Mark 1

Mar 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God:

The Son of God - This title was used here to attract attention, and secure the respect of those who should read the gospel. It is no common history. It does not recount the deeds of man - of a hero or a philosopher - but the doctrines and doings of the Son of God. The history, therefore, “commands” respect.To point out his Divine origin; and thus glancing at his miraculous conception. This was an essential character of the Messiah.

The beginning of the gospel - The word “gospel” literally signifies good news, and particularly the good tidings respecting the way of salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ. It was very customary thus to prefix a title to a book. By the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ here is evidently meant the blessed Story which our Evangelist is about to tell of His Life, Ministry, Death, Resurrection, and Glorification, and of the begun Gathering of Believers in His Name.

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - Not that the Gospel first began to be preached at this time, for it was preached by Isaiah, and other prophets before; and long before that, was preached unto Abraham; yea, it was preached as early as the times of our first parents, in Eden's garden; and is indeed that mystery, which was hid in God before the creation of the world; and was ordained before that was, to the glory of the saints: but the sense is, that this narrative Mark was about to write, began with the ministry of John the Baptist, and of Christ; which was a Gospel one, and was the beginning of the Gospel dispensation, in distinction from the legal one: the law and the prophets were until John, and they ceased and ended in him; when the world to come, the kingdom of God, or Gospel state, took place.

The design of this evangelist, is not to give an account of the genealogy of Christ, of his conception and birth, of what befell him in his infancy, or of any actions and sayings of his from thence, to his appearance in Israel; but to give an account of his ministry and miracles, sufferings and death: which is introduced with the preaching and baptism of John his forerunner, and which he chiefly intends by "the beginning of the Gospel": he first points out Christ, who is the author and substance, as well as the great preacher of the Gospel; the sum of which is, that he is Jesus, the Savior and Redeemer of lost sinners; the Christ, the Messiah, that was to come; the Mediator between God and man, the prophet that has declared the whole mind and will of God; the great high priest, who has offered himself a sacrifice for his people, made peace, procured pardon, brought in everlasting righteousness, and obtained eternal redemption, and now lives to make intercession for them; and King of saints, who reigns over them, protects and defends them, and is no other than the Son of God; equal with his Father; of the same nature with him, possessed of the same perfections, and enjoying the same glory; and which is a grand article of the Gospel, and without which he could not be an able Savior, nor the true Messiah. Mark begins his account of the Gospel, and which he calls the beginning of it, with the same article of the divine sonship of Christ, as the Apostle Paul began his ministry with, Acts 9:19-20 And taking food, he was strengthened. And Saul was certain days with the disciples in Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Matthew began his Gospel with the humanity, Mark with the divinity of Christ: the one calls him the son of David, the other the Son of God, both true: Christ is the son of David according to his human nature, the Son of God according to his divine nature; so a testimony is bore to the truth of both his natures, which are united in one person.

Beginning - the expression is a kind of title. It is the beginning, not of his book, but of the facts of the Gospel. He shows from the prophets that the Gospel was to begin by the sending forth of a forerunner.

Jesus - is the Greek form of Joshua which means salvation of Yahweh.

Christ - is Greek for Messiah

Mar 1:2 as it is written in the Prophets, "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You.

As it is written in the prophets - Mark mentions “prophets” here without specifying which. Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send My messenger, and He will clear the way before Me. And the LORD, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Angel of the Covenant, in whom you delight. Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him who cries in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the LORD, make straight a highway in the desert for our God. The citations show, that according to the writings of the Old Testament, John the Baptist was to be the harbinger of Christ, to come before him, and prepare his way; and also the propriety of the method the evangelist takes, in beginning his Gospel with the account of John's ministry and baptism.

