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 1:43 mean?

Explanation

This verse, Mark 1:43, describes part of the encounter between Jesus and a leper.

In the narrative of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus has just cleansed the man of his leprosy, a condition that in biblical times rendered individuals ritually unclean and socially ostracized.

When the text says that Jesus "straitly charged him," it means that Jesus gave him a stern warning or a strict command.

The instruction was likely related to the requirements of the Law of Moses for someone who has been cleansed of leprosy to show themselves to a priest and offer sacrifices, a process detailed in Leviticus 14.

The immediate sending away indicates a sense of urgency, either for the fulfillment of the law, or possibly to prevent large crowds from gathering, which could impede Jesus' ministry and movement.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

The historical context of Mark 1:43 is the early first century in the region of Galilee during Jesus' earthly ministry.

During this period, leprosy was a term used for a variety of skin diseases, not just the illness known today as Hansen's disease.

Lepers were marginalized and required to live apart from the community to prevent contagion and because of the ceremonial uncleanness associated with the disease, as prescribed by Mosaic Law.

The healing of a leper by Jesus was a significant event, as it not only restored the individual's health but also their social status and ability to participate in community and religious life.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints would interpret this verse in various ways:

Traditional Christian theology often views this healing as an example of Jesus' compassion for the marginalized as well as a demonstration of his divine authority over sickness and ritual impurity.
Some theologians may focus on Jesus' adherence to the Mosaic Law, as suggested by the instruction to the healed man to show himself to the priest, which underlines Jesus' respect for Jewish law and customs.
Liberation theology might emphasize the social implications of the healing by highlighting how Jesus restores the individual to the community and challenges social stigma.
Finally, a Christological perspective might see this healing as a foreshadowing of the greater spiritual cleansing and salvation that Jesus offers to mankind as the ultimate high priest.

Practical Applications

The practical applications of Mark 1:43 are numerous:

It encourages believers to show compassion to those who are marginalized and to take action to restore them to community life.
It exhorts followers of Jesus to adhere to divine commands and to show obedience to God's word in their own lives.
The verse also serves as a reminder to be sensitive to the individual's situation when helping, possibly keeping assistance discreet to respect the individual's dignity and privacy.

Cross-References

Leviticus 14:1-32 - Provides the law concerning the cleansing of lepers, which Jesus likely referred the man to follow.
Matthew 8:4 - Another account of Jesus healing a leper and telling him to show himself to the priest.
Luke 5:14 - Luke's account of Jesus healing a leper with similar instructions.
Luke 17:12-14 - Jesus heals ten lepers and instructs them to go show themselves to the priests.

Language Study

The phrase "straitly charged" translates from the Greek word "embrimaomai," which carries connotations of sternness or strictness, suggesting that Jesus was very serious in his command.
"Sent him away" comes from the Greek "exapostellō," which has the sense of sending someone out with a purpose, reflecting the immediacy and directness of Jesus' action following the healing.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the cultural and religious context of the time, the healing of lepers was a significant event, as leprosy was seen as a divine punishment or a curse.

The ability to heal such a condition would, therefore, be an indication of divine favor or authority.

Comparatively, in some other ancient myths and religions, healing miracles are performed by gods or demigods, emphasizing their power.

However, in the Judeo-Christian tradition, such miracles by Jesus are seen as signs of the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God and his messianic identity.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, what was referred to as leprosy in the ancient world covered a range of skin conditions, some of which might be treatable today with modern medicine.

The urgency of Jesus sending the man away could be viewed as a practical measure to prevent the spread of misinformation or to avoid drawing attention that could hinder Jesus' movements or lead to misunderstandings of his ministry's purpose.

Commentaries

Various Bible commentaries offer different insights into Mark 1:43:

The Pulpit Commentary emphasizes the sternness of Jesus' charge as a sign that he wanted no ostentatious display made by the healed man and that the man's first duty was to fulfill the legal requirements by presenting himself to the priest.
Matthew Henry's Commentary highlights the fullness of the cure that Jesus provided, suggesting the stern command was to prevent the spread of fame about the miracle so that Jesus could go on with His work rather than be thronged by multitudes seeking physical healing only.
John Calvin notes the command for the healed man to show himself to a priest as evidence of Christ's mission to the Jews and his respect for the law, which he had come not to abolish but to fulfill.

Mark 1

Mark 1

What does Mark 1:43 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 1:43 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?