Mark 1

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.

And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.

And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.

And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.

And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.

And all the city was gathered together at the door.

And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.

And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.

And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.

And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.

And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;

And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

What does Mark 1:38 mean?

Explanation

Mark 1:38 reveals Jesus’ focus on His mission to preach the gospel.

After performing miracles and healings in Capernaum, Jesus seeks to expand His ministry to the neighboring towns.

He emphasizes the purpose of His coming, which is preaching the Kingdom of God.

This directive to move on and preach elsewhere highlights the itinerant nature of Jesus' ministry and His dedication to His mission.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

The Gospel of Mark is believed to have been written around 66-70 AD, at a time of persecution for the early church.

This verse occurs after Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist and His temptation in the wilderness.

Jesus begins His public ministry in Galilee and quickly gains attention through His teachings and miracles.

It reflects the urgency and widespread scope of Jesus’ ministry, as He felt compelled to bring His message to as many people as possible.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints can be drawn from this verse.

One perspective is Jesus’ understanding of His messianic role, not to settle as a local healer or teacher but to proclaim the good news of God’s Kingdom widely.

Process theologians might see this as Jesus actively seeking to be a transformative presence in various communities.

Liberation theologians might highlight Jesus’ choice to move to different towns as a focus on the marginalized who needed His message of hope and salvation.

Practical Applications

This verse can serve as an inspiration for modern believers to spread their faith beyond their comfort zones and to reach out to various communities with the message of the gospel.

It also calls for recognizing one’s purpose and dedicating oneself to fulfilling that mission.

The attitude of Jesus to keep moving forward can encourage individuals to not dwell solely on past successes but to look for new opportunities for growth and service.

Cross-References

Mark 16:15 - "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."
Luke 4:43 - "And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent."
Matthew 28:19-20 - "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
Acts 1:8 - "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek text include:

"preach" (κηρύσσω, kēryssō): to herald, proclaim, or preach.
"therefore" (γάρ, gar): for, indeed, because.

It indicates the reason or purpose behind Jesus' decision to leave.

"came I forth" (ἐξῆλθον, exēlthon): came out, went forth.

This term can refer to Jesus' emergence into public ministry.

Analyzing these terms deepens the understanding of Jesus’ urgency and purpose in His ministry.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient myths and religions, leaders and deities often engage with various communities, but the purpose and message vary widely.

For example, in Greek mythology, Hermes was a messenger god but served different purposes, often relating to commerce and cunning.

Jesus' message, however, is singularly focused on spiritual salvation and the Kingdom of God.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern scientific understandings of psychology might analyze the social and behavioral effects of preaching and teaching as methods of spreading ideas and influencing communities.

The concept of Jesus moving to different towns correlates with the diffusion of innovations theory in sociology, which looks at how ideas spread across populations.

Commentaries

Various biblical experts have pointed out the importance of Jesus' decision to move on and keep preaching as central to the understanding of His mission.

William L.

Lane, in his commentary on Mark, remarks that Jesus’ initiation to depart to other villages aligns with Mark’s portrayal of Jesus as the Servant of God in continual motion.

Other scholars, such as R.T.

France, stress the significance of the Kingdom of God in Jesus’ teachings, which this verse succinctly encapsulates as the reason for His itinerant ministry.

Mark 1

Mark 1

What does Mark 1:38 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 1:38 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?