I send my messenger - John the Baptist is here called a messenger, because he was sent, and sanctified by him; he was called unto, and qualified for his work by Him John 1:6 There was a man sent from God; his name was John. The work of this messenger was no other, than to declare that the long expected Messiah was born; that he would quickly make his public appearance in Israel; that the kingdom of heaven, or the kingdom of the Messiah, was at hand; and that it became the Jews to repent of their sins, and believe in Christ:

before thy face – This is not in the original text of Malachi, nor in the Septuagint version, but are inserted by the evangelist; who might do it with authority, since Christ had done it before him, Matthew 11:10 For this is the one of whom it is written, "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You."

Mar 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight."

Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him who cries in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the LORD, make straight a highway in the desert for our God.

Isaiah 40:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God. (Septuagint)

The voice of one crying - So the prophet cries like a voice in the wilderness to make ready for the coming of God. When the committee from the Sanhedrin came to ask John who he was, he used this very language of Isaiah John1:23 He said, I am "the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord," as the prophet Isaiah said. The language is such as was familiar to the Jews. and such as they would understand. It was spoken at first with reference to the return from the captivity at Babylon. In ancient times, it was customary in the march of armies to send messengers, or pioneers, before them to proclaim their approach; to provide for them; to remove obstructions; to make roads, level hills, fill up valleys, etc. Isaiah, describing the return from Babylon, uses language taken from that custom. A crier, or herald, is introduced. John prepared the way by calling people to repentance, by pointing the way to Jesus.

Mar 1:4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

For the remission of sins - Or, toward the remission. This is a difficult phrase to translate accurately. Certainly John did not mean that the baptism was the means of obtaining the forgiveness of their sins or necessary to the remission of sins. The trouble lies in the use of eis which sometimes is used when purpose is expressed, but sometimes when there is no such idea as in Mat_10:41 and Mat_12:41. Probably “with reference to” is as good a translation here as is possible. The baptism was on the basis of the repentance and confession of sin and, as Paul later explained Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father; even so we also should walk in newness of life was a picture of the death to sin and resurrection to new life in Christ. This symbol was already in use by the Jews for proselytes who became Jews. John is treating the Jewish nation as pagans who need to repent, to confess their sins, and to come back to the kingdom of God. The baptism in the Jordan was the objective challenge to the people. They were to repent, and be baptized in reference to the remission of sins.

unto the remission of sins: not for the obtaining the remission of sins, as if either repentance, or baptism, were the causes of pardon of sin; but the sense is, that John preached that men should repent of their sins, and believe in Christ, who was to come; and upon their repentance and faith, be baptized; in which ordinance, they might be led to a fresh view of the free and full forgiveness of their sins, through Christ; whose blood was to be shed for many, to obtain it: Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ to remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Mar 1:5 And all the land of Judea, and those of Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

Confessing their sins - It was an invariable custom among the Jews to admit no proselyte to baptism, till he had, in the most solemn manner, declared that he forever had renounced all idolatrous worship, all heathenish superstitions, and promised an entire and unreserved submission to the law of Moses. This was necessary for a proselyte adult - a child dedicated to God by baptism must be brought up in this faith.

Mar 1:6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a leather girdle about his loin. And he ate locusts and wild honey.

And John was clothed with camel's hair - This is a description of John by his clothes; It was not camel’s skin, but rough cloth woven of camel’s hair. It was usual for penitents, and men of austere lives, and of the first class for holiness and religion, to live in deserts, to fare hard, and wear coarse apparel. The prophets used to wear, Zechariah 13:4 And it shall be in that day, the prophets shall be ashamed, each one of his vision, when he prophesies. And they shall not wear a hairy garment to deceive or of camels hair not softened but undressed; and so was very coarse and rough, and which was suitable to the austerity of his life, and the roughness of his ministry. And it is to be observed he appeared in the same dress as Elijah or Elias did, 2Kings 1:8 And they answered him, He was a hairy man and was bound with a girdle of leather around his loins. And he said, He is Elijah the Tishbite in whose spirit and power he came, and whose name he bore, Luke 1:17 And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Mar 1:7 And he proclaimed, saying, There is One coming after me who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down to loosen.

