher
linguistically speaking, left Mark as a writing prepared by a person with little
linguistic culture of classical Greek, reducing him to a mere narrator according
to common language.
The proposal of the critics considering it as the first of the gospels and the
source of the other two, has caused a change in the point of view with which the
gospel was treated. From all this a proposal was derived that Mark should be
considered a narrative of specific moments in the life of Christ, rather than a
historical-theological writing. That is, Mark wrote so that readers would know
how and who Jesus was. Of course, the historical account is necessarily
saturated with theology, since it is about notes on the human life of God
incarnate. What makes the gospel so easy to read is due, in large part, to being a
transcription of the oral tradition received mostly by an eyewitness of the events,
who was Peter. The narrator tries, through repetitive expressions and
parentheses, to ensure that the reader has his or her thoughts updated to
understand the context of the story. Hence, as an example, the frequent use of
the adverb eujquV ς, instantly , which maintains the reader's attention while
establishing the development of the narrative. Likewise, we appreciate the use of
h[rxanto and h[rxato, began, began , which appear constantly in the story. 26 ,
while Pavlin, too , appears forty-two times, serving especially as a linking
element between stories. The verb levgw, to speak, to say , gives a very dynamic
and colloquial form to the text. These forms of writing, among others, contribute
to the creation of a very dynamic narrative, impactful for the reader or for
whoever might hear the story read.
Mark is very interested in matters such as miracles being clearly fixed in

the reader's mind, which is why he adds details that do not appear in the other
two synoptics, so the length is always greater than in them. An example of this is
the graphic report he makes of the opening in the roof of the house through
which the paralytic was introduced.
(2:4), which is not in Matthew's parallel account. These aspects will be

considered in the section on Gospel Materials.
The peculiarities of the story lead to the source of an eyewitness who could
not be other than the apostle Peter. That is to say, they have not been matters
taken from an oral tradition that circulated in the church, but from the
communication of the events by someone who had been there when they
occurred. For that reason there are details such as the Lord looking at those
sitting around Him (3:34); Jesus sleeping on a bolster in the middle of the storm,
at the stern of the ship (4:37-38); the crowd sitting in groups on the green grass
(6:39-40). It also happens with the detail of the group of frightened disciples
who follow the Master on the road to Jerusalem (10:32); the silence of the
disciples when Jesus asked them what the reason for their discussion was on the
road (9:34). It is evident that Mark had a good narrator of the life of Christ, and
the received oral tradition made the story take on the life that can only be given
by someone who had been there and, in this case, it could only be Peter.
Mark is a narrator capable of interspersing one story within another, as is

the case of the resurrection of Jairus' daughter, where he intersperses the healing
of the hemorrhagic woman (5:21-43). Although this story is not unique to Mark,
but also appears in the other Synoptics, there are other examples from the
Gospel that demonstrate the capacity for interpolations. Sometimes they are real
digressions from the narrative sequence, as occurs with the story of the death of
John the Baptist that appears as a flashback within the narrative of the sending of
the Twelve to preach in the towns and their return (6:7- 30). Mark's intention
was not, in this specific case, to fill a gap in the space of the narrative, but to
26 h[rxanto, appears in 2:23V 5:17V 6:55V 8:11V 10:41V 14:19, 65V 15:18.
h[rxato, appears at 1:45; 4:1; 5:20; 6:2, 7, 34; 8:31, 32; 10:28, 32, 47; 11:14; 12:1;
13:5; 14:33, 69, 71; 15:8.
highlight the opposition with which Jesus carried out his ministry, in the face of
the disbelief of the leaders, and even the people, and the opposition of Herod
who considered him as the resurrected John the Baptist (6:14-16). Generally the
interspersed stories help each other for the correct interpretation of all of them. It
occurs, as an example, with the interspersion of the story of Jesus' family that
came with the intention of removing him from the ministry, in the context of the
accusation of the Jewish leaders accusing him of making a pact with the devil
for the liberation of the demon-possessed (3 :21-35).
All this shows that we are in the presence of a writer endowed with a high
capacity for narration. This technique allows the reader to be captured by the
story and gain depth as one story is guided through the other. In such a way that
in the previous example, the value that Jesus had before the leaders of the nation
and his own family is revealed.
The insertion of stories fulfills several functions: giving dynamism to the
story and getting the reader's attention; clarify aspects that allow a greater
understanding of what you write; present theological questions derived from the
story and the sentences and teachings of Jesus; prepare the reader to reflect on
what they are writing.
Gospel material.
It is very varied, although it can be grouped into two parts: Stories,

compositions and parables.
Declarative stories.
They are those in which a doctrinal teaching is emphasized. These stories

are not so much historical observations as expressions of Jesus on doctrinal
matters of importance to Christians. Following the detail provided by Vincent
Taylor 27 , this group of declarative stories can be established in the following
way
2:5-10. Teaching about forgiveness.

2:16 s. Relations with publicans and sinners.
2:18-20. Teaching on fasting.
2:23-26. Teaching on the Sabbath.
3:1-6. Authority over the Sabbath.
3:22-26. Power over Satan and unforgivable sin.
3:31-35. The true family bond of Jesus.
7:1-8. The ritual of washing hands.
7:9-13. The offerings for the sanctuary.
9:38 s. The collaboration of those who are not disciples
10:1-9. Teaching on adultery.
10:13-16. The children and Jesus.
11:27-33. The authority of Jesus.
12:13-17. The question of tribute.
12:18-27. The teaching on the resurrection.
12:28.34. The first commandment.
12:35-37. The Son of David.
12:41-44. The offering that God accepts.
27
Vincent Taylor. oc, page 99 ff.
13:1-2. The eschatology.
Miracles.
The miracles that Jesus carried out in his ministry are presented in the
gospel in the typical way: Environment in which it occurs, reasons that motivate
it, result produced by the fact. Mark presents seventeen miracles of Jesus:
1:23-28. The demon possessed of Capernaum. Healing of Pedro's

1:29-31. mother-in-law. Healing of various patients. Healing of a
1:32-34. leper.
1:40-45. The paralytic of Capernaum.
2:1-4, 10-12. Jesus calms the storm.
4:35-41.
Liberation of the demon-possessed man of Gadara.
5:1-20.
5:21-24, 35-43. Resurrection of Jairus's daughter. Cure of hemorrhoids.
5:25-34. The first multiplication of the loaves. Jesus walks on the sea.
6:35-44. Healing of a deaf.
6:45-52. The second multiplication of the loaves.
7:31-37. Healing of the blind man of Bethsaida.
8:1-10. Healing and liberation of a boy. Healing of the blind man of
8:22-26. Jericho.
9:14-27.
10:46-52.
11:12-14, 20-22. The curse of the fig tree.
Stories about Jesus.
Although the entire gospel is a story about Christ, there are aspects that
deserve to be highlighted due to the specific conditions that occur in it. Mostly
they are units of the tradition that it received from its source. Some twenty-nine
narratives can be established in this sense, which explain and situate in time
aspects linked to the person of Jesus:
1:1-8. John the Baptist.

1:9-11. The baptism of Jesus.
1:12-13. The temptation.
1:16-20. The call to the first disciples.
1:35-39. Jesus praying and preaching.
2:13-14. The Call of Levi.
6:1-6. Jesus rejected in Nazareth.
7:24-30. The Syrophoenician woman.
8:11-13. The Pharisees ask for a sign.
8:27-33. Peter's confession.
9:2-8. The transfiguration.
10:17-22. The rich young man
10:23-27. Teaching about riches.
10:28-31. The blessing for renunciation.
10:35-40. The request of James and John.
11:1-11. The entry into Jerusalem.
11:15-19. The purification of the temple.
14:3-9. Jesus is anointed in Bethany.
14:12-26. Preparations for the last supper.
14:32-42. Gethsemane.
14:43-52. The arrest of Jesus.
14:53-65. Jesus before the high priest.
14:66-72. Peter's denial.
15:1-15. Jesus before Pilate.
15:16-20. The contempt of the soldiers.
15:21-41. The crucifixion.
15:42-47. Burial of Jesus.
16:1-8. The resurrection.
Marcos compositions.
There is a series of stories in which Peter's tradition is also evident, but in

which, due to their written form, they are seen as a construction of Mark and
which are the following:
3:13-19. Election of the Twelve.

13:20-21. The family of Jesus.
4:10-12. The reason for parables.
6:7-13. The Twelve on mission.
6:14-16. Herod's fear.
6:30-31. The return of the Twelve.
6:53-56. The arrival at Genezareth.
8:14-21. The leaven of the Pharisees.
9:9-13. Descent from the Mount of Transfiguration.
9:30-32. Second announcement of passion.
9:33-37. True greatness.
10:32-34. Third advertisement of passion.
10:41-45. The exhortation to the ten.
13:3-4. The question of the four disciples.
14:1-2. The plot against Jesus.
14:10-11. The betrayal of Judas.
14:17-21. Announcement of betrayal.
14:27-31. Announcement of Peter's denial.
Parables and sentences.
The gospel offers a long series of parables and sentences that Jesus said
during the time of his ministry. These can be established as follows:
2:21-22. The patches and the wineskins.

2:27-28. Saturday.
3:27-29. The strong man.
4:2-9. The parable of the sower.
4:10-12. Reason for parables.
4:13-20. Interpretation of the parable of the sower.
4:21-25. The light.
4:21-22. Nothing hidden.
4:23. Ears to hear.
4:24. Measured with the same measurement.
4:25. The one who has and the one who doesn't have.
4:26-29. Parable of the seed that grows in secret.
4:30-32. Parable of the mustard seed.
7:14-23. What contaminates man.
8:34. The need to carry the cross.
8:35. Save or lose your life.
8:36. What benefits man.
8:37. What man cannot give in exchange for his life.
8:38. He who is ashamed of Jesus.
9:1. Some who will not like death.
9:37. Consequences of receiving one of the little ones.
9:40. Those who are not against us.
9:41. Reward for a glass of water.
9:42. The sin of scandalizing another.
9:43-48. Decided actions.
9:49. Salted over fire.
9:50. Salt that is not useful.
9:50. The need to have salt in one.
10:11-12. Teaching on adultery.
10:31. Who will be first.
11:23-25. The sentence.
12:1-12. The evil farmers.
12:38-40. The scribes.
13:9-13. The chasing.
13:14-20. The great tribulation.
13:21-23. False Christs and false prophets.
13:28-29. Parable of the fig tree.
13:30. The generation.
13:31. Heaven and earth that will pass away.
13:32. Parousia day.
13:33. Watch and pray.
13:34. Parable of the man who went on a journey
13:35-37. Need to watch.
Theological points of the Gospel.
It is worth highlighting the following aspects, without failing to understand

that there is another more limited body of doctrine that will be referred to in the
commentary.
Christology.
Christology in Mark cannot be linked, as some claim, with the use of the
titles that the early church used to refer to Christ: Jesus, Christ, Son of Man, Son
of God. Christology is imprinted in the history of Mark's account. It is in it, in
the facts, in the teachings and in the conflicts that Christology emerges as a
reality linked to the Person and work of Jesus Christ. The titles cited above are
interpreted in the light of the historical story and acquire in it the dimension
proper to each one.
Jesus appears from the beginning of the gospel as the one who amazes
people, especially because of his authority (1:27; 2:12). Jesus becomes the topic
of conversation of people in towns and cities (1:28, 32-33, 37, 45). The disciples
and the people try to understand who that Master is, while in each miracle
general astonishment, admiration and impact occur in the people. It is surprising
to see that as time goes by and that the disciples, continually related to Him, do
not fully understand who it is, so they ask questions that show this lack of
knowledge: “Who is this?” (4:41). The Father's revelation leads Peter to a
testimony about Jesus, whom he recognizes as the Messiah, the Christ (8:29).
However, he refuses to accept and opposes the redemptive mission that the
Messiah had to carry out, separating his thoughts from the thoughts of God
(8:32-33). The progression of Christ's revelation is seen in the transfiguration,
however, the admirable glory of the Son of God, presented before them, did not
serve to place the disciples' thoughts in a full knowledge of who Jesus was.
There is no doubt that theology and traditions had taken effect and conditioned
the thinking of the Twelve.
The prophetic fulfillment regarding the entry of the Messiah the Prince into
Jerusalem (Dn. 9:25) is considered by the crowds more than by the disciples
themselves as the arrival to the city of the Son of David, to whom they pay
hosannas, a manifestly messianic title ( 10:47-48; 11:10). The question asked at
the beginning of Jesus' ministry: “Who is this?” He receives answers over time
until he reaches that of the Son of David, as the one who fulfills the messianic
blessings and the Davidic covenant.
The historical Christology of the story focuses, from this, on the temple,
where teachings take place and, above all, on the increasingly hostile meetings
of the Jewish leadership. The problem lies in determining who is truly the
authority, the religious leadership or Jesus. Hence, Christology about the
lordship of Jesus is revealed in the parable of the wicked tenants, where the
illustration teaches the divine determination to send Jesus as Lord, which will
deprive of the lordship of those who, without having authority, acted as if had it
(12:6-11). The Lord of history manifests this condition in the prophetic sermon,
where he expresses an eschatological panorama that, linking it to the destruction
of the temple, affirms the future authority in the control of history and warns of
the need to be prepared for his Second Coming. .
The end of the story puts before the reader the true dimension of who Jesus
is. The sufferings of passion, the judicial mockery represented in the hearings,
the contempt of the nation's leaders, the rejection of the crowds, the mockery of
the soldiers, the tremendous beating imposed by the governor, the death
sentence, the hours of the cross, do not diminish in any way the authority of the
Son of God, since that dying and destroyed Son of Man is truly the King of the
Jews. It is a Gentile who, at the end of the story of the cross, with the voluntary
surrender of the life of the Son of God, recognizes who Jesus is and says: “Truly
this man was the Son of God” (15:39).
Marcos does not intend to write a Christology from Systematic Theology,

but rather a Christology directly supported and deductive from the historical
account. Otherwise, Mark is concerned with presenting a narrative Christology
that in the historical progression reveals and answers without a doubt the
question: “Who is this?”
Surprisingly given a descriptive detail like the one that appears in Mark ,
unlike the other two synoptics, there is no genealogy of Jesus, nor any reference
to the time preceding his birth, nor to this one. His perspective starts from
baptism (1:9-11) which is followed by temptation (1:12-13), which is sufficient
for the writer as a prior introduction to His ministry. About temptation he
teaches that the Spirit drove him into the desert and that while there for forty
days, he was tempted by Satan. But, unlike Matthew, he does not mention the
temptations individually, so in the light of the writing the purpose that Satan had
in the temptation of Jesus cannot be determined, and he must resort to parallels
to specify it.
Titles in Christology.
In Mark's Christology, titles are applied to Jesus, coinciding with the

writings of Matthew and Luke. One of them is Lord , with a high connotation,
since it is one of the ways to refer to the Deity (7:28). Although it was also used
to refer to people with certain dignity, it was used as a synonym for Adonai
(2:28; 12:37). In Mark , Jesus was also the prophet , announced since the time of
Moses, that God would send His people (6:15; 8:28). Within the messianic
context there are other titles that manifest this condition, such as King (15:2, 26),
Shepherd (14:27).
The title Son of God is present in the Christology of Mark , therefore it is

not a later addition to Pauline theology, but rather precedes it. This binding title
with the Deity appears in baptism (1:11). Jesus is not a man who became the Son
of God, but the testimony of the Father demands that he be recognized in this
way and in this condition. It is God himself who confirms the deity of the one
who before men was apparently a man and who was being baptized by another
man, a prophet, John the Baptist. During the trial all witnesses understood that
Jesus was affirming his deity (14:61). Mark 's Christology expresses the deity of
Jesus as truth.
The title Son of Man was Jesus' favorite way to designate himself. It
appears fourteen times in Mark. This adjective probably caught the attention of
those who knew the Scriptures deeply, linking it to the prophecy of Daniel (Dan.
7:13-14), so that it was linked to the establishment of the Kingdom. But, at the
same time, the title expresses the humanity of the Son of God . In contrast to the
messianic hope that considered the Kingdom as a moment of glory and the King
as glorious and triumphant, the title offers a different dimension than the usual
one of Jewish theology, a King who is humble and Savior, so he must give his
life and be despised by everyone. So the title has both soteriological and
eschatological conditions (8:31).
The accreditation of the divine-human condition of Jesus Christ is firmly

related to the miracles, which in Mark , have the purpose of manifesting that
Jesus is God and has power and authority (2:10).
Kingdom.
Christology in Mark is necessarily linked to the concept of the Kingdom ,

which will be discussed in the places of the commentary that require it. Some
reference from the field of Christology will suffice here. Jesus came to preach
and announce the Kingdom of God, or Kingdom of Heaven, which had come
near in Him, in the fulfillment of the time that God had established (1:14-15).
However, the messianic hope expected by Israel was linked to the full
fulfillment of the promises given to the fathers and especially those contained in
those made to David, in what is called the Davidic Covenant , and in other
places of the prophetic message (Gen. . 48:8-12; 2 S. 7:11ff.; Es. 7:10-17; 9:6;
Jer. 23:5; 30:9; My. 5:2; Zac. 3:8; 6:12; 9:9). The personal references to the
Messiah are fully fulfilled in Jesus, especially what has to do with the humble
origin announced for the Messiah. Against the idea promoted by Jewish
theology of the glorious Messiah, there is the humility also announced that
would concur in Him. Even death is related in the prophecies of the Old
Testament, where the suffering of the Messiah is emphasized (cf. Es. 41:8; 42:1-
7, 19ff; 43:10; 44:1 ff.; twenty-one; 49:3-6; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12). The concept
of servant is also related to the nation of Israel, but culminates in a man who
would suffer vicariously for the people. The double aspect of a divine King and
a human servant, concurrent in the same person, are expressed in the divine-
human condition of Jesus Christ.
The deity of Christ is openly expressed in Mark . Therefore, His divine

attributes manifested in His authority supported by the omnipotent works of the
miracles He performed must be recognized.
Humanity is also manifested. God clothed in humanity, possessing a

human body (14:8, 22, 24). Along with the body the immaterial part of his
human nature is also revealed (14:34). The union in the Divine Person of the Son
of God, of his two natures, makes possible the fulfillment of the demands for the
Messiah that had been promised.
Mark , deals with the messengers of the Kingdom, putting first John the
Baptist, who prepared the way (1:2ff.), and immediately Jesus himself (1:14).
The message of each of the messengers is the same “repent and believe in the
gospel” (1:15). The need for repentance, directed in principle to the people of
Israel, became necessary because the Kingdom had approached in the person of
the King.
I consider it necessary to make a kind of parenthesis here to express the

meaning of Kingdom, taking this in general, therefore, appealing to other places
in Scripture since the interpretative sense given to it will greatly condition the
exegesis of the teaching of Jesus. Some theological positions, perhaps too
emphatic or extreme, make a distinction between the kingdom of heaven , a
common expression in Matthew, and the kingdom of God , as the other
evangelists call it. For those who make this distinction, the kingdom of heaven is
the messianic rule of Jesus, the Son of David, over the world. That adjective is
taken from Daniel's prophecy (Dan. 2:24-36, 44; 7:23-27). They understand it as
the kingdom that the God of heaven will establish on earth after the destruction
of the Gentile power that currently rules. It would be exclusively the kingdom
agreed with David (2 Sam. 7:7-10), later confirmed by the prophets (Zech. 12:8),
and confirmed to Mary at the annunciation (Lk. 1:32-33). They consider that
there is a distinction between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven ,
and that, therefore, they are not synonyms. Apparently there are five differences:
1) Universality and limitation. The kingdom of God is universal and includes all
beings who voluntarily submit to the authority of God in any dispensation (Lk.
13:28, 29; Heh. 12:22, 23). The kingdom of heaven is messianic and aims to
establish the kingdom of God on earth (Mt. 3:2; 1 Cor. 15:24, 25). 2) Access.
The kingdom of God is entered only through the new birth (Jn. 3:3. 5-7). The
kingdom of heaven in the present is the sphere of the Christian profession of
faith, which may be false or genuine (Matt. 13:3; 25:1, 11, 12). 3) Common
things. Since the kingdom of heaven is the earthly sphere of the kingdom of
God, they have almost everything in common. For this reason many teachings
about the kingdom of heaven in Matthew are repeated for the kingdom of God in
Luke. The distinction is established by omission of matters that by their nature
cannot be applied to the kingdom of heaven. 4) Two ways to manifest. The
kingdom of God does not come with external manifestations (Lk. 17:20), it is
rather interior (Rom.
14:17). The kingdom of heaven is to be manifested gloriously in this world (Lk.

1:31-33; 1 Cor. 15:24; Mt. 17:2). 5) Future agreement. Both, the kingdom of
God and the kingdom of heaven , are to converge and coincide in the future,
being one when Christ delivers everything to the Father (1 Cor. 15:24-28). This
extreme differentiated position presents serious difficulties. It is based on the
distinctive hermeneutics of the extreme dispensational system. Such a position
requires distinguishing three aspects in the concept of the kingdom of heaven
that appear in the gospel according to Matthew. 1) Kingdom in proximity (Mt.
3:2). It is approached in the person of the King, but it is not realized because he
has rejected it (Mt. 23:37-39). 2) Kingdom in mystery (Mt. 13:1-52). It is about
the kingdom of heaven in the present time, as a sphere of the Christian
profession of faith. 3) Millennial Kingdom (Mt. 24:29-25:46). It will be
established at the second coming of Jesus Christ in glory (Lk. 19:12-19). An
unprejudiced study discovers certain differences between the evangelists, which
are simply nuances rather than real differences. The division of aspects, which
extreme dispensationalism seeks to show, requires a hermeneutical game that
does not always conform to the correct rules of that science. The idea that the
kingdom in the present is a sphere of profession makes Jesus' teaching to
Nicodemus notoriously difficult about how to enter the kingdom, which requires
a new birth, far beyond a profession. In the light of general teaching and correct
hermeneutics, the conclusion is reached that the terms kingdom of God and
kingdom of heaven are synonymous expressions. The distinctives on specific and
determined aspects are established in the interpretation and textual environment
of the passage. It is evident that parallel passages use kingdom of God and
kingdom of heaven interchangeably. As an example in the call to repent (Mt.
4:17; comp. with Mr. 1:15). In the parables of the kingdom, such as that of the
mustard (Mt. 13:31; comp. Mr. 4:30, 31; Lk. 13:18, 19); the leaven (Mt. 13:33;
comp. Lk. 13:20:21). It also occurs in reference to the teachings of Jesus, as is
the case of the mysteries of the kingdom (Mt. 13:11; comp. Mr. 4:11), about the
entrance to the kingdom (Mt. 18:3; comp. Mr. 10:15; Lk. 18:17); on the problem
of the entry of those who trust in riches (Mt. 19:23; comp. Mr. 10:23; Lk.
18:24). It is also seen in the references to the kingdom in the Sermon on the
Mount, where Matthew uses the expression kingdom of heaven, while Luke
always uses kingdom of God. The background on the doctrine of the kingdom
must be sought in the Old Testament. The Bible reveals God as sovereign over
all creation (Ps. 47:2; 103:19). By virtue of being the Creator and His
sovereignty, He dominates everything, including all aspects of this world (Ps.
24:1, 2). In this sense, God is not only Lord for the Jews, but also for the other
nations of the earth. The prophecies contain many messages for other nations
(cf. Es. 13:1; 15:1; 17:1; 18:1; 19:1). Some prophets were sent to Gentile
nations, such as Jonah; in fact, some prophets prophesied to Gentile nations,
such as Nahum (Nah. 1:1). God uses men from the nations to execute his plans,
like Pharaoh (Rom. 9:17), or Cyrus (Isa. 45:1). The nation of Israel was chosen
to be a special people for God, among the other nations of the earth (Ex. 20:2;
Dt. 5:6; 6:12; 7:6; etc.). For this reason she was rebuked for wanting to have her
own king in the style and likeness of other nations, which was equivalent to
rejecting the theocracy of her government (1 Sam. 8:4ff). This national kingdom
is an example for a higher kingdom that will come later. This is one of the
aspects of the Davidic covenant (2 Sam. 7:12), which were not fulfilled in the
reign of Solomon and which are renewed as a promise in prophecy (Is. 9:7; 11:1-
5; 32:1; Jer. 33:14-22; etc.). It is necessary to come to an understanding of the
concept of the kingdom of God , or the kingdom of heaven . It can be defined as
the sphere of government in which God reigns as Sovereign and is voluntarily
obeyed (Dan. 4:34-35). The kingdom of God has been challenged by Satan in
the past, leading men to disobedience and rebellion against the Creator (Gen. 3).
However, God's control as Sovereign who exercises supreme control and
authority over the universe has not been affected by sin (Dan. 5:21). The
Scriptures bear witness to a spiritual government of God in regenerated men,
defining the kingdom of God as spiritual in the present time (Rom. 14:17). The
kingdom of God cannot be considered as a sphere of profession , but as a sphere
of position . The kingdom of God or heaven is accessed by new birth (Jn. 3:5).
Today, the kingdom has to do with an internal and spiritual matter; It is inside
(Lk. 17:20, 21); For this reason the new birth is necessary (Jn. 3:3). Hence the
justice of the kingdom is not external and ceremonial, but internal, of the heart.
Such a way of expressing justice had to absolutely exceed the ritual and apparent
nature of the religious of the time of Christ (Mt. 5:20). The kingdom has a
spiritual aspect in the present reality. Jesus came preaching the proximity of the
kingdom (Mt. 10:7; Mr. 1:15; Lk. 10:1, 9, 11). This entry into the kingdom is
hindered by the legalism of the people who try to replace the sphere of
communion, proper to the kingdom, with that of religion, proper to men (Mt.
23:13). Believers are now in the kingdom of God (Col. 1:13), therefore, the
ethics of the kingdom must now be fulfilled in those who, by new birth, are in
that sphere. The eschatological future of the kingdom is announced in Scripture.
The kingdom of God , or kingdom of heaven , will have future expression in the
millennial kingdom (Rev. 20:3, 4, 5, 6). The prophecies about a future reign of
Christ on earth leave no room for doubt (cf. Salt. 2:8, 9). It is not a spiritual
government over men, but a literal reign over them. Isaiah emphasizes the
earthly character of the eschatological kingdom (Is. 11). Many other prophetic
references confirm this (cf. Es. 42:4; Jer. 23:3-6; Dn. 2:35 Four. Five; Zac. 14:1-
9). There are many passages that affirm that Jesus will sit on David's throne to
rule the earth (2 Sam. 7:16; Salt. 89:20-37; Es. eleven; Jer. 33:19-21). This was
announced by the angel to Mary (Lk. 1:3233). There are extremely clear
references to the reign of Christ on earth (Is. 2:1-4; 9:6-7; 11:1-10; 16:5; 24:23;
32:1; 40:1-11; 42:1-4; 52:7-15; 55:4; Dn. 2:44; 7:27; My. 4:1-8; 5:2-5; Zac. 9:9;
14:16-17). The millennial will culminate in the definitive expression of the
kingdom of heaven in the new earth and new heavens that God will create at the
end of time (2 Pet. 3: 10,13).
The Kingdom was proclaimed by Jesus, from the beginning of his

ministry. However, he has not referred only to the eschatological aspect of the
future manifestation of the Kingdom, incarnated in the time of the Second
Coming, but also to the presence of the Kingdom then and later, as will be
studied in the commentary.
Christology of service.
A section within Mark 's Christology has to do with the ministry of the
Servant of God. Within this the aspect of Jesus' teaching stands out. Obviously
there are peculiarities in the way of teaching: 1) It was not an organized and
continuous teaching in some place dedicated to it, such as synagogues, but it was
occasional in the sense of teaching whenever there was an opportunity. This
does not mean that he would not have used the synagogue to do so (1:21). But
when there was no opportunity he taught outside of it, in the open air (4:1). 2)
The teaching was not systematic either, as a consequence of not having been
established in an organized manner, hence the different doctrines that have been
the object of His teaching must be selected within the writing. 3) His way of
teaching was illustrative , using idiomatic resources and drawing attention to
examples taken from the world around the listener. 4) It was also authoritative ,
which made it different from the traditional one of the scribes and the Pharisees
(1:22). 5) Furthermore, it was new , in the sense of renewed compared to the
obsolete nature of the teachers of that time (1:27). 6) She was also attractive .
People were attracted to the teachings of Jesus, and they were amazed by it. 7)
Jesus' teaching was aimed at everyone . At the end of his teaching he could say
that “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (4:9, 23).
Teachings about sin.
He made no distinction in this sense, teaching the universality of sin ,

calling all to repent, without distinction (1:15). But, he also recognized the
different degrees of sin (2:17).
The biblical doctrine of depravity is present in Jesus' teachings about sin
and its effects on man. Depravity does not mean that man cannot do anything on
the scale of goodness, but rather it is the inability that by nature prevents man
from doing anything that would make him acceptable before God. That does not
mean that man cannot do something that is good, but what the doctrine of
depravity does express is that no human goodness is capable of achieving or
gaining eternal life. Jesus taught that this sinfulness is due to the internal root of
sin (7:20-23).
The root of sin and the various forms of its expression are present in the
teachings of Christ in Mark . The cleansing of the temple reveals that sin
commits sacrilegious acts against God (11:15-21).
The solution to sin is found in Jesus' teaching when he refers to His

sacrifice as a substitution where the Son of Man gives his life as a ransom for
many (10:45).
Teachings on salvation.
The sinful condition of man makes the work of salvation necessary. In the
teaching of Christ, collected in Mark , the evil of man, typical of his nature, is
emphasized (7:20-23).
Jesus spoke of his own death as something that would occur violently
(8:31), preceded by the betrayal of one of his own (14:18).
That death would be the consequence of a voluntary surrender in

atonement for sin (14:24). The sense of bloodshed reveals that sense in the death
of Jesus.
Teachings about angels.
Apart from the direct references in the historical aspect, as occurs with the
temptation where Mark cites Satan as the tempter of Jesus (1:13). The direct
teaching of Jesus, collected in the gospel, is clear. The Master spoke of the
characteristics of angels, that they do not multiply, therefore their number does
not vary (12:25). The story reveals the strength of the angels on the occasion of
the resurrection when they rolled away the stone from the tomb (16:3-5).
But, Mark also refers to demons both in Jesus' actions regarding the
expulsion of perverse spirits, and in his teachings. He made reference to the
nature of demons, as spiritual beings (9:25) and unclean (1:27; 3:11). The gospel
presents demons as promoters of Satan's purposes and opponents of God's
purpose. Mark presents them as possessing men and animals (5:8-14); as leading
people to moral impurity (1:23-27; 5:12, 13); as originators of
physical and psychological illnesses (1:23-27; 5:12-13).
Eschatology.
The so-called Prophetic Sermon is linked to the disciples' question about

when the destruction of the city will occur and the things that were to be
fulfilled. There is no doubt that in the year seventy, with the action of Titus's
army against Jerusalem, the destruction of the temple to which the disciples
referred was accomplished, but it is also evident that not everything could have
been accomplished there, but rather, in An unprejudiced interpretation opens up
the eschatological panorama of Jesus' teaching. Especially in the second part
(13:14-23). Jesus emphasizes a time of tribulation, such as “there has never
been from the beginning of the creation that God created, until this time, nor
will there be.”
Another aspect of Mark 's eschatology has to do with the attention that
must be paid to a future event that will take place in God's time, whose
fulfillment we do not know the day on which it will occur, but which will
undoubtedly occur due to the fidelity of the Word. The Lord spoke of the Second
Coming, warning before that it is more widely recorded in the other synoptics.
This theme peppers the gospel (8:38; 13:26; 14:62).
The text of the gospel.
Greek manuscripts.
The main texts that contain the gospel in whole or in part are:
Uncial Manuscripts.
Manuscript Content Location.
TO Sinaiticus the whole gospel London. British museum.

To Alxandrinus the whole gospel London. British museum.
B Vaticanus the whole gospel Rome. Vatican.
C Ephraemi Resc. 1:17-6:31; 8:5-12, 29 Paris. National Library.
13:18-16, 20.
D Bezae. The whole gospel. Cambridge. Bible. Univ.
L Regius All but 10:16-30; Paris. National Library
15:2-20.
N Purpureus Pet. 5:20-7:4; 7:20-8:32; Atenas,Lerma; London;
9:1-10:43; 11:7, 12-19; NY; Patmos;
14:25-15:23; 15:33-42. Vatican; S. Petersburg;
Thessaloniki; Vienna.
U Nanianus W The whole gospel. Venice. Library. S. Mr.
Washington D St. All but 15:13-38. Washington.
Gallen Q Koridethi P The whole gospel. St. Gallen.
Petropolitanus S The whole gospel. Tbilisi.
Rossanensis F Everything except 16:18-20. Leningrad.
Everything except 16:14-20. Rossano.
Beratinus Y
Everything except 14:62-16:20. Berat.
Laurensis. 9:5-16:20. M. Atos.
Papyri .
P45 Chester Beatty 4:36-40; 5:15-26; 5:38-6:3; 6:16-25, 36-50; 7:3-15;
7:25:8-1; 8:10-26; 8:34-9:8; 9:18-31; 11:27-33;
12:1, 5-8, 13-19, 24-28.
Tiny.
Family 1:
1 Basel.
22 Paris.
118 Oxford.
131 Rome.
209 Venice.
1582 Athos Batopedi.
Family 13:
13 Paris.
69 Leicester
124 Vienna.
346 Milan.
543 Michigan.
788 Athens.
826 Grotta Ferrata.
983 Athos.
1689 Serres.
28 Paris. National Library.
700 London. British museum.
892 London. British museum.
1071 Athos. Laura.
1342 Jerusalem.
1424 Drama.
Latin versions.
to Vercellensis. All but 1:22, 34; 4:17-24; 4:26-5:19; Vercelli.

15:15-1:20.
b Veronensis. The whole gospel. Verona.
c Golbertinus The whole gospel. Paris.
d Vers. The t. d The whole gospel. cambridge
and Palatinus 1:20-4:8; 4:19-6:9; 12:37-40; Trent.
13:2-3, 24-27, 33-36.
F Bixianus Brescia
All but 12:5-13:32; 14:70-16:20.
ff 2 Corbeiensis II The whole gospel. Paris.
g 1 Sangermanens. The whole gospel. Paris.
Yo Vindobonensis 2:17-3:29; 4:4-10:1; 10:33-14:36; Naples.
15:33-40.
k Bobiensis 8:8-11. 14-16; 8:19-6:8.
l Rehdigeranus Breslau.
m The whole gospel. 11:25, 26.
n Frag. Sangall. 7:13-31: 8:32-9:10; 13:2-20; Church S.
15:22-16:13. Gall.
q Monacensis All but 1:7-22; 15:5-36. Munich.
r 1 Usserianus I Everything except 14:58-15:4. Dublin.
r 2 Usserianus II All but 3:24-4:19; 5:31-6:13; Dublin. 15:17-41.
d Latin of D The whole gospel. Church S.

aur Aureus The whole gospel. Gall.
Stockholm.
Syriac versions.
sy s Sinaiticus 1:12-44; 2:21-4:17; 4:41-5:26; M. St. Catherine.
6:5-16:8.
s and c Curetonianus 16:17-20 Museum
British.
s and p Peshitta The whole gospel. Museum
British.
sy h1 Harclean sy hier The whole gospel.
Jerusalem. The whole gospel.
Fragments.
sa Sahidica
The whole gospel.
bo Bohairica
Gregorian version.
geo 1 Adysh geo 2 Everything but 16:9-20.
Everything but 16:9-20.
Armenian version.
Armed Kenyon. Everything but 16:9-20.
Ethiopian version.
et The whole gospel.
Apart from these texts, reference will be made in the analysis of the Greek
text to the quotes from the Greek and Latin fathers.
Aspects of the Greek text for exegesis.
General reference.
There is no doubt that the Greek of the Gospel is not of the same level as
other writings of the New Testament, especially that of the Epistle to the
Hebrews , and even that of the Letter of James .
When reading, the appearance of anacolutos and idiomatic expressions

typical of Semitic expression are immediately appreciated. This suggests that the
writer was a man who spoke Aramaic and knew Greek well but that it was not
his most common language. On the other hand, it can be seen that Mark wrote a
story oriented toward those who did not have extensive knowledge of the history
of Jesus and, above all, those who were unaware of certain social and religious
forms typical of his time. The writer's intention is to emphasize aspects of the
story, adding details that the other parallels do not include.
However, it does not mean that it is Greek of low grammatical quality. It

is a writing that reveals the origin of a cultured person, with great knowledge of
the historical, religious and cultural issues of the historical environment where
the ministry of Jesus took place. The Jewish context is seen in the references to
issues and figures of the religious system of those days. The Semitic influence
can be seen in the expressions that appear in the Gospel , and in the application
references to texts of the law, as occurs with ceremonial and ritual aspects of the
Mosaic system.
Koine Greek.
The Gospel according to Mark is written mostly in educated Greek.

