01050
 \\Make it as sure as you can\\ (\\asphalisasthe hs oidate\\). "Make it
 secure for yourselves (ingressive aorist middle) as you know
 how." \\Have a guard\\ (\\echete koustdian\\), present imperative, a
 guard of Roman soldiers, not mere temple police. The Latin term
 _koustdia_ occurs in an Oxyrhynchus papyrus of A.D. 22. "The
 curt permission to the Jews whom he despised is suitable in the
 mouth of the Roman official" (McNeile).

01051
 \\Sealing the stone, the guard being with them\\ (\\sphragisants ton\\
 \\lithon meta ts koustdias\\). Probably by a cord stretched across
 the stone and sealed at each end as in
 # Da 6:17
 The sealing was done in the presence of the Roman guard who were
 left in charge to protect this stamp of Roman authority and
 power. They did their best to prevent theft and the resurrection
 (Bruce), but they overreached themselves and provided additional
 witness to the fact of the empty tomb and the resurrection of
 Jesus (Plummer).

01052
 \\Now late on the sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day\\
 \\of the week\\ (\\opse de sabbatn, ti epiphskousi eis mian\\
 \\sabbatn\\). This careful chronological statement according to
 Jewish days clearly means that before the sabbath was over, that
 is before six P.M., this visit by the women was made "to see the
 sepulchre" (\\theorsai ton taphon\\). They had seen the place of
 burial on Friday afternoon
 # Mr 15:47; Mt 27:61; Lu 23:55
 They had rested on the sabbath after preparing spices and
 ointments for the body of Jesus
 # Lu 23:56
 a sabbath of unutterable sorrow and woe. They will buy other
 spices after sundown when the new day has dawned and the sabbath
 is over
 # Mr 16:1
 Both Matthew here and Luke
 # Lu 23:54
 use dawn (\\epiphsk\\) for the dawning of the twenty-four hour-day
 at sunset, not of the dawning of the twelve-hour day at sunrise.
 The Aramaic used the verb for dawn in both senses. The so-called
 Gospel of Peter has \\epiphsk\\ in the same sense as Matthew and
 Luke as does a late papyrus. Apparently the Jewish sense of
 "dawn" is here expressed by this Greek verb. Allen thinks that
 Matthew misunderstands Mark at this point, but clearly Mark is
 speaking of sunrise and Matthew of sunset. Why allow only one
 visit for the anxious women?

01053
 \\There was a great earthquake\\ (\\seismos egeneto megas\\). Clearly not
 the earthquake of
 # 27:51
 The precise time of this earthquake is not given. It was before
 sunrise on the first day of the week when the women made the next
 visit. Matthew alone relates the coming of the angel of the Lord
 who rolled away the stone and was sitting upon it (\\apekulise ton\\
 \\lithon kai ekathto epan autou\\). If one is querulous about these
 supernatural phenomena, he should reflect that the Resurrection
 of Jesus is one of the great supernatural events of all time.
 Cornelius  Lapide dares to say: "The earth, which trembled with
 sorrow at the Death of Christ as it were leaped for joy at His
 Resurrection." The Angel of the Lord announced the Incarnation of
 the Son of God and also His Resurrection from the grave. There
 are apparent inconsistencies in the various narratives of the
 Resurrection and the appearances of the Risen Christ. We do not
 know enough of the details to be able to reconcile them. But the
 very variations strengthen the independent witness to the
 essential fact that Jesus rose from the grave. Let each writer
 give his own account in his own way. The stone was rolled away
 not to let the Lord out, but to let the women in to prove the
 fact of the empty tomb (McNeile).

01054
 \\Appearance\\ (\\eidea\\). Here only in the N.T. Compare \\morph\\ and
 \\schma\\.

01055
 \\The watchers did quake\\ (\\eseisthsan hoi trountes\\). And no wonder
 that they became as dead men and fled before the women came.