The latchet of whose shoes - The shoe of the ancients was properly only a sole tied round the foot and ankle with strings or thongs.

the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose; When the guest comes into the house, this is performed by a slave before one enters the bath. This phrase is expressing the great veneration he had for him, and the great sense he had of his own unworthiness, to be concerned in the lowest and meanest service of life for him; and that he was far from being worthy of the high honor done him, to be his messenger and forerunner

Mar 1:8 I indeed have baptized you in water, but He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

Mar 1:9 And it happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Mar 1:10 And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him.

the heavens opened - Split like a garment. Jesus saw the heavens parting as he came up out of the water, a more vivid picture than the “opened” in Mat_3:16 and Luk_3:21. Evidently the Baptist saw all this and the Holy Spirit coming down upon Jesus as a dove because he later mentions it (Joh_1:32). This may have been done for the manifestation of the Messiah to John the Baptist, and the confirmation of his faith in him, and that he might bear record of him.

and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him. The position of these words here, is a little different from that in Mat_3:16, there it is, "the Spirit of God descending like a dove"; which seems rather to point out the manner of his descent, than the form in which he descended: here it is put, "the Spirit like a dove descending on him"; which seems rather to incline to such a sense, that the Spirit appeared in the form of a dove, as well as descended like one. The form of a dove was a very suitable one: the dove is a very proper emblem of the Spirit of God: "the voice of the turtle", in Song of Solomon 2:12 the flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land; is by the Targum interpreted, the voice of the Holy Spirit: he may be likened to a dove, for its simplicity and sincerity; he guides into all truth as it is in Jesus, and teaches to speak the word in all plainness, openness, and sincerity, and preserves the saints in the simplicity of the Gospel; and for its mildness and meekness; one of the fruits of the Spirit of God is meekness, Gal_5:23. And this it produces in converted persons, making them meek; humble, and gentle: and also for its harmlessness and innocence; and which appears, or at least should, in those who mind the things of the Spirit: hence that advice of Christ, "be harmless as doves", Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves. Likewise for its purity and cleanness; the Spirit of God is a Spirit of holiness, he is the author of sanctification; such as are washed, sanctified, and justified, are so in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, 1Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. The dove is a mournful and bemoaning creature; and the Spirit of God makes intercession for the saints, with groanings which cannot be uttered, Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. To which may be added, that Noah's dove bringing the olive leaf in its mouth, as a sign, of peace and reconciliation, fitly resembled the Holy Spirit, one of whose fruits is peace, Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, and which he produces, by leading to the blood, righteousness, and sacrifice of Christ, whereby peace is made, and reconciliation obtained: and his descending upon Christ here, points him out as the peacemaker, through whom was come peace on earth, good will towards men, and glory to God. Christ, on whom he lighted, is comparable to a dove; he is said to have doves' eyes, Song of Solomon 5:12 His eyes are as doves' eyes on the rivers of waters, washed with milk, sitting on a setting. and he has all the fruits and graces of the dove like Spirit of God, which rested on him; like the dove, he is humble, meek, and lowly; in which characters, he is to be followed and imitated by his people: and as that creature is a very loving one to its mate, so is Christ to his church; whom he has so loved, as to give himself for her: and as that is a lovely beautiful creature, so is Christ; he is altogether lovely; and especially his eyes of love, as they are set and fixed upon his church and people. With this descent of the Spirit as a dove on Christ, compare Isaiah 11:1-2 And a Shoot goes out from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah.

Mar 1:11 And there came a voice from Heaven, saying, You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: it is in Matthew, "this is my beloved Son", Mat_3:17; as if the words were spoken to others, to John, the administrator of baptism to him, and to those that were spectators; directing them to Christ, on whom the Spirit now descended, and testifying to them. Here they are delivered as an immediate address to Christ himself, "thou art my beloved Son". Christ, as he was the only begotten Son of God from eternity, so his filiation was owned and declared to him as early, Psalms 2:7 I will declare the decree of Jehovah. He has said to Me, You are My Son; today I have begotten You.

Mar 1:12 And immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.