However, the use of forms typical of Koine are present, suggesting that the
author knew the language well, and led him to adopt the expressions typical of
common Greek in the place to which he addressed the letter.
The language in which it was written is common Greek, known as Koine ,

and it is also noted that the writing is closely identified with the way of speaking
rather than with the language used for the written writing of a story. As with the
rest of the writings of the New Testament, the original does not exist here either,
that is, the first writing coming directly from the author. There are several
existing copies and differences can be seen between them. It must be taken into
account that for the New Textament there are no less than 5,200 manuscripts and
among them there are more than two hundred and fifty thousand variants,
accumulated over the fourteen centuries in which copies of the Greek text have
been produced. To the errors typical of a copying system, variants were added
consistent with corrections and adaptations produced for certain geographical
places, such as Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, Carthage, Rome, etc. in
copies that were sometimes adapted idiomatically for large cities, giving rise to
special readings.
The Alexandrian text, the oldest of the New Testament, is considered one
of the most reliable and faithful in terms of the conservation and preservation of
the original text. The two testimonies derived from the Alexandrian are the
Codex Vaticanus and the Codex Sinaiticus , parchment manuscripts from the
mid-C. IV. With the appearance of important papyri throughout the s. XX, it can
be stated that the Alexandrian dates back to older periods, being considered as
dating back to the 20th century. II, more or less around 125 AD. c. The
Byzantine text is the most recent of the New Testament. In this, an attempt has
been made to polish what could represent some rough form in the language,
changing the discrepant or divergent readings for an expanded one, harmonizing
the parallels.
The Textus Receptus , which has served as the basis for translations of the
Epistle in the Protestant world, is taken largely from the Byzantine Text . This
text was edited in 1517 by Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam. It was the most
expanded and became accepted as the normative of the Reformed Church, or
Protestant Church. Many editions were made of this text, several of them
unauthorized, producing an important series of alterations over time. On the
other hand, it is proven that in some places where Erasmus did not have Greek
texts, he reversed the translation by transferring it to Greek from the Vulgate.
This text was given such importance that it was considered normative of the
New Testament in the Protestant world, assumed as unquestionable by
conservative and extreme pietist sectors, and it was considered almost impious to
question it, despite the large number of manuscripts that are currently possessed
and which reveal the errors of the Receptus . As if they wanted to maintain it,
despite everything, as the best of the compilations of the Greek text of the New
Testament, the name of Textus Receptus has been changed to the Majority Text ,
with which an attempt is made to return it to its former supremacy, with which it
is intended to hinder all efforts in the field of Textual Criticism , to achieve a
greater reading precision than the originals of the writings of the New
Testament.
From the sincere and honest efforts of Textual Criticism, in excellent

work in the field of the manuscripts that are possessed and that are appearing,
the decision was made to deviate from the Receptus in everything that is
evidently safer, giving rise to the text Greek known as Novum Testamentum
Groece , on whose text the one used in the present commentary on the Gospel
according to Mark is based.
The Greek text used in the commentary and analysis of the Gospel is that
of Nestle-Aland in the twenty-seventh edition of the Deutsche Biblegesellschaft,
D-Stuttgart.
In the critical apparatus, efforts have been made to take into account the
assessment of Textual Criticism studies, to suggest the greater security or
certainty of the Greek text. To interpret the references of the critical device, the
following indications are made:
Papyri are designated by the letter p . Uncial manuscripts are designated

by capital letters or an initial 0. The uncials in the Byzantine text are identified
by the letters Biz and the most important Byzantine uncials are reflected by
capital letters in square brackets [ ] the main uncials in Paul's writings are
indicated by K, L, P.
The lowercase manuscripts are reflected by Arabic numerals, and the

lowercase Byzantine texts are preceded by the identification Biz . The
relationship of uncials must be consulted in specialized texts since the extension
to relate them exceeds the limits of this reference to the critical apparatus.
In relation to the Greek manuscripts the following signs appear

connected:
f1 refers to family 1 of manuscripts.
f 13 refers to family 13 of manuscripts.
Biz reference to Byzantine testimonies, texts from Greek manuscripts, especially

from the second millennium.
Biz pt when it comes to only one part of the Byzantine tradition each time the
testimony is divided.
* This sign indicates that a manuscript has been corrected.

c
appears when it comes to reading the corrector of a
manuscript.
1,2,3,c indicates the successive editors of a manuscript in chronological order.

indicate that the manuscript contains the reading noted, but with slight
differences from it.
they include select Byzantine manuscripts immediately after the Biz

reference.
txt indicates that it is the New Testament text in a manuscript when it differs
from its citation in a Church Father's commentary ( comm ), a variant in the
margin ( mg ), or a variant ( vr ).
(m)
refers to quotes in the course of commenting on a text when it deviates
com from the handwritten text.
textual indication contained in the margin of a manuscript.

mg Variant indicated as an alternative by the same manuscript. indicates the
most probable reading of a manuscript when its state of conservation
vr does not allow verification.
vine
supp
text supplied because it was missing from the original.
The Lectionaries are reading texts of the Greek Church, which contain
manuscripts of the Greek text and are identified with the letters Lect which
represents the agreement of the majority of the selected Lectionaries with the
text of Apostoliki Diakonia . Those that deviate from this context are cited
individually with their respective variants. If the variants appear in more than ten
Lectionaries, each group is identified with the acronym pt . If a passage appears
several times in the same Lectionary and its testimony does not coincide, it is
indicated by the upper index number established in the form of a fraction, to
indicate the frequency of the variant, for example l 866 1/2 . In relation to the
Lectionaries the following abbreviations are used:
Lect to refer to the text followed by most lectionaries . l 43 indicates the

lectionary that deviates from the reading of the majority. Lect pt reference to the
text followed by a part of the handwritten tradition of the Lectionaries that
appears in at least ten of them.
l 593 1/2 reference to the frequency of a variant in the same manuscript.
References to the Vetus Latina are identified by the acronym it (Itala),

with superscripts indicating the manuscript.
The Vulgate is identified by vg for the Vulgate, vg cl for the Clementine

Vulgate, vg ww for the Wordsworth-White Vulgate, and vg st for the Stuttgart
Vulgate.
The Syriac versions are identified by the following acronym: Sir s for the
Sinaitica. sir c , for the Curetonian. sir p , identify the Peshita. sir ph is the
acronym for Filoxeniana.
The Harclense has its own critical apparatus with the following signs: sir
h
(White; Bensly, Wööbus, Aland, Aland/Juckel); sir h with* , Syriac reading
included in the text between an asterisk and a metobelos; sir hmg , to refer to a
Syriac variant in the marginV sir hgr refers to a Greek notation in the margin of a
Syriac variant. The acronym sir pal is the identifier of Syriac Palestine.
The references to the Coptic are the following: cop sa Sahídico.
cop bo Boháírico.
cop pbo Proto-Bohairic.
cop meg Middle-Egypt.
cop fay Fayumico.
cop ach Ajminicus.
cop ach2 Sub-Ajminic.
For Armenia, the acronym arm is used.
The Georgian identifies herself:
geo identifies the Georgian using the oldest revision A 1
geo 1 /geo 2 identifies two revisions of the Georgine tradition of the Gospels,
Acts and Pauline Letters.
The Ethiopian is identified as follows:
eti when there is agreement between the different editions.
eti ro for the Roman edition of 1548-49.
eti pp for the Pell Plat, based on the previous one.
eti TH for Takla Häymänot
eti more reference for that of Paris.

Old Slavonic, identifies with esl.
Likewise, the testimony of the Fathers of the Church is integrated into the
critical apparatus. These are identified by name. When the testimony of a Father
of the Church is known from that of another, the name of the Father is indicated
followed by a superscript notation that says according to and the name of the
Father who attests it. The Fathers mentioned are both the Greeks and the Latins,
trying to introduce them in that same order. In relation to quotes from the
Fathers, the following abbreviations are used: ( ) They indicate that the Father
supports the variant but with slight differences.
See
probable support from a Father for the reading cited.
lem
quotes from a motto , that is, the New Testament text that precedes a
commentary.
comm
quotes from part of a comment, when the text differs from the
accompanying motto.
supp
portion of the text supplied later, because it was missing from the original.
reference to a patristic manuscript or manuscripts whose text deviates from the

mss, one edited.
mss
according to Father
mss identifies a variant of some manuscript according to patristic
testimony.
1/2, 2/3 cited variants of the same text in the same passage.
dad reading from the papyrological stage when it differs from an edition of
that Father.
ed
reading from the edition of a patristic text when it departs from the
papyrological tradition.
gr
quotes from a Greek fragment of the work of a Greek Father whose text is
preserved only in translation.
lat, sir, armn, slav, arab
Latin, Syriac, Armenian, Slavic or Arab translation of a Greek
Father when it is not preserved in its original form.
dub
is used when the work attributed to a certain Father is doubtful.
With these notes the reader will be able to easily interpret the references
to the different reading alternatives that the critical apparatus introduces in the
verses that have them.
Other aspects in the use of Greek.
It is known that some names that in Spanish are written with capital letters,
such as God, when referring to the true Holy Spirit, in relation to the Third
Person of the Deity, in Greek being names or adjectives linked to a name, are
written with lower case. However, out of special respect, when it comes to any
of these names of God, they are capitalized. Likewise in textual analysis, when it
refers to God, we will not translate it as a common name , but as a divine name ,
for the same reason. We clearly understand that within the grammar, these
distinctions do not correspond to the reality of Greek.
Sketch.
YO. MINISTRY (1:1-10:52).

1. Background (1:1-15).
1.1. Ministry of John the Baptist (1:1-8).
1.2. The baptism of Jesus (1:9-11).
1.3. Temptation (1:12-13).
2. Beginning of the ministry (1:14-20).
2.1. Jesus the preacher (1:14-15).
2.2. The first disciples (1:16-20).
3. The power of Jesus (1:21-3:12).
3.1. Authority over the teaching of the Word (1:21-22)
3.2. Power over a demon (1:23-28).

3.3. Power over illness (1:29-45).
3.3.1. Healing of Peter's mother-in-law (1:29-31).
3.3.2. Healing of various sick people (1:32-34).
3.3.3. Historical parenthesis (1:35-39).
A) Jesus praying (1:35).
B) Traveling and ministering in Galilee (1:36-39).
3.3.4. Healing of a leper (1:40-45).
3.4. Power to forgive sins (2:1-12).
3.4.1. The paralytic of Capernaum (2:1-4).
3.4.2. Jesus forgives sins (2:5).
3.4.3. Jesus is questioned (2:6-7).
3.4.4. The evidence of his authority to forgive sins (2:8-12).
3.5. Other aspects of his ministry (2:13-22).
3.5.1. Call of Levi (2:13-14).
3.5.2. Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners (2:15-17).
3.5.3. The question of fasting (2:18-20).
3.5.4. The old and the new (2:21-22).
3.6. Authority over the Sabbath (2:23-3:6).
3.6.1. The authority expressed (2:23-28).
3.6.2. Healing on the Sabbath (3:1-6).
3.7. Manifested power (3:7-12).
3.7.1. About diseases (3:7-10).
3.7.2. About demons (3:11-12).
4. Teachings and miracles (3:13-6:6).
4.1. Election of the Twelve (3:13-19a).
4.2. Crowd and reaction (3:19b-21).
4.3. The unforgivable sin (3:22-30).
4.4. The spiritual family of Jesus (3:31-35).
4.5. Teaching by parables (4:1-34).
4.5.1. Parable of the sower (4:1-20).
A) The parable (4:1-9).
B) The explanation (4:10-20).
4.5.2. Parable of the lamp (4:21-25).
4.5.3. Parable of the growth of the seed (4:26-29).
4.5.4. Parable of the mustard seed (4:30-34).
4.6. Jesus calms the storm (4:35-41).
4.7. The demon-possessed man of Gadara (5:1-20).
4.8. Two miracles (5:21-43).
4.8.1. Jairus' request (5:21-24).
4.8.2. Healing of hemorrhoids (5:25-34).
4.8.3. Resurrection of Jairus' daughter (5:35-43).
5. Other aspects of Jesus' ministry (6:1-10:52).
5.1. Rejected in Nazareth (6:1-6).
5.2. Sending the Twelve on a mission (6:7-13).
5.3. Herod Antipas (6:14-29).
5.3.1. Herod's superstitious fear (6:14-16).
5.3.2. The murder of John the Baptist (6:17-29).
5.4. The testimony of the Twelve (6:30-31).
5.5. Miracles of Jesus (6:32-56).
5.5.1. Feeding of the five thousand (6:32-44).
5.5.2. Jesus walks on the sea (6:45-52).
5.5.3. Jesus heals many sick people (6:53-56).
5.6. True and false piety (7:1-23).
5.6.1. Pharisaical piety (7:1-5).
5.6.2. Jesus' response to the Pharisees (7:6-13).
5.6.3. The parable told to the crowd (7:14-16).
5.6.4. The explanation of the parable (7:17-23).
5.7. Miracles, conflicts and testimony (7:24-8:38).
5.7.1. The Syrophoenician woman (7:24-30).
5.7.2. Healing of a deaf (7:31-37).
5.7.3. Miracles in the land of the Gentiles (8:1-10).
5.7.4. The request of the Pharisees (8:11-21).
5.7.5. Healing of a blind man (8:22-26).
5.7.6. Testimony of Peter (8:27-30).
5.7.7. First announcement of his death (8:31).
5.7.8. Rebuke to Peter (8:32-33).
5.7.9. The true value of life (8:34-38).
5.8. The transfiguration (9:1-13).
5.9. The end of the ministry (9:14-10:52).
5.9.1. Healing of a demon-possessed person (9:14-29).
5.9.2. Jesus announces his death and resurrection (9:30-32).
5.9.3. True greatness (9:33-37).
5.9.4. Condemning sectarianism (9:38-41).
5.9.5. Solemn warnings (9:42-50).
5.9.6. Teaching on divorce (10:1-12).
5.9.7. Jesus and the children (10:13-16).
5.9.8. The rich young man (10:17-31).
A) The situation of the rich young ruler (10:17-22).
B) Warning about riches (10:23-31).
5.9.9. Announcement, request and healing (10:32-52).
A) Announcement of His death (10:32-34).
B) Request of James and John (10:35-45).
C) Healing of Bartimaeus (10:46-52)
II. JESUS IN JERUSALEM (11:1-13:37).
1. The entry into Jerusalem (11:1-11).

1.1. Preparations for the entry into Jerusalem (11:1-7).
1.2. The entourage (11:8-11).
2. Jesus in Jerusalem (11:12-13:37).
2.1. The barren fig tree (11:12-14).
2.2. The purification of the temple (11:15-19).
2.3. Teachings on faith and prayer (11:20-26).
2.4. Jesus questioned (11:27-33).
2.5. The parable of the owner of the vineyard (12:1-12).
2.6. The question of tribute (12:13-17).
2.7. The Sadducees (12:18-27).
2.8. The scribes (12:28-40).
2.8.1. The first commandment (12:28-34).
2.8.2. Jesus' question (12:35-37).
2.8.3. Jesus accuses the scribes (12:38-40).
2.9. The widow's offering (12:41-44).
3. Prophetic sermon (13:1-37).
3.1. The disciples' questions (13:1-4).
3.2. Panorama of the beginning of the tribulation (13:5-13).
3.3. The final time of the tribulation (13:14-23).
3.4. The second coming of the Lord (13:24-27).
3.5. Signs of the end (13:28-37).
3.5.1. Parable of the fig tree (13:28-33).
3.5.2. Call for vigilance (13:34-37).
III. PASSION, DEATH AND RESURRECTION (14:1-16:20).
1. The path to passion (14:1-31).

1.1. The plot against Jesus (14:1-2).
1.2. Jesus anointed in Bethany (14:3-9).
1.3. Judas' commitment (14:10-11).
1.4. Preparations for Passover (14:12-16).
1.5. The last Passover (14:17-31).
1.5.1. Crisis of discipleship (14:17-21).
1.5.2. Institution of the Lord's Supper (14:22-25).
1.5.3. Jesus announces Peter's denial (14:26-31).
2. Gethsemane (14:32-42).
2.1. The agony (14:32-34).
2.2. The first prayer (14:35-38).
2.3. The second prayer (14:39-40).
2.4. The third prayer (14:41-42).
3. The Passion (14:43-15:41).

3.1. Betrayal and arrest of Jesus (14:43-46).
3.2. Peter's reaction and Jesus' leadership (14:47-52).
3.3. Jesus before the high priest (14:53-65).
3.4. Peter's denial (14:66-72).
3.5. Jesus before Pilate (15:1-15).
3.5.1. The appearance (15:1-5).
3.5.2. Liberation of Barabbas and sentence of Jesus (15:6-15).
3.6. Jesus mocked (15:16-20).
3.7. The crucifixion (15:21-36).
3.8. The death of Jesus (15:37-41).
4. Burial (15:42-47).
5. The resurrection (16:1-18).
5.1. The women before the tomb (16:1-4).
5.2. The angels in the resurrection (16:5-7).
5.3. The reaction of the women (16:8).
5.4. Mary Magdalene (16:9-11).
5.5. The disciples of Emmaus (16:12-14).
5.6. The Great Commission (16:15-18).
6. The ascension (16:19-20).
EXEGESIS OF THE GOSPEL.
For the analysis of the text corresponding to the first chapter, the
divisions established in the Book Outline are followed.

6. Background (1:1-15).
6.1. Ministry of John the Baptist (1:1-8).
6.2. The baptism of Jesus (1.9-11).
6.3. Temptation (1:12-13).
7. Beginning of the ministry (1:14-20).
7.1. Jesus the preacher (1:14-15).
7.2. The first disciples (1:16-20).
8. The power of Jesus (1:21-3:12).
8.1. About a demon (1:21-28).
8.2. About illness (1:29-31).
8.2.1. Healing of Peter's mother-in-law (1:29-31).
8.2.2. Healing of various sick people (1:32-34).
8.2.3. Historical parenthesis (1:35-39).
A) Jesus praying (1:35).
B) Traveling and ministering in Galilee (1:36-39).
8.2.4. Healing of a leper (1:40-45).
Background (1:1-15).
Ministry of John the Baptist (1:1-8).
1. Beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God.
jArchV tou` eujaggelivou jIhsou` Cristou` ªUiJou` Qeou`º 1 .

Beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God.
Notes and analysis of the Greek text.
Textual Criticism. Alternative readings.

1 1
Cristou` UiJou` Qeou`, Christ, Son of God , reading attested in A , B, D, L, W,
2427.
1
Cristou` UiJou` tou` Qeou`, Christ, Son of God , as read in A, D, f 1 , f 13 , 33, 180,
205, 565, 579, 597, 700, 892, 1006, 1010, 1071, 1243, 1292, 1342, 1424, 1595, Biz
[E, F, G supp , H, S], Lect , eti, geo 2 , esl, it a, aur, b, c, d, f, ff2, l, 1, r1 , vg, sir p, h , cop sa/mss, bo ,
Irenaeus lat 2/3 , Ambrose, Chromatius, Jerome 3/6 , Augustine, Faustus-Milevis.
Cristou`` UiJou`` tou`` Kurivou, Christ, son of the Lord , reading in 1241.
Cristou`, Christ , according to A *, Q, 28 c , sir pal , cop sa/ms , arm, geo 1 , Origen gr, lat ,
Asterius, Serapius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Seberian, Hesechius, Victorinus of Pettau,
Jerome 3 /6 .
It is omitted in 28*.
Beginning the gospel story, he writes: jArchV, feminine singular nominative case of
the common noun beginning, origin ; tou`, singular neuter genitive case of the
declined definite article of ; eujaggelivou, singular neuter genitive case of the
common noun gospel ; jIhsou`, singular masculine genitive case of the inflected
proper name of Jesus ; Cristou`, singular masculine genitive case of the proper name
Christ ; UiJou`, masculine singular genitive case of the name Son ; Qeou`, singular
masculine genitive case of the declined divine name of God.
ArchV tou` eujaggelivou. Mark begins his writing by indicating that this
is the beginning of the gospel, that is, the beginning of the text that he is going to
develop. It is the starting point of what will continue. It could also be a matter of
giving the title to the book, as “Principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ” .
However, it is difficult to determine whether this was the author's intention. For
Luke, for example, it is clear that the first treatise referred to the beginning of
the story about Jesus Christ and his work, because his intention was to write two
books on the same topic: what Jesus did and taught (Acts. 1:1). But there is no
evidence that this was Marcos' project. Much more likely is that the prayer
serves to link Jesus as the one who fulfills the prophecy that follows. It is
interesting to note that the following text begins with the adverb like , indicating
the relationship between the content of both verses. The interrelation sought here
between the ministry of Jesus Christ and that of John the Baptist is further
evidence that Mark is Peter's interpreter, since the apostle's speech in Cornelius'
house begins in a very similar way, connecting The works of Jesus with the
Baptist (Acts. 10:37).
The principle is related to tou` eujaggelivou, gospel , which in classical

Greek is a reference to the reward for good news. Over time it came to mean the
good news that a messenger brings, especially referring to the news of a victory
or the proclamation of peace. In biblical Greek, the term was used in the Old
Testament using the verb that comes from gospel to refer to what was, or could
be, good news (cf. 2 S. 4:10). In the same way, Isaiah announced that God was
going to intervene on behalf of His people and restore them (Is. 41:27; 52:7).
The good news is linked to the manifestation of the Messiah, as our Lord applied
in the synagogue of Nazareth (cf. Es. 61:1-2).
The meaning that the term has for Mark is the good news, good news, of
the approach or coming of the kingdom of God (cf. 1:14; 8:35; 10:29; 14:9;
16:15). Here it is not the meaning of the book that proclaims the gospel, but
rather the message of divine origin that announces the good news for men.
In the other writings of the New Testament, and especially in the writings
of Paul, it has the connotation of the message of salvation proclaimed in the
world by the apostles and Christians (cf. 2Co 9:13; Phil. 1:27; 1 Thes. 3:2). The
term occurs very frequently in the apostle's writings (cf. Ro. 1:16, 17; Ga. 1:7).
jIhsou` Cristou`. This message of good news, the gospel , is inseparably

linked to Jesus Christ. The name composed in this way only on this occasion in
the entire gospel. The use of both names in the genitive case allows it to be
understood in two ways: a) as a subjective genitive , which would identify the
gospel with the message preached by Jesus Christ, since He took as a central
element of the gospel that preached the good news of the approach and coming.
with Him of the kingdom of God. b) as an objective genitive , in which case the
gospel about Jesus Christ. This is the most appropriate sense since throughout
Mark , the object of the gospel is Jesus Christ. However, both senses have a
perfect place in the interpretation, since the gospel that is included in the text is
the one that was preached by Jesus and, also, it is the message related to his
Person and work.
jIhsou`. The first title used in the compound name is that of Jesus . It is
the name established from heaven and communicated to Mary by the angel
Gabriel in the annunciation: “And now you will conceive in your womb, and you
will give birth to a son, and you will call his name Jesus” (Lk. 1:31). The
fundamental reason for that name is that “he will save his people from their
sins” (Mt. 1:21). Jesus is the Greek expression of the Hebrew name Y e hôsua ,
which is also Joshua , whose translation would be God is salvation , or God
saves . The mission that it brought in its emergence into human history through
the birth of Mary, is that entrusted by God and determined by Him in His
sovereign purpose of salvation established before the foundation of the world (2
Tim. 1:9). The name Jesus relates the Son of God to the salvation of the world;
otherwise, he came to execute the program of salvation by carrying out the
mission he had assumed in eternity (1 Pet. 1:18-20). The name has the
connotation of the good news of the realization of the saving mission that, as
God made man, he was going to fulfill. Although the work of salvation has a
universal scope (Jn. 3:16), would also have a recipient specifically linked to the
messianic condition of the Savior, because aujtoV" gaVr swvsei toVn laoVn
aujtou, “he will save his people from their sins.” This assumes a specific
relationship with Israel. However, the Savior would not be theirs alone, but the
whole world. The reach of his people includes all the saved. These, and these
alone, are the people of God (1 Pet. 2:9), his children (Jn. 1:12), members of his
family (Eph. 2:19) and, as such, heirs of everything in Him (Rom. 8:17). The
provision of salvation as a potential operation is for everyone, but only those
who accept the message of the gospel with faith, and believe in Jesus, the one
sent by God, have salvation (Jn. 17:3).
Cristou`. That is the second name given to the Subject of the gospel. It is
the messianic title par excellence. The word is equivalent to Messiah , the One
who would be filled with the Spirit and set apart to carry out the task of saving
his people (Is. 61:1; Lk. 4:18; Heh. 1:9). The Christ of God would be anointed to
be an announced prophet (Deut. 18:15; Isa 55:4; Acts. 3:22; 7:37); to be the only
high priest in God's eternal order (Ps. 110:4; Heh. 10:12, 14); to be the eternal
King, King of kings and Lord of lords (Ps. 2:6; Zac. 9:9; Mt. 21:5; 28:18; Lk.
1:33). The use of this name to refer to the Savior, already, from the beginning of
Mark , introduces the reader to the level of faith proper to being a Christian. By
confessing that Jesus, whom we know as the son of Mary, born under the legal
paternity of Joseph, is also the Christ, we accept that he is the One who has been
widely prophesied as the Redeemer of the world. For many opponents of the
gospel , especially within the Jewish world, Jesus could not be the Christ,
because he was simply the carpenter and they knew his family (6:3). Clinging to
a traditional interpretation, they affirmed that when the Messiah came no one
would know where he came from (Jn. 7:27). Sometimes they tried to ignore the
place of birth that was in Bethlehem, according to the prophecy, changing it to
the place of residence in Galilee to confuse people about their condition and
deny that it was the announced Christ. Even more serious was the suspicion they
revealed of an illegitimate birth: “We are not born of fornication; We have one
father, who is God” (Jn. 8:41). In some way it had to be understood that those
were saying: “we were not born of fornication, you were. There is no doubt
regarding our father, but there is a doubt regarding yours.”
The good news proclaimed in Mark is linked to the one who receives the
name of Jesus Christ . This title appears frequently in apostolic writings, but is
rare in the gospels. Mark uses it, as said before, in this place, only once in the
writing. Both names together give rise to the exalted and supreme name Jesus
Christ, given only to the Savior. The name was used by the apostle Peter in the
first preaching message of the gospel (Acts. 2:38).
UiJou` Qeou`. The presentation of Jesus Christ follows, in several mss.

the complement Son of God . It is a title that is used several times in the gospel
(cf. 3:11; 5:7; 9:7; 14:61, 62; 15:39). With it the divinity of Jesus is recognized,
in direct connection with the Father, who by giving testimony recognizes him as
my Beloved son (1:11; 9:7). Jesus is the Son of the Blessed One (14:61). It is
necessary to understand here the elevated Christology of Mark, which
recognizes in Jesus the divine condition as Son, in the Divine Being. This one
whom God recognizes is also identified by demons as the Holy One of God
(1:24), and the Son of God (3:11; 5:7). The title was used by Jesus himself in his
ministry (13:32), and culminated in the solemn declaration before the Sanhedrin
(14:61-62). The Scriptures confirm the divine condition of Jesus Christ (cf. Es.
9:6; Mt. 28:18; Jn.
1:1-4; 8:58; 10:30, 33; 20:28; Ro. 9:5; Phil. 2:6; Cabbage. 1:16; 2:9; Heh. 1:8;
Ap. 1:8).
The title Son of God is the one that captures the greatest dimension in the
divine condition of Jesus Christ. In this way he manifests himself as the absolute
revealer of the Father: “All things were delivered to me by my Father; and no
one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except
the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Mt. 11:27). He is
given the authority to reveal everything, including the relationship between the
Father and the Son. The teaching of Jesus was not that of the teachers of his
time, but something singularly special, the revelation to men of the union that
exists between the Father and the Son. This union is not a historical and
functional matter, but rather a personal and metaphysical one. The Son can
reveal the Father because the knowledge between the Father and the Son is
mutual. For this reason we reach limits on the plane of Jesus' humanity in terms
of revelation of God through his human nature, reaching what a man's mind is
allowed to know about God, because he is the Son. He cannot reveal more
because it would be entering into the secret of the things that God reserved for
His sole knowledge, hence Mark picks up the words of Jesus: “But of that day
and hour no one knows, not even the angels who are in heaven, nor the Son, but
the Father” (13:32).
The divine filiation of Jesus Christ is the supreme Christological category.

In Mark, as a consequence of his lived history, the condition of Son is
discovered in his life consistent with that condition, in his prayer as a Son and in
his obedience as a Son. The condition and category of Son brings to it all the
other conditions that occur in Jesus Christ, since it constitutes the supreme form
of Jesus' relationship with the triune and one God. Being the Son of God
constitutes an equality of life and being between Jesus and the Father, or what is
the same between Jesus and God. A similar relationship can only be expressed
under the idea of oJmoousiva, consubstantiality , in other words, the equal
essence between the Father and the Son. John will teach this in the beginning of
his gospel when he speaks of unity in the Divine Being, where the Son, as
Logos, is before the Father and both the Father and the Son are God (Jn. 1:1).
This Only Begotten Son is in the bosom of the Father , literally he is towards the
bosom of the Father, where a verb of state appears with a preposition of
movement (Jn. 1:18). The connection in the sharing of the divine essence is
clearly manifested by Jesus Christ: “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the
Father in me” (Jn. 14:11); “As You, O Father, are in me and I am in You” (Jn.
17:21).
Mark is the compendium of the gospel of Jesus Christ , hence the

importance of the appearance of the title Son of God , in the first verse of the
writing. This Jesus whose ministry will be glimpsed in the text, appears among
men, as a man, by the sending of the Father. In the incarnation of the Word, the
Son takes on a human nature, becoming like men (Jn. 1:14). The incarnation,
like every ad extra work of the Trinity, is executed by the Three Divine Persons,
although only the Son remains incarnated, that is, clothed in human flesh ;
otherwise, only the Son becomes man. The gospel will conclude with the death
of Jesus, but, that soteriological operation through which man has eternal life by
faith in the Son, the redeeming sacrifice made in his body of flesh on the Cross,
is the result of the surrender that the Father makes his Son (Jn. 3:16; Acts. 2:23;
Ro. 3:25; 8:32; 2 Cor. 5:19).
To speak of the Son of God means taking us back to the Person of the
Father, who eternally engenders him. It is necessary to understand that this
begetting , from the Father to the Son, does not suppose the originating and
specific cause of the Divine Person of the Son, who like God is eternal, in
equality of life with the Father and the Spirit in the ad intra relationship of the
Holy Trinity. . That is, the Son has no origin , that is, there has not been a
beginning of existence. Begetting involves the personalization of the Second
Divine Person in the communication of life from the Father. It is necessary to
understand that the title Father is applied to the First Person in an intratrinitarian
sense, and that the Father is a beginning without a beginning , in other words the
life of the Son proceeds from the Father, while He himself is not proceeded by
another. For that reason the Father sends, but is not sent by another. In that
condition of Father, in all the extension and intensity of his personal Being, he is
a constitutive personalizing base, so that in the eternal present without change,
nor succession, nor beginning, nor end, he engenders a Son, the Second Person
of the Deity, communicating to him everything that He Himself is and has,
except being a Father, which is what distinguishes Him from the Son, as a
person. The Father shares everything with the Son by virtue of said generation
within the Father. The Son is, therefore, so and only Son, as totally, absolutely
and perfectly God. The Father in this engendering relationship of the Son
extinguishes in that engendering he exhausts his generating , not originating,
function in the Son, and the Son, therefore, is the infinite expression of the
generation of the Father. This dimension – always difficult to understand –
requires that the Father have, by consummation of his communication of life to
the Son, one Son, who is called the Only Begotten of the Father (Jn. 1:14, 18;
3:16, 18; 1 Jn. 4:9). If there were more than one Son within the Deity, none of
them would be the exhaustive manifestation of the Father's generation, because
none would be infinite and none would be God. But, in the same way, the Father
would not be either, since His generative action would be a limited act within
His womb. Furthermore, because the generative act of the Father is a total
communication, in an infinite and full surrender to the Son, the Father is
constituted by a subsistent relationship towards another. That is, the Father is a
Divine Person, in the Divine Being, due to his relationship with the Son. Hence
it reads: “You are my son; Today I have begotten you” (Ps. 2:7). The fact of the
generation of the Second Divine Person does not give the First any superiority
over the Second. It is easy to understand the reason for this identity in the Divine
Being, because the Person of the Father owes his personal Being to the act of
begetting the Son, in the same way that the Son owes it to the fact of being
begotten by the Father. There is, therefore, no dependence, subordination or
inferiority in everything that occurs ad intra , in the relationship of the First with
the Second Person, of the Father with the Son, but rather an eternal
interdependence , since the Father cannot exist without the Son. , nor the Son
without the Father. Talking about generation in the Trinitarian Bosom poses a
difficulty for some who compare this begetting with human begetting as an
effect of procreation. This cannot occur in God, because engendering in God is
not a process from cause to effect , but from beginning to end . This led to strong
controversies in the history of the Church, since if the Father begets the Son and
achieved the end of the action, then the generating function for the Father ended,
but if he did not finish begetting him, then the Son is not God. perfect. However,
this problem arises from not distinguishing between immanent and transient
action. In human generation the action is transient , because it concludes, in
childbirth, the relationship of dependence on its parents. The divine generation is
immanent , because the Son is in the bosom of the Father and the Father is fully
in the Son.
Since this is not a treatise on Christology, it will be sufficient to conclude

with a few more brief observations on the concept of the Son of God. The Son,
who is equal to the Father in the Divine Being and is not subject to the Father,
through the incarnation, by becoming man, can show him in his human nature
what he could not in the divine, in which he is coeternal and coequal to the
Father. . In that nature He will be able to give His life of infinite value, since it is
the human life of the Second Divine Person, in an act of supreme obedience
(Phil. 2:8). Otherwise, the Father sent the Son to be the Redeemer of the world.
All formulations of the sending of the Son are accompanied by the preposition
i{na, for, so that , as demonstrated by the biblical text: “When the fullness of
time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman and born under the law, that
he might redeem..." (Gal. 4:4-5); “For God so loved the world that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life” (Jn. 3:16); “For what was impossible for the law, because it was
weak through the flesh, God, sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and
because of sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law
might be fulfilled in us…” (Rom. 8:3-4); “…God sent his only begotten Son into
the world, that we might live through him” (1 Jn. 4:9). This is closely linked to
the incarnation of the Son of God. However, this cannot be considered as an
isolated fact, but as a whole in the program of sending the Father to the Son.
This sending allows men to participate in eternal life and achieve sonship in the
Son. The insertion of the Son into the world occurs through the birth of the
Virgin Mary, which presupposes the birth of a woman and the birth under the
law. But the beginning of Jesus' human existence is not the beginning of the
condition of Son, which precedes and transcends it in everything. Perhaps it is
Mark who, leaving aside the conception and birth of Jesus Christ, goes directly
to linking the story with the preexistence of the one who, seen as a man, is the
Son of God. In another way, the incarnation designates the union of the Son with
humanity, in a human nature conceived by the work of the Holy Spirit, in which
he carries out, from the level of humanity, the expression of his eternal filiation.
Mark begins his story with the simplicity of the phrase we are considering. In it,
Jesus Christ, presented as the Son of God, is the expression of the trinitarian life
of God in a creature and the incardination of the creature in God.
2. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your
way before you.
KaqwV" gevgraptai ejn tw`/ jHsai?a/ tw`/ profhvth/ 2 :

As it has been written in - Isaiah the prophet: ijdouV ajpostevllw toVn a[ggelon mou
proV Behold, I send my messenger before proswvpou sou, from the face of you,
o}" kataskeuavsei thVn oJdovn sou: who will prepare the way for you.

2
ejn tw`/ jHsai?a/ tw`/ profhvth/, in Isaiah the prophet , reading attested in A , B, L,
D, 33, 565, 892, 1241, 2427, Origen 1/4 .
ejn jHsai?a/ tw`/ profhvth/, in Isaiah the prophet , as read in D, Q, f 1 , 205, 700,
1071, 1243, l 253, arm, geo, Irenaeus gr , Origen 3/4 , Serapius, Epiphanius,
Seberianus, Hesechius.
a, aur, b, c, d, f, ff2, l, q
ejn jHsai?a/ or ejn tw`/ jHsai?a/, according to it , vg, sir p, h/mg(, pal , cop
sa, bo
, Irenaeus lat 1/3 , Origenes lat .
tw`/ profhvth/ is omitted, in the reading of Ambrosiaster, Augustine.
ς ς
ejn tw`/ profhvth/ , in the prophets , reading in A, W, f 13 , 28, 180, 579, 597,
1006, 1010, 1292, 1342, 1424, 1505, Biz [E, F, G, H, P, S], Lect , vg ms , sir h , cop
bo/ms, mg
, eti, esl, Irenaeus lat 2/3 , Asterio.
ejn tw`/ jHsai?a/ kaiV in tw`/ ς profhvth/ ς , in Isaiah and in the prophets , reading
in it r .
To introduce John's ministry, he appeals to prophecy, writing: KaqwV", causal

conjunction or adverb in the manner of ; gevgraptai, third person singular of the
perfect passive indicative of the verb gravfw, to write , here it has been written ; ejn,
proper preposition of dative in ; tw`/, masculine singular dative case of the definite
article the ; jHsai?a/, masculine singular dative case of the proper name Isaiah ; tw`/,
masculine singular dative case of the definite article the ; masculine singular dative
of the common noun prophet ; ijdouV, second person singular of the second aorist
imperative in the middle voice of the verb oJravw, in the form ei^^don, look, show,
see, with adverbial use equivalent to behold, it came to pass that, see, now, etc. could
be translated as an emphatic warning expression like Look!, it could even be read as
a question like and do you know?, it is in practice as a demonstrative particle, which
is used to animate the speech by enlivening the reader's attention, some moderns
identify it as an interjection; ajpostevllw, first person singular present indicative in
the active voice of the verb apostevllw, send, send , here I send ; toVn, masculine
singular accusative case of the definite article the ; a[ggelon, singular masculine
accusative case of the common noun angel, messenger ; mou, genitive case of the
first person singular of the declined personal pronoun of me ; proV, proper
preposition of the genitive in front ; proswvpou, singular neuter genitive case of the
common noun face ; sou, genitive case of the second person singular of the declined
personal pronoun of ti ; o}", masculine singular nominative case of the relative
pronoun which, which ; kataskeuavsei, third person singular of the future active
indicative of the verb katakesuavzw, prepare, arrange, construct , here will prepare ;
thVn, feminine singular accusative case of the article determined la ; oJdovn,
singular feminine accusative case of the common noun path, sou, genitive case of the
second person singular of the declined personal pronoun of ti .
KaqwV" gevgraptai ejn tw`/ jHsai?a/ tw`/ profhvth/. Mark appeals to

prophecy by quoting a passage from Isaiah. He introduces the quote by using
kaqwV" gevgraptai, being the only time in the entire gospel in which the
expression appears: as it has been written . Probably the best translation would
be as it is written , since the perfect of the verb indicates an action performed
whose effects last. Although it refers to Isaiah, the first of them corresponds to
Malachi (Mal. 3:1), for that reason the alternative reading ejn toi`` ς profh``tai
ς is probably produced in the prophets , as an inclusive form of the two
references, since the first does not correspond to Isaiah. Referring to one of the
authors in quotes where there is more than one is not unusual in the Old
Testament, as occurs, for example, in 2 Chr. 36:21, where reference is made
only to Jeremiah when there is one of this prophet (Jer. 25:12) and another from
the Pentateuch (Lev. 26:34, 35).
ijdouV ajpostevllw toVn a[ggelon mou proV proswvpou sou. The words of
the first quote are substantially the same as those in the Hebrew text of Malachi
(Mal. 3:1), and they also agree with those of the Pentateuch (Ex. 23:20a). The
prophet announced the coming of a messenger who would precede the arrival of
the Messiah. This is the only place where he uses the term a[ggelon, angel , in
the sense of messenger of God. Mark introduces the quote to express that the
coming of the Messiah was fulfilled in Jesus. It is, therefore, an interpretation of
prophecy to apply it to Christ.
o}" kataskeuavsei thVn oJdovn sou. The task of the angel , in the sense of
precursor messenger , was to prepare the hearts of God's people for the coming
of the Messiah. It was a spiritual action, different from that guided by the text of
Moses, where the angel was sent to introduce the people of Israel into the
promised land. The prophecy points to the two comings of Jesus. The first in the
operation of salvation and the second in the manifestation of the reign.
The quote is linked to the first verse by the use of kaqwV", as , so that the
first reference of the prophecy, which announces the sending of a messenger to
prepare the way, necessarily has to be linked to Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
therefore the path to be prepared has to be the preparation for the entry of Jesus
Christ into the world. So he is announcing the forerunner, whose subject he
addresses in the following verses. The messenger sent immediately links him to
John the Baptist (v.
4), so that the two prophetic quotes have to do with the presentation of the
precursor according to what the prophecy announced. It is clear that what he had
to prepare was thVn oJdovn sou, on the way to you . The genitive of the personal
pronoun requires connection with the subject of the sentence in the previous
verse, which is Jesus Christ, the Son of God . This is consonant with the
prophecy that speaks of preparing the way for the Lord. The reference requires
that John be the precursor who prepares the way for the coming of the Lord,
hence the importance of the titles that Mark gives him in the previous verse:
Jesus Christ, Son of God.
3. Voice of one crying in the desert:

Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make their paths straight.
fwnhV bow`nto" ejn th`/ ejrhvmw/:

Voice crying in the desert:
eJtoimavsate thVn oJdoVn Kurivou,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
eujqeiva" poiei`te taV" trivbou" aujtou`,
straight make His paths.
Continuing with the prophetic reference, he adds: fwnhV, feminine singular

nominative case of the common noun voice ; bow`nto", genitive masculine singular
case of the present participle in the active voice of the verb boavw, clamar, shout ,
here that cries ; ejn, proper preposition of the dative in ; th`/, dative feminine
singular case of the definite article el ; ejrhvmw /, feminine singular dative case of
the common noun desert ; eJtoimavsate, second person plural of the first aorist active
voice of the verb eJtoimavzw, prepare , here prepare ; thVn, feminine singular
accusative case of the definite article la ; from the common noun path ; Kurivou,
singular masculine genitive case of the declined divine name of the Lord ; eujqeiva",
plural feminine accusative case of the adjective rights ; poiei`te, second person plural
of the present imperative in the active voice of the verb poievw, make, create,
produce, manufacture , here make ; taV", plural feminine accusative case of the
definite article las ; trivbou", plural feminine accusative case of the common noun
paths, paths ; aujtou`, masculine genitive case of the second person singular of the
declined personal pronoun he .
fwnhV bow`nto". Mark takes messianic prophecy to value the presence

of the Servant. This second quote is taken literally from Isaiah (Is. 40:3). The
prophecy has to do with the return of the people, after the exile to Babylon,
which Mark interprets messianically. The text speaks of the voice of one crying
in the desert calling to prepare the ways of God. As has been considered before,
it can be applied to Christ, since the first verse emphasizes the truth that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God. The term Kurivou, Lord, is the way usually used in
Greek to translate the name Yahweh .
ejn th`/ ejrhvmw/: The reference to the proclamation in a desert place has
a notable meaning to introduce the figure of the precursor: John the Baptist. The
figure of the herald announcing, in the name of God, the arrival of the Messiah,
is used in the four gospels applied to John. As noted above, the prophecy has to
do with a message of encouragement and comfort for the people of Israel.
Divine discipline because of sin had produced the consequences of national
devastation and the death of thousands of people. God warns them that if the
cause of their sin of distancing themselves from Him had produced that
situation, the path of blessing consisted of an unconditional return to Him. In a
ministry of grace, he shows them the need they are in. God is always the God of
grace and consolation. The Father in heaven is the “God of all comfort” (2 Cor.
1:3); The Son, the sent Messiah, has a ministry of encouragement and comfort as
an advocate close to the Father (1 Jn. 2:1); The Holy Spirit is also called “the
Comforter” (Jn. 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). The prophet Isaiah, referring to the
Messiah, announces that he would come to “comfort all those who mourn” (Is.
61:2).
eJtoimavsate thVn oJdoVn Kurivou. The manifestation of God incarnate,

the theme of Mark , required that the prophet's voice, in the name of God, be
raised to call for spiritual restoration. It might be thought that Mark forces the
text, however, when the Pharisees asked John if he was the Christ, he said that it
was simply fwnhV bow'nto", voice that cries out (John. 1:23). It would be Jesus
who, in his ministry, gave the interpretation of the prophetic passage applying it
to John (Mt. 11:10), where he clearly refers to him saying: ou|to" ejstin periV ou|
gevgraptai, this is the one of whom it was written , to refer to the same prophecy
that Mark uses here. God sent the messenger to prepare His way, therefore, if
John was the announced messenger, Jesus was God who came according to the
prophet's announcement. In the prophecy God speaks as if He Himself were
coming, in the textual reference of Mark, God addresses the Messiah announcing
the sending of a messenger before Him. Hence the importance of the first verse
where the Divine-human condition of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, stands out. It
is notable that the text of Isaiah appears three times in the Synoptics, and all
three times with the modification that makes the subject Jesus (cf. Mt. 11:10V
Lk. 7:27).
In the verses that follow, the identification of the messenger with John the
Baptist is evident. Jesus would say that this was the greatest of the prophets,
because the one who was a precursor of the Messiah, announcing him in his
message, was also a witness of the presence of the One whom he announced.
John not only said he will come, but he said of Jesus: Here he is . Even though
the context of Malachi's prophecy extends back in time to the kingdom of
heaven, the sending of the messenger who prepares the way for the coming of
the Lord applies very legitimately to John as a forerunner of the first coming.
John was the one who prepared the way of the Lord. The prophetic text is very
well understood in light of the Eastern custom of sending a crier before the king
who was going to pass so that the locals could prepare and arrange the path
along which he would pass. John not only announced the coming of the Lord,
but in His name he demanded the eJtoimavsate, preparation or spiritual repair
of the ways of His people.
eujqeiva" poiei`te taV" trivbou" aujtou`, This was linked to the call that
John made inviting people to repent, that is, to make a complete change of mind
and heart. This change would result in the paths being straightened.
Straightening what is crooked means adjusting everything that was not in
accordance with the will of God. It means that the deformations, the
tortuousness of the path would be fixed so that the blessings that the coming of
Christ would bring could be enjoyed by them. Everything that could be an
obstacle, such as apparent holiness, legalism, permissive morality, had to be
removed from the path, which was equivalent to the daily life of each of those
who heard the prophet's message, that is, a cleansing of life for all those who
were waiting for the coming of the kingdom of God. John was the spokesman
who cried out in the desert communicating God's message. His voice was raised
in the desert, wasteland of the world, to awaken the people, preparing the way of
the Messiah. John shouted to awaken the people spiritually, then Jesus Christ
would come to instruct them. The people of John's time were proud of their
religion and their ancestry, but they were insensitive to the sin that dominated
society; They were humiliated by the Romans, but they lacked humility before
God.
The prophecy in its first purpose had to do with a message of

encouragement to a dejected and discouraged people, a consequence of a
situation resulting from the abandonment of the commitment to God and the
presence of sin. Juan's message becomes fully topical. The need for spiritual
cleansing to receive God's blessings is evident, which is why it is essential and
urgent. Every unconfessed sin makes the path crooked before God. Confession is
therefore necessary. Communion with the Lord is only possible in a clean life.
The right relationship with God is the greatest privilege and the only source of
blessings for the believer. The divine presence provides comfort and
encouragement in the difficulties of life and in the disappointments of daily
living. When sadness and pain arise, that is when you can appreciate the
dimension of what God is as a Comforter. Perhaps the provision of grace does
not make difficulties disappear, but it will always provide help and strength to
bear the burdens. In moments of difficulty, when the path runs through what
turns out to be the valley of the shadow of death, or when it passes through the
passage of tears, it is when the love of the Great Shepherd of the sheep becomes
noticeable, providing comfort and grace. for each one.
4. John baptized in the desert, and preached the baptism of repentance for
the forgiveness of sins.
3
ejgevneto jIwavnnh" ªoJº baptivzwn ejn th`/ ejrhvmw/ kaiV khruvsswn John
came who baptized in the wilderness and proclaimed
bavptisma metanoiva" eij" a[fesin aJmartiw`n.
baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.