01056
 \\Unto the women\\ (\\tais gunaixin\\). According to John, Mary Magdalene
 had left to go and tell Peter and John of the supposed grave
 robbery
 # Joh 20:1
 But the other women remained and had the interview with the angel
 (or men, Luke) about the empty tomb and the Risen Christ. \\Jesus\\
 \\the Crucified\\ (\\Isoun ton estaurmenon\\). Perfect passive
 participle, state of completion. This he will always be. So Paul
 will preach as essential to his gospel "and this one crucified"
 (\\kai touton estaurmenon\\,
 # 1Co 2:2

01057
 \\Risen from the dead\\ (\\gerth apo tn nekrn\\). \\Jesus the Risen\\.
 This is the heart of the testimony of the angel to the women. It
 is what Paul wishes Timothy never to forget
 # 2Ti 2:8
 "Jesus Christ risen from the dead" (\\Isoun Christon eggermenon\\
 \\ek nekrn\\). They were afraid and dazzled by the glory of the
 scene, but the angel said, "Come, see the place where the Lord
 lay" (\\deute idete ton topon hopou ekeito ho Kurios\\). Some MSS. do
 not have \\ho Kurios\\, but he is the subject of \\ekeito\\. His body was
 not there. It will not do to say that Jesus arose in spirit and
 appeared alive though his body remained in the tomb. The empty
 tomb is the first great fact confronting the women and later the
 men. Various theories were offered then as now. But none of them
 satisfy the evidence and explain the survival of faith and hope
 in the disciples that do not rest upon the fact of the Risen
 Christ whose body was no longer in the tomb.

01058
 \\He goeth before you into Galilee\\ (\\proagei humas eis tn\\
 \\Galilaian\\). Jesus did appear to the disciples in Galilee on two
 notable occasions (by the beloved lake,
 # Joh 21
 and on the mountain,
 # Mt 28:16-20
 Probably before the women were permitted to tell this story in
 full to the disciples who scouted as idle talk
 # Joh 24:11
 their first accounts, Jesus appeared to various disciples in
 Jerusalem on this first great Sunday. Jesus did not say that he
 would not see any of them in Jerusalem. He merely made a definite
 appointment in Galilee which he kept.

01059
 \\With fear and great joy\\ (\\meta phobou kai charas megals\\). A touch
 of life was this as the excited women ran quickly (\\tachu edramon\\)
 as they had been told "to bring his disciples word" (\\apaggeilai\\
 \\tois mathtais autou\\). They had the greatest piece of news that
 it was possible to have. Mark calls it fear and ecstasy. Anything
 seemed possible now. Mark even says that at first they told no
 one anything for they were afraid
 # Mr 16:9
 the tragic close of the text of Mark in Aleph and B, our two
 oldest manuscripts. But these mingled emotions of ecstasy and
 dread need cause no surprise when all things are considered.

01060
 \\Jesus met them\\ (\\Isous hupntsen autais\\). Came suddenly face to
 face (\\anta, hupo\\) with them as they brooded over the message of
 the angel and the fact of the empty tomb (associative
 instrumental, \\autais\\). Cf.
 # 8:34; 24:1-6
 Probably the lost portion of Mark's Gospel contained the story of
 this meeting with Jesus which changed their fears into joy and
 peace. His greeting was the ordinary "Hail" (\\chairete\\). They fell
 at his feet and held them in reverence while they worshipped him.
 Jesus allowed this act of worship though he forbade eager
 handling of his body by Mary Magdalene
 # Joh 20:17
 It was a great moment of faith and cheer.

01061
 \\Fear not\\ (\\m phobeisthe\\). They were still afraid for joy and
 embarrassment. Jesus calms their excitement by the repetition of
 the charge from the angel for the disciples to meet him in
 Galilee. There is no special mention of Peter ("and Peter") as in
 # Mr 16:7
 but we may be sure that the special message to Peter was
 delivered.

01062
 \\Told unto the chief priests\\ (\\apggeilan tois archiereusin\\). These
 Roman soldiers had been placed at the disposal of the Sanhedrin.
 They were probably afraid also to report to Pilate and tell him
 what had happened. They apparently told a truthful account as far
 as they understood it. But were the Sanhedrin convinced of the
 resurrection of Jesus?

01063
 \\They gave large money\\ (\\arguria hikana edkan\\). The use of the
 plural for pieces of silver (\\arguria\\) is common. The papyri have
 many instances of \\hikana\\ for considerable (from \\hikan\\, to reach
 to, attain to). These pious Sanhedrists knew full well the power
 of bribes. They make a contract with the Roman soldiers to tell a
 lie about the resurrection of Jesus as they paid Judas money to
 betray him. They show not the slightest tendency to be convinced
 by the facts though one had risen from the dead.