The Spirit driveth - The word “driveth” does not mean that he was compelled forcibly against his will to go there, but that he was inclined to go there by the Spirit, or was led there. The Spirit of God, for important purposes, caused him to go.

Driveth him - Stronger than Matthew's “was led up”, and Luke's “was led”. It is also the word used of our Lord's expulsion of demons, Mar_1:34, Mar_1:39. The expression does not necessarily imply any violence; but seems to intimate the energy of that impulse on our Lord, by which he was inwardly constrained to retire from society.

Mar 1:13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. And He was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to Him.

tempted by Satan - So in all the children of God, extraordinary manifestations of his favor are often to be followed by extraordinary temptations.

And the angels ministered unto him - From Luk_4:2 we learn that in those days he did eat nothing. When Mark says, therefore, that the angels ministered to him, it means after the days of temptation had expired, as is said by Mat_4:11.

With the wild beasts - This is a curious circumstance, which is mentioned by none of the other evangelists; and seems to intimate that he was in the most remote, unfrequented, and savage part of the desert; which, together with the diabolic influence, tended to render the whole scene the more horrid.

Mar 1:14 And after John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom of God,

Mar 1:15 and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God draws near. Repent, and believe the gospel.

The time is fulfilled - That is, the time appointed for sending the Messiah; and particularly the time specified by Daniel, Daniel 9:24-27 Seventy weeks are decreed as to your people and as to your holy city, to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going out of the command to restore and to build Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in times of affliction. And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of the ruler who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end of it shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined, until the end shall be war. And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease, and on a corner of the altar desolating abominations, even until the end. And that which was decreed shall be poured on the desolator.

And saying, the time is fulfilled - Either that which was fixed for the end of the law and prophets, the legal and Mosaic dispensation, and the Jewish church state; or the fulness of time for the Messiah's appearance in the world; which was agreed upon between the Father and the Son, was predicted in various prophecies.

The time - That is, the period completed by the setting up of Messiah's kingdom. Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, coming into being out of a woman, having come under Law,

Mar 1:16 And walking along beside the sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

he saw Simon: whose surname was Peter, the son of Jonas:

Mar 1:17 And Jesus said to them, Come after Me and I will make you fishers of men.

Mar 1:18 And immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

Mar 1:19 And when He going farther from there a little, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.

he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother. The former was he whom afterwards Herod killed with the sword, and the latter the beloved disciple; these were also fishermen:

Mar 1:20 And immediately He called them. And they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him.

Mar 1:21 And they went into Capernaum. And immediately on the sabbath day He entered into the synagogue and taught.

The synagogue and taught - In the synagogue, the presiding elder, after reading the Scriptures, invited anyone who chose to address the people, Acts 13:15 And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, Men, brothers, if you have any word of comfort for the people, speak.

Mar 1:22 And they were astonished at His doctrine. For He taught them as one who had authority, and not like the scribes.

As one that had authority - From God, to do what he was doing; and to teach a pure and beneficent system of truth.

And not as the scribes - He did not go about to establish what he said by the authority of the Rabbins, as the Scribes did; saying, Hillell says so, or Shammai says thus, or such a doctor says thus and thus; but he spoke as from himself, as one sent of God, that had an authority from him, and was independent of man; and this was what they had not observed in others, and wonder at it; Who had no such authority, and whose teaching was not accompanied by the power of God to the souls of the people:
1. because the matter of the teaching did not come from God; and
2. because the teachers themselves were not commissioned by the Most High.

And they were astonished at his doctrine - The nature and importance of it, it being what they had not been used to hear; only at best the doctrine of the law, and sometimes only the traditions of the elders, or an allegorical and traditional sense of the Scriptures, and things very trifling and unedifying: and also they were amazed at the manner of his preaching, which was with so much gracefulness, gravity, and majesty, and was attended with so much evidence and power:

They were astonished - describing the amazement of the audience, “meaning strictly to strike a person out of his senses by some strong feeling, such as fear, wonder, or even joy”

Mar 1:23 And in their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,

A man with an unclean spirit - This demoniac is only mentioned by Mark and Luke, Luk_4:33.