1
ªoJº baptivzwn ejn th`/ ejrhvmw/ kaiV, the one who baptizes in the desert and...
reading attested in A , L, D, 205, 1342, cop bo , geo 1 , esl ms .
ªoJº baptivzwn ejn th`/ ejrhvmw/, the one who baptizes in the desert , as read in B,
33, 892, 2427, cop bo/ms .
baptivzwn ejn th`/ ejrhvmw/ kaiV, baptizing in the desert and , reading according to
A, W, f 1 , f 13 , 180, 565, 579, 597, 1006, 1010, 1071, 1241, 1243, 1292, 1424, 1505,
Biz [E, F, G, H, S], Lect , it f , sir h, pal , arm, eti, esl mss .
ejn th`/ ejrhvmw/ baptivzwn kaiV, in the desert baptizing and... according to D, Q,
28, 700, it a, aur, b, c, d, ff1, l, q, r1,t , vg, sir p , Jerónimo, Agustín.
Omits kaiV, and , Eusebius, Cyril of Jerusalem.
At the beginning of the historical reference to John the Baptist, he writes: ejgevneto,
third person singular of the second aorist indicative in the middle voice of the verb
givnomai, to become, originate, occur, happen, come here came, arose ; jIwavnnh",
singular masculine nominative case of the proper name Juan ; ªoJº, singular
masculine nominative case of the definite article the ; baptivzwn, singular masculine
nominative case of the present participle in active voice of the verb baptivzw,
baptize , here that baptizes, baptizing ; ejn, proper preposition of dative in ; th`/,
feminine singular dative case of the definite article la ; ejrhvmw/, feminine singular
dative case of the common noun desert ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ;
khruvsswn, masculine singular nominative case of the present participle from the
verb khruvssw, to proclaim, to preach , here proclaiming ; bavptisma, singular
accusative case of the common noun baptism ; metanoiva", singular feminine
genitive case of the declined common noun of repentance ; eij", proper accusative
preposition for ; a[fesin, singular feminine accusative case of the common noun
forgiveness, remission, liberation ; aJmartiw`n, plural feminine genitive case of the
declined common noun of sins .
ejgevneto jIwavnnh" ªoJº baptivzwn. Mark expresses a notable interest in

John, the baptizer , citing him several times in the gospel (1:6, 9, 14; 2:18; 6:25;
8:28; 11:30, 32). He is referred to as the precursor of Jesus, the Messiah. By
using the verbal form ejgevneto, he expresses the idea of the appearance of this
messenger of God. That is, John bursts into the history of Israel as a prophet at
the time determined by the one who sent him on that mission. He had not begun
his office as a precursor of the Messiah before, because the time had not come,
but suddenly he appears carrying out the prophetic service, which is indicated a
little later in the verse as khruvsswn, proclaimer of the baptism of repentance.
John's mission is expressed with the form ªoJº baptivzwn, literally the one who
baptizes , which will appear later (cf. 6:14, 24), but will also use the expression
ς
baptisthv , (cf. 6:25; 8:28) which is shared by Matthew and Luke, and which
for Mark is equivalent, although the former highlights the character of the action
more.
ejn th`/ ejrhvmw/ In addition to baptizing, John preached . Both things

took place in the desert. The term desert is equivalent to a depopulated or
sparsely inhabited land. The allusion to the Jordan limits, for some, the territory
to the unpopulated areas of Judea, close to the Dead Sea, next to the Jordan,
although almost the entire Jordan Valley was a sparsely populated area. If John
died in the fortress of Machaerus, one of the palaces of Herod Antipas (6:14-18),
the area of his ministry must have been near the Dead Sea in the district of
Perea. However, this is not information that allows us to specify the place either.
kaiV khruvsswn bavptisma metanoiva". He preached repentance for

forgiveness of sins. The term used metanoiva", repentance , is used here to refer
to a change of mind regarding sin. It is a call to conversion or return to God,
recognizing personal sin and confessing it. In the New Testament it also carries
the idea of a deliberate change, that is, an action that is born from the need
imposed by a regenerated heart, an awareness of the need that requires a change
of life. It was not a matter of religious reform, but of an interior change of heart.
Change of mind, repentance , should be understood as a change of inner life. He
who changed his mind and returned to God in repentance was baptized,
expressing his new state, as a public testimony to everyone. Baptism was a
visible manifestation of belonging to the remnant of God's people. It was not an
absolute novelty, regarding the fact of being baptized, because baptisms, both
for purification and for the incorporation of proselytes, were known at that time.
The novelty of this baptism is that it marked the beginning of a new commitment
to God. John was breaking with the tradition that taught the sufficiency of being
a Jew to be part of the people of God; the prophet points out the path of
repentance and confession of sins to access that condition.
Repentance is generally accompanied by sincere heartache because of the

practice of a life contrary to or discordant with the will of God. However,
although regret for the sin committed may accompany repentance, it must be
clearly understood that this regret is not repentance itself. Some confuse this by
applying without contextualizing a text by the apostle Paul, where he says that
“Godly sadness produces repentance” (2 Cor. 7:10)27 . Sadness is not the
change of mind that comes with repentance. So John's message was not so much
a call for a self-confession of sin, but rather the determining result of a change of
mentality that leads to a change of life. It must not be forgotten that the only way
to access the kingdom of God is through the new birth (Jn. 3:3, 5), which
necessarily includes repentance. However, it must also be understood that
repentance is not a condition apart from faith for salvation, but rather the
consequence of the action of faith and the regeneration of the sinner. Otherwise,
there can be no repentance, a change of mentality , in the unregenerate man, but
it occurs in the believer as a consequence of regeneration. Both things, like
everything related to salvation, are a work of God, who generates faith in man so
that he can voluntarily and personally exercise it by depositing it in the Savior
and giving him his life (Eph. 2:8-9). John's call to repentance would produce a
change of mentality that would rectify the tortuous path of the people of his
time, propelling them to a life different from the one they had led until that
moment. However, true contrition because of sin cannot be produced by the
action of human will, but is born in the work of the Spirit of God in the heart,
whether of the non-believer or of the believer. Repentance is included in faith, as
has been said, so that when John called for repentance he did so because the
kingdom had come near. Those who believed the word of the Baptist that
proclaimed the imminent arrival of the kingdom were led to repentance. This
repentance is linked to conversion, which is nothing other than a change of
position from idols, that is, the human religious system, to God (1 Thes. 1:9).
This change produces an investment in life, ceasing to serve in spiritual slavery
to do so in the glorious freedom of the children of God. Repentance had special
relevance in relation to Israel, a people under the covenant order that God had
established for them and which culminates in the new covenant of spiritual
restoration through the new birth (Jer. 31:31-34). Being in line with what God
stipulates in the covenant means being in a correct relationship with Him. Sin
always restricts the blessings established in the covenants, therefore, repentance
infers a change of mentality that will produce a change of life in accordance with
the principles demanded in the covenants that are still in force for Israel. God did
not need new pacts with Israel, but the restoration of the principles of life that
would allow the enjoyment of the promises agreed unconditionally, and which
are those that have to do with the blessing established in the sphere called the
27
See note in my commentary on 2 Corinthians.
kingdom of God , or kingdom of the heavens . The invitation to repent is a
demand to restore the principles of life in preparation for the coming kingdom in
Jesus Christ of whom John was herald. It was not about establishing new pacts,
but about restoring the life of the people through a change of mentality that
would lead them to confess their sins and turn unconditionally to God.
The need to preach a message calling for repentance is evident in light of

the spiritual situation of the people of Israel in John's time. According to
Matthew, the prophet's message was simple, summarized in a single word:
Repent . The need for repentance was because “the kingdom of heaven is at
hand” (Mt. 3:2). There is no doubt that the Greco-Roman society of that time
was a sinful and morally corrupt society. It was the situation that would lead
years later to the collapse of the Roman Empire.
But, if the Gentiles were corrupt and needed a return to God, so did the Jews.
The nation's religious society was in a notorious state of spiritual corruption.
Manifestations of piety had become the goal of many, especially those who
considered themselves social examples, seeking to pray to be seen, practicing
alms to the poor for the glorification of the giver, living immersed in the literal
fulfillment of the Law, but forgetting of the spiritual guidance that God had
given him. What Isaiah denounced was being fulfilled again: “This people
draws near to me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips, but their heart
is far from me, and their fear of me is nothing more than a commandment of
men who has been taught” (Isa. 29:13).
Alfred Hedersheim writes about this situation:
“The highest authority in the country is united to the names of Annas

and Caiaphas. The first had been appointed by Quirinius. After holding the
pontificate for nine years, he was deposed, and others succeeded him, of which
the fourth was his son-in-law Caiaphas. The character of the High Priests
throughout this period is described in the Talmud (Pes. 57th) in terrible words.
And although there is no evidence that the house of Annas was guilty of the
gross indulgence, violence, lust, and even public indecency of some of their
successors, they are included in the woes or calamities pronounced upon the
corrupt leaders of the priesthood, before whom they were It presents the
Sanctuary as asking them to move away from its sacred precincts, since they
contaminate it with their presence. It is worth noting that the special sin of
which the house of Annas is accused is of 'hissing' or hissing like vipers, which
seems to refer to private influence over the judges in the administration of
justice, so the Morality is corrupted, judgment perverted and the Shekinah has
departed from Israel. As an illustration of this we will remember the terror that
prevented some Sanhedrists from standing next to Jesus (Jn. 7:50-52), and
especially the violence that seems to have decided the final action of the
Sanhedrin (Jn. 11:47-50), against which not only men like Nicodemus and
Joseph of Arimathea, but even a Gamaliel, felt powerless. But although the
expression High Priest seems, at times, to have been used in a general sense as
designating the sons of the High Priest, and even the principal members of his
family, there could, of course, only be one actual High Priest. The conjunction
of the two names Annas and Caiaphas probably indicates that, although Annas
had been deposed from the pontificate, he still continued to preside over the
Sanhedrin; a conclusion not only supported by Acts. 4:6, in which Annas
appears as their royal president, and by the terms in which Caiaphas is spoken
of as merely one of them (John. 11:49), but for the part he took in the final
condemnation of Jesus (Jn. 18:13). Such a combination of political and
religious disasters undoubtedly constituted a period of extreme need for Israel.
However, no attempt was made on the part of the people to set things right by
force."28 .
Faced with a similar situation, there was an urgent call to repent for the
presence of the King and the proximity of the kingdom in his Person.
eij" a[fesin aJmartiw`n. Such conversion was for forgiveness of sins . The
one who was baptized publicly announced an essential change in his life. He
abandoned sin to live a new life in relationship with God. The word a[fesin,
translated forgiveness , literally means remission . It has to do with the
elimination of all obstacles that prevented a correct relationship with God. The
word has to do with the expulsion of sin away from the sinner (Ps. 103:3; Es.
1:18; 44:22; 55:6, 7; My. 7:18). The importance of this action of God's grace for
eternal life is also highlighted in the New Testament (Mr. 3:29; Lk. 24:47; Acts.
2:38; 5:31; 10:43; 13:38; 19:4; 26:18; Eph. 1:7; Cabbage. 1:14). Forgiveness
involves the restoration of the communion broken by sin, which is projected into
the life experience of the one who has returned to God. Remission is of
aJmartiw`n, sins , in the sense of everything that has not reached the standard
that God has determined.
Baptism symbolically expresses the act of repentance and change of life.

One is not baptized to convert , but as an expression of the conversion having
occurred. John baptized with water “for repentance,” that is, as a testimony of
conversion, or repentance, equivalent here. The baptism that John practiced
symbolized the reality of the grace that purifies the heart of those who return to
God. It is the material symbolism of the spiritual reality announced for the new
covenant: “I will sprinkle clean water on you and you will be cleansed… I will
give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you” (Ez. 36:25, 26). An
allusion to the symbolism of water in baptism is mentioned in the Epistle to the
Hebrews , where it reads: “Let us draw near with a sincere heart, in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts purified from an evil conscience, and our
bodies washed with pure water” ( Heh. 10:22). John's baptism symbolically
expressed the inner cleansing achieved by everyone who came to God in
28 Alfred Endersheim. The life and times of Jesus the Messiah. Edit Clie. Terrassa
1987. Vol. YO. p. 307s.
repentance. This is the key to the entire message and ministry of John the
Baptist. It was not a manifestation of apparent repentance, but a full one that
produces a change in people's lives. It was not ceremonial or religious matters,
which did not bring men closer to God, nor did He take pleasure in them, it was
an unconditional return to God by confessing sin and turning away from it. That
true repentance always produces fruits in accordance with it. In the same way
that the faith that saves and sanctifies is visibly manifested in works, so also
genuine repentance produces fruits worthy of it. It is similar to the faith that
saves and therefore leads to the experience not only of justification, but also of
sanctification, in an action typical of true faith that informs and drives the life of
the convert to God (James. 2:17). There is no doubt that in the light of revealed
truth, man is not saved by works, but by grace through faith; But, it is no less
true that although no one is saved by works, everything saved is saved by
works , that is, true conversion manifests itself in a new way of life. The mere
desire to be baptized and the act of doing so, in and of itself, does not lead to
anything special. True repentance, and John's baptism was an expression of
accepting the call to repentance and assuming it without any limitation, should
produce evidence that it had been a reality in the heart, since both faith and
repentance are conceived in the heart by the action of the Spirit of God. Those
who express regret for sin but continue to commit it are not truly repentant. It is
necessary to remember again that there are those who feel remorse but never
come to repentance. Faith and repentance are not specific acts but continuous
attitudes that inform and condition life.
Conversion to Christ necessarily produces a change of life similar to that

demanded by John for those who came to him to be baptized. He who believes
receives, through the action of the Spirit, spiritual regeneration, the new birth.
God removes the heart damaged by sin and places in its place a new depositary
of the Holy Spirit, who guides the life of the saved for a development in
accordance with the will of God. Everything that corresponded to the old life, in
a fallen nature, gives way to something new in which the believer's way of life is
developed and projected. The change is so profound and total that it can only be
compared to a new birth, which cancels the previous life experience to make
way for a new one, so that for the saved “the old things have passed away;
behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). Before the flesh produced
works of ungodliness, contaminated by sin, now the Spirit produces the fruit that
manifests a radically different life (Gal. 5:22-23). This does not mean that there
are no spiritual falls or failures that require confession, which in itself implies
true repentance, through whose confession the communion with God previously
affected by unconfessed sin is restored. You cannot talk about salvation without
talking about regeneration and you cannot talk about this without talking about a
visible change of life. The faith that saves is not intellectual faith but
experiential, that is, salvation is not received by believing with the mind, but
with the heart (Rom. 10:9). The Christian life does not consist in talking about
Christ, but in living Christ (Phil. 1:21). He who is in Christ has crucified the
flesh with its passions and desires (Gal. 5:24).
5. And all the province of Judea, and all those of Jerusalem, came out to
him; and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their
sins.
kaiV ejxeporeuveto proV" aujtoVn pa`sa hJ jIoudaiva cwvra kaiV oiJ

and came out to him all the region of Judea and the
JIerosolumi`tai pavnte", kaiV ejbaptivzonto uJp= aujtou` ejn tw`/
from Jerusalem all, and were baptized by him in the jIordavnh/ potamw`/
ejxomologouvmenoi taV" aJmartiva" aujtw`n.
Jordan river, confessing their sins.
Continuing with the description of John and his ministry, he writes: kai; copulata
conjunction and ; ejxeporeuveto, third person singular imperfect indicative in the
middle voice of the verb ejkporeuvomai, to leave , here they came out ; proV",
proper preposition of accusative a ; aujtoVn, masculine accusative case of the second
person singular of the personal pronoun him ; pa`sa, singular feminine nominative
case of the indefinite adjective todo ; hJ, singular feminine nominative case of the
definite article la ; jIoudaiva, feminine singular nominative case of the adjective
Judea, in the sense of belonging to Judea, of Judea ; cwvra, feminine singular
nominative case of the common noun region ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ;
oiJ, masculine plural nominative case of the definite article; plural masculine
nominative case of the proper name in Greek Jerusalem, in the sense of
jerosolimitanos ; pavnte", plural masculine nominative case of the indefinite
adjective all ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; ejbaptivzonto, third person plural
of the imperfect indicative in the active voice of the verb baptivzw, baptize , here
baptized , in the sense of were baptized ; uJp=, form taken by the genitive
preposition ujpov before a vowel with a soft spirit, for ; aujtou`, masculine singular
genitive case of the third singular of the personal pronoun he ; ejn, dative proper
preposition in ; tw`/, masculine singular dative case of the definite article the ;
jIordavnh/, singular masculine dative case of the proper name Jordan : potamw`/,
singular masculine dative case of the common name river ; ejxomologouvmenoi,
masculine plural nominative case of the present participle in the active voice of the
verb ejxomologevw, confess, here confessing ; taV", plural feminine accusative case
of the definite article las ; aJmartiva", plural feminine accusative case of the
common noun sins ; aujtw`n, masculine genitive case of the third person plural of the
declined personal pronoun them.
kaiV ejxeporeuveto proV" aujtoVn pa`sa hJ jIoudaiva cwvra kaiV oiJ

JIerosolumi`tai pavnte", Juan's message had a notable reception. Mark
undoubtedly uses a hyperbolic expression to refer to the reception and
acceptance of the message by many: The entire region of Judea , meaning a
large number of the region of Judea. All of Jerusalem indicates the same thing.
Through synecdoche , a figure of speech by which an object, in this case people,
is called by the name of another to which it is associated, in this case the region.
According to Matthew, crowds also came from all over the province around the
Jordan (Mt. 3:5). It had to have been a more than massive, impetuous movement.
Mark uses the term Judea to refer to the southern province of the kingdom of
Israel (3:7; 10:1; 13:14), so it is further evidence of the part of the territory
where John baptized. The historian Josephus testifies to the great movement of
people that took place.29 . Here the question could arise again about the
geographical location of the place where John baptized. This has been
considered before, but it must be taken into account that it probably moved
along the course of the river reaching Bethany beyond the Jordan (Jn. 1:28).
kaiV ejbaptivzonto uJp= aujtou` ejn tw`/ jIordavnh/ potamw`/

ejxomologouvmenoi taV" aJmartiva" aujtw`n. Those who came to John did so
confessing their sins, that is, they openly recognized and confessed their sin, a
requirement that John established to baptize those who came to him. The
acceptance of John's message, and consequently of John himself, by the
inhabitants of Judea is appreciated. This will also be the case with the ministry
of Jesus (3:7-9). Actually, those who generated the problems against Christ were
the religious establishment of Jerusalem, such as the scribes who came to
contradict him (3:22), and those who are repeatedly mentioned as presbuvteroi
ς ς
kaiV oiv arcereiv kaiV grammateiv , elders, and chief priests , and scribes
(8:31; 10:33; 11:27). There is no doubt that in the historical data of John's
baptism, a renewal in Jewish national thought can be seen. All had been taught
to consider Jerusalem as the glorious place where all nations would come to
bring their gifts during the glorious reign of the Messiah and where all Israel
would come to obtain the promised blessings. Mark places the place of return to
God and the path of his blessings not in Jerusalem, but in the Jordan desert, a
place where they went to the call of God through John.
ejn tw`/ jIordavnh/ potamw`/ John's baptism was by immersion, as seen

in the fact that he looked for a place on the banks of the Jordan River, where
there was an abundance of water. The idea of a baptism by sprinkling, pouring a
small amount of water on the one being baptized, is not in this context nor in the
generic name of baptism , which primarily means immersion.
ejxomologouvmenoi taV" aJmartiva" aujtw`n Repentance was the

condition, but not the cause, for the remission of sins. Repentance and
confession have the instrumentality of faith. It cannot be specified if there was
any formula for John's baptism, there is simply the generic expression that they
were baptized confessing their sins. Was the confession silent or loud? Was
there a general or specific confession of sins? Any position on this is still a
personal appreciation, but not a biblical one. On the other hand, the baptism of
proselytes was administered by the proselyte himself by immersing himself in
29 Josephus. Antiques, 18.19.
the water for a ritual washing, while here, the use of the imperfect indicative
expresses the idea of a baptism administered by John, which also implied the
break with the established tradition. John himself will later refer to the practice
of this baptism administered by him (v. 8). None of those were saved by heeding
the call to repentance and feeling heartfelt contrition, and even by deciding the
purpose of amendment: The cause of salvation is always the grace of God (Eph.
2:8-9). Baptism had no effect in relation to the forgiveness of sins. It was the
visible testimony that the condition for forgiveness had occurred: repentance
and confession of the condition of sinner.
6. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather belt around
his loins; and ate locusts and wild honey.
kaiV h\n oJ jIwavnnh" ejndedumevno" trivca" 4 kamhvlou kaiV zwvnhn

And there was - Juan having dressed himself with camel's hair and periV dermativnhn belt
thVn ojsfuVn aujtou` kaiV ejsqivwn ajkrivda"
kaiV
Leather around his loins, and eating locusts and mevli a[grion. wild honey.
180, 205, 565, 579, 597, 700, 892, 1006, 1010, 1071, 1241, 1243, 1292, 1342, 1424,
1505, 2427, Biz [E, F, G, H, P, S], Lect , it aur, b, e, d, f, ff2, l, q , vg, sir p, h, pal , cop sa, bo , eti,
esl, Diatessaron, Jerónimo.
devrrin, skin , according to D, it a .
Describing Juan's dress, he writes: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; h\n, third
person singular of the imperfect indicative in the active voice of the verb eijmiv, ser,
estar , here it was ; oJ, nominative masculine singular case of the definite article the ;
jIwavnnh", singular masculine nominative case of the proper noun Juan ;
ejndedumevno", singular masculine nominative case of the perfect participle in the
middle voice of the verb ejnduvw, to dress, to clothe , here he had dressed , having
dressed ; trivca", plural feminine accusative case of the inflected common noun with
hair, with mane ; kamhvlou, singular feminine genitive case of the inflected common
noun of camel ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; zwvnhn, singular feminine
accusative case of the common noun cinto, belt ; dermativnhn , feminine singular
accusative case of the adjective of leather ; periV, proper preposition of the
accusative around, surrounding , thVn, singular feminine accusative case of the
definite article las ; ojsfuVn, singular feminine accusative case of the common noun
lomos , waist : aujtou`, case masculine singular genitive of the third person singular
of the declined personal pronoun of him ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ;
ejsqivwn, masculine singular nominative case of the present active participle of the
verb ejsqivw, eat , here eating ; from the common name lobsters ; kaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; mevli, accusative neuter singular case of the common noun,
honey ; a[grion, singular neuter accusative case of the adjective wild .
kaiV h\n oJ jIwavnnh" ejndedumevno" trivca" kamhvlou kaiV zwvnhn

dermativnhn periV thVn ojsfuVn aujtou`. From the reference to the ministry,
preaching and baptizing, he goes on to consider his appearance, describing
John's usual clothing and food.
He was dressed, literally having dressed , the periphrastic construction here

indicates a habitual action, that is, Juan was in the habit of dressing in a certain
way. Her dress was made of hair cloth, or camel's mane . This austere type of
clothing was identified with the office of prophet (1 Sam. 28:14; Zac. 13:4). An
alternative reading, little attested, collects skin instead of camel hair . However,
it is not very plausible since the use of the skins of impure animals, such as the
camel, implied possible legal contamination (Lev. 11:4). Although the clothing
was humble, it was good clothing for the desert. Jesus remembered that John did
not wear fine clothing (Mt. 11:8). He was not a man of high society or a courtier,
but a prophet. The Lord told the people that those who wear fine clothes are not
in the desert preaching repentance and calling men to a change of life, but in the
palaces, enjoying earthly delights. Mark's purpose in introducing John the
Baptist is, without a doubt, to link him with the prophets and, especially with the
prophet announced as a precursor of the Messiah. He is not intending for now
that the reader relate it to the eschatological coming of Elijah, promised before
the advent of the Messiah, but he will do so later in this identification (9:13).
The leather belt hugged the dress at the waist and made it easier to wear.
This element of clothing was a common garment for farmers and even for desert
Bedouins. In the social environment of that time, anyone who only had a dress
and a belt was considered poor.
kaiV ejsqivwn ajkrivda" kaiV mevli a[grion. The food was simple like
the clothes: Lobsters and wild honey. The Bedouins used to eat grasshoppers
roasted with salt. God had regulated the consumption of four types of insects in
legal prescriptions (Lev. 11:22). The nutritional value of food, although it
represents a certain rejection for our Western tastes, is notable, so that the
prophet could maintain sufficient nutritional values for the ministry he was
doing. The land provided him with what he needed each day.
Wild honey could be found in the hollow of a rock (Deut. 32:13). It is a

healthy, nutritious and anti-polluting natural product. Wild honey was very
common in the area near the Jordan. The Bible refers to honey in relation to
some people in the history of Israel, such as the case of Samson who took wild
honey from a honeycomb that bees had made in the rib of a dead lion (Jud. 14:8,
9, 18) and also of Jonathan who lifted his physical weakness on a day of intense
fatigue, taking honey with the end of a rod (1 Sam. 14:24-27). It is necessary to
understand that although this was the basis of Juan's diet, it does not mean that
his diet was exclusively this. As a prophet, his life was part of his message, so
that everyone could appreciate his disinterest in what represented values for the
society of that time, showing the values that constituted the way of life of those
who are committed to the Lord. Through his way of eating and dressing he
testified against the arrogance, corruption and vainglory of the lives of many in
Israel.
John was not only a herald with his word, but with his own life. Through
his dress, his food, and his way of life, he contrasted himself with the arrogance,
corruption, and vainglory that surrounded the lives of many of his brothers in
Judea. The selfishness, debauchery, pride and many other sins of his
contemporaries were denounced simply with the physical presence and lifestyle
of the Baptist. John was a comprehensive preacher of the gospel of the kingdom.
The same relationship in life that accompanies ministry should be the

way of life for believers, who like John, have the mandate to preach the gospel
to every creature. The life of the believer should be a visible and silent message
of the gospel that is the power of God for salvation and that transforms those
who believe (Rom. 1:16). The way a Christian behaves effectively supports the
message he preaches, or discredits it. A Christian woman married to an
unbelieving husband brought him to the Lord without words , by behavior that
reflected Christ in her own life (1 Pet. 3:1). No one can hope to convince others
of the truth he preaches and the need for a change in relationship with God,
unless his life reflects the transformation to which he calls others. The greatest
problem to evangelization is the contra testimony of a life contrary to the
regeneration that is preached.
7. And he preached, saying: He who is mightier than I is coming after me,

whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to untie while bowed.
KaiV ejkhvrussen levgwn: e[rcetai oJ ijscurovtero" mou ojpivsw mou, And he

preached saying: He who is more powerful than me is coming after me, ou| oujk
eijmiV iJkanoV" kuvya" lu`sai toVn iJmavnta tw`n
of whom I am not worthy, bending down to untie the strap of the uJpodhmavtwn aujtou`.
his sandals.
Alluding to John's preaching, he writes: KaiV, copulative conjunction and ;

ejkhvrussen, third person singular imperfect active indicative of the verb khruvssw,
proclaim, preach , here preached ; levgwn, nominative masculine singular case of
the present participle in active voice of the verb levgw, speak, say , here saying ;
e[rcetai, third person singular present indicative in the middle voice of the verb
e[rcomai, come , here it comes ; oJ, nominative masculine singular case of the
definite article the ; ijscurovtero", nominative masculine singular case of the
comparative adjective more powerful than, stronger than ; mou, genitive case of the
first person singular of the personal pronoun I ; ojpivsw, proper preposition of the
genitive after ; mou, ou| oujk eijmiV iJkanoV", worthy , capable, competent ;
kuvya", nominative masculine singular case of the first aorist participle in the active
voice of the verb kuvptw, bow down, crouch , here stooping ; lu`sai, first aorist
infinitive in the active voice of the verb luvw , with the meaning of untying, tearing
down, breaking, removing , drop, etc.; toVn, plural masculine accusative case of the
definite article los ; iJmavnta, plural masculine accusative case of the common noun
straps, laces ; tw`n, plural neuter genitive case of the plural of the common noun
footwear, sandals ; aujtou`, masculine genitive case of the third person singular of
the declined personal pronoun of him.
KaiV ejkhvrussen levgwn. John preached. The theme of John's message

is in the first sentence of the chapter: “Beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
Son of God.” Mark condenses the Baptist's preaching, in the reference he made
to a stronger one , who was about to arrive. There is no doubt that the person of
Jesus was on Mark's mind. What John says has to do with him who is
exceedingly great, much stronger than he, because he is the Son of God in
human flesh. John firmly announced the imminence of the coming of the One
who is stronger , using the verbal form comes , the present indicative of the verb
come. The Strong One was the expected liberator, the promised Messiah (Is.
49:25; 53:12). John's proclamation in the desert is the immediate antecedent to
the story of Jesus.
e[rcetai oJ ijscurovtero" mou ojpivsw mou. He who comes does so after

me . The expression is generally considered to be a temporal form. It is a way of
translating the phrase where the genitive preposition ojpivsw appears, which is
translated as after . The messenger must record his position in relation to the one
who comes next, whose arrival he is announcing. John was not the one expected,
but the one who proclaimed his coming. At some point people would wonder if
John was the Christ, receiving the answer that Mark transfers here (Lk. 3:15).
Later he would confess directly to the religious leaders of his time that he was
not the Christ (Jn. 1:19, 20).
ou| oujk eijmiV iJkanoV" kuvya" lu`sai toVn iJmavnta tw`n

uJpodhmavtwn aujtou`. Juan confesses his unworthiness before the one who is
announced, to carry out the most basic duties of a slave. The figure used was
known in the social environment of those days. When a master returned from a
day's work or travel, a slave would stoop before him to untie the straps of his
sandals and wash his feet. The illustration revealed the condition of a
subordinate, in this case John, before a superior, who was Jesus.
No one is worthy enough before the Lord. John confessed that before
Jesus Christ he was not worthy to carry out the humble tasks of a slave, that is,
the smallest services rendered to the Lord, surpass in all the greatness of what a
man could do. The Christian life loses meaning and significance when we stop
appreciating the greatness of Jesus. Personal glories, pride, greatness, fade away
before the glorious person of the Lord. Only those who are like Diotrephes seek
to lord it over what is Christ's personal property. The arrogance of some in the
church today, their desire for prominence, the misery of their search for
notoriety, the nauseating dimension of their haughty personal esteem, are the
natural manifestation of the absence of communion with Christ. The Pharisees of
John's day ignored the words and example of the Baptist in relation to Jesus.
None of them was willing to consider themselves a servant because they all had
the arrogant greatness of someone who considers himself a Lord. This species is
also present in the church, throughout time. It is time to understand that the
church is overflowing with great people and in need of servants.
8. I have indeed baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit.
ejgwV ejbavptisa uJma`" u{dati, aujtoV" deV baptivsei uJma`" ejn Pneuvmati
I baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Spirit JAgivw/.
Holy.
Concluding the transfer of Juan's words, he adds: ejgwV, nominative case of the first
person singular of the personal pronoun I ; ejbavptisa, first person singular first aorist
indicatio in active voice of the verb baptivzw, baptize , here I baptized ; uJma`",
accusative case of the second person plural of the personal pronoun os ; u{dati,
neuter dative case
singular of the common noun declined with water ; aujtoV", nominative masculine
singular case of the intensive pronoun He ; deV, conjunctive particle that acts as a
coordinating conjunction, with the sense of but, rather, and, and by the way , rather ;
baptivsei, third person singular of the future indicative in active voice of the verb
baptivzw, baptize , here, will baptize uJma`", accusative case of the third person
plural of the personal pronoun os ; ejn, dative proper preposition with ; Pneuvmati,
dative neuter singular case of the name Spirit ; aJgivw/, dative neuter singular case
of the adjective Santo .
ejgwV ejbavptisa The coming of the Messiah, of whom John was a
precursor, would end the ministry of preparation that had been carried out by
him in the Jordan, preaching repentance and baptizing with water those who
accepted the message. Hence, in the construction of the phrase, the aorist
ejbavptisa, baptized , is used as a completed task, John speaking from a
retrospective view of his ministry. Yet he could be using a Hebraism, the perfect
static Hebrew, which can be translated as baptism.
uJma`" u{dati, John's baptism was, as has been considered before,

symbolic, baptizing in water those who confessed repentance. The distance
between the precursor and the Messiah can be seen in each phrase of John's
words. Here he recognizes that his baptism was simply of water, as a visible
expression of repentance. But, after him came the Mighty One , who brought a
different baptism. The water symbol symbolized the purification of the heart that
grace works in everyone who believes. It is the visible testimony of a spiritual
reality announced for the new covenant: “I will sprinkle clean water on you and
you will be cleansed… I will give you a new heart and I will put a new spirit
within you” (Ez. 36:25, 26). Likewise, the writer to the Hebrews mentions water
when he writes: “Let us draw near with a sincere heart, in full assurance of
faith, having our hearts purified from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed
with clean water” (Heb. 10:22). John's baptism symbolically expressed the
interior cleansing achieved by those who came to God in repentance.
aujtoV" deV baptivsei uJma`" ejn Pneuvmati JAgivw/. If the one who
came after John was superior to him, the baptism of Christ, who would baptize
with the Holy Spirit and fire, also had to be superior. The Messiah spoke to his
people about the Holy Spirit that he would send after his ascension. After the
resurrection he would reaffirm his promise, demanding that his people wait in
Jerusalem until the time when the Holy Spirit descended on them (Acts. 1:5).
Unrepeatable experience that occurred on the day of Pentecost (Acts. 2:2). The
baptism in the Spirit that Christ performed after his ascension, fulfilling the
promise to send him, occurred only once in the history of the church. The
baptizing agent is Christ, the recipient is the Spirit, the baptized are believers.
There is another type of baptism which is that of the Spirit in Christ.
The apostle Peter would remember John's promise regarding the descent
of the Holy Spirit on the first group of Gentiles who joined the Church (Acts.
11:16). By the authority of Jesus Christ the Spirit descends to take possession of
the new sanctuary that is the Church. Therefore, every believer who joins the
church through the new birth is under the blessed influence of the Spirit. The
symbolism of being baptized with the Spirit shows that all believers remain
under the Holy Spirit of God. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is given as a divine
gift to everyone who believes. No one can be saved without having received the
Spirit of Christ, because no one belongs to Christ without having his Spirit
(Rom. 8:9).
The baptism of Jesus (1:9-11).
9. It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee,
and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
KaiV ejgevneto ejn ejkeivnai" tai`" hJmevrai" h\lqen jIhsou`" ajpoV