01064
 \\Stole him away while we slept\\ (\\eklepsan auton hmn koimmenn\\).
 Genitive absolute. An Irish bull on the face of it. If they were
 asleep they would not know anything about it.

01065
 \\We will persuade him, and rid you of care\\ (\\hmeis peisomen kai\\
 \\humas amerimnous poisomen\\). They would try money also on Pilate
 and assume all responsibility. Hence the soldiers have no anxiety
 (\\amerimnous\\, alpha privative and \\merimna\\, to be anxious). They
 lived up to their bargain and this lie lives on through the ages.
 Justin (_Dial_. 108) accuses the Jews of spreading the charge.
 Bengel: _Quam laboriosum bellum mendacii contra veritatem_. \\It\\
 \\was spread about\\ (\\diephmisth\\) diligently by the Jews to excuse
 their disbelief in the Messiahship of Jesus.

01066
01067
01068
 \\But some doubted\\ (\\hoi de edistasan\\). From \\dis\\ (in two, divided in
 mind). Cf.
 # Mt 14:31
 The reference is not to the eleven who were all now convinced
 after some doubt, but to the others present. Paul states that
 over five hundred were present, most of whom were still alive
 when he wrote
 # 1Co 15:6
 It is natural that some should hesitate to believe so great a
 thing at the first appearance of Jesus to them. Their very doubt
 makes it easier for us to believe. This was the mountain where
 Jesus had promised to meet them. This fact explains the large
 number present. Time and place were arranged beforehand. It was
 the climax of the various appearances and in Galilee where were
 so many believers. They worshipped (\\prosekunsan\\) Jesus as the
 women had done
 # 28:9
 He is now their Risen Lord and Saviour.

01069
 \\All authority\\ (\\psa exousia\\). Jesus came close to them
 (\\proselthn\\) and made this astounding claim. He spoke as one
 already in heaven with a world-wide outlook and with the
 resources of heaven at his command. His authority or power in his
 earthly life had been great
 # 7:29; 11:27; 21:23
 Now it is boundless and includes earth and heaven. \\Hath been\\
 \\given\\ (\\edoth\\) is a timeless aorist (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp.
 836f.). It is the sublimist of all spectacles to see the Risen
 Christ without money or army or state charging this band of five
 hundred men and women with world conquest and bringing them to
 believe it possible and to undertake it with serious passion and
 power. Pentecost is still to come, but dynamic faith rules on
 this mountain in Galilee.

01070
 \\All the nations\\ (\\panta ta ethn\\). Not just the Jews scattered
 among the Gentiles, but the Gentiles themselves in every land.
 And not by making Jews of them, though this point is not made
 plain here. It will take time for the disciples to grow into this
 _Magna Charta_ of the missionary propaganda. But here is the
 world program of the Risen Christ and it should not be forgotten
 by those who seek to foreshorten it all by saying that Jesus
 expected his second coming to be very soon, even within the
 lifetime of those who heard. He did promise to come, but he has
 never named the date. Meanwhile we are to be ready for his coming
 at any time and to look for it joyfully. But we are to leave that
 to the Father and push on the campaign for world conquest. This
 program includes making disciples or learners (\\mathteusate\\) such
 as they were themselves. That means evangelism in the fullest
 sense and not merely revival meetings. Baptism in (\\eis\\, not
 _into_) the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in
 the name of the Trinity. Objection is raised to this language in
 the mouth of Jesus as too theological and as not a genuine part
 of the Gospel of Matthew for the same reason. See
 # Mt 11:27
 where Jesus speaks of the Father and the Son as here. But it is
 all to no purpose. There is a chapter devoted to this subject in
 my _The Christ of the Logia_ in which the genuineness of these
 words is proven. The name of Jesus is the essential part of it as
 is shown in the Acts. Trine immersion is not taught as the Greek
 Church holds and practices, baptism in the name of the Father,
 then of the Son, then of the Holy Spirit. The use of name (\\onoma\\)
 here is a common one in the Septuagint and the papyri for power
 or authority. For the use of \\eis\\ with \\onoma\\ in the sense here
 employed, not meaning _into_, see
 # Mt 10:41
 (cf. also
 # 12:41