Unclean or impure spirit - a common epithet for those fallen spirits:

with an unclean spirit--literally, "in an unclean spirit"--that is, so entirely under demoniacal power that his personality was sunk for the time in that of the spirit. The frequency with which this character of "impurity" is ascribed to evil spirits--some twenty times in the Gospels--is not to be overlooked.

Mar 1:24 saying, What is to us and to You, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know You, who You are, the Holy One of God.

Let us alone - Though only one impure spirit is mentioned as possessing this man, yet that spirit speaks also in the name of others.

What have we to do with thee - or, What business hast thou with us? An expression of frequent occurrence in the Old Testament There is a phrase exactly like it in 2Samuel 16:10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah? Let him curse, because Jehovah has said to him, Curse David. Who then shall say, Why have you done so? See also 1Ki_17:18; 2Ki_3:13; 2Ch_35:21. It denotes entire separation of interests:--that is, "Thou and we have nothing in common; we want not Thee; what wouldst Thou with us?" For the analogous application of it by our Lord to His mother, see on John 2:4 Jesus said to her, Woman, what do I have to do with you? My hour has not yet come. Here Jesus plainly shows that His interest, in saving mankind from sin, in the spiritual fulfillment of man, is at odds with His mother’s desire to fulfill an earthly need (the wine at the wedding in Cana).

What have we to do with thee? - By this the spirit meant to say that, if Jesus cast him out, he would use an improper interference. But this was untrue. The possession of the man was a direct assault upon God and his works. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, and Jesus had a right, therefore, to liberate the captive, and to punish him who had possessed him. So Satan still considers it an infringement of his rights when God frees a “sinner” from bondage and destroys his influence over the soul. So he still asks to be let alone, and to be suffered to lead people captive at his will.

Art thou come to destroy us? - Implying that the time of their destruction had not come, and that he ought not to destroy them before that. In the case of the Gadarene demoniac the question was, "Art Thou come hither to torment us before the time?" (Mat_8:29). Themselves tormentors and destroyers of their victims, they discern in Jesus their own destined tormentor and destroyer, anticipating and dreading what they know and feel to be awaiting them! Conscious, too, that their power was but permitted and temporary, and perceiving in Him, perhaps, the woman's Seed that was to bruise the head and destroy the works of the devil, they regard His approach to them on this occasion as a signal to let go their grasp of this miserable victim.

The Holy One of God - The Messiah.

I know thee who thou art: he whom God had called his Holy One, Psalms 16:10 For You will not leave My soul in hell; You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption, and who is so, both in his divine nature, as the Son of God, the Holy One of Israel; and as the Son of man, being the holy thing born of the virgin, and is without the least stain of original sin, or blemish of actual transgression; and also as the mediator, whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, the true Messiah; and all this the devil knew from his wonderful incarnation, by the voice from heaven at his baptism, from the conquest over him in the wilderness, and by the miracles he had already wrought.

thou Jesus of Nazareth--"Jesus, Nazarene!" an epithet originally given to express contempt, but soon adopted as the current designation by those who held our Lord in honor (Luk_18:37; Mar_16:6; Act_2:22).

Mar 1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be quiet, and come out of him.

And Jesus rebuked him - Chided him. This was not the man that Jesus rebuked, but the spirit, for he instantly commanded the same being to come out of the man. In all this, Jesus did not once address the man. His conversation was with the evil spirit, proving conclusively that it was not a mere disease or mental derangement - for how could the Son of God hold converse with “disease” or “insanity?” - but that he conversed with a “being” who also conversed, reasoned, felt, resisted, and knew him. There are, therefore, evil spirits, and those spirits have taken possession of human beings.

Hold thy peace - Greek, “Be muzzled.” This was a very signal proof of the power of Jesus, to be able by a word to silence an evil angel, and, against his will, to compel him to leave a man whom he delighted to torment.

Mar 1:26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him, and crying with a loud voice, he came out of him.