And it came to pass in those - days Jesus came from NazareVt th`" Galilaiva" kaiV
ejbaptivsqh eij" toVn jIordavnhn uJpoV Nazareth - to Galilee and was baptized in the
Jordan by jIwavnnou.
Juan.
Introducing a new paragraph whose theme is the baptism of Jesus, he writes: KaiV,
copulative conjunction and : ejgevneto, third person singular of the second aorist
indicative in the middle voice of the verb givnomai, to become, to originate, to
happen here, happened ; ejn, dative proper preposition in ; ejkeivnai", plural
feminine dative case of the demonstrative pronoun those ; tai`", plural feminine
datuvo case of the definite article las ; hJmevrai", feminine plural dative case of the
common noun days ; h\lqen, third person singular of the aorist second active
indicative of the verb e[rcomai, to come , here as wine ; jIhsou`", masculine singular
nominative case of the proper noun Jesus ; ajpoV, genitive proper preposition of ;
NazareVt, feminine singular genitive case of the proper name Nazareth ; th`",
singular feminine genitive case of the definite article la ; Galilaiva", singular
feminine genitive case of the proper name declined to Galilea ; kaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; ejbaptivsqh, third person singular first aorist passive indicative of
the verb baptivzw, baptize , here was baptized ; eij", proper accusative preposition in
; toVn, singular masculine accusative case of the definite article el ; jIordavnhn,
singular masculine accusative case of the proper name Jordan ; uJpoV, proper
genitive preposition for ; jIwavnnou, singular masculine genitive case of the proper
name Juan.
Mark offers the shortest account of Jesus' baptism. The other synoptics
describe it broadly, so it is necessary to go to the parallels to have complete
detail (cf. Mt. 3:13-17; Lk. 3:21-22).
KaiV ejgevneto ejn ejkeivnai" tai`" hJmevrai". The story begins with an
indefinite temporal sentence: “in those days.” This expression is rare in Mark ,
appearing in only two other places (8:1; 13:17, 24). It should probably be
identified here with the time of John's greatest activity (Lk. 3:21). This
construction with kaiV ejgevneto, and vino , has a certain connection with the
Semitic expression (cf. Ex. 2:11; Lk. 2:1).
h\lqen jIhsou`" ajpoV NazareVt th`" Galilaiva". Jesus appeared among

the crowds from Nazareth, in Galilee. Although the story is the shortest, Mark
makes a precision that the other evangelists overlook. Although in relation to
Matthew, this information is not necessary since he previously placed Jesus in
Nazareth (Mt. 2:22, 23). This city was the residence of Jesus until the beginning
of his public ministry. There he had worked, learned the trade and worked as a
carpenter, along with his adoptive father Joseph (Mt. 13:55). In Nazareth Jesus
was also known as the carpenter (6:3).
kaiV ejbaptivsqh eij" toVn jIordavnhn uJpoV jIwavnnou. With a very

brief sentence, he tells the story of the baptism of Jesus. The Lord was thirty
years old when the baptism took place (Lk. 3:23). The one who came to John at
the Jordan was Jesus. The name is the Greek translation of Joshua, which means
Yahweh is salvation or also the salvation of Yahweh . It is the name that has been
considered before as the one that qualifies the humanity of the Son of God
(Luke. 2:21). The baptism described simply ignores aspects that appear in the
parallels of Matthew and Luke. Among other things, no reference is made to
John's perplexity and hesitation when he saw Jesus (Mt. 3:14). It simply refers to
the fact that Jesus was baptized by John. Attention must be paid to the fact that
John's baptism was a testimony to repentance. John knew who Jesus was, the
one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit (v. 8). Hence the Baptist's
reluctance to baptize the Lord, since He was excluded because He was the Holy
One of God (Lk. 1:35). However, from Matthew's account it is discovered that
the Lord calmed John's restlessness by telling him that it was necessary to fulfill
all justice (Mt. 3:15). It is worth inserting here a paragraph on the baptism of
Jesus corresponding to my commentary on Matthew:
“Here is a reflection on the reason for the baptism of Jesus. To the

question, why did he do it?, some suggestions have been proposed. One of them
maintains that Jesus received the baptism of repentance as a representative
identified with sinners, who would occupy their place, becoming a curse by
assuming the curse of each one's sin (Gal. 3:13). Therefore, although He was
always absolutely sinless and did not personally need the baptism of repentance,
He did so as a sign of identification with the sinners whom He would save
through the work of the Cross. However, it must not be forgotten that Christ's
ministry had to do with the kingdom and this had a very direct relationship with
Israel, therefore what Jesus did had to do with the fulfillment of all justice.
Another proposal relates baptism to the separation of Jesus for the messianic
ministry. Those who make this proposal understand that the kingdom of heaven
on earth will have lasting justice as its characteristic (Dan. 9:24), finding a
direct allusion to this in Jesus' words to John. However, the consistency of the
proposition is very weak, since there is no direct reference that can unite the two
aspects of justice. Others understand that Jesus in baptism identified himself
with the faithful remnant of the people who came to John confessing their sin
and showing true repentance. But, there is no sufficient biblical basis to make
such a claim.
The baptism of Jesus was the last act of his private life. Jesus went to
baptism voluntarily by his own decision. From then on his mission began, which
would be carried out in full dependence on the Father, from the dimension of the
most complete and absolute obedience (Phil. 2:6-8). However, one should not
fail to pay attention to the words that Jesus said to John as a reason for being
baptized: a[fe" a[rti, ou{tw" gaVr prevpon ejstiVn hJmi`n plhrw`sai pa`san
dikaiosuvnhn 'Deja now, because it is fitting that we fulfill all justice.' When the
life of Jesus is observed in the light of the Gospels, it is seen that from the
beginning Jesus fulfilled all justice established and demanded in the Law. Both
circumcision on the eighth day (Gen. 17:12; Lk. 2:21), like the presentation in
the temple forty days after birth (Ex. 13:2; 22:29; 34:19; No. 3:13; 8:17; 18:15;
Lk. 2:22-24), such as the climb to Jerusalem and the presence in the temple at
the age of twelve (Ex. 23:14, 17; Lk. 2:41), was the fulfillment of 'all
righteousness', that is, the full acceptance of what God had established in his
just and holy Law. The voice heard at the baptism
From heaven he directed men to pay attention to the Lord, who was the
beloved Son in whom the Father was well pleased. Jesus' ministry had to do
with a priestly work. He was the priest who had to offer a sacrifice of infinite
value for the salvation of the world. There is no doubt that from the Levitical
point of view, Jesus could never have been a priest; He did not belong to the
tribe of Levi, he was from that of Judah; He was not of Aaron's family, therefore
he had no right to be a priest. However, God had a new priestly order for Jesus,
that of Melchizedek, in whose office he would present to God a single and
definitive sacrifice for sin.30 . In this perpetual priestly order, the High Priest,
Christ, inaugurates and concentrates in himself everything related to the
priesthood. He inaugurates the priestly order because for this it had been
established in the divine purpose (Ps. 110:4; Heh. 5:6), completes it because he
is the only priest who offers a single and definitive sacrifice for sin,
unrepeatable in time and eternity (Heb. 1:3; 10:12, 18). The new priestly order
inaugurated in Him extends to those who are spiritual priests of God by position
in the High Priest and connection of life with Him, which qualifies them for this
condition (1 Pet. 2:4-5, 9). In the ceremonial that gave entrance to the
priesthood there was a complete washing with water of the new priest and the
anointing with oil (Ex. 29:4, 7). This ritual passed from type to typified reality,
at the moment in which the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek,
was baptized, fulfilling all justice, and achieved the glorious anointing for the
ministerial exercise within the office of priest with the descent upon Him. of the
Holy Spirit (Mt. 3:16). From then on Jesus would publicly read Isaiah's
prophecy: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to
give good news to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted; to
proclaim freedom to the captives, and sight to the blind; to set the oppressed
free; to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” and would say to the listeners
in the synagogue: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled before you” (Lk.
4:18, 19, 21). In this sense, the words of Jesus to John reach the full dimension:
“let us now, because we must fulfill all justice.”
10. And then, as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens open,
and the Spirit descended on him like a dove.
kaiV eujquV" ajnabaivnwn ejk tou` u{dato" ei\den scizomevnou" touV" And
immediately rising from the water he saw that the
oujranouV" kaiV toV Pneu`ma wJ" peristeraVn katabai`non eij" aujtovn: heavens
and the Spirit like a dove descending towards Him.
31 Notes and analysis of the Greek text.
Concluding the story of the baptism, he writes: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ;
eujquV", adverb immediately, instantly ; ajnabaivnwn, singular masculine
nominative case of the present participle in the active voice of the verb ajnabaivnw,
leave, go up , here going up ; ejk, proper preposition of the genitive of ; tou`, singular
neuter genitive case of the definite article the ; u{dato", genitive neuter singular case
of the common noun water ; ei\den, third person singular of the second aorist active
indicative of the verb ei[dw, look , see , here saw ; scizomevnou", plural masculine
30See this more fully in the commentary on Hebrews.

accusative case of the present participle in the passive voice of the verb scivzw, tear,
split, tear, divide , here being torn, that are torn ; touV", plural masculine accusative
case of the definite article the ; oujranouV", masculine plural accusative case of the
common noun heavens ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; toV, singular neuter
accusative case of the definite article el ; Pneu`ma, singular neuter accusative case of
the noun Spirit ; wJ", adverb of manner, such as , which serves as a comparative
conjunction; peristeraVn, singular feminine accusative case of the common noun
paloma ; katabai`non, accusative neuter singular case of the present participle in the
active voice of the verb katabaivnw, to fall, to descend , to descend, here
descending ; eij", proper preposition of accusative towards ; aujtovn, masculine
accusative case of the third person singular of the personal pronoun him .
kaiV eujquV" ajnabaivnwn ejk tou` u{dato". Mark relates what happened
at the same moment that Jesus, having completed his baptism, rose from the
water. After being baptized the Lord came up from the Jordan, which shows that
the Lord was in the water and came out of it after being baptized.
ei\den scizomevnou" touV" oujranouV". Mark turns to pay attention to

what happened after the baptism. The one who had the vision was the one who
came up from the water, that is, Jesus; This is the subject of the sentence. It can
be conjectured whether John saw the Spirit descending toward Jesus, but, taking
into account only Mark's account, there is no grammatical basis in the sentence
to affirm this. The text does not indicate whether the others or only John saw the
heavens tear. Only by going to the gospel according to John can we affirm that
John saw the Spirit as a dove that descended and remained on the Lord (Jn.
1:32), similar indication in Matthew (Mt. 3:16), while Luke says that he saw the
Spirit in bodily form as a dove (Lk. 3:22). What Mark wants is for the reader to
observe how the heavens opened after the baptism of Jesus, when he rose from
the water. Luke adds another detail saying that this event occurred while the
Lord was praying (Lk. 3:21). Mark wants readers to observe how the heavens
opened after the baptism of the Lord. Without a doubt it was an admirable and
miraculous manifestation for those who were there. It is true that there is no
clear evidence in the passage, nor in the parallels, to affirm that everyone present
saw the heavens open, but there is no doubt that both Jesus and John saw them
opening. It was a miracle in the sight of all those present, among whom were
also John and Jesus. Some object that the people who were there at that time did
not see the open heavens; There is certainly no conclusive evidence to affirm
this, but what is certain is that both Jesus and John saw the heavens open (Jn.
1:33-34).
kaiV toV pneu`ma wJ" peristeraVn katabai`non eij" aujtovn. Continuing

the story, Mark observes that Jesus saw Jesus descend upon Him like a dove
coming to meet Him, literally eij" aujtovn towards Him . The fact of opening the
heavens is the supernatural preparation that provides for the testimony that the
Father is going to give in relation to his Son. The vision of the Spirit descending
on Jesus like a dove was seen by John. This is his testimony: “I saw the Spirit
descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. And I didn't know
him; But he who sent me to baptize with water, he said to me: On whomever you
see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, it is he who baptizes with the
Holy Spirit" (Jn. 1:32, 33).
The question usually arises: Was it a baptism with the Spirit? There is no
biblical basis to enter into this matter, but there is no doubt that it symbolically
represents the anointing of Jesus, the Servant of God, sent by the Father, for the
ministry that he was going to carry out in the time immediately after baptism. ,
therefore the descent of the Spirit on Jesus has to do with the fulfillment of the
anointing of the one who was announced by the prophets as the one sent by God.
Writes Dr. J. W. Go ahead:
“Evidence has been provided to the extreme to prove that there are
baptisms in which the enveloping element is not present, nor can it even be
rationally conceived. The use of such circumstances is based on the similarity of
condition with that which occurs in a class of bodies that can be filled or
occupied in such a way as to receive the qualities of the enveloping element.
Therefore, this descent of the Holy Spirit and his indwelling in the Lord is called
a baptism, and not because of any possible external irrational involvement.
The Scriptures bear abundant testimony that the whole Being of 'the
Christ' was henceforth under the influence of that anointing: 1.
Through the declaration of the herald (Jn. 3:34), who said: 'God does not - give
him - the Spirit by measure', and also by the later statement: 'Jesus, full of the
Holy Spirit'. It is not left to us to deduce that this Gift would have a directing
influence, but John expressly declares: 'For he whom God sent speaks the words
of God; because God does not – give him – the Spirit by measure.' 2. That Gift
was as unlimited in time as it was in measure: 'I saw the Spirit descending from
heaven like a dove, and it remained upon him' (John. 1:32). 3. Led by this
Influence, He preached: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has
anointed me to give good news to the poor;...To preach the acceptable year of
the Lord...And He began to say to them: Today this Scripture has been fulfilled
before you' (Lk. 4:18-21). 'God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit
and with power' (Acts. 10:38). 4. His miracles were performed through this
power: 'But if I by (ejn) the Spirit of God cast out demons, then the kingdom of
God has come upon you' (Mt. 12:28). The offering of Himself as the Lamb of
God was made by Christ through the Spirit: 'Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered Himself without spot to God' (Heb. 9:14). We are told that the
Savior, immediately after baptism, was filled with the Holy Spirit, which is
conclusive evidence of the permanent and directing influence of spiritual
baptism: 'Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was
carried away by ( ejn) the Spirit into the desert' (Lk. 4:1). And when he returned
from the desert, he returned invested with all the energy of the divine Spirit:
'And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee' (Lk. 4:14)”31.
It is not a question here of a gift symbolized in the descending Spirit, but

of the presence of the third Divine Person. The manifestation of God as a dove is
new to the New Testament. In the Ancient One it is often compared to an eagle
that protects its chickens (cf. Ex. 19:4; Dt. 32:11). Here it appears in the
admirable dimension of peace. Why did the Third Divine Person choose this
form to manifest? There is no definitive biblical answer. There is no doubt that
the only Divine Person who manifests himself in human bodily form is the
Second, who through the incarnation is clothed with humanity and becomes
Immanuel, God with us. Hence, every time the Theophany of the Second Person
appears, it manifests itself in human form.
As was said in the commentary on this passage in the Gospel according
to Matthew, some consider that the dove symbolizes purity and kindness , a
characteristic characteristic of the Comforter and also of Jesus in the power of
the Spirit (cf. Salt. 68:13; Mt. 10:16). With that sweetness and meekness Jesus
was equipped to be the comforter of the afflicted, and to give his life as the
ransom price of the world. To endure afflictions, forgive offenses, and be patient
with everyone, he needed to be meek, humble, and mild . The Baptist observed
that that dove-like form rested on Jesus for a time (Jn. 1:32, 33). It was not a
quick vision that could be confused with any other natural phenomenon or the
effects of light at a certain time of day. It is necessary to remember that Jesus
Christ is a Divine-human Person, that is, a Divine Person with two natures, the
divine and the human. As for the divine nature, it neither needed nor could be
strengthened, however the human nature required it. He was in every way like
men, except in matters related to sin and in the hypostatic union with the Deity,
which surpasses in everything any resemblance to men. His human nature
remained under the control and power of the Holy Spirit of God who guided his
actions and executed with his power the miracles and messianic signs according
to what was prophesied. There is no conflict between this action of the Spirit and
the conception of the humanity of the Savior by the power of the same Spirit
(Mt. 1:20; Lk. 1:35). With the union of the Spirit that descended on Jesus, he
was qualified for the ministry he had come to carry out. Jesus was also the
prophet par excellence and his words, like those of the prophets, were in the
power of the Spirit.
A notorious symbolism appears in the story of the baptism and descent of

the Spirit on Jesus. Sin had closed the door of access to God, distancing heaven
from men who, due to their condition, could not access the Throne of God,
which was a throne of judgment due to the rebellious, disobedient and sinful
condition of human beings. Before the perfect man, Jesus of Nazareth, sinless
and impeccable, the heavens open. The throne of judgment will be changed
because of the work of the Cross, into a throne of grace and mercy to which all
31 J. W. Go ahead. Christic and Patristic Baptism . P. 32s.

believers are invited to access it. The power of the Spirit that fully filled Jesus of
Nazareth is promised by Him to his followers, who would have the same
resources of power to carry out the work that Jesus entrusted to them without a
time limit, qualified to exercise the same gifts when necessary according to the
plan and purpose of God and, above all, manifest the same character (Mt. 11:29,
30; 12:19; 21:4, 5; Lk. 23:34; 2 Cor. 10:1; Phil. 2:5-8; 1 P. 1:19; 2:21-25). The
life of the believer in God's purpose is to be conformed to the image of Jesus
(Rom. 8:29), only possible in the power of the Spirit who reproduces His
character in the Christian (Gal. 5:22-23). Any action of testimony, any advance
in the work and any manifestation of power, is only possible in the Spirit (Zech.
4:6).
11. And a voice came from heaven saying: You are my beloved Son; I am
pleased with you.
3233343536373839
kaiV fwnhV ejgevneto ejk tw`n oujranw`n : suV ei\ oJ UiJov" mou
oJ
And a voice came from heaven: You are the Son of me
ajgaphtov", ejn soiV eujdovkhsa.
beloved in you I was pleased.
32 ejgevneto ejk tw`n oujranw`n, came from heaven , reading attested in A 2 , A, B,

33L, D, f 1 , f 13 , 33, 157, 180, 205, 579, 700, 892, 1006, 1010, 1071, 1241, 1243,
1292, 1424, 1505, 2427, Biz [E, F, H, P, S], Lect , it aur, l , vg, sir p, h,pal/mss, cop sa, bo ,
34arm mss , et, esl, Diatessaron, Jerónimo.
35Reading tou` oujranw`n, from heaven , reading in l 127, l 184 1/2 .
36ejk tw`n oujranw`n hjkouvsqh, from heaven it was heard , according to Q, 28,
565, vg ms , sir pal/ms ,
37geo l .
38ejk tw`n oujranw`n, and from heaven , according to D, it d, ff2, t .
39Describing the heavenly testimony, he says: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ;
fwnhV, feminine singular nominative case of the common noun voice ; ejgevneto,
third person singular of the second aorist middle indicative of the verb givnomai, to
become, to originate, to happen, to come here came ; ejk, genitive proper preposition
of ; tw`n, masculine plural gentive case of the definite article los ; oujranw`n,
masculine plural genitive case of the common noun heavens ; suV, nominative case
of the second person singular of the personal pronoun tú ; ei\, third person singular of
the present indicative in the active voice of the verb eijmiv, to be , here you are ; oJ,
nominative masculine singular case of the definite article the ; UiJov", nominative
masculine singular case of the noun Son ; mou, genitive case of the first person
singular of the inflected personal pronoun of me ; oJ, nominative masculine singular
case of the definite article the ; ajgaphtov", masculine nominative case
singular of the articular adjective loved ; ejn, dative proper preposition in ; soiV,
dative case of the second person singular of the personal pronoun ti ; eujdovkhsa,
first person singular aorist first active indicative of the verb eujdokevw , to be
pleased , here as I am pleased, or I am pleased, I was pleased.
kaiV fwnhV ejgevneto ejk tw`n oujranw`n: Mark relates what happened
at the very moment that Jesus' baptism was concluded, when he was rising from
the water. The wording is abrupt and probably the copyists introduced the verb
ejgevneto, wine , to complement it, as can be seen from alternative readings. To
the vision of the Spirit is now added the voice of God, literally the voice of the
heavens . It is not so much a testimony for those present, but a dialogue between
the Father and the Son. This title stands out in the voice that came from heaven.
Although he came as a servant to fulfill the work that the Father had entrusted to
him, he was the eternal Son of God, clothed in humanity. Some pretend to see
here the emergence of the messianic consciousness in Jesus Christ, forgetting
that already when he was a teenager, in the meeting with his parents, after their
absence to be in the temple, he told them that it was necessary for him to be in
the business of his Father (Lk. 2:49). There is no doubt that the heavenly
testimony implies the public messianic recognition of Jesus of Nazareth,
supporting him before everyone as the King determined to reign over the world,
as a fulfillment of the prophecy of the Psalm, where the same term of “You are
my son” is used. you" , also adding the divine generation: "Today I have
begotten you" (Ps. 2:7).
The heavenly expression is a direct dialogue with the Son and not a
testimony before everyone, as said before, as is necessarily seen in the use of the
personal pronoun suV, you. If it were an expression of testimony, the third
person would have to be used , he is my beloved Son . Without a doubt the
dialogue between the Father and the Son is also a testimony of relationship
before everyone.
ejk tw`n oujranw`n: It is interesting to note that the voice came not only
from heaven, in the singular, but from the heavens , in the plural as read in the
Greek text. Hebrew theology established a first heaven, the atmospheric one, a
second heaven, the stellar one, and the third heaven, or heaven of heavens,
where God is particularly manifested in glory. When talking about the heavens ,
in the Semitic context we are referring to heaven where the throne of God is.
suV ei\ oJ UiJov" mou oJ jAgaphtov", The dialogue is established

between Jesus, the one who rose from the water and the Father who from heaven
declared that this, apparently a man for those who saw him, was his Beloved Son
. This title is sometimes applied to the firstborn, the one who had the rights to
the best inheritance and continued the line that came from his father, as was the
case of Isaac (Gen. 22:2). The gospel according to John calls him the Only
Begotten (Jn. 1:14). This name, monogenhv ς , has the dimension of
uniqueness, as its very root in Greek determines: the only one in that dimension
or condition, means that being the Only Begotten of the Father, he is the only
Son in that condition because he is eternally coequal with the Father,
proceeding from Him without origin of life. We are children of God by adoption
in the Son, but He and only He is by trinitarian relationship.
This voice of the Father is important, because the gospel begins by

presenting Jesus as the Son of God (v. 1), which could be assumed to be a
position of the narrator, but here it is the heavenly affirmation that reveals the
identity of the one who had been baptized, as my Beloved Son . Other issues in
the biblical story carried out by Mark may be debatable, interpretable, etc. But
here all you have to do is accept what the voice from heaven says with brevity
and precision: Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God. The voice that testifies is
that of the Father, since he proclaims that Jesus is his Son. Son not only in the
messianic sense, but by eternal generation within the Deity. Jesus, who shares
the divine essence with the Father and the Spirit, is the Beloved of the Father
(Jn. 1:14, 3:16; 10:17; 17:23). The composition of the phrase with a definite
article preceding the noun and the adjective, literally "my Son, the Beloved" ,
excludes any similar relationship with anyone other than Jesus Christ. This also
confirms the eternal preexistence of Jesus of Nazareth. The paternal-filial
relationship of Jesus with the Father does not begin in the Divine Being but is
established eternally, since for the Father, personal life is based on the fact of
pronouncing the eternal Word that is concretized in the Son.
ejn soiV eujdovkhsa. All those who witnessed the baptism declared their
condition as sinners, therefore, God could not take pleasure in them, he received
them for the remission of sins. Jesus of Nazareth, as the Beloved Son of God, is
impeccable. The Father is eternally pleased with the Son, as his infinite delight
(Prov. 8:30).
Mark offers here an eminently Trinitarian manifestation. The Son rising

from the water; the Spirit descending toward Him in bodily form like a dove; the
Father expressing his pleasure from heaven. The testimony of God declares that
the One who was baptized and came up out of the water was oJ uiJov" mou oJ
ajgaphtov", the Son of Him, the Beloved. Being Son and Beloved, God could
not, unless ejn soiV eujdovkhsa, take pleasure in Him. There is no doubt that this
voice from heaven was also another testimony for the Baptist. The Spirit
descending upon Him and the voice from heaven confirmed to Him, without a
doubt, that this was the promised and sent Messiah. In the context of the gospel
he was the Son eternally appointed for the work of redeeming the world (1 Pet.
1:18-20). For the Christology of Mark , it is a testimony of the Personal
uniqueness of Jesus Christ, and of his two natures, that is, that Jesus Christ is a
single Person, that of the Son, eternal Word of God, subject of attribution of the
two natures subsisting in she. The two articles linked in the sentence have
notable importance. Jesus was not a son by creation like the angels (Job 1:6), nor
by adoption like the Christians (Gal. 4:4). He is the eternal Son of God by
intratrinitarian relationship. The only one in whom the Father could show his
absolute and infinite pleasure. That is why the Father's words are an allusion to
those of the psalmist: “The Lord has said to me: You are My Son; Today I have
begotten you” (Ps. 2:7), and those of the prophet: “Behold my servant, I will
uphold him; my chosen one, in whom my soul is content; I have put my Spirit on
Him; He will bring justice to the nations” (Is. 42:1). The Father declares with
His words what Jesus is from his virginal conception in the womb of Mary. In
eternity the Son was the inexhaustible object of the Father's pleasure, as he is in
the temporality of his humanity. It is not possible that Jesus acquired his
messianic consciousness in baptism, this is present in the personal consciousness
of Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, which acquires greater intensity, as a
consequence of the development of his human nature, as a man.
Temptation (1:12-13).
12. And then the Spirit drove him into the desert.
KaiV eujquV" toV Pneu`ma aujtoVn ejkbavllei eij" thVn e[rhmon.

And immediately the Spirit drives him towards the desert.
Beginning the story of Jesus' temptations, he writes: KaiV, copulative conjunction

and ; eujquV", adverb immediately ; toV, nominative neuter singular case of the
definite article the ; Pneu`ma, nominative neuter singular case of the divine name
Spirit ; aujtoVn, masculine accusative case of the third person singular of the
personal pronoun declined to him, le ; ejkbavllei, third person singular of the present
indicative in the active voice of the verb ejkbavllw, to drive, to send, to make go,
here it drives ; eij", proper preposition of the accusative case to, towards ; thVn,
singular feminine accusative case of the definite article la ; e[rhmon, singular
feminine accusative case of the common noun desert , sparsely populated place .
KaiV eujquV" toV Pneu`ma aujtoVn ejkbavllei eij" thVn e[rhmon.

Immediately after his baptism, Jesus is driven by the Spirit into the desert. The
testimony of baptism is followed by that of temptation. The Spirit impels the
Lord into the desert. The story of the temptation is reduced to a minimum
expression in Mark , unlike the other two synoptics, which relate it at length.
Matthew notes that the temptations occurred after the forty-day fast (Mt. 4:2),
however Mark and Luke put them as a succession in their course.
aujtoVn ejkbavllei eij" thVn e[rhmon. Mark notes that the Spirit drove
Christ into the wilderness. The subject of the action is the Spirit. The action is
immediate as can be seen in the use of the adverb eujquV", immediately or
immediately . The verbal form ejkbavllei is often linked to the idea of pushing or
expelling someone who is reluctant, as occurs with the expulsion of demons (cf.
1:34, 39, 43), hence it is difficult to separate this idea each time the word occurs.
It cannot be assumed here that Jesus was moved in the sense of a forced action
carried out by the Spirit that forces him to go into the desert. Perhaps it is better
to use the verb impeler in translation, which expresses the idea of provoking a
movement, stimulating or impelling an action. The Holy Spirit acts in the human
nature of the Son of God to lead him to a certain action. Like the regenerated
men to whom God gives the gift of his Spirit, residing in each one who has
believed, Jesus was not given the Spirit by measure. As the Messiah, the signs
that he was going to perform and that Mark places in the gospel story, occurred
in the power of the Spirit. This does not mean that Jesus was a mere instrument
in the hands of the Spirit, since portents and miracles were also performed by the
omnipotence of the Second Divine Person in whom the humanity of Jesus
subsists. The Spirit takes control of the humanity of Jesus, to lead him on that
plane, so that he can be an example to men, from a humanity perfectly
identifiable with the rest of men. The Messiah as a man had to go through the
experience of the rest of men.
The Spirit leads Jesus into the desert . There is no doubt that from the
parallel accounts the place to which the Lord was taken was more inhospitable
than the one mentioned before, where John baptized (v. 4). Reading produces the
natural desire to know which is the desert to which Christ was directed. From
the next verse it is said that he was with the wild beasts. What type of wild
animals were there in the area more or less close to the place where he was
baptized? The place had to be set aside where the dens of wild animals were.
Some40 They assume that it was the Judean desert located on the banks of the
Jordan. The zoology of the region places snakes, gazelles, wild goats, and eagles
in it, and the howls of jackals and hyenas can be heard at night. Previously, in
the days of Elisha, there were bears in the forests between Bethel and Jericho (2
Kings. 2:24). In the time of the judges there were lions in Israel. It is not possible
to determine what type of animals are mentioned here, nor can it be established
where this desert was located. Tradition places the place where the Lord spent
the time of the forty days of fasting, on a hill about three hundred meters high,
known as Djebel Karantal , however, these are mere assumptions that tradition
carries down to the present day. The real fact is that the Lord was tested in every
way according to our likeness. Our temptations were also his, which is why he is
able to sympathize with those who go through the experience of temptation.
13. And he was there in the desert forty days, and was tempted by Satan,
and was with the wild beasts; and the angels served him.
kaiV h\n ejn th`/ ejrhvmw/ tesseravkonta hJmevra" peirazovmeno" uJpoV

And he was in the desert forty days being tempted by
40 Among others Grundmann; Schlater.

tou` satana`, kaiV h\n metaV tw`n qhrivwn, kaiV oiJ a[ggeloi
- Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels dihkovnoun aujtw`/.
They served him.
Competing with the story of the temptations, he adds: kaiV, copulative conjunction
and ; h\n, third person singular of the imperfect indicative in the active voice of the
verb eijmiv, to be, to be , here was or was ; ejn, dative proper preposition in ; th`/,
feminine singular dative case of the definite article la ; ejrhvmw/, feminine singular
dative case of the common noun desert ; tesseravkonta, cardinal numeral adjective
forty ; hJmevra", plural feminine accusative case of the common noun days ;
peirazovmeno", singular masculine nominative case of the present participle in the
passive voice of the verb peiravzw, to try, tempt , here being tempted ; uJpoV, proper
preposition of gentivio por, de ; tou`, masculine singular genitive case of the definite
article the ; satana`, masculine singular genitive case of the common noun
adversary, satan ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; h\n, third person singular of the
imperfect indicative in the active voice of the verb eijmiv, to be, to be , here was or
was ; metaV, genitive proper preposition with ; tw`n, genitive neuter plural case of
the definite article los ; qhrivwn, genitive neuter plural case of the common noun
beasts, wild animals, beasts ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; oiJ, nominative
masculine plural case of the definite article los ; a[ggeloi, masculine plural
nominative case of the common noun angels ; dihkovnoun, third person plural of the
imperfect active indicative of the verb diakonevw, to serve , here they served ;
aujtw`/, masculine dative case of the third singular person of the personal pronoun
declined to him, le .
kaiV h\n ejn th`/ ejrhvmw/ tesseravkonta hJmevra", In a single verse he

deals with the temptations of the Lord. Driven by the Spirit to the desert, he
stayed there for a long time in the solitude of an uninhabited place. The forty
days bring the memory of experiences of men of God in ancient times: Moses
spent that time on the mountain where he received divine instructions for the
people (Ex. 34:2, 28; Dt. 9:9, 18). Likewise Elijah, on the same mountain (1 Ki.
19:8). From the parallels we know that the Lord was fasting during that time
(Mt. 4:2).
peirazovmeno" uJpoV tou` satana`, Entering into consideration the fact

that Jesus Christ was tempted involves some difficulties, at least apparent since
there are issues that must be taken into account. One of the difficulties lies in the
Divine-human condition of Jesus. Is it possible for God to be tempted? Did Jesus
stop being God at any point in his life? If both questions demand a negative
answer, how should temptations be understood? The word translated as
temptation has the sense of putting to the test, which can be with a positive
intention of strengthening faith or virtue, or a negative one seeking some sinful
action. There is no doubt that this last purpose is not in God's intention and,
therefore, cannot come from Him. The origin of this aspect of temptation has to
be related to Satan. For this reason, James affirms that “God tempts no one”
(James. 1:13). God may be at the origin of the test with a positive lack, so he
tested Abraham with the purpose of blessing him and strengthening his faith,
when he asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac (Gen. 22:1-2). The same believer is
exhorted to a test in a positive sense to verify how his life of faith is (2 Cor.
13:5). The believer who can be tested by God, and must test himself, is taught to
pray for protection from the negative aspect of the test: “And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Mt. 6:13). The life of the Christian is
surrounded by trials (James. 1:2), some of which cause difficulties and
afflictions (1 Pet. 1:6). But conflict can never overcome the spiritual strength
that the Christian has to endure it (1 Cor. 10:13). Another difficulty consists in
understanding temptation on the level of deity, since Jesus Christ is not only
man, but God-man. The Bible teaches that Two can be tested . But whenever this
aspect of truth appears, it must be considered under the premise that God cannot
be tempted toward evil, nor does He tempt anyone in that direction (James.
1:13). The sense of test or temptation related to God has to do with a
provocation that man generates against Him. That provocation can be directed
against each of the Three Divine Persons. One aspect of provocation against
God is when precepts are taught as divine commandments when they come from
man; The apostle Paul says of such that they were tempting God (Acts. 15:10),
in direct reference to the Father. In the same way, the Holy Spirit can also be
tested by the impious action of men, as was the case with Ananias and
Sapphira's lie about what Peter says they had agreed to tempt the Spirit of the
Lord (Acts. 5:8-10). But are the Lord's temptations in this dimension? Should
they be considered only on the level of impious offense and provocation to the
Deity? It must not be forgotten that Jesus Christ is a Divine-human Person, that
is, the Second Divine Person clothed in humanity, or what is the same, a Divine
Person with two natures, which constitutes a hypostatic union. The trials that
Jesus experienced in the temptations occurred in the sphere of his humanity and
not in that of his Deity, since like God he cannot be tempted to do evil, but
without ceasing to affirm the truth of inseparable unity without confusion or
mixture of the two natures in the Person of the Son of God. However, it is not
possible to fail to observe that Jesus, on the level of humanity of the incarnate
Word, was absolutely free of sin, both in volitional action and in practice.
God's purpose was in His determination for the temptations of Jesus to

occur, that is, it obeys a plan drawn up by God Himself. Matthew emphasizes
that purpose when he says that he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted (Mt. 4:1). The Spirit took him to the desert with a specific and defined
purpose: To be tempted by Satan . The temptations of Christ should not be
considered as if the Lord were the victim sought by Satan, but on the contrary,
since it is He who goes to meet Satan, led by the Spirit. The Lord goes in the
power of the Spirit, that is, his humanity totally controlled by the Holy Spirit.
God had foreseen that his Son would be tempted after baptism and before
beginning his public ministry, therefore, that purpose was fulfilled as had been
predetermined. The fact that Jesus Christ depended on the Holy Spirit is linked
and limited to the sphere of his humanity. In relation to his deity there was no
such dependence, because of the equality and identity of the Divine Persons.
But, as an example to all believers, dependence on the Spirit is a model so that
each Christian also understands that only “walking in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16),
you can live a life that pleases God and conforms to his purpose.
Some misconceptions about the temptations of Jesus. One of them is to

consider that the Lord went to the desert, being chased there by Satan. This idea
is incorrect since Christ was not taken to the desert except by the Spirit and with
a specific purpose: To be tempted by the devil (Mt. 4:1). Another mistaken
assumption is that Jesus could have fallen under the test. Otherwise, since Jesus
is a man like us, since he has personal will and decisions in accordance with his
humanity, he could have fallen into temptation as a man. This is absolutely
impossible since Christ is not two persons, one divine and the other human, but a
single Divine-human Person, subsisting in the Divine Person of the Son of God,
the incarnate Word, therefore, the subject of attribution of responsibility. of
actions, whether through divine nature or through human nature, is the Second
Divine Person, so to suppose a possible fall of Jesus in temptations would be
equivalent to assuming that the Divine Person would be affected by that spiritual
fall, something absolutely impossible, since God cannot fall into sin. Another
incorrect assumption is to suppose that Satan doubted whether or not Christ was
the Son of God (Mt. 4:3). Both Satan and the demons knew perfectly well that
Jesus was the Son of God, as they often testified. The phrase that the parallels
put in the mouth of the tempter: “If you are the Son of God” , is equivalent to a
forceful statement: “since you are the Son of God” . In the same way it is wrong
to think that the temptations were not real, since there was no possibility of Jesus
sinning. Without a doubt, the human nature of the Son of God had its own
volitional aspect, since all the conditions of human freedom were present in it.
But it is no less true that his humanity with everything it supposed was under the
control of the Spirit, subject to the eternal will of God. Jesus was tempted as a
man, on the level of his humanity. What God was manifesting through the
temptations of Jesus is that man can live fully in obedience to God. Christ is
demonstrating that God must be obeyed, that His Word is worthy of belief, and
that only God must be worshiped.
The agent of temptation was tou` satana`, Satan , the adversary. Matthew
says it was the devil (Mt. 4:1). The names refer to the same being, the first great
sinner in the history of sin. His creation occurred, like that of all the angels, in a
single creative act (Col. 1:16). The Bible states that he was created like the rest
of the angels by the creative will of God (Ez. 28:13, 15). Like all angels, he was
created before man (Job 38:6-7; Ez. 28:13). He belongs to the order of the
cherubim and was the most gifted being that came from the hand of God (Ez.
28:14). Being a creation of God, like all creations of intelligent beings, he was
created in holiness; he was, therefore, a holy angel, with a ministry of special
relevance that allowed him to access the place where God manifested his
presence surrounded by glory (Ez. 28:14). This cherub was perfect until sin was
found in him (Ez. 28:15). The sin hidden in Satan's heart was discovered by
God, in his omniscience, which prevents the sinner from hiding sin before Him
(Ps. 90:8). Sin affected him fully, so that he was filled with iniquity (Ez. 28:16).
His sin manifested itself in pride (Ez. 28:17 18), desecrating it. Satan planned a
path for his exaltation that, in his sinful thinking, would lead him to be like the
Most High (Is. 14:13-14). In that sinful condition, sin became part of his life
experience, so that it is impossible for him not to be permanently oriented
towards evil, sinning by natural condition (1 Jn. 3:8), being a murderer and a liar
(John. 8:44).
Mark does not go into the temptations themselves, he simply says that he
was tempted by Satan. For the subtlety of the temptations and the diabolical
approach, the parallels should be considered, especially Matthew 41 . Faced with
the temptation of the Lord and if, as has been considered before, being
impeccable he could not fall, because he could not sin, what was the reason for
the temptation? The Bible teaches that the Lord was tempted in every way as we
are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15). It means that the experience of temptation, with
all that it entails, was real, as real as that of any person subjected to it, perhaps
even greater. In all the forms in which temptation occurred, Satan sought to
make Jesus understand that by doing a lawful act he could receive a benefit.
With all the psychological process of Jesus in the field of temptation, it could not
be the same as that of the rest of men, since all are subject to the attraction of the
natural sin that they inherit, while Jesus did not have this condition. He did not
have the evil concupiscence of the natural man because he had been conceived
without sin and linked to the Deity, like the human nature of the
Eternal Word of God, he was, therefore, without sin. The proposal to sin came
from outside of his person, in the action of the tempter, and was the only
experience in that sense, since the will towards sin, typical of the interior of the
human being, did not exist in Jesus. However, the temptation of Jesus was
absolutely real, that is, the temptation of the tempter, the need to overcome the
diabolical proposals, the resistance towards them and the struggle in temptation
were absolute experiences in Jesus. The human sensitivity of the soul of the
Lord was a reality, subject on this occasion to the suffering inherent to
temptation. No one can deny the evidence that Jesus suffered deeply in the
intimacy of his human spiritual part, to the point of saying: “I have to be
baptized with a baptism; and how distressed I am until it is fulfilled!” (Lk.
12:50). The Lord manifested the feelings of men, being compassionate (Mt.
12:32), affectionate (Mt. 19:13, 14), merciful (Jn. 11:35). Being God-man, he
knew through human experience the weaknesses and needs of men, when he was
made flesh (John. 1:14). Yet the depth of the temptation of the Savior of men is
veiled by the mystery that God has not revealed. It will never be possible, at
41 See commentary on Matthew 4. Volume 1 of this series.