01071
 \\Teaching them\\ (\\didaskontes autous\\). Christians have been slow to
 realize the full value of what we now call religious education.
 The work of teaching belongs to the home, to the church (sermon,
 Sunday school, young people's work, prayer-meeting, study
 classes, mission classes), to the school (not mixing of church
 and state, but moral instruction if not the reading of the
 Bible), good books which should be in every home, reading of the
 Bible itself. Some react too far and actually put education in
 the place of conversion or regeneration. That is to miss the
 mark. But teaching is part, a weighty part, of the work of
 Christians.

 \\I am with you\\ (\\eg meta humn\\). This is the amazing and blessed
 promise. He is to be with the disciples when he is gone, with all
 the disciples, with all knowledge, with all power, with them all
 the days (all sorts of days, weakness, sorrows, joy, power), till
 the consummation of the age (\\hes ts sunteleias tou ainos\\).
 That goal is in the future and unknown to the disciples. This
 blessed hope is not designed as a sedative to an inactive mind
 and complacent conscience, but an incentive to the fullest
 endeavor to press on to the farthest limits of the world that all
 the nations may know Christ and the power of his Risen Life. So
 Matthew's Gospel closes in a blaze of glory. Christ is conqueror
 in prospect and in fact. Christian history from that eventful
 experience on the Mountain in Galilee has been the fulfilment of
 that promise in as far as we allow God's power to work in us for
 the winning of the world to Christ, the Risen, all powerful
 Redeemer, who is with his people all the time. Jesus employs the
 prophetic present here (\\eimi\\, I am). He is with us all the days
 till he comes in glory.

01072
 \\The beginning\\ (\\arch\\). There is no article in the Greek. It is
 possible that the phrase served as a heading or title for the
 paragraph about the ministry of the Baptist or as the
 superscription for the whole Gospel (Bruce) placed either by Mark
 or a scribe. And then the Gospel of Jesus Christ means the
 Message about Jesus Christ (objective genitive). The word Gospel
 here (\\euaggelion\\) comes close to meaning the record itself as
 told by Mark. Swete notes that each writer has a different
 starting point (\\arch\\). Mark, as the earliest form of the
 evangelic tradition, begins with the work of the Baptist, Matthew
 with the ancestry and birth of the Messiah, Luke with the birth
 of the Baptist, John with the Preincarnate Logos, Paul with the
 foundation of each of the churches
 # Php 4:15
 \\The Son of God\\ (\\Huiou theou\\). Aleph 28, 255 omit these words, but
 B, D, L, have them and the great mass of the manuscripts have
 \\huiou tou theou\\. If this is a heading added to what Mark wrote,
 the heading may have existed early in two forms, one with, one
 without "Son of God." If Mark wrote the words, there is no reason
 to doubt the genuineness since he uses the phrase elsewhere.

01073
 \\In Isaiah, the prophet\\ (\\en ti Esaii ti prophti\\). The
 quotation comes from
 # Mal 3:1
 and
 # Isa 40:3
 The Western and Neutral classes read Isaiah, the Alexandrian and
 Syrian, "the prophets," an evident correction because part of it
 is from Malachi. But Isaiah is mentioned as the chief of the
 prophets. It was common to combine quotations from the prophets
 in _testimonia_ and _catenae_ (chains of quotations). This is
 Mark's only prophetic quotation on his own account (Bruce).

01074
 \\The voice of one crying\\ (\\phon bontos\\). God is coming to his
 people to deliver them from their captivity in Babylon. 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
 # Joh 1:23
 He was only a voice, but we can still hear the echo of that voice
 through the corridor of the centuries. \\Paths straight\\ (\\eutheias\\
 \\tas tribous\\). Automobile highways today well illustrate the
 wonderful Persian roads for the couriers of the king and then for
 the king himself. The Roman Empire was knit together by roads,
 some of which survive today. John had a high and holy mission as
 the forerunner of the Messiah.