And when the unclean spirit - Still malignant, though doomed to obey - submitting because he was obliged to, not because he chose - he exerted his last power, inflicted all the pain he could, and then bowed to the Son of God and came out. This is the nature of an evil disposition. Though compelled to obey, though prevented by the command and providence of God from doing what it “would,” yet, in seeming to obey, it does all the ill it can, and makes even the appearance of obedience the occasion for increased crime and mischief.

Mar 1:27 They all were amazed, so as to question among themselves, saying, What is this? What new doctrine is this? For He even commands the unclean spirits with authority, and they obey Him.

And they were all amazed - The people that were in the synagogue, who were met together for divine worship, were astonished, not only at his doctrine, as before, but at this miracle and power of his in casting out devils:

what new doctrine is this? - They had never heard of this from their Rabbins and Scribes, and which was confirmed by miracles;

Mar 1:28 And immediately His fame went out into all the Galilean neighborhood.

Mar 1:29 And immediately after they had come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

The house of Simon and Andrew - Peter was married and both he and Andrew lived together in “Peter’s house” (Mat_8:14) with Peter’s wife and mother-in-law. Peter was evidently married before he began to follow Jesus. This incident followed immediately after the service in the synagogue on the sabbath. All the Synoptics give it. Each Gospel gives touches of its own to the story. Mark has “lay sick of a fever,” lay prostrate burning with fever. Matthew puts it “stretched out with a fever.” Luke has it “holden with a great fever,” a technical medical phrase. They all mention the instant recovery and ministry without any convalescence. Mark and Matthew speak of the touch of Jesus on her hand and Luke speaks of Jesus standing over her like a doctor. It was a tender scene.

Mar 1:30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and at once they told Him about her.

lay sick of a fever - "A great fever", Luke says, Luk_4:38; a very violent one, which threatened with death, and must be very dangerous to an old person.

Mar 1:31 And He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. And instantly the fever left her, and she served them.

Mar 1:32 And at evening, when the sun set, they brought all those who were diseased to Him, and those who had been demon-possessed.

And at even, when the sun did set - At which time the Jews' sabbath was ended; for this was a sabbath day, Mar_1:21, when according to them, it was not lawful to heal; nor did they offer to bring their sick to him on that day; but the last of the two evening days being come, and the sun set, the sabbath was over; and therefore being under no restraint on account of that. Our Lord afterwards took repeated occasion to teach the people by example, even at the risk of His own life, how superstitious a straining of the sabbath rest this was.

Mar 1:33 And all the city had gathered at the door.

Mar 1:34 And He healed many who were sick of different diseases, and cast out many demons. And He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

And suffered not the devils to speak - They knew that he was the Messiah. If they had spoken, they would have made that known to the people. The time had not come when he wished it to be promulgated that he was the Messiah, and he therefore imposed silence on the evil spirits. Testimony from such a source was not calculated to help the cause of Christ with the people.

This evil sense the words always bear in the New Testament as well as in the Septuagint. Demons are synonymous with unclean spirits (Mar_5:12, Mar_5:15; Mar_3:22, Mar_3:30; Luk_4:33). They appear in connection with Satan (Luk_10:17, Luk_10:18; Luk_11:18, Luk_11:19); they are put in opposition to the Lord (1Co_10:20, 1Co_10:21); to the faith (1Ti_4:1). They are connected with idolatry (Rev_9:20; Rev_16:13, Rev_16:14). They are special powers of evil, influencing and disturbing the physical, mental, and moral being (Luk_13:11, Luk_13:16; Mar_5:2-5; Mar_7:25; Mat_12:45).

Mar 1:35 And rising up quite early in the night, He went out and went away into a deserted place, and He was praying there.

And rising up quite early in the night - the time before it was fully light, or just at daybreak, the whole space of three hours, which finished the fourth watch of the night (from 3-6 am).

and there prayed -
1. that the Saviour, though perfectly holy, regarded the duty of secret prayer as of great importance.
2. that he, sought a solitary place for it - far away from the world and even from his disciples.
3. if Jesus prayed, how much more important is it for us!