least at this time, to understand what happened in the intimacy of the Lord
during the temptation. This is one of God's secrets for men, as are many other
aspects of the Lord's life, in deep contrasts between his Deity and his humanity.
kaiV h\n metaV tw`n qhrivwn, The time of temptations occurred in the
desert where the Lord had been led by the Spirit. That place, away from people,
was populated by wild animals . The Lord was where they had their territories
and their lairs. The wild animals are part of the danger of the desert and the
situation that occurred due to the judgment of God (Is. 13:21-22; 34:13-15).
Also place where the danger of snakes is evident in relation to the people of
Israel in their transit through it (Deut. 8:15). There, where life would be difficult
and dangerous, the Son of God was for forty days. Nothing could affect him
because the one who was tempted is also the Creator, supreme and omnipotent
governor over all created things. The Creator was in the company of his
creatures. From the point of view of the perfect humanity of the Messiah, he
enjoyed divine protection against the beasts of the field. Nothing better than a
place apart with God for the preparation of any ministry for His glory.
kaiV oiJ a[ggeloi dihkovnoun aujtw`/. The contrast is evident: while a

fallen angel tempted him, holy angels served him. Jesus as a man was not alone
in the conflict, he had all the heavenly resources at his disposal, reflected here by
the angels ready to serve him. It is necessary to understand that if the angels are
at the service of the saints so that they do not stumble (Ps. 91:11-13), much more
they are at the service of the Holy of holies. The verb used by Mark, diakonevw,
to serve , often implies domestic service, as occurs later (v. 31). In that sense, the
service of the angels would also include the provision of water and food. This
had happened centuries before with the prophet Elijah, who was provided with
food by an angel when he was in the desert (1 Kings. 19:4-6). God's care for his
Son is evidence of the care he also has for those who are his children adopted in
the Son. This provides comfort and encouragement in adverse circumstances,
knowing that God has everything under His control and loves us always.
Beginning of the ministry (1:14-20).
Jesus the preacher (1:14-15).
14. After John was imprisoned, Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel
of the kingdom of God.
MetaV deV toV paradoqh`nai toVn jIwavnnhn h\lqen oJ jIhsou`" eij" And after -
being captured - John, came - Jesus to thVn Galilaivan khruvsswn toV
eujaggevlion42434445464748 tou` Qeou`
- Galilee proclaiming the gospel - of God.
active indicative of the verb e[rcomai, come , here as wine ; oJ, nominative
masculine singular case of the definite article the ; jIhsou`", singular masculine
nominative case of the proper name Jesus ; eij", proper preposition of accusative a ;
thVn, singular feminine accusative case of the definite article la ; Galilaivan,
singular feminine accusative case of the proper name Galilea ; khruvsswn, masculine
singular nominative case of the present participle in the active voice of the verb
khruvssw, to preach, to proclaim , here proclaiming ; toV, accusative neuter singular
case of the definite article the ; eujaggevlion, singular neuter accusative case of the
common noun gospel ; tou`, masculine singular genitive case of the definite article
the ; Qeou`, singular masculine genitive case of the declined divine name of God.
MetaV deV toV paradoqh`nai toVn jIwavnnhn. The verse begins the
longest historical paragraph of the gospel, where Jesus is presented as the
preacher of the gospel traveling through Galilee. The beginning of this time of
Christ's ministry links it to that of John the Baptist's prison.
The absence of any reference to the reasons for which John was
imprisoned by Herod is surprising. There was a time when he baptized and
preached freely, but there also came a time when he was arrested and
imprisoned. Later the reference to how he was imprisoned will appear (6:17-20),
where this aspect will be studied. Following the form of the story here. Marcos
simply uses the verbal form paradoqh`nai, translated as to be imprisoned, to be
imprisoned. The verb paradivdomi also means to give, to deliver, to take . John
had finished the ministry that had been entrusted to him, and only then was he
42toV eujaggevlion, the gospel , reading attested in A , B, L, Q, f 1 , f 13 , 33,

43205, 565, 579, 892, 1342, 2427, it b, c, ff2,t , vg ms , sir s, h , cop sa,bo/pt , arm, geo, esl mss ,
44Origins.
ς ς
45toV eujaggevlion th` basileiva , the gospel of the kingdom , according to A,
D, W, D, 13,
4628 c , 157, 180, 597, 700, 828, 1006, 1071, 1241, 1243, 1292, 1424, 1505, Biz [E,
F, G, H, S], Lect , it a, aur, d, f , l, r/l , vg, sir p , cop bo/pt ,eti, esl mss , Jerónimo.
47Beginning the long story of Jesus' ministry, it begins with: MetaV, proper
accusative preposition behind, after ; deV, particle
48conjunctive that serves as a coordinating conjunction, with the sense of but,
rather, and, and certainly , rather ; toV, accusative neuter singular case of the
definite article lo ; paradoqh`nai, accusative neuter singular case of the first aorist
infinitive in the passive voice of the verb paradivdomi, to deliver, to seize , here to
be seized ; toVn, masculine singular accusative case of the definite article the ;
jIwavnnhn, singular masculine accusative case of the proper name Juan ; h\lqen,
third person singular second aorist of
handed over , in the sense of being imprisoned by Herod. Probably Mark,
interested in Jesus as the center of attention of the story, allows John to
disappear from the historical setting to prepare the reader so that later he will
understand in all possible dimensions the reasons for the imprisonment and
death of the Baptist. To deal here with historical details about John would be to
fail to do so with the reason for the writing: Jesus of Nazareth. The time of the
precursor was over, so it was time for Jesus to break in, continuing the preaching
of the gospel that had been the main reason for John's ministry.
h\lqen oJ jIhsou`" eij" thVn Galilaivan. Jesus begins his ministry,

literally Jesus came to Galilee . He changes place, from the Jordan desert where
he had been led by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil, to the region that had
been his habitual residence. The people had come a long way to meet the
prophet in the place where he called to repentance and baptized, however, Jesus
as a preacher of the gospel, goes to where the people are to whom he would
proclaim the gospel of God. Galilee was part of the territory governed by Herod
Antipas, the one who had ordered John's prison, so he was not escaping possible
persecution from the king, but was simply beginning his ministry without taking
into account the governor who administered in the territory where he preached.
by consent of Rome. Jesus' activity would later attract the attention of Herod
(6:14-16). Just as he was not a friend of John, so he would not be a friend of
Jesus (8:15). He did not go to Galilee immediately after baptism and temptation
but after John had been imprisoned. From the accounts of the other gospels the
time in which Mark's story occurs could be established. John presented Jesus as
“the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29), from then on
some of his disciples followed Jesus. With the group of disciples who were with
Him, He performed miracles in Galilee, such as the conversion of water into
wine in Cana (Jn. 2:1 ff.). From there he went to Capernaum from where he
went up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. There he preached and
performed miracles, signs that caught the attention of Nicodemus, making him
understand that Jesus was the promised one of God who had been sent (Jn. 3).
During the time of Jesus' ministry in Judea, John was imprisoned by Herod.
John's popularity was decreasing while Jesus' popularity was increasing, to the
point that he baptized more disciples than John (John. 4:1). When the news of
John's imprisonment reached Jesus, jAkouvsa" deV o{ti jIwavnnh" paredovqh,
“having heard that John had been imprisoned” , he began a journey
ajnecwvrhsen, “he left” , from Judea eij" thVn Galilaivan to Galilee, passing
through Samaria (Jn. 4:1-4). The religious leaders of the nation had allied
themselves against John, doing with him whatever they wanted (Mt. 17:12).
That same opposition was being transferred to Jesus. For this reason the Lord
left Judea and returned to Galilee, passing through Samaria (Jn. 4:1-4). He was
not really distancing himself from Herod, but from the religious leaders of
Judea. Of course he did not do it out of fear, but out of prudence that was
necessary to continue carrying out the ministry that had been entrusted to him.
The popularity of Jesus had grown in such a way that a conflict with the
religious leaders of the nation was inevitable, permanently resentful and jealous
of Him as they saw that they were losing control over the masses and the
preponderance in the religious establishment was in danger, according to their
thinking. of the nation. Christ knew that to carry out the ministry and also to
finish it with His death, there was a time predestined in advance by God (John.
10:18; 13:1; 14:31). It was not a matter of forcing a critical situation ahead of
time, so leaving Judea he retired to Galilee to exercise his ministry. Upon his
arrival in the northern part of the country, he settled in Nazareth, the city that
had been his home during the previous years.
khruvsswn toV eujaggevlion tou` Qeou`. Jesus came preaching the

gospel of God. The connection between the ministry of John and that of Jesus is
made clear by the use of the same verbal form that was previously used to refer
to John: khruvsswn, proclaiming or preaching (v. 4). What Jesus preached was
the gospel of God . This is the safest reading. Most Western Greek and
ς ς
Byzantine texts have the formula, toV eujaggevlion th` basileiva , the gospel
of the kingdom . The first alternative toV eujaggevlion tou` Qeou`, the gospel of
God , is the safest because the other forms seek to resolve the apparent limitation
by improving the text to give the reader a greater understanding of the message
that Jesus preached; He literally proclaimed, like a herald sent by God, the
message of good news. It was not a prophet speaking on behalf of God, but God
Himself in Christ proclaiming His message of salvation. The genitive appears
again, in Marcos' expression, which is both subjective and objective.
Subjectively the gospel message came from God, objectively it proclaimed the
work of God.
Mark's phrase: the gospel of God , is not a unique novelty of his in the
New Testament, but is also used by Paul (cf. Ro. 1:1; 1 Thes. 2:2). What Jesus
proclaimed was “the gospel of God,” the ever-new truth that comes from God
for salvation. Therefore, it is not a religious message, but rather the very
expression of the will of God who, having done the work of salvation through
Jesus Christ, proclaims it to the world. The gospel of God is also the gospel of
Christ. A message not from men or by men, but from God. This gospel, the only
gospel, is timeless because it is eternal, the same one that was proclaimed for
salvation in different forms throughout the time of human history. Sometimes it
is intended to speak of the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of grace . Some
think that the gospel that Jesus preached, the same one that John the Baptist also
preached, is a different or different gospel from the one that is preached today.
John preached a message identical to the one we have to preach today. In it he
proclaimed the need for repentance and also announced Jesus as the Lamb of
God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29). Jesus calls men to faith in
Him (Jn. 3:16), which necessarily implies repentance, not as a condition of
salvation in addition to faith, but as a consequence of it. The gospel as a message
of good news for salvation is an eternal gospel, coming from God himself.
Firstly because it proclaims to men the plan of salvation established in eternity
(2 Tim. 1:9). It announces that the grace and mercy of God determined to save
by sovereignty and self-determination, doing so before the creation of man. The
message of salvation calls all men to return to Him and surrender by faith. This
is what Jesus would do, calling everyone to return to Him (Mt. 11:28). It is an
eternal gospel because it is a message with eternal consequences, good for
eternal life, with assurance of salvation (Jn. 10:28) and with universal scope for
everyone who believes; or for perpetual damnation, warning in the same
message the consequences for those who reject it (Jn. 3:36). Jesus announces the
“gospel of God,” a genitive construction that means both the gospel from God
and the gospel about God. More likely it is a subjective genitive. The good news
from God. It is the message of salvation as a free gift from God, which, coming
from Him and announcing a work entirely and exclusively of Him, cannot but be
called “the gospel of God.”
The evangelist John was imprisoned, but no one could stop the message
of the gospel. Jesus came replacing John in the preaching of the gospel, giving
continuity to the message that had to be announced to men.
15. Saying: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand;
Repent, and believe in the gospel.
kaiV levgwn o{ti peplhvrwtai oJ kairoV" kaiV h[ggiken hJ basileiva And saying
that the time is fulfilled and the kingdom is at hand
tou` Qeou`: metanoei`te kaiV pisteuvete ejn tw`/ eujaggelivw/.
- of God. Repent and believe in the gospel.
Following the fact of the proclamation of the gospel, write about the message that
was proclaimed: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; levgwn, nominative masculine
singular case of the present participle in active voice of the verb levgw, speak, say ,
here saying ; o{ti, conjunction that ; peplhvrwtai, third person singular of the perfect
indicative in the pasia voice of the verb plhrovw, fill, fill, fulfill, complete , here it
has been fulfilled ; oJ, nominative masculine singular case of the definite article the ;
kairoV", nominative masculine singular case of the common noun time ; kaiV,
copulative conjunction and ; h[ggiken, third person singular of the perfect indicative
in the active voice of the verb ejggivzw, to approach, to approach, in perfect arrive ,
here it has approached ; hJ , singular feminine nominative case of the definite article
la ; basileiva, singular feminine nominative case of the common name kingdom,
royal government ; tou`, singular masculine genitive case of the definite article el ;
metanoei`te, second person plural of the present imperative in the active voice of the
verb metanoevw, here repent ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; pisteuvete, second
person plural of the present imperative in the active voice of the verb pisteuvw,
believe, deposit faith , here believe ; ejn, proper dative preposition in ; tw`/, singular
neuter dative case of the definite article el ; eujaggelivw/, singular neuter dative case
of the common noun gospel.
kaiV levgwn o{ti peplhvrwtai oJ kairoV". The message that Jesus
proclaimed announced the fulfillment of a time established by God. It is an
expression similar to the one Paul uses (Gal. 4:4). God's eternal purpose for
evangelism, which proclaimed the approach of the kingdom, had arrived. The
use of the conjunction o{ti, as in many other places in Mark , is used to refer to a
direct message, hence it can be left untranslated in the phrase, replacing it with
quotation marks or even a colon as a presentation of what Whats Next. (Mt.
4:17).
kaiV h[ggiken hJ basileiva tou` Qeou`: The kingdom of God was at hand.
Kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven are synonymous titles that indicate the
sphere where God acts and is obeyed. The kingdom of God has had many
manifestations throughout human history. In the present time it is applied to the
church, in the sense of being the sphere where freedom from sin in Christ is
manifested (Col. 1:13). In the future it will also manifest in the millennial
kingdom , and finally in the eternal kingdom .
Some considerations have been made before about the concept of the
Kingdom of God , however, before moving forward it will be good to stop in a
final reflection on this, even at the cost of reiterations, to determine what it is, in
the light of the Bible, the Kingdom of God or Kingdom of heaven. Without a
doubt, the considerations that follow will condition the exegetical meaning that
should be given to this in Mark and, without a doubt, may produce some
difference with other interpretations that are no less respectable. Some
interpreters make a distinction between the Kingdom of Heaven, a common
expression in Matthew, and the Kingdom of God , as it appears in the Gospel
according to Mark . Those who make this distinction, Kingdom of Heaven , is an
exclusive reference to the messianic kingdom that Jesus, as son of David, will
establish in the future over this world, ruling all the nations of the earth and thus
fulfilling the prophecies that announce it. This title is taken from Daniel's
prophecy (Dan. 2:24-36, 44; 7:23-27). This interpretation thus understands,
under the title of the Kingdom of Heaven , the kingdom that God will establish
on earth after the destruction of the Gentile power that currently rules. It is
exclusively about the kingdom that has been promised in the covenant with
David (2 Sam. 7:7-12), which the prophets would later confirm (Zech. 12:8), and
which was announced to the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation (Lk. 1:32-33).
Under this thought it is considered that there are differences between the
Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of heaven , and that they are not synonyms.
According to this way of thinking there are five differences: 1) Universality and
limitation. The kingdom of God is universal and includes all beings who
voluntarily submit to the authority of God at any time (Lk. 13:28, 29; Heh.
12:22, 23). The Kingdom of heaven is the messianic kingdom, whose purpose is
to establish the kingdom of God on earth (Mt. 3:2; 1 Cor. 15:24-25). 2) Access.
The Kingdom of God is accessed only through the new birth (Jn. 3:3, 5, 7). At
this time it is the sphere of the Christian profession of faith, which can be both
false and genuine (Mt. 13:3; 25:1, 11, 12). 3) Common things. Since the
Kingdom of Heaven is the earthly sphere of the Kingdom of God , both have
almost everything in common, which is why many teachings appear under the
two titles interchangeably. The distinction is established by omission of aspects
that by their nature cannot be applied to both aspects of the kingdom. 4) Two
ways to manifest. The Kingdom of God is not surrounded by external
manifestations (Lk. 17:20), but is rather internal (Rom. 14:17). On the other
hand, the Kingdom of Heaven must be manifested gloriously in this world (Mt.
17:2; Lk. 1:31-33; 1 Cor. 15:24;). 5) Future agreement. Both, the kingdom of
God and the kingdom of heaven , are to converge and coincide in the future,
being one when Christ delivers everything to the Father (1 Cor. 15:24-28). This
interpretation, which differentiates between the Kingdom of God and the
Kingdom of Heaven , presents serious difficulties and is established in what is
the distinctive hermeneutics of the extreme dispensational system. Such a
position requires distinguishing three aspects in the concept of the kingdom of
heaven that appear in the gospel according to Matthew. 1) Kingdom in proximity
(Mt. 3:2). It is approached in the person of the King, but it is not realized
because he has rejected it (Mt. 12:46-50). 2) Kingdom in mystery (Mt. 13:1-52).
It is about the kingdom of heaven in the present time, as a sphere of the Christian
profession of faith. 3) Millennial Kingdom (Mt. 24:29-25:46). It will be
established at the second coming of Jesus Christ in glory (Lk. 19:12-19). An
unprejudiced study discovers certain differences among the evangelists, which
are simply nuances rather than real distinctions. The differentiation between the
Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven requires the use of hermeneutics
that does not always conform to the correct rules and principles of that science.
The idea that the kingdom in the present is a sphere of profession significantly
hinders Jesus' teaching to Nicodemus on how to enter the kingdom, which
requires a new birth, and which goes far beyond a profession. In the light of
general teaching and correct hermeneutics, the conclusion is reached that the
terms Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven are synonymous expressions.
The distinctives on specific and determined aspects are established in the
interpretation and textual environment of the passage. It is evident that parallel
passages use Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven interchangeably. As an
example in the call to repentance (Mt. 4:17; comp. with Mr. 1:15). In the
parables of the kingdom, such as that of the mustard (Mt. 13:31; comp. Mr.
4:30,31; Lk. 13:18, 19); the leaven (Mt. 13:33; comp. Lk. 13:20:21). It also
occurs in reference to the teachings of Jesus, as is the case of the mysteries of the
kingdom (Mt. 13:11; comp. Mr. 4:11), about the entrance to the kingdom (Mt.
18:3; comp. Mr. 10:15; Lk. 18:17); on the problem of the entry of those who
trust in riches (Mt. 19:23; comp. Mr. 10:23; Lk. 18:24). It is also seen in the
references to the kingdom in the Sermon on the Mount, where Matthew uses the
expression Kingdom of Heaven, while Luke always uses kingdom of God.
The background on the doctrine of the kingdom must be sought in the
Old Testament. The Bible reveals God as sovereign over all creation (Ps. 47:2;
103:19). By virtue of being the Creator and His sovereignty, He dominates
everything, including control over this world (Ps. 24:1, 2). In this sense, God is
not only Lord for the Jews, but also for the other nations of the earth, hence the
prophecy contains many messages for other nations (cf. Es. 13:1; 15:1; 17:1;
18:1; 19:1). Some prophets were sent to Gentile nations, such as Jonah, and
some wrote prophecies for Gentile nations, such as Nahum (Nah. 1:1). God uses
men from the nations to execute his plans, like Pharaoh (Rom. 9:17), or Cyrus
(Isa. 45:1). The nation of Israel was chosen to be a special people for God, from
among the other nations of the earth (Ex. 20:2; Dt. 5:6; 6:12; 7:6; etc.). For this
reason she was rebuked for wanting to have her own king in the style and
likeness of other nations, which was equivalent to rejecting the theocracy of her
government (1 Sam. 8:4ff). This national kingdom is an example for a higher
kingdom that will come later. This is one of the aspects of the Davidic covenant
(2 Sam. 7:12), which were not fulfilled in the reign of Solomon and which are
renewed as a promise in prophecy (Is. 9:7; 11:1-5; 32:1; Jer. 33:14-22; etc.). It is
necessary to come to the understanding of the concept of the kingdom of God ,
or the kingdom of heaven . It can be defined as the sphere of government in
which God reigns as Sovereign and is voluntarily obeyed (Dan. 4:34-35). The
kingdom of God has been challenged by Satan in the past, leading men to
disobedience and rebellion against the Creator (Gen. 3). However, God's
supreme authority, which exercises control over the entire universe, has not been
affected by sin (Dan. 5:21). The Scriptures bear witness to a spiritual
government of God in regenerated men, defining the kingdom of God as
spiritual in the present time (Rom. 14:17). The kingdom of God cannot be
considered as a sphere of profession , but as a sphere of position . The kingdom
of God or heaven is accessed by new birth (Jn. 3:5). Today, the kingdom has to
do with an internal and spiritual matter; It is inside (Lk. 17:20, 21), so the new
birth is necessary for this (Jn. 3:3). Justice in the kingdom is not external and
ceremonial, but internal, of the heart. Such a way of expressing justice had to
absolutely exceed the ritual and apparent nature of the religious of the time of
Christ (Mt. 5:20). The kingdom has a spiritual aspect in the present reality. Jesus
came preaching the approach of the kingdom (Mr. 1:15; Mt. 10:7; Lk. 10:1, 9,
11). This entry into the kingdom is hindered by the legalism of the people who
try to replace the sphere of communion, proper to the kingdom, with that of
religion, proper to men (Mt. 23:13). Believers are already in the kingdom of God
(Col. 1:13), therefore, the ethics of the kingdom must now be fulfilled in those
who, by new birth, are in that sphere.
The eschatological future of the kingdom is announced in Scripture. The

kingdom of God , or kingdom of heaven , will have future expression in the
millennial kingdom (Rev. 20:3, 4, 5, 6). The prophecies about a future reign of
Christ on earth leave no room for doubt (cf. Salt. 2:8, 9). It is not a spiritual
government over men, but a literal reign over them. Isaiah emphasizes the
earthly character of the eschatological kingdom (Is. 11). Many other prophetic
references confirm this (cf. Es. 42:4; Jer. 23:3-6; Dn. 2:35-45; Zac. 14:1-9).
There are many passages that affirm that Jesus will sit on David's throne to rule
the earth (2 Sam. 7:16; Salt. 89:20-37; Es. eleven; Jer. 33:19-21). This was
announced by the angel to Mary (Lk. 1:32-33). There are extremely clear
references to the reign of Christ on earth (Is. 2:1-4; 9:6-7; 11:1-10; 16:5; 24:23;
32:1; 40:1-11; 42:1-4; 52:7-15; 55:4; Dn. 2:44; 7:27; My. 4:1-8; 5:2-5; Zac. 9:9;
14:16-17). The millennial will culminate in the definitive expression of the
kingdom of heaven in the new earth and new heavens that God will create at the
end of time (2 Pet. 3: 10:13). It is appreciated that there is progress in the
manifestation of the kingdom of God , starting from the first men, descendants of
Seth, who identify themselves as “of Jehovah” (Gen. 4:26), progresses until the
visible establishment of the millennial kingdom , and will culminate in the
eternal kingdom .
John affirms in his preaching that the kingdom of heaven had come near.
The kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God is not of this world, nor does it
belong to its system; It comes from God himself, it is of a heavenly condition
and can only be reached through a supernatural, divine action, such as the new
birth. There is no doubt, as has been noted before, that the kingdom of heaven
has a projection in time in which it acquires different manifestations. It is true
that in the future it will manifest itself in an action of government or reign of
Jesus Christ, who will exercise all authority and dominion, after God himself has
sent a time of judgment on the world. However, John's message proclaims an
absolute truth. The Baptist emphasized the idea that this kingdom of heaven was
close, as if to say, within reach . All those who believe in Christ enter into it as a
response of faith to the message of the Gospel. That kingdom preached by the
teachers of Jesus' time was not the one that was approaching in Christ himself.
The idea of a temporary political kingdom is not consistent with that of the
kingdom of heaven, which is an eternal kingdom (Lk. 1:33). There were
definitive blessings for all those who, listening to John, confessed their sins and
began to live according to God's demands and for his glory.
The kingdom of God is at hand . This is another of the debatable points of

the verse. It is seen that the proximity of the kingdom has been fulfilled because
of the consummation of time. It should be noted that crovno ς

, space of time ,
is not used, but kairoV", the designated time, the concrete moment. This
indicates that God set in advance the temporal moment in history when Jesus
would appear. With Him the closing of one time and the opening of another is
carried out, what is called in the New Testament, the last or last times . The
discussion is established in the interpretation of whether the verbal form
h[ggiken should be understood as proximity , something that, although
imminent, has not yet been fulfilled, or if, on the contrary, it should be
considered as something already present. If it is taken in the first aspect, as
something close, then the difficulty arises of understanding the message of Jesus
that considers the closeness of the kingdom of God at a great distance from his
preaching, not only at the time of his ministry, but throughout over more than
two thousand years of history since then. The explanation generates a greater
problem if it is taken as something present in the days of the Lord's earthly
ministry. The interpretation of the verb considered depends largely on the
identification of what the kingdom of God is. If it is understood in the sense of
something that will arrive at a certain moment, or something that is present, or
that begins, in the temporal environment of Jesus' ministry.
Unlike peplhvrwtai, something that has been fulfilled , h[ggikn, is a verb
of movement. To establish that this movement has been completed, it does not
determine or specify whether hJ basileiva tou` Qeou`, the kingdom of God ,
should be understood as something that is approaching or something that is
already present. Generally an attempt has been made to determine the
relationship of Jesus himself with the hope of closeness. This interpretative
difference depends, to a large extent, on what is understood by the kingdom of
God , a matter that has already been considered in the previous point. If it is an
event that is coming but has not yet been fulfilled, then it should be understood
as a reference to the parousia of Jesus. However, the basis should not fail to be
understood for those who understand that the kingdom of God is already present,
not only present in the King, but present here and now. The Lord Himself said
that “the kingdom of God is among you.” (Lk. 17:21).
Dr. Lacueva writes about this:
“That the messianic kingdom was to be primarily a spiritual kingdom.

And as for the time in which he was to come, he tells them that he does not come
with warning (Lk. 21:20); That is to say, it does not have to come with a great
display of external apparatus, as happens with the kingdoms of this world,
which are preceded by changes and revolutions that occupy the front pages of
the newspapers in large letters. When the Messiah-King comes to inaugurate his
kingdom, it will not be said: 'Here he is, or: There he is', as when a prince
comes to visit his territories. The kingdom of Christ is not confined to one place.
Likewise, Christianity is not confined to one place; and those who try to make
their own church or denomination a monopoly or a stronghold, as well as those
who try to have the true Church recognized through pomp and ostentation,
commit a serious error and a great disrespect to the King. The kingdom of God
makes its way through a spiritual influence, since it is not of this world (cf. Jn.
18:36). 'The kingdom of God is in your midst'; that is, not within the Pharisees,
who rejected the preaching of Jesus, but in their sphere or proximity, where the
King moved and laid the spiritual foundations of the messianic kingdom, without
which the enjoyment of the temporal promises would have no meaning. effect.
Therefore, the reception of the kingdom must begin with a change of mentality
or repentance, which takes place within the heart, not in external phenomena
designed to excite the fantasy of men. To receive the kingdom it is necessary to
fulfill the conditions that are so admirably set forth and summarized in Sof.
3:12-13”49.
What is Marcos trying to express? The use of the verb in the perfect
tense implies that he wants to make a reference more than to what is coming, to
what came, since in another sense he could well use the present eggivzei, as he
will in 11:1, in the sense of space . Another occasion in which Mark uses the
verb is in the account of Judas' appearance in the garden of Gethsemane, where
the application also expresses a present moment (14:42). Returning to the
expression “the kingdom is at hand” , it is preceded by a complement that
indicates that the time has been fulfilled, so that the following phrase necessarily
has to coincide with the first in the verse, that is, Jesus is not announcing a future
time, but the present reality of the kingdom of God that had approached. This is
strengthened by the account of the presence of John the Baptist, as a precursor of
the coming of the Messiah. From what has been considered before, the term
kingdom of God should not be linked to a certain future or eschatological aspect,
but also to the present reality that occurs in the Church, as an expression of the
kingdom of God , in the current time, to where believers access through faith
placed in the Lord, hence Paul teaches that “who has freed us from the power of
darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col. 1:13). The
kingdom of God is eternal, therefore it is present and eschatological at the same
time. It is not possible to confine it to aspects limited by time. It means that the
kingdom had approached and was beginning a new time, in which the gospel of
God would be the message of salvation for everyone who received it. Such enter
the kingdom of God that opens its way through divine action throughout the
entire course of human history, and especially notable in the final time of history
opened with the divine irruption in Christ and through Him. It is necessary to
understand that the kingdom of God has approached, that is, God is fulfilling his
established purpose eternally, much more than indicating times and seasons that
only He knows and has in His power, or referring to some event that will
undoubtedly be fulfilled. at the time, both present and future and even both. The
ministry of Jesus opens the door to a time of divine fulfillment and calls all men
to a personal encounter with God in Him. In the Savior, the kingdom had
approached men, providing them with a message of salvation by faith in which
he announced the gospel. Jesus taught the actual meaning in the parables of the
kingdom (Mt. 13)50.
metanoei`te kaiV pisteuvete ejn tw`/ eujaggelivw/. Jesus proclaimed that

entry into the kingdom was only possible through faith in the message of the
gospel, which demanded repentance, in the sense in which it has been
considered before, as an expression equivalent to new birth , without which
49 F. Cave. Matthew Henrry Bible Commentary . Edit Clie. Terrassa, 1983, p. 451.
50 See comment to the chapter in the first volume of this series.
condition they could not see, nor could they enter the kingdom (Jn. 3:3, 5).
The sense of repentance in the preaching of the Baptist has already been
commented on.51 However, if it is important to know the meaning of the term
kingdom of God , it is no less important to understand that of repentance , so that
even at the cost of some redundancy it will be good to consider it again here.
The meaning, as said before, has to do with a change of mentality that leads man
to a different consideration than his way of seeking salvation through another
procedure other than “believing the gospel.” The great truth is that salvation is
imparted to us in the entire dimension of the word through faith in Christ as
personal Savior. No other obligation can be added to this single requirement,
under penalty of doing violence to Scripture. This is the case of adding to faith
the need for repentance prior to it to achieve salvation, as if it needed two
elements that establish human responsibility in receiving salvation: One is
repentance and the other is faith. This prevents a good understanding of the
doctrine of the sovereign grace of God in salvation, the initial and main message
of Jesus' ministry. We extend this consideration to make clear the principle of
salvation in the Savior's message, affirming with all determination that sovereign
grace requires of man only one thing: to believe the gospel. The salvation that is
by faith leads inexorably to regeneration and with it to the transformation that
makes the believer a new creature; It guarantees the preservation of the believer,
and brings him finally into the presence of God, made according to the image of
Christ. It is only necessary to understand that each of the aspects that salvation
entails are superhuman, that is, incapable of man, so they must be carried out by
God, since only He can carry them out. For this reason the prophet asks:
“Convert me and I will be converted” (Jer. 31:18).
The meaning of the word metavnoia is equivalent to a change of feeling,

of mentality . The idea of introducing an inner heartache is not present in the
sense of the word. Pretending that repentance be preceded by pain for the
commission of sin is not an effective reason for repentance, nor is repeating a
prayer or making some sign of acceptance to achieve salvation. There is no
doubt that “Godly sadness produces repentance” (2 Cor. 7:10), but this sadness
cannot be confused with the change it can produce. The Puritan idea that before
man is taken to Calvary he must be taken to Sinai is not stated anywhere in
Scripture. As Dr. Chafer writes: “the New Testament call to repentance is not an
invitation to self-condemnation, but to a change of mentality that promotes a
change of life on the path just begun.”52 .
51 See 1:4.
52 L. S. Chafer. Systematic Theology , Vol. I, p. 1200.
Beginning the nominal relationship of the first disciples, he writes: KaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; paravgwn, masculine singular nominative case of the present
participle in the active voice of the verb paravgw, pass, pass by , here passing ;
But, it is necessary to understand that when it is stated that repentance is
not an element added to faith for salvation, it does not mean that there can be
true salvation without repentance, or that repentance is not necessary to be
saved. It is, therefore, necessary to affirm forcefully that repentance is essential
for salvation, otherwise, no one is saved without repenting, but repentance is
implicit in faith, without it being possible to separate it from it. However,
nothing has done greater harm than teaching that the sinner must feel deep pain
for the sin he has committed as a requirement for believing, or a precondition for
receiving Jesus as a personal Savior. It means that many cannot assume their
salvation because they have not felt prior heartache for the offense committed
against God. This implies making the unconverted look inward instead of
directing their gaze to the Savior. This unbiblical teaching makes salvation
depend on feelings, instead of making it depend on faith. In progression, this
way of understanding repentance leads to another substantially false
consequence, such as that God needs to recognize the sinner for the pain he
manifests for sin, without which requirement he is not accepted for salvation.
Man has before him a message of good news that he must believe: “Repent and
believe the gospel.”
Repentance, which is a change of mentality, is included in faith. No one
paraV, own accusative preposition next to, next to ; thVn,

KaiV paravgwn paraV thVn qavlassan th`" Galilaiva". The Sea of
Galilee is also called Lake of Gennesaret and Sea of Tiberias. It is a natural
extension of water formed by the mouth of the Upper Jordan, and from where
the river also leaves towards the south. It is twenty-one kilometers long from
north to south and thirteen from east to west. The maximum depth of this
freshwater lake is forty-eight meters. Located at an elevation of two hundred and
twelve meters below sea level, it is the lowest freshwater lake in the world. It has
an area of one hundred and sixty-six square kilometers. The shores of the Sea of
Galilee are made up of undulations and extensive fertile and green lands. Mark
presents Jesus walking along the seashore.
th`" Galilaiva". Galilee was the Nordic region of the three regions of
Palestine. In ancient times it was among the tribes of Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali
and Issachar. The Sea of Genersaret and the Jordan River established the border
on the east; To the west the city of Ptolemaida and its district delimited the
territory; To the south stretched the plain that begins in Carmel and ends in the
Jordan Valley. In the time of Jesus, the population was made up mainly of Jews
in the interior areas, while the populations in the west that were highly
Hellenized, especially due to the policies of Herod the Great and his sons, had a
Gentile predominance. In Marcos , this region has great importance; Jesus came
from her (v. 9); It was the place where the preaching of the gospel in the
ministry of the Lord began (vv. 14, 39); From here the fame of the Lord spread
to all the surrounding areas and places.
can convert to Christ from any position he or she occupies without a change of
mentality. The Jews of Jesus' time were being taught justification by works, so
believing the gospel means changing one's mindset regarding justification by
works of the law to accepting only the path of faith. But, this change of
mentality is not the result of human effort, nor of intimate pain, nor of contrition,
but a work of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:8). It is the Holy Spirit and not the
contrition of man who convinces of the sin that condemns man: “not believing”
(Jn. 16:8-11).
Jesus called men to repent, but he called them to believe the gospel .
Faith is a single act although the consequences or results of faith are multiple. It
is not a simple change from one situation to another, but a change to one
situation from another (1 Thes. 1:9). Converting to Christ implies faith and
repentance that is always a consequence of it and not parallel or independent of
it. In light of the text cited above, it can be seen that conversion to Christ does
not occur through repentance that distances oneself from idols through contrition
and a second distinctive act which is the exercise of faith.
Jesus' message can be explained this way: repent , in the sense of

changing your mind about how to achieve justification, and believe the gospel ,
the content of which is God's message for salvation through faith in Christ. This
is the continuity of the proclamation of the gospel that John preached; This is the
good news of salvation that we preach; This is the eternal gospel of God.
The first disciples (1:16-20).
16. Walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother
casting the net into the sea; because they were fishermen.
KaiV paravgwn paraV thVn qavlassan th`" Galilaiva" ei\den Sivmwna

And passing by the sea - from Galilee he saw Simon kaiV jAndrevan toVn ajdelfoVn
Sivmwno" ajmfibavllonta" ejn th`/
and Andrew, Simon's brother, casting the net into the qalavssh/: h\san gaVr aJliei`".
sea, because they were fishermen.
singular feminine accusative case of the definite article the ; qavlassan, singular
feminine accusative case of the common noun mar ; th`", singular feminine genitive
case of the definite article la ; Galilaiva", singular feminine genitive case of the
inflected proper name of Galilea ; ei\den, third person singular of the second aorist
active indicative of the verb ei[dw, look , see , here means saw ; Sivmwna, singular
masculine accusative case of the proper name declined to Simon ; kaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; jAndrevan, singular masculine accusative case of the proper name
declined to Andrés ; toVn, masculine singular accusative case of the definite article
the ; ajdelfoVn, singular masculine accusative case of the common noun brother ;
Sivmwno", singular masculine genitive case of the inflected proper name of Simon ;
ajmfibavllonta", plural masculine accusative case of the active present participle of
the verb ajmfibavllw, used to technically express the action of throwing a round net,
here throwing the net ; ejn, dative proper preposition in ; th`/, feminine singular
dative case of the definite article la ; qalavssh/, feminine singular dative case of the
common noun mar ; h\san, third person plural of the imperfect indicative in the
active voice of the verb eijmiv, to be , here were ; gaVr, causal conjunction because ;
aJliei`", nominative masculine plural case of the common noun fishermen .
distant (v. 28). In this text the beginning of the group of disciples took place
here. After the resurrection Jesus preceded the disciples to a meeting in Galilee,
gathering them again there (14:28; 16:7). Around Galilee there were many
important towns that appear in the story.
ei\den Sivmwna kaiV jAndrevan toVn ajdelfoVn Sivmwno"

ajmfibavllonta" ejn th`/ qalavssh/: h\san gaVr aJliei`". In Jesus' walk by the sea,
the first meeting with the disciples takes place. As in all lists, Simón appears
first. Here he appears in the company of his brother Andrés and the two were
busy in their fishing activities, which was their job. Literally, Mark notes that
they were casting the net into the sea , that is, they were fishing from the shore
with a shuttle net. They were not enjoying the day or doing any personal hobby,
but rather working on their daily tasks, because “they were fishermen.” The net
they used could be thrown from a boat or also by one or two people placed in the
sea. However, although the boat is not mentioned here, there is no doubt that
Simon had one (Lk. 5:3). In terms of family relationship, the two were brothers.
Simon, who will be called Peter by Jesus (3:16), always remembers the man of
impetuous character (Mt. 14:28-33; 16:22, 23; 26:33-35; Jn. 18:10), but, time at
Jesus' side would make him a true instrument for the spread of the gospel and
the leader or spokesperson of the Twelve, mentioning him first in all the lists of
the apostles (Mt. 10:2-4; Mr. 3:16-19; Lk. 6:14-16; Acts. 1:13). In proportion to
its length, the Gospel according to Mark uses the name Simon more than any of
the other three. Jesus used this name several times when addressing the apostle
(14:37; Mt. 16:17; 17:25; Lk. 22:31). His brother Andrew is an example of a
personal evangelist, interested in bringing others to Jesus, as he first did with his
brother (Jn. 1:40-42); later to the boy with the provision for the miracle of the
multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Jn. 6:8, 9); to the Greeks on the day of
the feast (Jn. 12:20-22). Each of those personal characteristics will be reformed
and reinforced by the ministry of Jesus to make them fit for the work they were
to follow after his death and resurrection. According to John, Peter and Andrew
came from Bethsaida (Jn. 1:44), located in the northern part of the Sea of
Galilee, in the tetrarchy of Philip and had moved to Capernaum (Mt. 4:13; 8:5,
14, 15; Mr. 1:21, 29, 30; Lk. 4:31, 38).
Despite the imprecision of place that Mark does not indicate, it must be
considered that Jesus established his place of residence in Capernaum on the
shores of the lake. Nazareth was a small place to begin Jesus' ministerial task,
while Capernaum was an important city, a commercial hub in those days and an
appropriate place to spread to other places carrying the message of the good
news.
17. And Jesus said to them, Come after me, and I will make you fishers of
men.
kaiV ei\pen aujtoi`" oJ jIhsou`": deu`te ojpivsw mou, kaiV poihvsw

And Jesus said to them: Here behind me, and I will
uJma`" genevsqai aJliei`" ajnqrwvpwn.
to you to be made fishers of men.
Without interruption in the story, he adds: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; ei\pen,
third person singular of the second aorist active indicative of the verb ei[pon, used as
the aorist tense of levgw, speak , here equivalent to said ; aujtoi`", masculine dative
case of the second person plural of the personal pronoun declined to them, les ; oJ,
singular masculine nominative case of the definite article el ; jIhsou`", singular
masculine nominative case of the proper name Jesus ; deu`te, adverb of place here,
in this place ; ojpivsw, genitive proper preposition, behind ; mou, genitive case of
the first person singular of the declined personal pronoun of me ; kaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; poihvsw, first person singular future active indicative of the verb
poievw, do , here I will ; uJma` " from the common name fishermen ; ajnqrwvpwn,
masculine plural genitive case of the inflected common noun of men.
kaiV ei\pen aujtoi`" oJ jIhsou`": deu`te ojpivsw mou. The Son of God
exercises his authority by calling the first disciples. The expression of authority
is expressed in the Greek text through the adverb deu`te, which means here,
towards here , sometimes used as an interjection or also as a supplement to a
verbal imperative. Jesus uses the expression as a formula for a personal calling.
In this specific case, the phrase is equivalent to Come on! Follow me.
Establishing the urgency that must be given. The invitation urges the two
brothers to respond and become his disciples by following him. The Lord, in the
exercise of his authority, calls the two fishermen to leave everything to join Him.
Jesus' call goes far beyond any other invitation that could occur in the social
context of that time. The followers, or disciples of a teacher, did so of their own
free will, that is, they were the ones who chose who they wanted to follow and
who they wanted to learn from, but in no case was it the teacher who formulated
a similar demand, to leave everything that was proper and natural in his life to
follow him. With this call and the demand included in it, Mark points out that
this was not a teacher, not even a prophet who could call another to follow him,
as happened with Elijah and Elisha (1 Kings. 19:19-21), was the authoritative
call of God himself manifested in the flesh, which because it was from God was
not only authoritative, but also irresistible.
This is not Jesus' first encounter with these men. A year before, Andrew
and another disciple, probably John, had received another invitation from the
Lord: “come and see” , where Jesus lived, becoming convinced, also by the
testimony of John, that he was the Messiah, looking for his brother Simon to
take it to Jesus (Jn. 1:35-41).
kaiV poihvsw uJma`" genevsqai aJliei`" ajnqrwvpwn. To the fishermen

of fish, the Lord offers to turn them into fishers of men. Sometimes in the Old
Testament the symbolism of catching fish has to do with judgment (Am. 4:2;
Hab. 1:14-17). On this occasion the symbolism of fishing is synonymous with
blessing, consisting of casting the net of the gospel to collect in it an abundance
of men for salvation. Jesus came to preach the gospel of God, the disciples
would follow in his footsteps preaching it too. To them the Lord would give the
abundant blessing of seeing thousands of lost sinners being reached for the
eternal kingdom of God. Everyone who follows Jesus, who goes after Him, is
made a fisher of men . The Lord is promising them what is a blessing for the
wise: “He who wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30). Jesus' call was for them to
continue with what they knew how to do, which was fishing, because they were
fishermen, but empowering it to reach men for salvation. The figure is very
simple but very illustrative: in the same way that a fisherman changes the
position of what he catches, taking it from the sea to the land, so also the
believer who evangelizes the world reaches men, removing them from the power
of sin to transfer them to the admirable kingdom of Jesus Christ (Col. 1:13).
The secret to achieving this blessing is only to follow Jesus. The Lord
told them: “Come after me,” that is, follow my footsteps, walking in the
footprints that I leave marked. Later, in one of his writings, Simon would appeal
to the Christians of his time and, by extension, to each of us, showing the only
way to spiritual success and victory in the Christian life, writing in one of his
epistles: “ For this is what you were called; for Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an example, so that you should follow in his steps” (1 Pet. 2:21). It is
not possible to learn what God wants to teach us if it is not following the
footsteps of the Master. Furthermore, the one who calls is also the one who
enables the one he sends to do the work. The Lord is the admirable example of
the true fisher of men, reaching many for His kingdom. Likewise, whoever
follows His footsteps will be able to carry out the ministry of evangelization on
the same bases and forms of Jesus.
18. And then they left their nets and followed him.
kaiV eujquV" ajfevnte" taV divktua hjkolouvqhsan aujtw`/.