01075
 \\John came\\ (\\egeneto Ians\\). His coming was an epoch (\\egeneto\\),
 not a mere event (\\n\\). His coming was in accordance with the
 prophetic picture (\\kaths\\,
 # 1:2
 Note the same verb about John in
 # Joh 1:6
 The coming of John the Baptizer was the real beginning of the
 spoken message about Christ. He is described as \\the baptizing\\
 \\one\\ (\\ho haptizn\\) in the wilderness (\\en ti ermi\\). The
 baptizing took place in the River Jordan
 # Mr 1:5,9
 which was included in the general term the wilderness or the
 deserted region of Judea. \\Preached the baptism of repentance\\
 (\\krussn baptisma metanoias\\). Heralded a repentance kind of
 baptism (genitive case, genus case), a baptism marked by
 repentance.
 See note on "Mt 3:2"
  for discussion of repent, an exceedingly poor rendering of
 John's great word \\metanoias\\. He called upon the Jews to change
 their minds and to turn from their sins, "confessing their sins"
 (\\exomologoumenoi tas hamartias autn\\). See
 # Mt 3:16
 The public confessions produced a profound impression as they
 would now. \\Unto remission of sins\\ (\\eis aphesin hamartin\\). 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
 # Mt 10:41
 and
 # Mt 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
 # Ro 6:4
 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.

01076
 \\Then went out unto him\\ (\\exeporeueto pros auton\\). Imperfect
 indicative describing the steady stream of people who kept coming
 to the baptism (\\ebaptizonto\\, imperfect passive indicative, a
 wonderful sight). \\In the river Jordan\\ (\\en ti Iordani potami\\).
 In the Jordan river, literally.

01077
 \\Clothed with camel's hair\\ (\\endedumenos trichas kamlou\\). Matthew
 # Mt 3:4
 has it a garment (\\enduma\\) of camel's hair. Mark has it in the
 accusative plural the object of the perfect passive participle
 retained according to a common Greek idiom. It was, of course,
 not camel's skin, but rough cloth woven of camel's hair. For the
 locusts and wild honey,
 See note on "Mt 3:4"
 Dried locusts are considered palatable and the wild honey, or
 "mountain honey" as some versions give it (\\meli agrion\\), was
 bountiful in the clefts of the rocks. Some Bedouins make their
 living yet by gathering this wild honey out of the rocks.

01078
 \\Mightier than I\\ (\\ho ischuroteros mou\\). In each of the Synoptics.
 Gould calls it a skeptical depreciation of himself by John. But
 it was sincere on John's part and he gives a reason for it. \\The\\
 \\Latchet\\ (\\ton himanta\\). The thong of the sandal which held it
 together. When the guest comes into the house, performed by a
 slave before one enters the bath. Mark alone gives this touch.

01079
 \\With water\\ (\\hudati\\). So Luke
 # Lu 3:16
 the locative case, \\in water\\. Matthew
 # Mt 3:11
 has \\en\\ (in), both with (in) water and the Holy Spirit. The water
 baptism by John was a symbol of the spiritual baptism by Jesus.

01080
 \\In the Jordan\\ (\\eis ton Iordann\\). So in verse
 # 10
 \\ek tou hudatos\\, out of the water, after the baptism into the
 Jordan. Mark is as fond of "straightway" (\\euthus\\) as Matthew is
 of "then" (\\tote\\). \\Rent asunder\\ (\\schizomenous\\). Split like a
 garment, present passive participle. Jesus saw the heavens
 parting as he came up out of the water, a more vivid picture than
 the "opened" in
 # Mt 3:16
 and
 # Lu 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
 The Cerinthian Gnostics took the dove to mean the heavenly _aeon
 Christ_ that here descended upon the man Jesus and remained with
 him till the Cross when it left him, a sort of forecast of the
 modern distinction between the Jesus of history and the
 theological Christ.

01081
01082
 \\Thou art\\ (\\su ei\\). So
 # Lu 3:22
 # Mt 3:17
 has \\this is\\ (\\houtos estin\\) which see. So both Mark and Luke have
 "in thee," while Matthew has "in whom."