Mar 1:36 And Simon, and those with him, searched for Him.

Mar 1:37 And finding Him, they said to Him, All are seeking You.

Mar 1:38 And He said to them, Let us go into the next towns so that I may proclaim there also. For that reason I came forth.

For therefore came I forth - That is, came forth from God, or was sent by God. Luke, says Luke 4:43 And He said to them, I must proclaim the gospel, the kingdom of God, to other cities, because I was sent on this mission John 16:28 I came forth from the Father, and have come into the world. Again I leave the world and go to the Father.

Mar 1:39 And He proclaimed in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out demons.

And he preached - He continued preaching The proper meaning of the words is that he never slackened his pace - he continued proclaiming the glad tidings of salvation to all - there was no time to be lost - immortal souls were perishing for lack of knowledge; and the grand adversary was prowling about, seeking whom he might devour.

Mar 1:40 And a leper came to Him, begging Him and kneeling down to Him, and saying to Him, If You will, You can make me clean.

If thou wilt - This was an acknowledgment of the almighty power of Jesus, and an appeal to his benevolence. Here was a most manifest proof of his divine power. None but God can work a miracle; yet Jesus does it by his “own will” - by an exertion of his own power. Another example of Jesus’ divinity.

If thou wilt - Note the submission of the leper. He doesn’t demand to be healed, but asks to be healed as Jesus wills.

Leper - A leper didn’t have just leprosy, but could have had any one of many serious skin diseases. Lepers were forbidden from having contact with those who were clean (who were not lepers). The leper was breaking the Law of Moses in approaching Jesus.

Mar 1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put out His hand and touched him, and said to him, I will; be clean!

touched him - It was by the law considered as unclean to touch a leprous man. The fact that Jesus touched him was evidence that the requisite power had been already put forth to heal him; that Jesus regarded him as already clean. In this action, Jesus placed love and compassion above ceremonial law.

Mar 1:42 And He having spoken, the leprosy instantly departed from him and he was cleansed.

as soon as he had spoken - immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed; from it, and which seems to be done not by touching him, but by the words spoken, which were accompanied with such power, as to effect the cure in an instant;

Mar 1:43 And He strictly charged him and immediately sent him away,

Strictly charged - Only in Mark. It is a strong word for the snorting of a horse and expresses powerful emotion as Jesus stood here face to face with leprosy, itself a symbol of sin and all its train of evils. The command to report to the priests was in accord with the Mosaic regulations and the prohibition against talking about it was to allay excitement and to avoid needless opposition to Christ.

Mar 1:44 and He said to him, See that you say nothing to anyone. But go and show yourself to the priest, and offer those things which Moses commanded for your cleansing, for a testimony to them.

See thou say nothing to any man - The law of Moses required that a man who was healed of the leprosy should be pronounced clean by the priest before he could be admitted again to the privileges of the congregation, Lev. 14. Christ, though he had cleansed him, yet required him to be obedient to the law

Offer for thy cleansing those things - Two birds, and cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop; and after eight days, two he-lambs, without blemish, and one ewe-lamb, and fine flour, and oil, Lev_14:4, Lev_14:10.

For a testimony unto them - Not to the priest, but to the people, that they may have evidence that it is a real cure. The testimony of the priest on the subject would be decisive.

show yourself to the priest - The priests seeing him, pronouncing him clean, Lev_13:17, Lev_13:23, Lev_13:28, Lev_13:37, and accordingly allowing him to offer as Moses commanded, Lev_14:2, Lev_14:7, was such a proof against them, that they durst never say the leper was not cleansed; which out of envy or malice against our Savior they might have been ready to say, upon his presenting himself to be viewed, according to the law, if by the cleansed person's talking much about his cure, the account of it had reached their ears before he came in person. This is one great reason why our Lord commanded this man to say nothing.

Mar 1:45 But going out, he began to proclaim it very much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was outside in deserted places. And they came to Him from every quarter.