And instantly leaving the networks They followed him.
Without a break in continuity, he adds: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; eujquV",

adverb of time, immediately, instantly ; ajfevnte", masculine plural nominative case
of the second aorist participle in active voice of the verb ajfivhmi, leave , here as
leaving ; taV, plural neuter accusative case of the definite article los ; divktua,
accusative neuter plural case of the common noun networks ; hjkolouvqhsan, third
person plural of the first aorist active indicative of the verb ajkolouqevw, which
denotes being a companion on the road, here they continued ; aujtw`/, masculine
dative case of the third person singular of the personal pronoun declined to him, le .
kaiV eujquV" ajfevnte" taV divktua hjkolouvqhsan aujtw`/. Mark offers

Simon and Andrew's immediate reaction to Jesus' invitation. The adverb
eujquV", denotes that the action was immediate. There was no reflection but
obedience; There was no consideration but surrender. The call of Jesus clothed
with authority, along with the promise to make them fishers of men, was enough
for them. The divine authority that Jesus' call exercised over those two brothers
cannot be appreciated; however, it was not an obligatory invitation, but willingly
accepted by the two fishermen.
The two left the nets and followed him. They left what they had at that
moment. However, they kept some of their belongings, such as Simon's ship
(Lk. 5:3), which must have been the one he used to go fishing after Jesus'
resurrection (Jn. 21:3). He also continued in possession of his house in
Capernaum, a place used by Christ in his ministry (v. 29). He also maintained
his family ties (vv. 30-31). Simon would later remind Jesus that they had left
everything to follow him (10:28). However, abandoning the networks meant a
radical change in their lives, which was equivalent to leaving everything that
was their way of life to follow in the footsteps of the Master.
19. Passing a little further from there, he saw James son of Zebedee, and
John his brother, also in the boat, mending the nets.
KaiV probaV" ojlivgon ei\den jIavkwbon toVn tou` Zebedaivou kaiV And passing
a little, he saw James the - of Zebedee and jIwavnnhn toVn ajdelfoVn aujtou` kaiV
aujtouV" ejn tw`/ ploivw/
to Juan his brother they also on the boat katartivzonta" taV divktua, mending the nets.
Following the story, write: KaiV, copulative conjunction and ; probaV", nominative
masculine singular case of the second aorist participle in the active voice of the verb
probaivnw, literally go forward , here as passing ; ojlivgon, accusative neuter
singular case of the adjective small, little, a little ; ei\den, third person singular of the
aorist second active indicative of the verb ei[dw, look , see , here saw ; jIavkwbon,
masculine singular accusative case of the inflected proper name to Jacobo ; toVn,
singular masculine accusative case of the definite article; of the definite article the ;
Zebedaivou, masculine singular case of the inflected proper name of Zebedee ; kaiV,
copualtive conjunction and ; jIwavnnhn, singular masculine accusative case of the
inflected proper name to Juan ; masculine singular accusative case of the common
noun brother ; aujtou`, masculine genitive case of the third person singular of the
declined definite article of the ; kaiV, adverb of manner also ; aujtouV", masculine
accusative case of the third person plural of the personal pronoun them ; ejn, dative
proper preposition in ; tw`/, singular neuter dative case of the definite article el ;
ploivw/, singular neuter dative case of the common noun boat, ship , boat ;
katartivzonta", plural masculine accusative case of the present participle in the active
voice of the verb katartivzw, restore, mend , here mending ; taV, plural neuter
accusative case of the definite article los ; divktua, accusative neuter plural case of
the common noun networks .
KaiV probaV" ojlivgon. A little further on he will meet two others who
would also be his disciples. From the meeting with Simon and Andrew, the Lord
advanced along the bank accompanied by them. Marcos indicates the action
using the verb probaivnw, which denotes to go forward, to advance. They didn't
walk far to meet the other two fishermen. Marcos uses the adjective ojlivgon,
which expresses the idea of something small, so when applied to the road it
indicates a short section. The other two disciples were also fishermen.
ei\den jIavkwbon toVn tou` Zebedaivou kaiV jIwavnnhn toVn ajdelfoVn

aujtou`. Jesus saw the two fishermen working on the boat. The name of the
father of these two disciples was Zebedee. Mark uses the usual Greek way to
refer to a person's sons, by using the phrase literally those of Zebedee , that is,
the sons of Zebedee. This kinship relationship allows us to differentiate James
from another of the disciples with the same name who will appear in the list later
(3:18). The mention of the father's name adds a detail to the narrative that is very
typical of Marcos, which sometimes goes unnoticed in the parallel stories. These
were not people of low social status, but rather well-off workers with their own
boats, and even people who worked for them.
kaiV aujtouV" ejn tw`/ ploivw/ katartivzonta" taV divktua. They were
preparing for fishing work, mending the nets. The first two were throwing the
net into the sea, while the latter were preparing it for the fishing, probably at
night, that day. The term used by Mark also expresses the idea of suitable,
complete and will be used by Paul in the sense of completing or perfecting (cf. 1
Cor. 1:10; 2 Cor. 13:11; Ga. 6:1; 1 Thes. 3:10). There is no doubt here that they
were mending or even folding the nets on the boat, preparing them for fishing.
The Greek construction with the adverb of manner kaiV, also , followed by
aujtouV" ejn tw`/ ploivw/, they in the boat , allows us to understand that the
other two, Simon and Andrew who came with Jesus, were also in the boat from
the one who cast the net. It is possible to see the two boats together on the
occasion of the miraculous catch, in one was Peter, in the other Simon's
companions who were John and James (Lk. 5:7-10). There is no doubt about the
condition of the disciples, they were people who worked at their jobs, preparing
to continue doing so when everything was ready for it.
20. And then he called them; and leaving their father Zebedee in the boat
with the hired men, they followed him.
kaiV eujquV" ejkavlesen aujtouv". kaiV ajfevnte" toVn patevra aujtw`n

And immediately he called the; and leaving their father
Zebedaiòn ejn tw`/ ploivw/ metaV tw`n misqwtw`n ajph`lqon ojpivsw aujtou`.
Zebedee in the boat with the hired workers went after Him.
Concluding the paragraph, write: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; eujquV", adverb
of time instantly, immediately ; ejkavlesen, third person singular of the first aorist
active indicative of the verb kalevw, call , here called ; aujtouv", masculine
accusative case of the second person plural of the personal pronoun declined to them
, the ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; ajfevnte", plural masculine nominative case
of the second aorist participle in active voice of the verb ajfivhmi, to leave , here as
leaving ; toVn, singular masculine accusative case of the definite article declined to ;
patevra, singular masculine accusative case of the common noun father ; aujtw`n ,
genitive case of the third person plural of the declined personal pronoun of them ;
Zebedaiòn, masculine singular accusative case of the proper name Zebedee ; ejn,
proper dative preposition in ; tw`/, singular neuter dative case of the definite article
the ; /, singular neuter dative case of the common noun boat, ship, boat, ship ;
metaV, proper preposition of the genitive with ; tw`n, masculine plural genitive case
of the definite article los ; misqwtw`n, plural masculine genitive case of the common
noun laborers ; ajph`lqon, third person plural of the second aorist indicative in the
active voice of the verb ajpevrcomai, with the meaning of moving away, moving
away, leaving, here as they left ; ojpivsw, genitive preposition, behind ; aujtou`,
masculine genitive case of the first person singular of the declined personal pronoun
he.
kaiV eujquV" ejkavlesen aujtouv". The call occurs at the same moment
that he was in front of them and follows the same form that occurred with the
call of Peter and Andrew.
kaiV ajfevnte", toVn patevra aujtw`n Zebedaiòn ejn tw`/ ploivw/ metaV
tw`n misqwtw`n. They not only abandon the networks they were working on,
but they also leave their father with the day laborers who were working with
them on the boat. The mention of the father of these two disciples adds a
familiar and emotional fact to the entire story.
It seems that these two were wealthier fishermen, with a small fishing company
that employed some day laborers.
ajph`lqon ojpivsw aujtou`. The authority of the Lord is appreciated

here, the same thing that happened with the call of Peter and Andrew. There is a
prompt and radical response. For them there was nothing in life that could
represent more than being with Jesus. One day they would remember the Lord
that they had left everything to follow him (10:28). It literally reads that they
went after Him. Mark uses here the typical form of expression of his
environment to refer to disciples who follow a teacher.
In an interesting paragraph, Hendriksen writes:
“Immediately they leave their father and begin to follow Jesus. Now,
this action on their part, although already prepared by what happened a year
ago, deserves more than a simple mention. It was really very remarkable. In the
spirit of Mt. 13:55; Jn. 6:42, they could have said, 'Isn't this the son of the (now
deceased?) carpenter from nearby Nazareth? Isn't he also a carpenter? Why
should we be his apprentices?' In fact, if the theory that many maintain and that
cannot be lightly rejected is correct, that is, that Salome, mother of James and
John, was the sister of the mother of Jesus, they could have added, 'And are they
not brothers? yours Joseph, James, Simon and Judas? Isn't he just our cousin?
Why should we follow him?' The fact that they say nothing of the kind but
immediately leave their father and join Jesus is not only something in their
favor, but rather something that especially exhibits the magnetic and majestic
character of their Master!”53 .
It is evident that the Lord had a deep personal appeal and that His
teachings and works operated in such a way that people expressed admiration for
Him, however, it must be appreciated in the passage that it is Immanuel, God
with us, calling with divine authority those who He had chosen to be his
disciples.
The group of the first disciples: Simon, the impetuous man (Mt. 14:28-
33; Mr. 8:32; 14:29-31, 47; Jn. 18:10). This man would be transformed by the
Lord, becoming the leader of the Twelve, appearing first in the lists of the
apostles (Mt. 10:2-4; Mr. 3:16 19; Lk. 6:14-16; Acts. 1:13). Andrew, Simon's
brother, a man with a deep interest in leading others to Jesus (Mt. 14:18; Jn.
1:40-42;
6:8, 9; 12:22). Santiago, who would be the first martyr in the history of the
Church (Acts. 12:1, 2). John, who would recognize Jesus' personal love for him
like no other (Jn. 13:23; 19:26).
53 g. Hendriksen. oc, p. 69s.

The power of Jesus (1:21-3:12).
Authority over teaching (1:21-22).
21. And they entered Capernaum; And on the Sabbath days he entered the
synagogue and taught.
KaiV eijsporeuvontai eij" Kafarnaouvm: kaiV eujquV" toi`"

And they enter Capernaum; and immediately savbbasin eijselqwVn eij" thVn
sunagwghVn ejdivdasken.
Sabbath days entering the synagogue he taught.
Introducing a new paragraph, write: KaiV, copulative conjunction and ;

eijsporeuvontai, third person plural of the present indicative in the middle voice of
the verb eisporeuvomai, to enter, to arrive , here they enter ; eij", proper preposition
of accusative a, in ; Kafarnaouvm, singular feminine accusative case of the proper
noun Capernaum , or perhaps better Capernaum ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ;
eujquV", adverb of time immediately, instantly ; toi`", plural neuter dative case of the
definite article los ; savbbasin, plural neuter dative case of the common noun
Saturdays ; eijselqwVn, masculine singular nominative case of the second aorist
participle in active voice of the verb e[rcomai, enter , here entering ; eij" , proper
preposition of accusative a, in ; thVn, singular feminine accusative case of the
definite article la ; sunagwghVn, singular feminine accusative case of the common
noun synagogue ; ejdivdasken, third person singular imperfect active indicative of
the verb didavskw, to teach , here he taught.
KaiV eijsporeuvontai eij" Kafarnaouvm: The four disciples and Jesus left
the seashore to move to the city. Capernaum should have been the residence of
the Lord with the new disciples. The name, as it appears in the Greek text,
whose most correct translation would be Capernaum , must come from the
Hebrew k e par nahum , town of Nahum , later the Greek term derived from
Kapernaouvm, from which the Capermaum translations come. In the time of
Christ it was a city located on the border that separated the state of Herod
Antipas from that of his brother Philip. It had a military garrison commanded by
a centurion who had built the city's Jewish synagogue (Mt. 8:5-13; Lk. 7:1-10).
Outside of the gospels, Capernaum is mentioned by Josephus 54 . There is
discussion about the exact location where it was located, usually identifying it
with Tell Hum , remains of a ruined city about four kilometers southwest of the
mouth of the Jordan, while others identify it with Khirbet Minyeh , four
kilometers further on. Modern excavations have resolved the identification with
the first place, where the remains of an imposing synagogue appear.
54 Josephus. Wars of the Jews III. x. 8.

Surprisingly, common names appear in a column in the New Testament, where it
is read that “Alpheus, son of Zebedee, son of John, made this column; To him be
blessings.” Mark is going to write up four scenes that occur in Capernaum and
that apparently took place in a short period of time during the time of the
Sabbath , the Sabbath, so that it begins with the entry into the synagogue and the
liberation of the demoniac; It continues with a second scene at nightfall, where
the sick could come to be healed (v. 32); and concludes with a third at dawn the
next day with prayer (v. 39). At the same time, Mark addresses the hallmarks of
Jesus' ministry: teaching (vv. 21-22, 27); expulsion of demons (vv. 23-26, 32,
34); healing of diseases (vv. 30-31, 32-34); preaching of the gospel (vv. 38-39).
Although the plural appears in several places to refer to the group that was with
Jesus, the individuality of the Teacher is continually highlighted, since it is He
who teaches, the one who heals diseases and the one who casts out demons.
Jesus and He alone is the central figure of the gospel.
kaiV eujquV" toi`" savbbasin eijselqwVn eij" thVn sunagwghVn

ejdivdasken. Jesus had the custom of attending the synagogue regularly every
Sabbath (Lk. 4:16). So in Capernaum he attended the synagogue together with
the four disciples he had called to follow him. In the synagogue of Capernaum,
he taught, as he also did in others (Jn. 18:20). The men could speak at the
meeting after the reading of the law, expressing their desire to do so and asking
permission to do so. On other occasions they were invited to do so (Acts. 13:15).
The Lord is already united with the disciples, so that, as has been said before, the
editor uses the plural to refer to the presence of the five in the synagogue of
Capernaum. Synagogues were usually built on the outskirts of the city and often
next to a river or the sea and were especially used for Torah instruction. The
service consisted of prayers, blessings, the reading of the Torah and the
prophets, followed by a time of preaching. The Lord did not waste time on
matters other than teaching the people. Mark emphasizes Christ's teaching
ministry (2:13; 4:1, 6:2, 6, 34). The verb didavskw, to teach, appears seventeen
times55 in the gospel. Mark does not stop to explain what Jesus' teaching in the
synagogue consisted of, but there is no doubt that his message summarized
earlier, declaring that God's time had been fulfilled and that the kingdom of God
had come near (v. 15), should have been the main reason for Jesus' teaching.
22. And they were amazed at his doctrine; because he taught them as one
who has authority, and not as the scribes.
kaiV ejxeplhvssonto ejpiV th`/ didach`/ aujtou`: h\n gaVr didavskwn

And they were amazed at His teaching; Because he was teaching aujtouV" wJ" ejxousivan
e[cwn kaiV oujc wJ" oiJ grammatei`". as having authority and not as the scribes.
55 1:21, 22; 2:13; 4:1, 2; 6:2, 6, 30, 34; 7:7; 8:31; 9:31; 10:1; 11:17; 12: 14, 35;
14:49.
Referring to the effects produced by Jesus' teaching, he writes: kaiV, copulative

conjunction and ; ejxeplhvssonto, third person plural of the imperfect passive
indicative of the verb ekplhvssw, fill with admiration, fill with fear , here they
admired ; ejpiV, dative proper preposition on, of ; th`/, feminine singular dative case
of the definite article la ; didach`/, feminine singular dative case of the common
noun teaching ; aujtou`, feminine singular genitive case of the common noun
teaching ; h\n, third person singular of the imperfect indicative in the active voice of
the verb eijmiv, ser, estar, haber, here it was ; gaVr, causal conjunction because ;
didavskwn, masculine singular nominative case of the present participle in the active
voice of the verb didavskw, teach , here taught ; aujtouV", masculine accusative case
of the third person plural of the personal pronoun declined to them, les ; wJ",
conditional conjunction such as ; ejxousivan, singular feminine accusative case of
the common noun authority, ability, capacity ; e[cwn, singular masculine nominative
case of the present participle in the active voice of the verb e[cw, have, possess , here
having ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; oujc, form of the adverb of negation no ,
with the proper graphism before a vowel with a harsh spirit; wJ", conditional
conjunction such as ; oiJ, masculine nominative plural case of the definite article
los ; grammatei`", masculine nominative plural case of the common noun scribes.
kaiV ejxeplhvssonto ejpiV th`/ didach`/ aujtou`: The teaching of Jesus

admired the people, who were amazed by it. The verb ekplhvssw expresses the
idea of filling with admiration, marveling, being surprised , an energetic verb
that indicates stupefaction at something surprising. They indicate the recognition
of something out of the ordinary, which attracted the attention of the listener so
that he was hanging on each of the Master's words.
h\n gaVr didavskwn aujtouV" wJ" ejxousivan e[cwn. In the construction

of the sentence, Mark's very typical style of periphrastic expressions appears.
The teaching of Jesus was a wonder to the ears of the audience. The Master
manifested authority in teaching. Among other things, it presented the authority
derived from the deep sense of divine inspiration that applies the Word to the
life of the listener. The power of Christ's doctrine is that he spoke with his own
authority while the scribes were limited to complex interpretations of law and
tradition. In Mark, Jesus' authority in teaching is accompanied by his authority in
the powerful works he performs. The exposition of the teaching in the
synagogue required that it all be based on the teachings of the teachers, so it was
common for it to be formulated through a chain of quotes that the teacher
attributed to the teachers from whom he took them, reducing the exposition to
something like: The rabbi said this, and the rabbi said that . Christ expounds
Scripture directly with a new method they have never heard before. The Lord
interpreted the Word with his personal authority, as he did in the Sermon on the
Mount, adding to the biblical text: “I say to you.” The listeners, especially the
scribes, already perceived in this an authority that did not correspond to a man.
He was acting as God himself would do, giving application and interpretation to
the biblical writing. Jesus expounded the Word as one who has the power to do
so, with his own authority.
kaiV oujc wJ" oiJ grammatei`". In contrast was the traditional teaching
of teachers, who stuck to giving meanings to words and other explanations
coined by the teachers. As Hendriksen writes:
“Consider the following points of contrast between the teaching method

of Christ and that of the scribes.
a) He spoke the truth (Jn. 14:6; 18:37). The sermons of the scribes were
characterized by evasive reasoning (Mt. 5:21 ff.)
b) He presented matters of great significance about life, death, and eternity.
They often wasted time on trivial matters (Mt. 23:23; Lk. 11:42).
c) There was a system in his preaching. They, as their Talmud proves, often
rambled.
d) He aroused curiosity by making abundant use of illustrations (4:2-9, 21, 24,

26-34; 9:36; 12:1-11). Their teaching was almost always dry and boring.
e) He spoke showing love towards man, as someone who cared about the
eternal state of his listeners, and guided them towards the Father of love. Their
lack of love was evident as demonstrated by passages such as 12:40, etc.
f) Finally, and this is most important, because it is specifically stated here, He
spoke with authority, because His message came directly from the heart and
mind of the Father (John. 8:26). Therefore, also of his very soul, and of the
Scriptures. They took ideas from fallible sources, one scribe quoting another.
They tried to get water from broken cisterns. He drew from himself, being the
fountain of living water (Jer. 2:13)”56.
The scribes are going to be continually present in connection with the

teaching ministry of Jesus. These constituted an establishment, one could say
professional, that dealt with the study and teaching of the Torah . Ezra was
considered the first scribe because he was an expert in the Law of Moses (Ezra.
7:6). From the time of the Maccabees, a group of scribes was formed within the
secular world, which was characterized by their willingness to make agreements
with the Gentiles, contrary to the priestly position, which was immovable in this
sense. At the time with the division of theological positions that divided society
between Sadducees and Pharisees, the scribes belonged mostly to the latter. The
scribes assumed a triple task in relation to the Law: 1) Develop the prescriptions
established in it, formulating them into rules, to make them effective in the midst
of a changing society. 2) Instruct students in the Law. 3) As experts in the law,
provide advice on its judicial application. Due to the extensive subject matter of
the Law, which contains not only legal instructions but also edifying historical
accounts, the scribes had to deal with halacha , which has to do with
commandments; and the aggadah , which developed the religious traditions of
Judaism. Due to their knowledge and abilities, they were the teachers recognized
and preferred by the people, especially in the Saturday lessons in the
synagogues. The religious and political influence of the scribes in the time of
Christ was very great. Especially for these the treatment of rabbi was reserved.
The center of activity of the scribes was Jerusalem until the year 70. In the
Sanhedrin the scribes formed their own group. However, the scribes were
throughout the territory of Israel, so that there was always one of them in the
synagogues. Mark relates them as an independent group in some places (1:22;
2:6; 3:22; 9:11, 14; 12:35, 38), at other times they appear linked to the Pharisees
(2:16; 7: 1, 5), others with the priests (10:33; 11:18; 14:1; 15:31), even with the
elders and priests (8:31; 11:27; 14:43, 53; 15: 1).
Power over a demon (1:23-28).
23. But there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, who
cried out.
KaiV eujquV" h\n ejn th`/ sunagwgh`/ aujtw`na[nqrwpo" ejn

pneumatic
And immediately he was in their synagogue, a man with an unclean spirit ajkaqavrtw/ kaiV
ajnevkraxen and he cried out.
Recounting the events in the synagogue, he writes: KaiV, copulative conjunction

and ; eujquV", adverb instantly, immediately immediately ; h\n, third person singular
of the imperfect indicative in the active voice of the verb eijmiv, to be , here I was ;
ejn, proper preposition of the dative in ; th`/, feminine singular dative case of the
definite article la ; sunagwgh`/, feminine singular dative case of the common noun
synagogue ; aujtw`n, masculine genitive case of the third person plural of the
declined personal pronoun of them ; a[nqrwpo", masculine singular nominative case
of the common noun man ; ejn, dative own preposition, with ; pneuvmati, dative
neuter singular case of the common noun spirit ; ajkaqavrtw/, dative neuter singular
case of the adjective unclean ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; ajnevkraxen, third
person singular first aorist active indicative of the verb ajnakravzw, shout , here
shouted.
KaiV eujquV" h\n ejn th`/ sunagwgh`/ aujtw`n The introduction with
kaiV eujquV", and immediately, and instantly, serves Marcos to draw the
reader's attention and give a special drama to the story. Jesus had entered their
synagogue. It could be understood that at the moment when Jesus had entered
the synagogue, the demon-possessed man manifested himself, who possibly had
gone unnoticed before, but it could also be about the entrance at that moment ,
the demon-possessed person who could have been outside and entered at that
moment. Whatever the situation, what the gospel wants to highlight is the
presence of the demon-possessed person in the synagogue.
a[nqrwpo" pneuvmati ajkaqavrtw/ The contrast is strong, in the meeting
of believers the devil was present. The expression unclean spirit is preceded by
the preposition ejn, with , to give the idea that the man was possessed and
controlled by a demon. The term pneuvmati ajkaqavrtw, unclean spirit , is used
in Mark interchangeably as a synonym for demon . No person affected by legal
contamination could be present in the congregation. This man was not
contaminated by any special fault, but he was fully contaminated by the presence
of the devil in him. This situation puts Jesus in front of the demon that possessed
the man present in the synagogue. The possessed person was in a relationship of
slavery due to the demon present in him, which manifested itself through him. It
was not, as some liberals would have us believe, a sick person or an epileptic,
but rather a person possessed by the devil, that is, a demon possessed.
kaiV ajnevkraxen. The demon manifests himself using his voice to speak
in the synagogue. Marcos uses a verb that has the sense of shouting, shouting,
shouting . It is proper that in Christ's encounter with the demon-possessed, it is
the demons that possess them that manifest themselves audibly speaking through
the possessed (cf. 3:11-12; 5:7-13; 9:2526). The demon shouted in front of
everyone what follows in the next verse. It is the evil spirit that had taken
possession of the person and used it as an expressive vehicle for him.
24. Saying: Ah! What do you have with us, Nazarene Jesus? Have you
come to destroy us? Be who you are, the Holy One of God.
levgwn: tiv hJmi`n kaiV soiv, jIhsou` Nazarhnev… h\lqe" Saying: What to us and to
you Jesus Nazarene? Did you come ajpolevsai hJma`"… oi\da se tiv" ei\, oJ a{gio"
tou` Qeou`.
to destroy us? I have known who you are, the Holy One of God.
Continuing with the story, he adds: levgwn, singular masculine nominative case of
the present participle in the active voice of the verb levgw, to speak, to say , here
saying ; tiv, nominative neuter singular case of the interrogative pronoun what ;
hJmi`n, dative case of the first person plural of the personal pronoun declined to us ;
kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; soiv, dative case of the second person singular of
the personal pronoun declined to you ; jIhsou`, masculine singular vocative case of
the proper name Jesus ; Nazarhnev, masculine singular vocative case of the adjective
Nazarene ; h\lqe", second person singular of the second aorist active indicative of the
verb e[rcomai, to come , here as you came ; ajpolevsai, first aorist of the active
infinitive of the verb ajpovllumi, with the sense of destroying completely , but not so
much as extinction, but as ruin; hJma`", accusative case of the first person plural of
the personal pronoun declined to us, nos ; oi\da, first person singular of the perfect
indicative in the active voice of the verb oi^^da, know, know, understand,
understand , here I have known ; se, accusative case of the second person singular of
the personal pronoun tú ; tiv", masculine singular nominative case of the
interrogative pronoun who ; ei\, second person singular of the present active
indicative of the verb eijmiv, be , here you are ; oJ, singular masculine nominative
case of the definite article el ; a{gio", masculine singular nominative case of the
adjective holy ; tou`, masculine singular genitive case of the definite article the ;
Qeou`, masculine singular genitive case of the declined divine name of God.
levgwn: tiv hJmi`n kaiV soiv, The expression of the demon through the
demoniac is formulated out loud before the entire congregation of the
synagogue. Using a typical Greek formula, he asks Jesus a question that literally
says: What to us and you? , equivalent to What do you have with us Nazarene
Jesus? . It is interesting to note the plural we , since what affects one of the
demons affects their entire kingdom.
jIhsou` Nazarhnev.…The demon addresses Christ calling him Jesus of

Nazarene , which indicates the knowledge he had about who was present in the
synagogue. He knew perfectly well what his connection with Nazareth was and
he knew, without a doubt, that the prophecy announced the Messiah as being
from that land (Mt. 2:23), because there the birth was announced and there the
virginal conception of Jesus took place.
h\lqe" ajpolevsai hJma`". He then asks another question, which may very
well be taken as an exclamatory statement: You have come to destroy us! . He
could not be referring to the fact that he had come from Nazareth, but rather he
was the one sent from heaven with a certain mission. In another, more likely
sense, he would be asking the Lord if the time had come to destroy them. The
verb does not necessarily indicate the fact of destroying them in the sense of
making them disappear, but rather of limiting their actions and reducing them to
impotence. Jesus would carry out the work of liberation by becoming a man so
that he could die for men, otherwise Jesus had come to undo the works of the
devil (1 Jn. 3:8). This redemptive and liberating work included death for sinners
that would free them from the power of the devil (Heb. 2:14:15). The eternal
Son of God becomes flesh and blood , to through death, from the liberating
battle, destroy , eliminate , in the sense of removing the means with which he
maintained himself , and even prevent him from reaching them again. In that
sense it is equivalent to reducing to impotence , the one who had the dominion
of death, that is, the devil. Diabolical possession will be annulled in the final
exercise of the divine authority of the Son of God, which will occur in the future
and will remove the presence of Satan and his demons from the human sphere,
confining them to the lake of fire.
… oi\da se tiv" ei\, oJ a{gio" tou` Qeou`. The demons know many things
about Jesus. When he says I know who you are , he is not lying but affirming
what he knew about Jesus of the Nazarene. The demon's knowledge of Jesus was
very precise. Jesus was the Holy One of God. This had been announced to Mary
(Lk. 1:35). The Saint, with an article, could only refer to God. This is not a
messianic title, but rather the position that Jesus occupies in relation to God.
Being God, he is also “the Holy One” . The demon did not care so much about
the earthly origin or the earthly place linked to Jesus, but rather his divine status,
as the Holy One of God. The holy character of Jesus contrasts with the unclean
spirit that cried out through the possessed. No other person in Scripture receives
this title. Elijah is said to have been a man of God (1 Kings. 17:18); His
successor Elisha is given the title holy man of God (2 Kings. 4:9). But, the devil
does not say of Jesus that he was a holy man of God , but simply that he was the
Holy One of God , the only one of that condition. Later they will call him “the
Son of the Most High” (5:7). What ignorant men and lying religious leaders
denied, demons affirm. As Hendriksen writes:
“When radicals deny the deity of Christ, they exhibit less understanding
than demons; because they constantly recognize it. Certainly not that they do it
in the correct spirit. They replace reverence with impudence; the joy of
bitterness; gratitude for vileness. But they do it regardless. They call Jesus the
Holy One of God…”57 .
25. But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be still, and come out of him!
kaiV ejpetivmhsen aujtw`/ oJ jIhsou`" levgwn: fimwvqhti kaiV e[xelqe And Jesus
rebuked him, saying: Shut up and get out
ejx aujtou`.
of the!

The authority of Jesus is manifested in an imperative expression: kaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; ejpetivmhsen, third person singular first aorist active indicative of
the verb ejpitimavw, denotes conquering with a word of power, rebuke , here as
rebuked ; aujtw`/, masculine dative case of the third person singular of the personal
pronoun declined to him, le ; oJ, nominative masculine singular case of the definite
article the ; jIhsou`", masculine singular nominative case of the proper name Jesus ;
levgwn, masculine singular nominative case of the active present participle of the
verb levgw, speak , here saying ; fimwvqhti, second person singular of the first aorist
of the passive imperative of the verb fimovw, put bozar, make silence, in the passive
shut up , here shut up ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; e[xelqe, second person
singular of the second aorist imperative in the active voice of the verb ejxevrcomai,
leave , here ejx , written form that adopts the genitive preposition ejk, in front of the
vowel and which means ; aujtou`, masculine genitive case of the third person
singular of the personal pronoun he.
kaiV ejpetivmhsen aujtw`/ oJ jIhsou`" levgwn: The authority of Jesus

rebukes the unclean spirit. The verb used to refer to this rebuke appears in the
LXX translation to speak of the authority with which Jehovah rebukes
transgressors (cf. 2 R. 22:16; Job. 26:11; Zac. 3:2). It means here that Jesus of
Nazareth takes and expresses the authority of Jehovah, as corresponds to him
57 g. Hendriksen. oc, p. 74.

due to his divine condition.
Fimwvqhti kaiV e[xelqe ejx aujtou`. The authority of Jesus is expressed

with the full dimension of his Person. The Greek text is very emphatic: Shut up
and get out. It is a rebuke with irresistible authority. The verbal mode used by
Marcos, egpetivmhsen, is equivalent to reprimand, scold, rebuke . To the
authority expressed in words, Jesus joins the deep indignation at the diabolical
possession that made that man the dwelling place and instrument of Satan. The
verb used to command silence to the demon seated in that man, fimovw,
expresses the idea of putting on a muzzle . In addition to remaining silent, he had
to immediately leave the man.
Exorcism is one of the manifestations of Jesus' power in the Gospel

according to Mark . It is a form of Christ's omnipotent action that is clearly
differentiated from the healing of diseases. The gospel includes four casting out
of demons from individuals (1:23 27; 5:1-20; 7:24-30; 9:14-29). In two of them,
the dialogue between Jesus and the demons, reveal the knowledge they had of
Him. This action of Jesus led the scribes to a direct confrontation with Him,
accusing Him of a pact with Satan to cast out demons (3:22-30). The disciples
cast out demons during the Lord's ministry (3:15; 6:7, 13), but not as a condition
or personal gift, but by authorization of the Lord, who allowed them to carry out
the task He had entrusted to them. (6:7), doing so, therefore, under His authority.
The gospel makes it clear that there were others practicing exorcisms (9:38-39).
Exorcist practices are reflected in several places in ancient literature. But, in no
case, were they carried out in the environment and with the authority that
surrounds the mission of Jesus of Nazareth. Generally exorcists adhered to
certain procedures and rituals, while Jesus does not take into account anything
other than the use of personal and divine authority, before whose authority no
unclean spirit could resist.
26. And the unclean spirit, shaking him violently, and crying with a loud
voice, came out of him.
kaiV sparavxan aujtoVn toV pneu`ma toV ajkavqarton kaiV

And violently shaking him spirit - unclean and
fwnh`san fwnh`/ megavlh/ ejxh`lqen ejx aujtou`.
speaking with a big voice, he came out of it.
Recounting the end of the expulsion of the demon, it says: kaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; sparavxan, nominative neuter singular case of the first aorist
participle in active voice of the verb sparavssw, to tear, destroy, lacerate, to be
convulsively agitated, here shaking violently ; aujtoVn, masculine accusative case of
the third singular person of the personal pronoun declined to him, him ; toV,
nominative neuter singular case of the definite article the ; pneu`ma, nominative
neuter singular case of the common noun spirit ; toV, nominative neuter singular
case of the definite article the ; ajkavqarton, singular neuter nominative case of the
adjective unclean ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; fwnh`san, nominative neuter
singular case of the first aorist participle in active voice of the verb fwnevw, to
speak, to say, here speaking ; fwnh`/, feminine singular dative case of the common
noun voice ; megavlh/, feminine singular dative case of the adjective large ;
ejxh`lqen, third person singular of the second aorist active indicative of the verb
ejxevrcomai, leave here as it left ; ejx, written form that adopts the genitive
preposition ejk, in front of a vowel and which means of ; aujtou`, masculine genitive
case of the third person singular of the personal pronoun he .
kaiV sparavxan aujtoVn toV pneu`ma toV ajkavqarton. The devil

manifests himself with violence, knocking the poor man to the ground and
shaking him violently. Acting on him caused him a great convulsion. It is
evident that in the presence of everyone, the man fell to the ground, with great
convulsions. He could not resist the authority of Jesus, but he tried to torment
the man he had to abandon as much as possible.
Mark leaves a clear record of who produced all that: the unclean spirit , that is,
the demon that had possessed him until that moment.
kaiV fwnh`san fwnh`/ megavlh/ ejxh`lqen ejx aujtou`. However, he could

not resist the authority of the Lord and had to leave, very reluctantly, the one
who had served as his abode. With a great scream, literally with a big voice , he
came out of the man.
The first miracle recorded in Mark had occurred. There is no doubt that
the Holy Spirit intends to highlight the messianic condition of Jesus, one of
whose manifestations would be precisely that of casting out demons.
27. And they were all amazed, so that they argued among themselves,
saying, What is this? What new doctrine is this, that he commands even
unclean spirits with authority, and they obey him?
kaiV ejqambhvqhsan a{pante" w{ste suzhtei`n proV" eJautouV"

And they were all astonished so that they argued among themselves levgonta": tiv ejstin
tou`to… didachV kainhV kat' ejxousivan: kaiV 8 saying: What is this? New teaching
with authority! Also toi`" pneuvmasi toi`" ajkaqavrtoi" ejpitavssei, kaiV
uJpakouvousin aujtw`/. to the unclean spirits - he commands, and they obey him! Notes
and analysis of the Greek text.