01083
 \\Driveth him forth\\ (\\auton ekballei\\). Vivid word, bolder than
 Matthew's "was led up" (\\anchth\\) and Luke's "was led" (\\geto\\).
 It is the same word employed in the driving out of demons
 # Mr 1:34,39
 Mark has here "straightway" where Matthew has "then" (
 See note on "Mr 1:9"
 ). The forty days in the wilderness were under the direct
 guidance of the Holy Spirit. The entire earthly life of Jesus was
 bound up with the Holy Spirit from his birth to his death and
 resurrection.

01084
 \\With the wild beasts\\ (\\meta tu thrin\\). Mark does not give the
 narrative of the three temptations in Matthew and Luke
 (apparently from the Logia and originally, of course, from Jesus
 himself). But Mark adds this little touch about the wild beasts
 in the wilderness. It was the haunt at night of the wolf, the
 boar, the hyena, the jackal, the leopard. It was lonely and
 depressing in its isolation and even dangerous. Swete notes that
 in
 # Ps 90:13
 the promise of victory over the wild beasts comes immediately
 after that of angelic guardianship cited by Satan in
 # Mt 4:6
 The angels did come and minister (\\dikonoun\\), imperfect tense,
 kept it up till he was cheered and strengthened. Dr. Tristram
 observes that some Abyssinian Christians are in the habit of
 coming to the Quarantania during Lent and fasting forty days on
 the summit amid the ruins of its ancient cells and chapels where
 they suppose Jesus was tempted. But we are all tempted of the
 devil in the city even worse than in the desert.

01085
 \\Jesus came into Galilee\\ (\\lthen ho Isous eis tn Galilaian\\).
 Here Mark begins the narrative of the active ministry of Jesus
 and he is followed by Matthew and Luke. Mark undoubtedly follows
 the preaching of Peter. But for the Fourth Gospel we should not
 know of the year of work in various parts of the land (Perea,
 Galilee, Judea, Samaria) preceding the Galilean ministry. John
 supplements the Synoptic Gospels at this point as often. The
 arrest of John had much to do with the departure of Jesus from
 Judea to Galilee
 # Joh 4:1-4
 \\Preaching the gospel of God\\ (\\krussn to euaggelion tou theou\\).
 It is the subjective genitive, the gospel that comes from God.
 Swete observes that repentance (\\metanoia\\) is the keynote in the
 message of the Baptist as gospel (\\euaggelion\\) is with Jesus. But
 Jesus took the same line as John and proclaimed both repentance
 and the arrival of the kingdom of God. Mark adds to Matthew's
 report the words "the time is fulfilled" (\\peplrtai ho kairos\\).
 It is a significant fact that John looks backward to the promise
 of the coming of the Messiah and signalizes the fulfilment as
 near at hand (perfect passive indicative). It is like Paul's
 fulness of time (\\plrma tou chronou\\) in
 # Ga 4:4
 and fulness of the times (\\plrma ton kairn\\) in
 # Eph 1:10
 when he employs the word \\kairos\\, opportunity or crisis as here in
 Mark rather than the more general term \\chronos\\. Mark adds here
 also: "and believe in the gospel" (\\kai pisteuete en ti\\
 \\euaggelii\\). Both repent and believe in the gospel. Usually faith
 in Jesus (or God) is expected as in
 # John 14:1
 But this crisis called for faith in the message of Jesus that the
 Messiah had come. He did not use here the term Messiah, for it
 had come to have political connotations that made its use at
 present unwise. But the kingdom of God had arrived with the
 presence of the King. It does make a difference what one
 believes. Belief or disbelief in the message of Jesus made a
 sharp cleavage in those who heard him. "Faith in the message was
 the first step; a creed of some kind lies at the basis of
 confidence in the Person of Christ, and the occurrence of the
 phrase \\pistuete en ti euaggelii\\ in the oldest record of the
 teaching of our Lord is a valuable witness to this fact" (Swete).

01086
01087
 \\And passing along by the Sea of Galilee\\ (\\kai paragn para tn\\
 \\thalassan ts Galilaias\\). Mark uses \\para\\ (along, beside) twice
 and makes the picture realistic. He catches this glimpse of
 Christ in action. Casting a \\net\\ (\\amphiballontas\\). Literally
 casting on both sides, now on one side, now on the other. Matthew
 # Mt 4:18
 has a different phrase which see. There are two papyri examples
 of the verb \\amphiball\\, one verb absolutely for fishing as here,
 the other with the accusative. It is fishing with a net, making a
 cast, a haul. These four disciples were fishermen (\\halieis\\) and
 were \\partners\\ (\\metochoi\\) as Luke states
 # Lu 5:7

01088
 \\Become\\ (\\genesthai\\). Mark has this word not in Matthew. It would
 be a slow and long process, but Jesus could and would do it. He
 would undertake to make fishers of men out of fishermen.
 Preachers are made out of laymen who are willing to leave their
 business for service for Christ.

01089
01090
 \\A little further\\ (\\oligon\\). A Marcan detail. \\Mending their nets\\
 (\\katartizontas ta diktua\\).
 See note on "Mt 4:21"
 Getting ready that they might succeed better at the next haul.

01091
 \\With the hired servants\\ (\\meta tn misthtn\\). One hired for wages
 (\\misthos\\), a very old Greek word. Zebedee and his two sons
 evidently had an extensive business in co-operation with Andrew
 and Simon
 # Lu 5:7,10
 Mark alone has this detail of the hired servants left with
 Zebedee. They left the boat and their father
 # Mt 4:22
 with the hired servants. The business would go on while they left
 all
 # Lu 5:11
 and became permanent followers of Jesus. Many a young man has
 faced precisely this problem when he entered the ministry. Could
 he leave father and mother, brothers and sisters, while he went
 forth to college and seminary to become a fisher of men? Not the
 least of the sacrifices made in the education of young preachers
 is that made by the home folks who have additional burdens to
 bear because the young preacher is no longer a bread-winner at
 home. Most young preachers joyfully carry on such burdens after
 entering the ministry.

01092
 \\And taught\\ (\\edidasken\\). Inchoative imperfect, began to teach as
 soon as he entered the synagogue in Capernaum on the sabbath. The
 synagogue in Capernaum afforded the best opening for the teaching
 of Jesus. He had now made Capernaum (Tell Hum) his headquarters
 after the rejection in Nazareth as explained in
 # Lu 4:16-31
 and
 # Mt 4:13-16
 The ruins of this synagogue have been discovered and there is
 even talk of restoring the building since the stones are in a
 good state of preservation. Jesus both taught (\\didask\\) and
 preached (\\kruss\\) in the Jewish synagogues as opportunity was
 offered by the chief or leader of the synagogue (\\archisunaggos\\).
 The service consisted of prayer, praise, reading of scripture,
 and exposition by any rabbi or other competent person. Often Paul
 was invited to speak at such meetings. In
 # Lu 4:20
 Jesus gave back the roll of Isaiah to the attendant or beadle
 (\\ti hupreti\\) whose business it was to bring out the precious
 manuscript and return it to its place. Jesus was a preacher of
 over a year when he began to teach in the Capernaum synagogue.
 His reputation had preceded him
 # Lu 4:14

01093
 \\They were astonished\\ (\\exeplssonto\\). Pictorial imperfect as in
 # Lu 4:32
 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" (Gould). \\And not as their scribes\\ (\\kai\\
 \\ouch hs hoi grammateis\\).
 # Lu 4:32
 has only "with authority" (\\en exousii\\). Mark has it "as having
 authority" (\\hs echn exousian\\). He struck a note not found by
 the rabbi. They quoted other rabbis and felt their function to be
 expounders of the traditions which they made a millstone around
 the necks of the people. By so doing they set aside the word and
 will of God by their traditions and petty legalism
 # Mr 7:9,13
 They were casuists and made false interpretations to prove their
 punctilious points of external etiquette to the utter neglect of
 the spiritual reality. The people noticed at once that here was a
 personality who got his power (authority) direct from God, not
 from the current scribes. "Mark omits much, and is in many ways a
 meagre Gospel, but it makes a distinctive contribution to the
 evangelic history _in showing by a few realistic touches_ (this
 one of them) _the remarkable personality of Jesus_" (Bruce). See
 on
 # Mt 7:29
 for the like impression made by the Sermon on the Mount where the
 same language occurs. The chief controversy in Christ's life was
 with these scribes, the professional teachers of the oral law and
 mainly Pharisees. At once the people see that Jesus stands apart
 from the old group. He made a sensation in the best sense of that
 word. There was a buzz of excitement at the new teacher that was
 increased by the miracle that followed the sermon.