8.
tiv ejstin tou`to; didachV kainhV kat' ejxousivan: kaiV, what is this? New
teaching with authority! Also... attested reading den A , B, L, 33, 2427.
tiv ejstin tou`to… didachV kainhV au{th. o{ti kat' ejxousivan, what is this? This is a
new teaching! That with authority... , as read in Q.
tiv ς hJ didachV ejkeivnh hJ kainhV au{th hJ exousivan o{ti kaiv, Who the
teaching that, the new this, the authority that also... according to D, it d .
ς
tiv hJ didachV hJ kainhV au{th: o{ti kat' ejxousivan kaiv, Who the teaching, the
new this? That with authority too... as read in 1342, Lect pt , eti.
tivς hJ didachV hJ kainhV au{th hJ ejxousiastikhV oujtou`` kaiV o{ti, Who the
new teaching is the authority proper to him and that... reading in W.
ς
tiv ejstin tou``to; tiv hJ didchV hJ kainhV au{th: o{ti kat' exousivan kaiv, What is
this? What a new teaching this is that with power and... as read in C, D, 28 c , 157,
180, 597, 892, 1006, 1010, 1241, 1243, 1292, 1505, Biz [E, F, G , H, S], Lect pt, AD , it
aur, f, l
, vg, sir p, h , eslv, Jerónimo.
Referring to the reaction to the expulsion of the demon, he writes: kaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; ejqambhvqhsan, third person plural of the first aorist indicative in
the passive voice of the verb qambevw, to be astonished, to be overwhelmed, to be
frightened, to be astonished ; here they were astonished ; a{pante", nominative
masculine plural case of the adjective all ; w{ste, conjunction of luck that, so that ;
suzhtei`n, present infinitive in the active voice of the verb suzhtevw, to discuss ;
proV", own accusative preposition between ; eJautouV", masculine accusative case
of the third person plural of the reflexive personal pronoun themselves ; levgonta",
masculine plural accusative case of the present participle in the active voice of the
verb levgw, to speak, to say, here saying ; tiv, nominative neuter singular case of the
interrogative pronoun what ; ejstin, third person singular present active indicative of
the verb eijmiv, to be , here is ; tou`to, singular neuter nominative case of the
demonstrative pronoun this ;... didachV, singular feminine nominative case of the
common noun teaching, doctrine ; kainhV, feminine singular nominative case of the
adjective new ; kat' written form of the accusative preposition katav, in , by elision
before a vowel with a soft spirit, which means with ; ejxousivan, singular feminine
accusative case of the common noun authority ; kaiV, adverb of manner also ; toi`",
plural neuter dative case of the definite article a ; pneuvmasi, plural neuter dative
case of the common noun spirits ; toi`", plural neuter dative case of the definite
article los ; ¡ajkaqavrtoi", plural neuter dative case of the adjective unclean ;
ejpitavssei, third person singular present active indicative of the verb ejpitavssw,
command, order , here commands ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ;
uJpakouvousin, third person plural present active indicative of the verb uJpakouvw,
obey, subject , here they obey ; aujtw`/, masculine dative case of the third person
singular of the inflected personal pronoun him, le .
kaiV ejqambhvqhsan a{pante". Mark describes the reaction produced in

the people before the liberation of the demon possessed. He does so with the
usual precision in the details he describes. Everyone was amazed. It could be
that exorcisms were not so common, so this one caused admiration in everyone,
but mainly the astonishment had been produced by the way in which Jesus had
performed the miracle. He did not use any of the usual procedures, nor did he do
so by invoking the name of God, his authority was simply sufficient to carry out
the portent. The verbal form ejqambhvqhsan means both they were astonished,
they were astonished , and they were filled with fear . Possibly amazement filled
each of them, together with a reverent fear of the authority of Jesus, since His
word had been enough for the demon to come out.
w{ste suzhtei`n proV" eJautouV". Astonishment gave way to discussion

between them. Probably each one tried to give an explanation for what
happened, so that the contrast of opinions occurred without reaching a solid
position that prevailed over the rest. The verb suzhtevw means to argue ,
sometimes with a connotation of confrontation (cf. 8:11; 9:14, 16; 12:28). Mark
accentuates the intense debate that occurred in the synagogue by building after
the verb proV" eJautouV", among them .
levgonta": tiv ejstin tou`to…didachV kainhV kat' ejxousivan: Everyone's

astonishment was expressed with the question , what is this? Referring both to
the teaching of Christ and to the expulsion of the demon. They had heard a
teaching with authority superior to that of the teachers of that time, but they also
witnessed a manifestation of the Master's personal authority. Both things specify
that Jesus was a Person vested with exceptional authority. For the purpose of the
gospel, it is interesting to make the reader notice the condition of Jesus from the
beginning.
kaiV toi`" pneuvmasi toi`" ajkaqavrtoi" ejpitavssei, kaiV uJpakouvousin

aujtw`/. The final phrase of the entire sentence is built with this same admiring
emphasis. The emphasis on the in-person fact of the expulsion of the demon is
marked by the use of the adverb kaiV, de manner, or as translated in the
interlinear Even the demons obey him! The authority in the exposition of the
Word was notable, but the most shocking thing is the authority that it exercises
without the possibility of resistance over the demons themselves. Thus the
question: Who is Jesus? It is answered from the beginning without expressing it
directly, pointing to the portentous facts that came from Him.
28. And very soon his fame spread throughout the province around
Galilee.
kaiV ejxh`lqen hJ ajkohV aujtou` eujquV" pantacou` eij" o{lhn thVn And the
fame of Him immediately went out everywhere throughout the entire perivcwron th`"
Galilaiva".
neighboring region - from Galilee.
Closing the paragraph, write: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; ejxh`lqen, third
person singular of the first aorist active indicative of the verb ejxevrcomai, leave, go,
here he came out ; hJ, feminine singular nominative case of the definite article la ;
ajkohV, feminine singular nominative case of the common name fame ; aujtou`,
masculine genitive case of the third person singular of the declined personal pronoun
he ; eujquV", adverb of time instantly, at the moment, immediately ; pantacou`,
adverb everywhere ; eij", accusative preposition for ; o{lhn, singular feminine
accusative case of the adjective todo ; thVn, singular feminine accusative case of the
definite article la ; perivcwron, singular feminine accusative case of the common
noun region, neighboring region ; th`", singular feminine genitive case of the
definite article la ; Galilaiva", singular feminine genitive case of the inflected proper
name of Galilea.
kaiV ejxh`lqen hJ ajkohV aujtou`. The transmission of the news with the
events that occurred in the synagogue occurred immediately. With an objective
genitive of the personal pronoun aujtou``, of Him, Mark indicates that what was
spreading was the news about Jesus and his work.
eujquV" pantacou` eij" o{lhn thVn perivcwron th`" Galilaiva". With the
use again of the adverb eujquV", immediately, immediately , so typical in the
writing, it indicates the speed with which the news spread, which spread to the
surrounding area of Capernaum. Mark, using an indefinite or perhaps better
extensive form, refers to the surroundings of the place where the events of the
synagogue took place. Possibly two aspects must be considered in the spread of
Jesus' fame. The surrounding region, which would later reach the entire
province of Galilee. Thus the genitive th`" Galilaiva", from Galilee , should be
taken as epexegetical or explanatory, to refer to the neighboring region, that is,
Galilee, or the part of Galilee around Capernaum. Mark highlights the beginning
of Jesus' popularity and the spread of his fame throughout the territory where his
ministry was carried out, which would jump national borders and reach many
other places.
Power over illness (1:29-45).
Healing of Peter's mother-in-law (1:29-31).
29. When they left the synagogue, they came to the house of Simon and
Andrew, with James and John.
KaiV eujquV" ejk th`" sunagwgh`" ejxelqovnte" h\lqon 9 eij" thVn

And immediately they left the synagogue and came to the oijkivan Sivmwno" kaiV
jAndrevou metaV jIakwvbou kaiV jIwavnnou.
house of Simon and Andrew with James and John

9
ejk th`" sunagwgh`" ejxelqovnte" h\lqen, out of the synagogue they came out ,
reading attested in A , A, C, L, 28, 33, 157, 180, 597, 892, 1006, 1010, 1071, 1241 ,
1243, 1292, 1505, Biz [E, G, H], sir p, h, pal , esl, Jerome.
ejk th`" sunagwgh`" ejxelqovnte" h\lqon, wine came out of the synagogue , as read in
B, f 1 , f 13 , 205, 565, 579, 700, 1342, 2427, eti, geo 2 .
ejxelqwVn deV ejk th`" sunagwgh`" h\lqen, and leaving the synagogue they came ,
according to D, W, it aur, b, d, d, e, ff2, q, r1 , vg mss , arm.
Introducing a new episode, write: KaiV, copulative conjunction and ; eujquV",

adverb of time immediately, instantly, at the moment ; ejk, genitive proper
preposition of ; th`", feminine singular genitive case of the definite article la ;
sunagwgh`", feminine singular genitive case of the common noun synagogue ;
ejxelqovnte", masculine plural nominative case with the second aorist participle in
active voice of the verb ejxevrcomai, which expresses the idea of going out , here
coming out ; h\lqon, third person plural of the second aorist active indicative of the
verb e[rcomai, come , here as they came ; eij", proper preposition of accusative a ;
thVn, singular feminine accusative case of the definite article la ; oijkivan, singular
feminine accusative case of the common noun house ; Sivmwno", singular masculine
genitive case of the inflected proper name of Simon ; kaiV, copulative conjunction
and ; jAndrevou, singular masculine genitive case of the inflected proper name of
Andrés ; metaV, genitive proper preposition with ; jIakwvbou, singular masculine
genitive case of the proper name Jacobo ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ;
jIwavnnou, singular masculine genitive case of the proper name Juan.
KaiV eujquV" ejk th`" sunagwgh`" ejxelqovnte" h\lqon. The details of

the story can only correspond to the testimony of an eyewitness. In the
background you can see the Petrine fountain, present on that occasion and
linked, to a certain extent, with the problem that is mentioned later. The
construction of the phrase is somewhat imprecise, however the sequence allows
us to understand that immediately upon leaving the synagogue Jesus, in the
company of the four disciples, went to the house of Simon and Andrew. The
construction with genitives links the four, which does not mean that in the case
of Andrés the house was also his property together with Pedro, but rather that he
lived in it.
The plural of the verbs ejxelqovnte" h\lqon, they came out , or when they
left the synagogue they came, is well attested, but there is also solid evidence of
the singular use, which would agree well with the idea of the centrality of Jesus
in the story. , where it would be read and when it came out it came.
eij" thVn oijkivan Sivmwno" kaiV jAndrevou metaV jIakwvbou kaiV

jIwavnnou. As said before, the testimony of an eyewitness is evident, since no
other gospel mentions the presence of James and John. The group of the first
four disciples appears with Jesus at Peter's house.
The continued narrative places the event in Peter's house on the same day
as that in the synagogue, that is, on the Sabbath, the day of rest for the people of
Israel. The healings he performed on that day generated conflict with the strictest
legalists who considered it prohibited to perform healings on Saturday. This
situation will manifest itself in open hostility later (3:1-6). The teaching and way
of acting of Jesus were openly contrary to the usual ways among the Jews.
Without a doubt, he considered that the expression of relationship with God
comes from a heart oriented toward Him and not from a mouth that simply
mentions His name or from the fulfillment of merely religious precepts. It can be
seen in the following paragraph that the people respected the Sabbath to the
point of waiting for sundown to bring the sick to Jesus.
30. And Simon's mother-in-law lay with a fever; and immediately they
spoke to him about her.
hJ deV penqeraV Sivmwno" katevkeito purevssousa, kaiV eujquV"

And Simon's mother-in-law was lying down having a fever and immediately levgousin
aujtw`/ periV aujth`".
They talk to him about her.
Following the story, he adds: hJ, singular feminine nominative case of the definite
article la ; deV, conjunctive particle that serves as a coordinating conjunction, with
the sense of but, rather, and, and certainly , rather ; penqeraV, feminine singular
nominative case of the common noun mother-in-law ; Sivmwno", feminine singular
genitive case of the inflected proper name of Simón ; katevkeito, third person
singular of the imperfect passive indicative of the verb katavkeimai, to be lying , here
she was lying, lay ; purevssousa, singular feminine nominative case of the present
participle in active voice of the verb purevssw, to have fever , here having fever ;
kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; eujquV", adverb immediately ; levgousin, third
person plural of the present active indicative of the verb levgw, to speak , here they
speak ; aujtw`/, masculine dative case of the third singular person of the personal
pronoun declined to him, le ; periV, genitive proper preposition of , about ; aujth`",
feminine genitive case of the third singular person of the personal pronoun ella.
hJ deV penqeraV Sivmwno" katevkeito purevssousa, The scene

following the liberation of the demoniac, takes on the intimacy of the home. In
the synagogue the action was covered in a certain tension due to the situation of
the demon possessed. Now Jesus moves to the house of one of his disciples and
the event that will take place there is surrounded by the tranquility of a house.
Pedro was a married man. The composition of her family is not known,
but her mother-in-law also resided in the home in Capernaum where she lived.
At least, she was there at the time corresponding to the biblical story. It is a
historical fact that his wife usually accompanied him on his missionary trips (1
Cor. 9:5). At home, the mother-in-law was bedridden with fever. There is no talk
of intense severity in this illness and possibly the fever was due to a temporary
illness; however, as was the case with the nobleman's son, the fever was a
manifestation of a fatal illness (Jn. 4:46, 47, 52). Luke, as a doctor, speaks of a
high fever that afflicted her (Lk. 4:38).
kaiV eujquV" levgousin aujtw`/ periV aujth`". Possibly during the

journey between the synagogue and the house, the disciples spoke to Jesus about
the situation of Peter's mother-in-law, preparing him for the family situation he
was going to encounter. The idea that Jesus knew all things without being told is
not correct, since at the level of his humanity he had limited the supernatural
knowledge, which corresponds to the deity, to what was necessary for the
development of his ministry. . The disciples speak to Jesus because they want to
draw his attention to a case of illness, already knowing the power that Jesus has
over the adversities that affect man, with the certainty that he would act to
recover the health of the sick woman. According to Luke's parallel, it is known
that with the report came the request for healing for her (Lk. 4:38).
31. Then he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up; and
immediately her fever left her, and she served them.
kaiV proselqwVn h[geiren aujthVn krathvsa" th`" ceirov": kaiV

And approaching, he lifted her up, taking her by the hand; and
ajfh`ken aujthVn oJ puretov", kaiV dihkovnei aujtoi`".
The fever left her, and she served them.
Describing the action of Jesus, he says: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ;

proselqwVn, masculine singular nominative case of the second aorist participle in
active voice of the verb prosevrcomai, literally come near , here as he came , or
perhaps better approaching or presenting himself ; h[geiren, third person singular of
the first aorist active indicative of the verb ejgeivrw, to raise , here raised ; aujthVn,
singular feminine accusative case of the definite article la ; krathvsa", singular
masculine nominative case with the first aorist participle in the active voice of the
verb kratevw, linked to being strong, powerful, expresses the idea of grasping,
grasping, holding, retaining, grasping, etc. , here taking ; th`", singular feminine
genitive case of the declined definite article of the ; ceirov", feminine singular
genitive case of the common noun hand ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ;
ajfh`ken, third person singular of the first aorist active indicative of the verb
ajfivhmi, to leave, here as he left ; aujthVn, feminine singular accusative case of the
definite article declined to her ; oJ, masculine singular nominative case of the
definite article the ; puretov", masculine singular nominative case of the common
noun fever ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; dihkovnei, third person singular
imperfect active indicative of the verb diakonevw, to serve , here served ; aujtoi`",
masculine dative case of the third person plural of the personal pronoun declined to
them, les .
kaiV proselqwVn. Jesus approached the sick woman, entering the room
where she was, which was undoubtedly her room in Simon's house. Surely the
Lord asked the four to lead him to the place where the sick woman was. Maybe
Simón took him to the room as soon as he entered the house.
h[geiren aujthVn krathvsa" th`" ceirov": The healing of this woman is

described in a simple way without recording any words from the Lord, only that
He approached her and helped her to sit up in bed where He was restoring her
health. The contact of Jesus with the sick he healed is very typical in Macos (cf.
1:41; 5:41; 6:5; 7:32-33; 8:23-25), there is even talk of those suffering from
some illness who tried to touch Jesus (cf. 3:10; 5:27, 56). Mark simply points out
that Jesus took the woman by the hand. The power of the Lord is sufficient.
There is no prayer, nor the laying on of hands, as was natural in the healings
carried out by the apostles. However, Luke mentions words of authority spoken
to restore the health of the sick woman (Lk. 4:39). For his part, Matthew says
that “he touched her hand” and his health was restored (Mt. 8:15).
kaiV ajfh`ken aujthVn oJ puretov", kaiV dihkovnei aujtoi`". The healing

was complete. It is not said that she had a recovery time after being bedridden
with fever. Healing brought with it the full recovery of health and strength, so it
served them . That woman afflicted with a high fever that weakens and
prostrates the person, recovered instantly, so that not only did the fever leave
her, she was able to get up, but she had the strength to serve the Lord.
Surely a simple lesson could be highlighted here for all of us who have
been spiritually healed from the deadly disease of sin. Liberation must
necessarily lead to the service of the One who made it possible. Otherwise, freed
from oppression we serve the Lord (Rom. 6:18). The blessing of salvation,
forgiveness of sins and eternal life cannot be conceived without the desire and
willingness to serve. It is not about doing something, but about giving oneself
completely to the Lord in response to his mercy (Rom. 12:1).
Healing of various diseases (1:32-34).

32. When night came, after the sun had set, they brought to him all those
who had illnesses, and those who were demon-possessed.
jOyiva" deV genomevnh", o{te e[du oJ h{lio", e[feron proV" aujtoVn

And when the evening came, when the sun set, they brought to him pavnta" touV" kakw`"
e[conta" kaiV touV" daimonizomevnou": all the evil that had already been suffered by
those who were possessed by demons.
Beginning another paragraph on the healings of Jesus, he writes: jOyiva", singular

feminine genitive case of the adjective late , evening in relation to the day; deV,
conjunctive particle that serves as a coordinating conjunction, with the sense of but,
rather, and, and by the way , rather ; genomevnh", feminine singular genitive case
with the second aorist participle in middle voice of the verb givnomai, to become, to
become, to be made , here arrived o{te, conjunction of time when ; e[du, third person
singular of the first aorist active indicative of the verb duvnw, to set (a star) , here it
was set ; oJ, nominative masculine singular case of the definite article the ; h{lio",
nominative masculine singular case of the common noun sol ; e[feron, third person
plural of the imperfect indicative in the active voice of the verb fevrw, carry, bring,
carry, drag , here they brought ; proV", preposition of the accusative case to ;
aujtoVn, masculine accusative case of the third person singular of the personal
pronoun he ; pavnta", plural masculine accusative case of the indefinite adjective
all ; touV", plural masculine accusative case of the definite article los ; kakw`",
adverb in the manner badly, seriously, badly ; e[conta", accusative masculine plural
case of the present participle in the active voice of the verb e[cw, have, possess , here
that they have, having ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; touV", plural masculine
accusative case of the definite article declined to the ; daimonizomevnou", plural
masculine accusative case of the present participle in the passive voice of the verb
daimonivzomai, to be demonized, here that they were demonized .
*Oyiva" deV genomevnh", o{te e[du oJ h{lio", The scene occurs, like the
previous ones, on a Saturday. The Jews deeply respected the Sabbath, therefore,
they waited until sunset, when the Sabbath ended, to bring the sick to Jesus.
Sometimes they would require the help of family members to get to where the
Lord was, they would even have to be carried by those who brought them,
therefore, they would wait until the Sabbath was over to do those jobs. In a very
typical way for Marcos, with a tendency towards duality, he reiterates that it was
the fall of the afternoon, the twilight of the day, and adds to the setting of the sun
.
e[feron proV" aujtoVn pavnta" touV" kakw`" e[conta". The fame of Jesus
had spread throughout Capernaum, so that those who were sick, literally those
who were unwell , were brought to Jesus to be healed of their illnesses. The
imperfect e[feron, brought , gives the idea of a continuous flow of people
bringing sick people to Christ.
kaiV touV" daimonizomevnou": Mark makes a clear distinction between
those who were sick and those possessed by demons , who were also brought to
Jesus. The power of the Lord was manifested in two actions, the healing of
diseases and the expulsion of demons. This distinction is maintained throughout
the entire Gospel .
33. And the whole city gathered at the door.
kaiV h\no{lh hJ povli" ejpisunhgmevnh proV" thVn quvran.

And the whole city was gathered at the door.
Without a break in continuity, he adds: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; h\n, third
person singular of the imperfect indicative in the active voice of the verb eijmiv, ser,
estar , here it was ; o{lh, feminine singular nominative case of the adjective total,
complete ; hJ, feminine singular nominative case of the definite article la ; povli",
singular feminine nominative case of the common noun city ; ejpisunhgmevnh,
singular feminine nominative case of the perfect participle in the passive voice of the
verb ejpisunavgw, congregate, gather , here had gathered ; proV", proper
preposition of accusative a ; thVn, singular feminine accusative case of the definite
article la ; quvran, singular feminine accusative case of the common noun door .
kaiV h\no{lh hJ povli" ejpisunhgmevnh proV" thVn quvran. The crowd,

both those who brought the sick and demon-possessed, and those who out of
curiosity wanted to witness what was happening, had gathered at the door of
Simon's house. The verbal mode ejpisunhgmevnh expresses the idea of a crowd
gathering. The verb sunavgw, get together, meet , is preceded by the preposition
ejpiv, which reinforces the verb by giving it the meaning of crowding together .
o{lh hJ povli". The whole city is undoubtedly a hyperbolic expression to

refer to the crowd that had gathered in front of the door. But, despite the
hyperbole, one must take into account the large number of people who had come
with the sick and demon-possessed, which gives an idea of the contingent of
those in need of healing and recovery that were in the city. Without a doubt, the
testimony of an eyewitness who remembers the crowd gathered in front of his
house can be seen in the story.
34. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out
many demons; and he did not let the demons speak, because they knew him.
kaiV ejqeravpeusen pollouV" kakw`" e[conta" poikivlai" novsoi"

And healthy to much bad bearing with various diseases
kaiV daimovnia polloV ejxevbalen kaiV oujk h[fien lalei`n taV
and he cast out many demons, and did not allow the daimovnia to speak, o{ti h[/deisan
aujtovn 10 .
hell because they knew him.
10
aujtovn, to him, le , reading attested in A, D. 0130, 157, 180, 579, 1006, 1010,
1071, 1292, 1505, Biz [E, F], l 292, l 514, l 1552, it a, aur, b, c, d, e, f, ff2 , q, r1 , vg, sir s, p , cop
sa/ms
, esl, Ambrosiaster 1/2 .
aujtovn CristoVn ei^^nai, le ser Cristo , as read in B, L, W, Q, S, f 1 , 28, 33, 205,

565, 1342, 2427, Lect , it 1 , vg mss , sir h , cop sa/ms, bo , arm, eti, geo, Ambrosiaster 1/2 .
toVn CristoVn aujtoVn ei^^nai, the Christ he was , according to C, 0233, 892, 1241,
vg ms .
toVn ChristVn, the Christ , according TO 2 , G.
Concluding the paragraph, write: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; ejqeravpeusen,

third person singular of the first aorist indicative in the active voice, from the verb
qerapeuvw, to heal , here healed ; pollouV", accusative masculine plural case of the
adjective declined to many ; kakw`", adverb of manner badly, seriously, badly ;
e[conta", masculine plural accusative case of the present participle in active voice of
the verb e[cw, have, possess , here they have, having ; poikivlai", plural feminine
dative case of the adjective diverse, various , diverse genders ; novsoi", plural
feminine dative case of the common noun diseases ; kaiV, copulative conjunction
and ; daimovnia, plural neuter accusative case of the common noun demons ; polloV,
plural neuter accusative case of the adjective many ; ejxevbalen, third person
singular of the second aorist indicative in active voice of the verb ejkbavllw, which
expresses the idea of expelling, throwing out , here expelled ; kaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; oujk, written form of the adverb of negation no , with the proper
graphism before a vowel with a soft spirit or an enclitic h; [fien, third person singular
of the imperfect indicative in the active voice of the verb afivhmi, to allow , here
allowed ; lalei`n, present of the infinitive in the active voice of the verb lalevw, to
speak, to say ; taV, accusative neuter plural case of the declined definite article to the
; daimovnia, accusative neuter plural case of the common noun demons ; o{ti, causal
conjunction because ; h[/deisan, third person plural of the pluperfect indicative of the
active voice of the verb oida, to know , here they had known ; aujtovn, masculine
accusative case of the third person singular of the personal pronoun declined to him,
le.
kaiV ejqeravpeusen pollouV" kakw`" e[conta" poikivlai" novsoi" It is

interesting to see a contrast: they brought to him all those who had illnesses (v.
32) and healed many . This could be understood as saying that he did not heal all
those who had been brought to him with illnesses. However, it is probably
Semitism. All those who had illnesses and who were brought to Christ were
healed, but, undoubtedly, there were others who did not come to Jesus, so they
brought all those who were sick and there were many. Illnesses, no matter what
the kind, or how far the sick person had progressed, the power of Jesus became
irresistible to the illness and all those who were brought to him received healing
from their ailments. The illnesses were many, as were the sick. Mark speaks of
them using the adjective poikivlai", several, diverse, literally of many colors .
kaiV daimovnia polloV ejxevbalen kaiV oujk h[fien lalei`n taV

daimovnia, o{ti h[/deisan aujtovn. The miracles performed by Jesus occurred
while people gathered at the door of the house. Satan's power was being
restrained by the power of Jesus, casting out demons with the authority of His
word. The one who had come to loosen chains of spiritual slavery was carrying
it out as it had been announced and in accordance with the activity that he, as the
one sent by God, had to do. The demons gave public testimony of who Jesus
was, affirming that they knew him and knew that he was the Holy One of God
(v. 24). Something about Jesus' command for demons to be silent has been
considered before, now it appears again. An attempt has been made to respond to
the reason that Jesus had for ordering them to remain silent. Some are inclined to
think that the testimony given by demons was not admissible, even though it was
true. But, perhaps, without ceasing to understand that position, the demons were
revealing something about the Messiah that was not appropriate to be revealed
then. About these positions Hendriksen writes:
“… First the demons exclaimed, 'You are the Son of God'… They were
immediately rebuked by Jesus, thus being prevented from speaking further about
this.
Now, what these demons, through the vocal organs of the possessed, said
was true. In reality they 'knew who Jesus was', that is, the Son of God, the long-
awaited Messiah. Similarly, for example, the exclamation of the demon-
possessed girl in Acts. 16:17 was true; in fact, true to such a degree that what
she expressed ('These men are servants of God Most High, who proclaim to you
the way of salvation') has been used as the theme for a pastor's ordination
service; theme: 'The word of the devil!' However, two questions arise. The first
is: Why do these demons loudly proclaim this truth? Was it because of the
irresistible fascination that the personality of Christ worked in them? Was it,
rather, out of an evil and sadistic desire to get Jesus into trouble, since they
perhaps knew that if by that time the crowd accepted the truth regarding the
identity of Christ, this could put an end to the program? plotted and would lead
to his death sooner than it would otherwise? An indisputable answer has not yet
been revealed to us. The second question is: Why did Jesus silence them?..."58 .
Without being able to reach a certain conclusion, the fact that the
testimony of the demons proclaiming the messianic condition of the Son of God
came to be accepted by the people, would bring a conflict with all the
establishments, both religious and political, that to some extent They would
produce, at the very least, restlessness and difficulties in the ministry of Jesus
Christ. Hence it would be convenient to maintain what is called the “messianic
secret” . The testimony of demons would not help God's purpose. These were

considered evil beings and liars. Their testimony could be used contrary to the
truth they proclaimed. It should not be forgotten that the Pharisees accused Jesus
of being in cahoots with the devil (Lk. 11:15).
Historical parenthesis (1:35-39).
Jesus praying (1:35).
35. Getting up early in the morning, while it was still very dark, he went
out and went to a deserted place, and there he prayed.
KaiV prwiVü e[nnuca livan ajnastaV" ejxh`lqen kaiV ajph`lqen eij"

And early at night, getting up, he went out and went to e[rhmon tovpon kakei`
proshuvceto.
deserted place and there he prayed.
Referring to the practice of prayer for Christ, he writes: KaiV, copulative

conjunction and ; prwiV, adverb of early time, at the first hours of the day ; e[nnuca,
adverb of time in the night ; livan, adverb very ; ajnastaV", nominative masculine
singular case of the second aorist active participle of the verb ajnivsthemi, which
expresses the idea of being on one's feet , or standing up , here as rising ; ejxh`lqen,
third person singular of the first aorist indicative in voice active of the verb
ejxevrcomai, leave, go, here he came out ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ;
ajph`lqen, third person singular of the second aorist indicative in the active voice of
the verb e[rcomai, go , here it was ; accusative to ; e[rhmon, singular masculine
accusative case of the adjective desert , solitary ; tovpon, masculine singular
accusative case of the common noun place ; kakei`, copulative conjunction and
adverb of place and there ; proshuvceto, third person singular imperfect active
indicative of the verb proseuvcomai, to pray , here he prayed .
KaiV prwiVü e[nnuca livan ajnastaV". With the characteristic style of

Mark and his taste for complementary or even repetitive double expressions, he
places the event at the beginning of a day in the ministry of Jesus, which begins
very early in the morning , when it was still night. Probably, following the above
story, he got up early from the place where he had spent the night, which was
Simon's house. Perhaps the healing of the sick and the casting out of demons
lasted late into the night. While everyone was resting at home, the Lord got up
when it had not yet dawned, but close to that time of day. Luke, more precisely,
says that the morning had begun to light (Lk. 4:42), possibly when the light of
dawn was visible towards the east, keeping the place where he was in darkness.
ejxh`lqen kaiV ajph`lqen eij" e[rhmon tovpon. At that early hour of the
day he left to go to a deserted place, that is, lonely or with little presence of
people. In the time of Jesus, the entire area around Capernaum was occupied by
orchards and agricultural crops, so it was relatively easy to find a quiet place to
dedicate yourself to prayer.
kakei` proshuvceto. Jesus sought the tranquility of the beginning of the
day and the solitary place to dedicate himself calmly and peacefully to prayer. It
is interesting to note that Luke makes several references to Jesus' prayers, while
Mark only refers to them three times. The first here, then towards the middle of
his ministry (6:46), and finally in Gethsemane. Perhaps he was praying in
gratitude and recognition to his Father for the blessings and miracles of the
previous day, perhaps he would be putting the day ahead in prayer. It is
necessary to clearly understand the two natures in the Divine Person of the Son
of God. In his human condition, he had to seek divine guidance, like a man he
was. This does not mean that he required the same assistance in his divine
nature, nor that the attributes of the divine essence were not present in Jesus.
But, the voluntary limitation in relation to the humanity assumed and sustained
in his Divine Person, made the practice of prayer necessary.
Prayer is an integral part of the life of Jesus. At the beginning of the

public ministry with the baptism in the Jordan, prayer is present (Lk. 3:21).
When he had to make a transcendent decision such as the election of the twelve
apostles among the disciples who followed him, he spent the entire night in
prayer (Lk. 6:12). Before the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and
fishes, the Lord prayed (6:41, 46). He prayed beforehand to ask the disciples the
question about who the people said He was (Lk. 9:18). On the Mount of
Transfiguration he also appears praying (Lk. 9:28). Pray before expressing the
invitation to all who are labored and burdened to come to Him (Mt. 11:25-30).
The disciples saw him pray before he taught them how to do it (Lk. 11:1). In
front of the tomb of Lazarus, before the miracle of the resurrection, the Master
prayed (Jn. 11: 42). He prayed in intercession for Peter so that his faith would
not fail (Lk. 22:32). After the last supper and before leaving for the Garden of
Olives, he prayed at length to the Father in intercession (Jn. 17). Prayer is
present in the moments of agony in Gethsemane (14:32, 35, 36, 39). At the time
of the cross (15:34). Death on the cross is surrounded by prayer in the surrender
of His spirit to the Father (Lk. 23:46). In the house of the disciples of Emmaus,
after the resurrection, the Lord prayed (Lk. 24:30). The life of Jesus was, without
a doubt, a life of prayer.
We must not miss this reference to the prayers of Jesus, as a call to

attention to the life of each believer and, above all, to that of those who have to
minister in the church or in the mission, no matter in what circumstance or in
what place. Prayer is indicated as a weapon against the wiles of Satan (Eph.
6:18). A life without abundant prayer is a life of failure, but even more so, a
ministry that is not related to prayer is a barren ministry. The resources of power
to carry out God's work, which is not ours, necessarily have to be divine,
obtained through access to the throne of grace to find mercy and obtain timely
help for each circumstance or need. The failures of many brothers and the
weakening of many churches are due, in large measure, to the poor practice of
prayer. The great example of how a spiritually strong church works is in the
reference that Luke makes in Acts. 1 and 2. Long leadership meetings with
arduous discussions with little time for prayer is the path to failure and personal
disappointment.
Traveling and ministering in Galilee (1:36-39) .
kaiV katedivwxen aujtoVn Sivmwn kaiV oiJ met' aujtou`,

And he searched diligently for Simon and those with him.

Continuing with the story, he adds: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; katedivwxen,
third person singular of the first aorist active indicative of the verb katadiwvkw, go
to search , search diligently here searched ; aujtoVn, masculine accusative case of
the third person singular of the personal pronoun declined to him, le ; Sivmwn,
masculine singular nominative case of the proper name Simón ; kaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; oiJ, nominative masculine plural case of the definite article los ;
met', written form of the genitive preposition metav, by elision before a vowel with a
soft spirit, with ; aujtou`, masculine genitive case of the third singular persona of the
personal pronoun he .
kaiV katedivwxen aujtoVn Sivmwn. Jesus had disappeared from the

house. Why Simón's urgency to search for him diligently? The verb used here by
Mark is diwvkw, which is equivalent to pursue, follow , intensified by the
antecedent preposition katav, indicating a search to the end , hence the
translation diligently searched . The reason for this intense search is explained in
the following verse.
kaiV oiJ met' aujtou`, Along with Peter there are others, to whom Mark
refers in a generic way “those who were with him” . Who were they? It is
possible to stick to the story and understand that it was about the other three
disciples, but it could refer to some others who began to accompany Jesus,
captivated by his word and his portents. The gospel speaks of many disciples
who followed him (Jn. 6:66). From the beginning of the gospel, Mark's emphasis
on Peter can be seen as the one who, to a certain extent, leads or is spokesperson
for the group of the Twelve, which does not mean any higher status than the rest,
but there is no doubt. that it is Peter who continually speaks on behalf of the rest,
who answers questions and asks them, who dares to ask Christ not to go up to
Jerusalem, who, after the resurrection, proposes the election of a new apostle
who complete the apostolic college.
37. And finding him, they said to him: Everyone is looking for you.
kaiV eu|ron aujtoVn kaiV levgousin aujtw`/ o{ti pavnte" zhtou`sin se. And they
found him and they say that everyone is looking for you.
Without interrupting the story, write: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; eu|ron, first
person singular of the second aorist active indicative of the verb euJrivskw,
equivalent to find, find , here as they found ; aujtoVn, masculine accusative case of
the third person singular of the personal pronoun declined to him, le ; kaiV,
copulative conjunction and ; levgousin, third person plural of the present active
indicative of the verb levgw, speak, say , here they say ; aujtw`/, masculine dative
case of the third person singular of the personal pronoun declined to him , le ; o{ti,
conjunction that ; pavnte", nominative masculine plural case of the indefinite
adjective all ; zhtou`sin, third person plural of the present active indicative of the
verb zhtevw, search , here they search ; se, accusative case of the third person
singular of the personal pronoun declined a ti , tea .
kaiV eu|ron aujtoVn kaiV levgousin aujtw`/ o{ti pavnte" zhtou`sin se.
The events of the previous day caused crowds to once again flock to Simon's
house looking for Jesus. The fact that he was not present meant, in the thinking
of the four disciples, wasting an opportunity, not only to do good, but to
continue demonstrating the supernatural power of the acts that Jesus did. In all
likelihood they were seeking a continuation of both the teaching and the healings
and casting out of demons that they had witnessed the previous day. But they did
not know the thoughts of Jesus, whose plans were different. The group's
intention, once they found Jesus, was to bring him back to Capernaum so that he
could care for all those who were looking for him. One can see in Pedro's phrase
a deep desire for him to attend to the people who were once again crowding in
front of his house in the city.
38. He said to them: Let us go to the neighboring places, so that he may

preach there also; because this is why I have come.
kaiV levgei aujtoi`": a[gwmen ajllacou` eij" taV" ejcomevna"

And he says to them: Let us go elsewhere to those who are near kwmopovlei", i{na kaiV
ejkei` khruvxw: eij" tou`to gaVr ejxh`lqon. towns, so that he may also preach there;
because this is why I came out.
Translating Jesus' response, he writes: kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; levgei,

third person singular present indicative in the active voice of the verb levgw, speak,
say , here it says ; aujtoi`", masculine dative case of the third person plural of the
personal pronoun declined to them, les ; a[gwmen, first person plural of the present
subjunctive in the active voice of the verb a[gw, to address, to fulfill, here in the
sense of going , let's go ; ajllacou`, adverb elsewhere , to another place ; eij", proper
preposition of accusative a ; taV", plural feminine accusative case of the definite
article las ; ejcomevna", plural feminine accusative case of the present participle in
the middle voice of the verb e[cw, in the middle voice be close , here that they are
close ; kwmopovlei", plural feminine accusative case of the common noun towns,
populations ; i{na, causal conjunction for that ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ;
ejkei`, adverb of place there , khruvxw, first person singular of the aorist first
subjunctive in active voice from the verb khruvssw, to proclaim, to preach , here
preach ; eij", proper accusative preposition for ; tou`to, singular neuter accusative
case of the demonstrative pronoun this ; gaVr, preposition because ; ejxh`lqon, first
person singular of the aorist second indicative in the active voice of the verb
ejxevrcomai, to leave , here I came out .
kaiV levgei aujtoi`": a[gwmen ajllacou`. Jesus was not interested in

popularity, but in fulfilling the mission that had been entrusted to him and for
which he had come. The ministry done in Capernaum was also to be carried out
in other places in the region.
eij" taV" ejcomevna" kwmopovlei", The Master communicates to them

the need to leave the place where they were to visit the nearby towns. The plural
indicates his determination to have with him the four disciples he had called.
The Greek word kwmopovlei, " towns ," expresses the idea of small towns that
did not have the status of cities. There were no places of little importance to him
that did not require a visit from him. In two other places in the Gospel , he uses
the term to refer to small towns, usually translated as villages (6:36; 8:27).
i{na kaiV ejkei` khruvxw: The mission he had to carry out was to preach
the gospel. Healing, care for the needy, expulsion of demons, etc. They were
made in the context of the proclamation of the gospel. This was the purpose and
objective of their mission. Jesus' focus is to carry out the evangelizing mission
with which he was presented at the beginning of the story (vv. 14-15). Later in
time, those who will be called to preach the gospel are the disciples, while the
Lord will be known as Teacher , admiring all for his doctrine (v. 22).
eij" tou`to gaVr ejxh`lqon. For this he had left Nazareth, his residence for
years (vv. 14-15). Possibly it would have a more direct application when leaving
Capernaum. Singularly, for this reason he had left the presence of his Father in
heaven and had come to earth (John. 1:11, 12; 6:38; 8:42; 13:3; 18:37). Mark
refers to this earthly ministry of the one sent from heaven later, when
transferring words from the Lord himself (2:17; 10:45). But, he also understands
the immediate mission of that first time of his ministry, he had gone out to serve
to preach the gospel in all parts of the nation.
Thus Hendriksen writes:
“It says nothing about performing miracles in these places. That he

made them is evident according to v. 39b; cf. Mt. 4:23, 24. But he gives all the
emphasis to the preaching of the good news (Lk. 4:43). Miracles had a
subordinate purpose. They confirmed his message and showed who he was. But
He accentuates the free proclamation of God's love revealed in the salvation of
sinners and reflected in their lives. It underlines the preaching that teaches that
men are saved out of any burdensome obligation to obey all rabbinic
regulations; who enter the kingdom only on the basis of the blood that was to be
shed (cf. Mt. 11:28-30; Mr. 10:45). Through this preaching Jesus fulfilled the
true purpose that the Savior had in leaving heaven and coming to earth.
Therefore, regarding this he continues; because with this purpose I went out. I
left not only Nazareth, or Capernaum, but certainly from heaven."59 .
The redemptive mission also involves proclaiming, announcing the

message of salvation that, coming from God, reaches all the lost, calling them to
faith. This ministry is a priority in the life of Jesus, who, continuing with the
Baptist's preaching, announces everywhere that the kingdom of heaven had
approached men.
39. And he preached in their synagogues throughout Galilee, and cast out
demons.
11
KaiV h\lqen khruvsswn eij" taV" sunagwgaV" aujtw`n eij" o{lhn thVn And he
came preaching in their synagogues throughout - Galilaivan kaiV taV daimovnia
ejkbavllwn.
Galilee and expelling demons.

11
h\lqen, vino , reading attested in A , B, L, Q, 892, 2427, sir pal , cop sa, bo , eti.
h^^n, was, was , according to A, C, D, W, D, 0233, f 1 , f 13 , 28, 33, 157, 180, 205,
579, 700, 1006, 1010, 1071, 1241, 1243, 1292, 1342, 1424, 1505, Biz [E, F, G, S]
Lect , it a, aur, b, c, d, e, f, ff2, l, q, r1 , vg, sir e, p, h , esl, Agustín.
Closing the paragraph, concludes: KaiV, copulative conjunction and ; h\lqen, third
person singular of the second aorist active indicative of the verb e[rcomai, to come ,
here as it came ; khruvsswn, masculine singular nominative case of the present
participle in the active voice of the verb keruvssw, to preach, to proclaim , here
preaching ; eij", proper preposition of accusative in ; taV", feminine plural
accusative case of the definite article las ; sunagwgaV", feminine plural accusative
case of the common noun synagogues ; aujtw`n, masculine genitive case of the third
person plural of the declined personal pronoun of them ; eij", proper preposition of
accusative in ; o{lhn, singular feminine accusative case of the adjective todo ; thVn,
singular feminine accusative case of the definite article la ; Galilaivan, singular
feminine accusative case of the proper name Galilea ; kaiV, copulative conjunction
and ; taV, plural neuter accusative case of the definite article los ; daimovnia,
accusative neuter plural case of the common noun demons ; ejkbavllwn, singular
masculine nominative case of the present participle in the active voice of the verb
ejkbavllw, expel, cast out , here expelling.
KaiV h\lqen khruvsswn eij" taV" sunagwgaV" aujtw`n eij" o{lhn thVn
Galilaivan. Jesus' determination was carried out. He goes elsewhere , is followed

by he visited all of Galilee. He had determined to preach and Mark emphasizes
that he preached in their synagogues , that is, he went throughout Galilee
preaching. The ministry that had taken shape in Capernaum extends throughout
the region. There is no doubt that Mark has in mind to point out the main
occupation of Jesus, which was to preach the gospel. The reference to the
synagogues where he preached does not exclude that his preaching was done
wherever possible. The synagogue was the religious meeting place where the
Law and the Prophets were read, so it was the most appropriate to proclaim the
good news of the gospel of the kingdom. The synagogue was a religious
institution in Jesus' day. We know that it began to settle after the return from the
Babylonian captivity. The distance from the Jerusalem temple led to the
establishment of places of worship, centered on synagogues. According to data
from the Jerusalem Talmud, at the time of the destruction of the city by the
forces of Titus, there were four hundred and eighty synagogues in that city. Both
institutions, temple and synagogues shared religious space without any conflict.
Synagogues served as a place for the spread of the gospel in the early years of
Christianity.
kaiV taV daimovnia ejkbavllwn. In addition to preaching, he also cast

out demons, as a sign of his messianic condition. It is surprising that there is no
talk of healing the sick, but, usually, exorcisms were also accompanied by
healing of diseases. The gospel is a message of liberation, in which the slaves of
Satan are freed to move into the glorious dimension of the kingdom of Jesus
Christ. The Messiah had been sent to fulfill the prophecy and free the slaves
from Satan's power.
Healing of a leper (1:40-45).
40. A leper came to him, begging him; and kneeling on her knee, she said
to him: If you want, you can cleanse me. Ç
KaiV e[rcetai proV" aujtoVn leproV" parakalw`n aujtoVn ªkaiV

And the leper comes to him begging him and gonupetw`nº6061 kaiV levgwn aujtw`/
o{ti ejaVn qevlh/" duvnasai me kneeling and telling him that if you want you can
kaqarivsai me.
clean.
that ; ejaVn, conditional conjunction if ; qevlh/", second person singular of the

present subjunctive in the active voice of the verb qevlw, desire, want , here you
want ; duvnasai, second person singular of the present indicative in the middle voice
of the verb duvnamai, have power, power , here you can ; me , accusative case of the
first person singular of the personal pronoun declined to me, me ; kaqarivsai, first
aorist of the infinitive in the active voice of the verb kaqarivzw, which is equivalent
60kaiV gonupetw`n, and kneeling , reading attested in A , L, Q, f 1 , 205, 565, 579,
592, 1241, 1243, 1424, l 890, l 1074, it e, f, l, q , vg , arm, eti, geo 1 , esl, Agustín.
kaiV gonupetw`n aujtovn, and he kneeled, as read in A, C, D, 0131, 0233, f 13 , 28,

33, 157, 180, 597, 700, 1006, 1292, 1342, 1505, Biz [E , F, S] Lect , sir h, pal , geo 2 ,
Basilio. a, aur, b, c, d, ff2, r1
1627, it , vg ms , cop sa/ms
kaiV gonupetw`n auvtw/``, . and kneeling to him , reading in 1010, 1071, l 253, l
61384, l 751.
The expression is not found in B, D, G, W, 2427, l 211, l 514, l 524, l 547, l
Beginning the story of the healing of a leper, he writes: KaiV, copulative conjunction
and ; e[rcetai, third person singular present indicative in the middle voice of the verb
e[rcomai, come, arrive , here it comes ; proV", proper preposition of accusative a ;
aujtoVn, masculine accusative case of the third person singular of the personal
pronoun him ; leproV", singular masculine nominative case of the adjective leper ;
parakalw`n, masculine singular nominative case of the present participle in the active
voice of the verb parakalevw, to speak boldly, to beg , here begging ; aujtoVn,
masculine accusative case of the third person singular of the personal pronoun
declined to him, le ; ªkaiV, copulative conjunction and ; gonupetw`n, nominative
masculine singular case of the present participle in the active voice of the verb
gonupetevw, kneel , here kneeling º; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; levgwn,
masculine singular nominative case of the present participle in active voice of the
verb levgw, speak, say , here saying ; aujtw`/, masculine dative case of the third
person singular of the personal pronoun declined to him, le ; o{ti, conjunction
to making clean, here as cleaning .
KaiV e[rcetai proV" aujtoVn leproV". Matthew places the healing of the
leper after coming down from the mountain where he had delivered the so-called
Sermon on the Mount. However, Mark links to what precedes with a simple “a
leper came to Him.” The healing of lepers is included in the messianic signs that
Jesus did and to which he referred when John the Baptist sent his disciples to
ascertain whether He was the one who was to come or should wait for another
(Mt. 11:3). Jesus had manifested himself, at the beginning of his ministry, as a
powerful man in words and deeds. He had healed the sick, he had cast out
demons, and now he added one more test with the healing of a leper. We do not
know where he came from, since his unclean condition forced him to stay out of
where there was a gathering of people. Mark simply says that a leper came. The
importance of this miracle is clear, since all three synoptics mention it. The most
extensive and precise account is precisely that of Mark . The moment in which
the leper's encounter with Christ occurred is not specified, as indicated before.
Marcos is not interested in the place or the time, but in the event itself. Hence, I
draw the reader's attention to the personal condition of the man who approached
Christ, saying that he was a leper.
Leprosy is an infectious disease and also one of the most feared

throughout time. Modern medicine says that contagion through personal contact
is easily avoidable with good hygiene practice. In the so-called first world , the
disease has been practically eradicated, and the advance of medicine means that
it has lost the character it had in ancient times. However, it continues to be
epidemic in some places in Africa and Asia, also appearing occasionally in
South America. The causative agent of leprosy is Hansen's bacillus, which has a
certain resemblance to that of tuberculosis. Incubation lasts a long time,
sometimes up to more than ten years. The disease process is slow. Leprosy
causes two types of lesions: skin and nerve lesions. The first are manifested by
inflammations in the dermis. These processes produce insensitivity, since they
greatly affect the nerve endings, producing paralysis and atrophy in the affected
area. The worst manifestation is known as lepromatous leprosy , which produces
serious skin lesions, leading to mutilations and deformations. The disease causes
complications in other places in the body. This is the most contagious form of
the disease and sick people must be isolated. As time goes by, the disease
deteriorates the patient's appearance, sometimes making it even repulsive. Skin
inflammations give way to dirty sores and smelly ulcers, caused by a lack of
blood flow. The skin around the eyes and ears becomes inflamed and deformed
with deep grooves that give the patient a typical appearance known as a lion's
face , with eyebrows and eyelashes falling out over time. Sometimes the fingers
of the hands come off. This disease often attacks the larynx, so the leper's voice
takes on a deep and hoarse tone. The disease is as old as humanity, being talked
about in Egypt and India more than fifteen hundred years BC. C. The Roman
armies were an element that spread leprosy to Europe, with an extraordinary
spread during the time of the crusades. The leper was the object of hostility and
horror, having to announce his presence by clearly perceptible signs. The law
established the condition of uncleanness for the leper, determining the procedure
that must be followed when the disease was discovered, beginning with an
examination of the spots by the priest. When the disease was determined, the
sick person was immediately isolated (Lev. 13:46; No. 5:1-4; 2 Kings15:5; 2 Cr.
26:21). He could not enter the cities, having to live in deserted areas; many times
his only refuge was to share a cave in the mountains with other lepers who
helped each other. Families and friends used to leave food for them in
designated places. Finally they died and were abandoned in the place where they
died or buried by their sick companions. Although the disease is not as
contagious as it may seem, the Bible emphasizes the unclean condition that
existed in the leper more than contagion. Leprosy was a mark of infamy and
represented sin and its consequences. The leper had to shout out his illness, but
he did not say leper , but rather unclean , so that no one would dare approach
him.
parakalw`n aujtoVn ªkaiV gonupetw`nº kaiV levgwn aujtw`/. A man with

these characteristics, although the extent of the disease is not known, is the one
who came to Jesus. Marcos says that he begged him , there is no doubt that the
request was seeking the healing of his scourge. He did not stay in the distance
but came to Jesus' side. That action was prohibited and even punished, but he
knew that the only solution to his problem was to go to Jesus and cry out for
mercy. It is interesting to note that in the Jewish context, a leper was considered
someone punished by God, possibly for some serious sin. Excluded from
society, he was condemned to physical death as the disease made it possible;
socially he was already a living dead. All people in the society of Jesus' time had
to avoid approaching a leper since any contact with him brought legal
uncleanness. Did you know who Jesus was? It is very probable. He also had
news of the healing power of Jesus. How did he know all this? Any answer you
want to give is mere supposition. The fame of Jesus transcended everyone and
reached all parts of Galilee. What is evident is that he knew the power of the
Lord and came to meet him seeking mercy for his situation. He does it with all
humility, begging him, that is, pleading with him. Some texts also present the
reading of kaiV gonupetw`n, bowing before Him . This was not a conventional
greeting, but a true act of worship. The leper prostrated himself, literally , he fell
to the ground , he most certainly knelt, bowing before the Lord to implore him.
That position was only adopted before God. No one in Israel did such a thing in
front of a man. It was the usual way to worship God. What the leper recognized
about the person of Jesus Christ is not revealed. Whatever knowledge the leper
had of Jesus, there is no doubt that he treated him superior to that given to men.
The leper recognizes that Jesus has the power to heal him, therefore, it is
appreciated that he has knowledge of the supernatural and, as such, superhuman
power of the Lord. He knows that he has the ability to do something that no one
else could do. This is what he recognizes when he tells him: “If you want, you
can clean me.” It is an expression of submission to the will of Jesus. His prayer
is simple: I know you can, now I hope you want to . It is possible to assume a
possible doubt in the leper about Jesus' mercy towards him. Some commentators
suggest so. However, more than a doubt about the endearing affection of the
Lord's mercy, it is preferable to understand the expression as the submission of a
man to the will of God, limiting himself to expressing his desire and putting his
need before Him, to submit without no demands on His will. When he came to
Christ he knew he could heal a leper, therefore he submitted unconditionally to
His will and grace. There is no room for further speculation about the leper's
mood and the recognition he expressed; the only firm evidence in the passage is
his faith in the healing power of the Master. In the healing of a leper, in addition
to the power to heal, the ability to purify someone who was previously unclean
converged.
41. And Jesus, having mercy on him, stretched out his hand and touched
him, and said to him, I will, be clean.
kaiV splagcnisqeiV" 12 ejkteivna" thVn cei`ra aujtou` h{yato kaiV

And moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand and touched him.
levgei aujtw`/: qevlw, kaqarivsqhti:
He tells him: I want, be clean.

12
splagcnisqeiV", moved with compassion , reading attested in A , A, B, C, L, W, D,
Q, 0310, 0233, f 1 , f 13 , 28, 33, 157, 180, 205, 565, 579 , 597, 700, 892, 1006, 1292,
1342, 1505, 2427, Biz [E, F, G, S], Lect , it aur, c, e, f, l, q , vg, sir s, p, h, pal , cop sa, bo , arn,
eti, geo, esl, Basilio.
ojrgisqeiv ς , enraged, full of anger , according to the reading in D, it a, d, ff2, r1

.
It is omitted in l 866, it b .
Following the story of the leper's healing, he writes: kaiV, copulative conjunction
and ; splagcnisqeiV", singular masculine nominative case with the first aorist passive
participle of the verb splagcnivzomai, to sympathize, have mercy , here as moved to
compassion ; ejkteivna", singular masculine nominative case of the active first aorist
participle of the verb ejkteivnw, denoting the idea of extending outside or forward ,
here extending ; thVn, singular feminine accusative case of the definite article la ;
cei`ra, feminine singular accusative case of the common noun hand ; aujtou`,
masculine genitive case of the third person singular of the personal pronoun declined
to him, le ; h{yato, third person singular of the first aorist indicative in the middle
voice of the verb a{ptw, which is used to go to light a fire, in the middle voice, as in
this case, it is used to cling, hold onto, touch , here how he played ; kaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; levgei, third person singular present active indicative of the verb
levgw , speak, say , here it says ; aujtw`/, masculine dative case of the third person
singular of the personal pronoun declined to him , le ; qevlw, first person singular of
the present indicative in the active voice of the verb qevlw, want, desire , here I want
; kaqarivsqhti, second person singular of the first aorist imperfect passive voice of
the verb kaqarivzw, which expresses the idea of cleaning , purifying , here it is
cleaned .
kaiV splagcnisqeiV". Jesus was moved to mercy. Not only did he have
compassion but he felt emotion in his soul for that situation. The Lord was
identified with the problem of the leper. Surprisingly, there is an alternative
reading, referenced above, that expresses the idea of anger on the part of Christ
at the leper's request, in which case he would demand the translation, and
becoming filled with wrath . However, the security of the first text implies the
non-acceptance of this variant. Some explain it as the Lord being filled with
anger because of the ravages that leprosy was wreaking, as Dr. Gnilka writes:
“If we consider anger as original, we will have to look for its cause in the
disorder of creation caused by powers. evil, as documented in the scene of the
leper”62 . Yet Jesus' compassion is always motivated by man's need (6:34; 8:2;
9:22).
Liberals take advantage of this variant of anger to deny the miracle,

presenting Jesus' anger as a consequence of the presentation before him of a
leper who, having been cured of leprosy, asked Jesus to declare him clean,
something that corresponded to the priests. , so that “I want, be clean” , would
be Jesus' response to a consummated act of healing.63 .
On the other hand, in an interpretative sense about the mercy of Jesus,

Hendriksen writes:
“So, taking pity on him… The only one who mentions this is Marcos.
Literally, the translation should be 'having been moved within himself' (his
bowels). Regarding this active compassion of Jesus, compassion that is
expressed in actions, see also Mt. 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 18:27; 20:34; Mr. 6:34;
8:2; Lk. 7:13. However, it is not enough to study only passages in which the
same verb appears. See also passages of similar importance and sometimes
synonymous phraseology; for example, 'He bore our illnesses, and suffered our
pains', Isa. 53:4 (Mt. 8.17; cf. Mr. 2:16; 5:19, 34, 36, 43; 6:31, 37; 7:37; 9:23,
36, 37, 42; 10:14-16, 21, 43-45, 49; 11:25; 12:29-31, 34, 43, 44; 14:6-9, 22-24;
16:7). Similar passages could be added from Luke and John. We are amazed at
the great number of times in which this compassion of Jesus, this tenderness or
expression of his heart in words and deeds of kindness, is mentioned in the
Gospels. He is constantly taking the condition of the afflicted as a 'very personal
62 J. Gnilka. oc, p. 108.

63 For example Paulus, J. Weiss, etc.
concern'. Living among a people who placed great emphasis on trivial legal
matters, which was especially true of leaders, He stands out as the One who
places emphasis on the important matters of the law: justice, mercy and faith'
(Mt. 23:23). People's anxieties are their own anxieties. "He loves the afflicted
tenderly and intensely and is eager to help them."64 .
ejkteivna" thVn cei`ra aujtou` h{yato kaiV levgei aujtw`/: If it is

surprising that the leper approached Jesus, it is even more so that Jesus touched
the leper before being healed, and stretching out his hand touched him . The
healing touch of Jesus' hand is spoken of several times (1:31, 41, 5:41; etc.). The
Law prohibited such action, since anyone who touched a leper would become
unclean, having to carry out the corresponding ceremonies for the legal
cleansing of contamination. But, the healing power of Jesus came from Him and
was transmitted to the person in need. If there is a doubt, it was not necessary for
the Lord to touch the sick person so that he would recover his health and be
healed of his condition, but He did so punctually when it suited His purpose.
Faced with the legal prohibition of contamination and impurity by coming into
contact with a leper, the Lord manifested his uncontaminated condition. Sin and
its consequences do not affect at all those who are eternally Holy. Because he is
the Son of God in human flesh, he is outside and above any circumstance that
could affect man. Touching the leper reveals to all those who witnessed the
miracle his personal condition, unique and unrepeatable, which links his human
nature with the Divine Person of the Word of God, in hypostatic union. Two
things express the touch of Jesus' hand: on the one hand his omnipotence that
will generate healing, on the other the mercy that moves the Master's bowels in
the face of the leper's miserable situation. That had to leave an indelible memory
in the mind of the patient, which would also fill his heart with gratitude. Most
likely the leper would go a long time without the affectionate touch of a caress
because of his situation, awakening to the reality of a life restored with the touch
of the powerful hand of Jesus.
qevlw, kaqarivsqhti: The editor's last appreciation is the authority of

Jesus expressed in a simple, brief and concise phrase: “I want, be clean.” It was
the answer to the leper's request. He had come to meet the Master with a plea
and a confession: “If you want, you can cleanse me.” The Lord responded with a
single word to what could, perhaps, be a manifestation of the patient's doubt, so
that when he asked if you want , he received the firm response, I want . But, with
wanting, power is always linked. The leper had nothing to do to be healed, he
was healed by the omnipotent power of Christ, expressed in two simple words:
Be, cleansed . It was a response of power, an expression of authority, to the
request of the needy.

42. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he
was clean.
kaiV eujquV" ajph`lqen ajp' aujtou` hJ levpra, kaiV ejkaqarivsqh.

And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
Concluding the narration of the miracle, he writes: kaiV, copulative conjunction

and ; eujquV", adverb of time instantly, at the moment, immediately ; ajph`lqen, third
person singular of the aorist second active indicative of the verb ajpevrcomai,
literally come, go apart, disappear, leave, here he left ; ajp', proper preposition of the
genitive ajpov, with the graphism it adopts by elision of the final o before vowel or
diphthong without aspiration, which is equivalent to from, from, from, through, with,
by ; aujtou`, masculine genitive case of the third person singular of the personal
pronoun him ; hJ, feminine singular nominative case of the definite article la ; levpra,
feminine singular nominative case of the common noun lepra ; kaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; ejkaqarivsqh, third person singular of the first aorist indicative in
the passive voice of the same verb kaqarivzw, here as it was cleaned.
kaiV eujquV" ajph`lqen ajp' aujtou` hJ levpra, kaiV ejkaqarivsqh. With

the repeated adverb eujquV", immediately, instantly , Mark indicates that the
healing from leprosy was instantaneous. The restoration was full, total and
immediate. No matter what situation the disease had brought the leper to, his
healing was absolute. When the disease disappeared, any deformity that it could
have produced was also recovered; no trace of injuries were left on his body. He
was a man who had been healed and also restored. For the leper, a new stage in
his life was opening, with a personal and physical condition like he had never
experienced before. Christ opened for him, not only the door of health, but also
that of full social restoration.
43. Then he charged him rigorously, and then dismissed him.
kaiV ejmbrimhsavmeno" aujtw`/ eujquV" ejxevbalen aujtovn

And seriously warning him, he immediately dismissed him.

Introducing Jesus' instructions to the healed leper, he says: kaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; ejmbrimhsavmeno", nominative masculine singular case of the
first aorist participle in the middle voice of the verb ejmbrimavomai, which
expresses the idea of a solemn warning, here seriously warning ; aujtw`/, masculine
dative case of the third person singular of the personal pronoun declined to him, le ;
eujquV", adverb of time immediately, immediately ; ejxevbalen, third person singular
of the second aorist active indicative of the verb ejkbavllw, which denotes expel,
cast out, dismiss , here dismissed ; aujtovn, masculine accusative case of the third
person singular of the declined personal pronoun he, him.
kaiV ejmbrimhsavmeno" aujtw`/. Jesus says goodbye to the man who is
now a healthy man. He does so with a serious warning. The verb ejmbrimavomai
is rarely used, with a strong meaning in Greek, linked to the snorting of a horse.
The connotation has to do with getting irritated, expressing displeasure,
moaning . Therefore, it is difficult in this verse, taking into account the
surroundings, to find an adequate meaning. This is not a reproach made to the
leper, but rather expresses the emphasis that requires attention to the instruction
that follows in the next verse. In this environment it is necessary to look for
something that indicates what was said with deep feeling, as if saying that Jesus
gave him a severe commandment . However, it is not a definitive form. This is
how Vincent Taylor writes, referring to the verbal form of this text:
“Bernard's commentary is excellent: ejmbrimavomai , expresses the

irrepressible inarticulate sounds a person utters when overwhelmed by a wave
of deep emotions. Jesus, the perfect man, also experienced this, like everything
human that was not sin. When he instructed the leper and the blind man whom
he had cured not to say anything about what had happened to them, he marked
his words with a hard and grave tone of voice, which indicated his agitation:
'He gave them a cry' he does not express clearly. exact meaning, because it
indicates violence when speaking or commanding. But it is closer to the
fundamental meaning of ejmbrimhsavmeno" that 'strictly entrusted them'. The
translations that indicate anger, although they are closely related to the
meaning of the verb, do not satisfy us if they indicate that Jesus was angry with
the leper, because nothing suggests this idea.65 .
eujquV" ejxevbalen aujtovn. He immediately dismissed the man, but not

before giving him the following instructions.
44. And he said to him: See, do not say anything to anyone, but go, show
yourself to the priest, and offer for your purification what Moses
commanded, as a testimony to them.
kaiV levgei aujtw`/: o{ra mhdeniV mhdeVn ei[ph/", ajllaV u{page seautoVn
And he tells him; Look at no one, say nothing; but go yourself dei`xon tw`/ iJerei` kaiV
prosevnegke periV tou` kaqarismou` sou show the priest and offer for your cleansing
a} prosevtaxen Mwu>sh`", eij" martuvrion aujtoi`".
the things he sent Moses, as a testimony to them.
Picking up Jesus' instructions to the leper, he says: kaiV, copulative conjunction

and ; levgei, third person singular present indicative in the active voice of the verb
levgw, say, speak , here it says ; aujtw`/, masculine dative case of the third person
singular of the personal pronoun declined to him, le ; o{ra, second person singular of
65 Vincent Taylor. oc, p. 208 s.

the present imperative in the active voice of the verb oJravw, look, attend, look here;
mhdeniV, masculine singular dative case of the indefinite pronoun declined to
nobody ; mhdeVn, singular neuter accusative case of the indefinite pronoun nothing ;
ei[ph/", second person singular of the aorist second subjunctive in active voice of the
verb levgw, say, in its aorist form ei[pw, here you say ; ajllaV, adversative
conjunction sin ; u{page, second person singular of the present of imperative in the
active voice of the verb uJpavgw, go, leave , here go ; seautoVn, masculine singular
accusative case of the reflexive pronoun yourself ; dei`xon, second person singular of
the first aorist of the imperative in the active voice of the verb deivknumi, with the
sense of showing , display , here as a sample ; tw`/, masculine singular dative case of
the definite article to ; iJerei`, masculine singular dative case of the common noun
priest ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; active voice of the verb prosfevrw,
present, offer , here offers ; periV, proper preposition of the genitive por ; tou`,
masculine singular genitive case of the definite article el ; kaqarismou`, masculine
singular genitive case of the common noun cleaning ; sou, genitive case of the
second person singular of the declined personal pronoun of ti ; a}, accusative neuter
plural case of the relative pronoun the things that ; prosevtaxen, third person singular
first aorist active indicative of the verb prostavssw, order, determine , here ordered ;
Mwu>sh`", singular masculine nominative case of the proper name Moisés ; eij",
proper accusative preposition for, for ; martuvrion, singular neuter accusative case of
the common noun testimony ; aujtoi`", masculine dative case of the third plural
persona of the personal pronoun declined to them.
kaiV levgei aujtw`/: o{ra mhdeniV mhdeVn ei[ph/", The restriction that
Jesus imposes on the leper healed of his illness is surprising. He wasn't supposed
to say anything to anyone. Once again the question arises about the cause of the
prohibition to speak of the miracle. As has been said, any answer is a mere
assumption since there is no biblical basis to establish a true answer. It is
possible that in this case Jesus forbade the leper from standing up to speak to
others about his healing, since it was urgent that he first go to fulfill the legal
requirements, beginning with presenting himself to the priest so that he could
declare him clean of the disease. Obedience to what God had established took
priority before communicating the joyful news of his healing. The Law
established that the leper had to be examined by the priest who would declare
the contamination ended and therefore would no longer be considered impure ,
before reintegrating into society. The Lord had come to fulfill the law, therefore
he gave absolute priority to obedience and commanded the leper who had been
healed to leave the good news for later and fulfill the law first (Mt. 5:17). Those
who were interested in accusing Jesus of transgressing the law would have no
reason for accusation in this case because the Lord had given preference to
compliance with what was established in it. It has been suggested that the
urgency of the mandate for the leper to present himself to the priest could be due
to the fact that, out of hatred for the healing carried out, if the news reached
them before the leper did, they would not declare him clean. This is very
difficult because a body without any stain could not be considered unclean
because it was healthy. One might also think that Jesus did not want these signs
to spread to prevent, as happened later, men from coming to make him king, out
of personal interest, which would produce a serious conflict in the society of that
time, considering him as the Deliverer announced for resolve the oppression of
the people under Roman rule (Jn. 6:14-15). Possibly Jesus' reasons were these
and many more, but the only biblical truth is the Lord's prohibition, which is
accompanied by an emphatic look , which here is equivalent to a call for
attention, as if the Lord were saying to him: Pay close attention: don't say
anything to anyone.
ajllaV u{page seautoVn dei`xon tw`/ iJerei`, The leper had to meet the
requirements established in the law for that situation. The first thing he had to do
was appear before a priest, which meant, in those times, going up to Jerusalem to
look in the temple for one of the priests who was fulfilling his turn of ministry.
He was to examine him carefully and declare him clean of leprosy if there really
was no sign in his body of the disease he had suffered (Lev. 14:3).
kaiV prosevnegke periV tou` kaqarismou` sou a} prosevtaxen
Mwu>sh`". After presenting himself to the priest and being examined by him, he
had to comply with the requirements established in the Law for the ceremonial
cleansing of his legal uncleanness, beginning with the presentation of a bird
sacrifice, to spread the blood of the bird seven times over the leper. cured (Lev.
14:4-7). He who purified himself had to shave completely, wash all his clothes
and remain outside his residence for seven days (Lev. 14:8). On the eighth day
he had to present an offering consisting of two lambs, a one-year-old ewe lamb,
three tenths of fine flour for the kneaded offering (Lev. 14:10). Part of the blood
of the sacrificed lamb was applied to the lobe of his right ear, another part to the
thumb of his right hand and also to the big toe of his right foot (Lev. 14:13-14).
The priest would wet his hands with a measure of oil and apply it to the same
parts of the body to which the blood had been applied (Lev. 14:15 17), putting
the rest of the oil on the head of the one being purified (Lev. 14:18). Finally he
would offer a sacrifice for sin (Lev. 14:19). Once all this was done, he could
now integrate into the society from which he had been excluded because of
leprosy.
eij" martuvrion aujtoi`". All this served as testimony. The priests

discovered the power of Jesus in the healed leper. In the leper's subjection to the
ritual of the law, they demonstrated his obedience to what God had ordered, and
also Christ's acceptance of the provisions established by Moses in the name of
God.
Allow here a brief application taken from the presentation of the leper to
the priest and the ritual purification. The one who carried out the entire
restoration operation was not the one who had been healed, but the priest who
ministered in the sanctuary. He left the camp , the place of residence of the
people, to attend to the leper who had been healed. In the same way the Lord
descended from heaven and, coming outside the camp , looked for the sinner lost
in the misery of his condition (Lk. 19:10). He did not wait for the sinner to come
to Him, something impossible in his natural condition, but He went to look for
the sinner, making the distance between him and reaching his side. It would not
have been possible to cleanse us from our sin if the Savior had remained in the
bosom of the Father, as Mackintosh says: “When it comes to creating worlds,
God has nothing to do but speak. When it comes to saving sinners, he must give
his Son."66 . The shedding of blood completed the priest's task for the restoration
of the leper. The entire following ceremony took place with the application of
the blood of the sacrifices, beginning with that of the little bird. The sacrifice of
Christ cleanses from all sin. To extinguish the impurity that distanced the
believer from God, he had to give his blood by offering himself (Heb. 9:11-12).
Sin, no matter what dimension it reaches in human eyes, is something terrible
before God. The smallest one has cost the life of his Son. In order for a sin, no
matter how insignificant it may seem, to be forgiven, the Lord had to offer
himself. The leper was declared clean from the moment the priest applied the
blood on him. Jesus bore our sins in his body on the tree, to cleanse us of all filth
and allow our entry into the house and family of God. The blood applied to the
ear, hand and foot was an illustration of the believer's full redemption in Christ.
No sin remains pending atonement, therefore there is no longer condemnation
for those who are in Christ (Rom. 8:1). But, there is still the figure of applying
the oil on the same parts of the body and head. So the believer is cleansed by the
blood of Christ, and consecrated to God by the action of the Holy Spirit who
seals him safe as God's property (Eph. 1:13-14). Bought at the price of the life of
Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:18-20), is consecrated by God to his service to be forever
his son, adopted in the Son, and to pass into the full enjoyment of the heavenly
society of the redeemed.
45. But when he was gone, he began to publish it widely and spread the
fact, so that Jesus could no longer enter the city openly, but stayed outside
in the deserted places; and they came to him from all sides.
oJ deV ejxelqwVn h[rxato khruvssein polloV kaiV diafhmivzein toVn But he

leaving began to proclaim a lot and spread the lovgon, w{ste mhkevti aujtoVn
duvnasqai fanerw`" eij" povlin matter, so that he could no longer manifestly in city
eijselqei`n, ajll' e[xw ejp' ejrhvmoi" tovpoi" h\n: kaiV h[rconto proV" enter, but
outside in desert places it was; and they came to
aujtoVn pavntoqen.
Him from everywhere.

Closing the story, he writes: oJ, masculine singular nominative case of the definite
article the ; deV, conjunctive particle that serves as a coordinating conjunction, with
the sense of but, rather, and, and certainly , rather ; ejxelqwVn, masculine singular
nominative case with the second aorist participle in the active voice of the verb
66 c. H. Mackintosh. Studies on the book of Leviticus . Good News Editorial. P. 184.

ejxefrcomiai, with a wide meaning, including exit , here , leaving ; h[rxato, third
person singular of the first aorist indicative in the middle voice of the verb a[rcw,
which is equivalent to begin, begin , here began ; khruvssein, present infinitive in
active voice of the verb khruvssw, proclaim, announce ; polloV, accusative neuter
plural case of the adjective much ; kaiV, copulative conjunction and ; diafhmivzein,
present infinitive in active voice of the verb diafhmivzw, to divulge, to spread ;
toVn, masculine singular accusative case of the definite article the ; lovgon,
masculine singular accusative case of the common noun subject ; w{ste, conjunction
so that ; mhkevti, adverb no longer ; aujtoVn, masculine accusative case of the third
person singular of the personal pronoun he ; duvnasqai, present infinitive in the
middle voice of the verb duvnamai, power , here could ; fanerw`", adverb visibly,
manifestly, publicly ; eij", proper preposition of accusative a, in ; povlin, singular
feminine accusative case of the common noun city ; eijselqei`n, second aorist
infinitive in active voice of the verb eijsevrcomai, to come inside, to enter ; ajll',
causal conjunction because ; e[xw, adverb of place outside ; ejp', a form that adopts
the dative preposition ejpiv, with the graphic design by elision of the final i before a
vowel or diphthong without aspiration, which is equivalent to for, on, in ; ejrhvmoi",
plural masculine dative case of the adjective deserts ; tovpoi", plural masculine
dative case of the common noun places ; h\n, third person singular of the imperfect
indicative in the active voice of the verb eijmiv, estar , here it was ; kaiV, copulative
conjunction and ; h[rconto, third person plural of the imperfect indicative in the
middle voice of the verb e[rcomai, come, arrive, appear , here they came ; proV",
proper preposition of accusative a ; aujtoVn, masculine accusative case of the third
person singular of the personal pronoun him ; pavntoqen, adverb entirely, totally ,
here with the sense of everywhere .
oJ deV ejxelqwVn h[rxato khruvssein polloV kaiV diafhmivzein toVn

lovgon, Despite the solemn warning and command of Jesus, the leper who had
been healed did just the opposite. The fact that he did it for the joy of having
been healed does not justify the attitude of disobedience in relation to what Jesus
had commanded him. He didn't say it just a little, he spread it a lot, he really told
it to as many as he could. What was it that the leper proclaimed? The Greek text
says toVn lovgon, literally the word , in many places a way of expressing the
gospel message. However, the noun does not always express the concept of a
word, saying, message , but also the story of a fact, as it should be understood in
this case. It was not a leper who preached the gospel of the kingdom, but the
omnipotent action operated in him by Jesus of Nazareth. There is no doubt that
this was also the good news . God had manifested himself in grace and mercy
towards those who until then were unfortunate. It is not necessary for Mark to
detail the message that the healed leper spread, because it is enough to know that
the blessing received was spread, proclaimed, by him for the knowledge of all.
w{ste mhkevti aujtoVn duvnasqai fanerw`" eij" povlin eijselqei`n, The

consequence was that Jesus' fame multiplied. Until now He was known for the
power of His preaching, for His healing power in diseases, and now for the
ability to heal the serious disease of leprosy. The result could not be other than
the impossibility of him entering a city incognito or going unnoticed there. The
reference to povlin, city, should be understood as any city in Galilee and not just
Capernaum. The presence of Jesus in any city meant being immediately
surrounded by crowds of people. Some67 They suggest that Jesus could not enter
the cities because having touched the leper would be considered unclean
according to the provisions of the law. It is not possible to support this because
the popularity of Jesus made people continually flock to Him.
ajll' e[xw ejp' ejrhvmoi" tovpoi" h\n: Jesus' reaction was natural, he
stayed in deserted places, that is, in sparsely populated areas, avoiding entering
cities. The Lord was not interested in popularity, but in the fulfillment of his
mission which had to do with the preaching of the gospel. People were not so
much interested in sitting and listening to the message as in being healed and
freed from their problems, so it became almost impossible for Christ to proclaim
the message of the good news of the kingdom under those conditions. What did
he do in deserted places? In addition to avoiding the social commotion that his
presence produced, he had an appropriate place to pray and to teach his
disciples. It is curious that the Healer is now in the area where before the leper
had to live, in deserted places.
kaiV h[rconto proV" aujtoVn pavntoqen. However, the result of all this is
that people continued to search for Jesus. From all places I came to Him. The
deserted place is not enough refuge for His popularity. There are thousands of
needy people who seek the Lord until they find him.
As we close the chapter commentary we can highlight some of its
teachings for personal application.
John announces Christ. The ministry of baptizing for repentance was

complemented by preaching (v. 7), which announced the Messiah who was
about to appear. There is no biblical preaching that can be separated from the
proclamation of Christ. Whether it corresponds to a teaching for believers or an
evangelistic message. Every preacher has the responsibility of proclaiming
Christ. Especially at a time when the gospel has gone from being a biblical
message to a philosophical message, it is necessary that we remember the need
to preach the message of the Cross , which includes the proclamation of the
Person and work of Jesus Christ. In a humanistic world where man is the center
of reasoning and the objective of everything, it is urged to proclaim a Christ-
centered message, where man is presented as a needy person incapable of doing
anything on his own to solve his personal and spiritual problem, and The only
solution of acceptance of Christ through faith is presented. It is necessary that
we understand that the gospel is not a human message but a divine one (Gal.
1:11-12). In the same way, if we preach for teaching and edification, it must be a
message based on the Word, otherwise, expository preaching. This is the
command of the apostle Paul to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:2). The edification of
67 Among others Meyers, B. J. Malina.

believers does not consist of talking to them about things, but of preaching the
Word to them.
Jesus is an example of prayer. The Lord prayed constantly, seeking time

each day to calmly dedicate himself to prayer. The work day did not begin
without having had time alone with the Father. Christ is the example of life for
the Christian. Each of us is called to follow his example (Heb. 12:2). The
believer who lives Christ (Phil. 1:21), will spend time praying, as the Lord did.
The Christian practices prayer not only out of necessity or commandment, but
out of communion with Christ. Praying is a commandment that must be
remembered (Eph. 6:18; 1 Thes. 5:17). Much of the evangelistic failure of our
time is in the little space we dedicate to praying for the lost. A large measure of
the disappointment in the ministry due to the lack of results in the progress of the
church is undoubtedly due to the little time that the leadership dedicates to
prayer. The meetings of pastors, elders, deacons, leaders in general are long days
of conversations, discussions, reflections, etc. but with very little time to pray.
The end result is a town whose problems are not resolved and a languishing
church. The chapter presents to each one a serious challenge in the area of
personal prayer.
Proclamation and testimony. The healed leper began to proclaim the
power of Jesus to all who could or would listen. The blessing received was so
great that it could not be withheld, it had to be shared. An infinitely greater
blessing is that which is granted when through faith in Christ we receive
forgiveness of sins and eternal life. This gift of grace is the need of all those who
are without Christ. The moral obligation of each of us is to go to them and
proclaim the gospel to them (16:15-16). But, the effectiveness of the leper's
testimony announcing Christ as the healer of his illness was his own
transformation. The power of Jesus had changed his life and he was a different
person. In the same way, the transforming testimony of the gospel message is the
visible manifestation of that change in each of those who preach the gospel.
Otherwise, as the apostle Peter said, no believer should fail to tell what he had
seen and received from Jesus (Acts. 4:20). In a world in darkness Christ
becomes visible through the light of Christians.

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EXEGETICAL COMMENTARY

GREEK TEXT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

There are works that require few flourishes in their

Firstly, following the style of the great classic biblical

Secondly, analyzing the sacred text with strict scientific

In third and last place, following throughout all its pages a

Hence, this study by Samuel Pérez Millos on the Gospel

Dr. Juan María Tellería Larrañaga

BEGINNING OF THE MINISTRY

The Gospel according to Saint Mark in the Synoptics.

In the General Introduction to the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, a

An analysis of Mark offers the particularity that there is very little

As with the other Synoptics , it places Jesus' ministry primarily in Galilee,

5 Guillermo Hendriksen. The Gospel according to Saint Matthew. Christian

Common material with Lucas.

There are approximately twenty-four textual references that are paralleled

Unique parables in Mark.

Place of the gospel among the synoptics.

Especially sensitive in relation to Mark is determining what place he

The hypothesis presents a supposed primitive gospel that served as the

Double documentary hypothesis.

The basis for establishing this hypothesis is based on the comparative

The gospel in the early church.

Papias . Bishop of Hierapolis, in his writing Exegesis of the Oracles of

Papias explains his thoughts on the work of Mark, possibly challenging

Anti-Marcionite Prologue . It is known that from the very beginning of

The importance of this reference is especially in the manifestation of it

6 Eusebius. Ecclesiastical History, III, 39-15 .

Irenaeus. In a writing that quotes the gospels, he states that Matthew

Clement of Alexandria . The Gospel according to Saint Mark is

“After Peter's public preaching in Rome, announcing the gospel by the

In the references to Mark , it is confirmed that the gospel had Peter's

Origins . When he dealt with the four gospels, he remained in the

8 Irenaeus. Adversus Haereses III, 1.2.

Higher Criticism and the Gospel according to Mark.

As indicated before, the general theme of liberal criticism in relation to

In the development of High Criticism during the x. XIX, different

Subsequent investigations generated more concrete proposals regarding

In a manifestation of Mark 's sources, Julius Wellhausen made the

15 g. Salmon. Human Element in the Gospels, p. 27.

It is necessary to remember here the French theologian Alfred Loisy, the

The Macos structure was heavily attacked by K. L. Schmidt, in his work

In the development of the history of the forms related to Mark , Bultmann

As a consequence of the Critique of Forms, in the openly modernist and

Vincent Taylor's summary of the main proposals for Ur-Markus will

The Ur-Markus hypothesis.

There are many hypotheses formulated to confirm the existence of this,

H. von Soden. He explains in his book Die wichtigsten Fragen im Leben

W. Bussmann. In the work Synoptische Studien , published in three

The writing hypothesis.

Faced with the Ur-Markus hypothesis, others formulated what is known

J. c. Hawkins . In his work Horae Synopticae , published in 1909, he

v. H. Stanton . He develops the editorial hypothesis in his work The

AND. Meyer . He presents the defense of the compilation , in his work

J. M. c. Crum . In a critical study published in his work St. Mark's

Since the earliest times of Christianity, it has been unanimously admitted

It is, as always, Higher Criticism , which questions this, as with most

20 Jerome. Migne , XXVI, 618.

Some, based on the testimony of Chrysostom, present the possibility