01094
 \\With an unclean spirit\\ (\\en pneumati akatharti\\). This use of \\en\\
 "with" is common in the Septuagint like the Hebrew _be_, but it
 occurs also in the papyri. It is the same idiom as "in Christ,"
 "in the Lord" so common with Paul. In English we speak of our
 being in love, in drink, in his cups, etc. The unclean spirit was
 in the man and the man in the unclean spirit, a man in the power
 of the unclean spirit. Luke has "having," the usual construction.
 See note on "Mt 22:43"
 Unclean spirit is used as synonymous with \\demon\\ (\\daimonion\\). It
 is the idea of estrangement from God
 # Zec 13:2
 The whole subject of demonology is difficult, but no more so than
 the problem of the devil. Jesus distinguishes between the man and
 the unclean spirit. Usually physical or mental disease
 accompanied the possession by demons. One wonders today if the
 degenerates and confirmed criminals so common now are not under
 the power of demons. The only cure for confirmed criminals seems
 to be conversion (a new heart).

01095
 \\What have we to do with thee?\\ (\\ti hmin kai soi?\\) The same idiom
 in
 # Mt 8:29
 Ethical dative. Nothing in common between the demon and Jesus.
 Note "we." The man speaks for the demon and himself, double
 personality. The recognition of Jesus by the demons may surprise
 us since the rabbis (the ecclesiastics) failed to do so. They
 call Jesus "The Holy One of God" (\\ho hagios tou theou\\). Hence the
 demon feared that Jesus was come to destroy him and the man in
 his power. In
 # Mt 8:29
 the demon calls Jesus "Son of God." Later the disciples will call
 Jesus "The Holy One of God"
 # Joh 6:69
 The demon cried out aloud (\\anekraxen\\, late first aorist form,
 \\anekragen\\, common second aorist) so that all heard the strange
 testimony to Jesus. The man says "I know" (\\oida\\), correct text,
 some manuscripts "we know" (\\oidamen\\), including the demon.

01096
 \\Hold thy peace\\ (\\phimthti\\). First aorist passive imperative of
 \\phimo\\. "Be quiet," Moffatt translates it. But it is a more
 vigorous word, "Be muzzled" like an ox. So literally in
 # De 25:4, 1Co 9:9; 1Ti 5:18
 It is common in Josephus, Lucian, and the LXX. See
 # Mt 22:12,34
 Gould renders it "Shut up." "Shut your mouth" would be too
 colloquial. Vincent suggests "gagged," but that is more the idea
 of \\epistomazein\\ in
 # Tit 1:11
 to stop the mouth.

01097
 \\Tearing him\\ (\\sparaxan auton\\). Margin, \\convulsing him\\ like a
 spasm. Medical writers use the word for the rotating of the
 stomach.
 # Lu 4:35
 adds "when the demon had thrown him down in the midst." Mark
 mentions the "loud voice" (\\phoni megali\\), a screech, in fact.
 It was a moment of intense excitement.

01098
 \\They questioned among themselves\\ (\\sunztein autous\\). By look and
 word. \\A new teaching\\ (\\didach kain\\). One surprise had followed
 another this day. The teaching was fresh (\\kain\\), original as the
 dew of the morning on the blossoms just blown. That was a novelty
 in that synagogue where only staid and stilted rabbinical rules
 had been heretofore droned out. This new teaching charmed the
 people, but soon will be rated as heresy by the rabbis. And it
 was with authority (\\kat' exousian\\). It is not certain whether the
 phrase is to be taken with "new teaching," "It's new teaching
 with authority behind it," as Moffatt has it, or with the verb;
 "with authority commandeth even the unclean spirits" (\\kai tois\\
 \\pneumasin tois akathartois epitassei\\). The position is equivocal
 and may be due to the fact that "Mark gives the incoherent and
 excited remarks of the crowd in this natural form" (Swete). But
 the most astonishing thing of all is that the demons "obey him"
 (\\hupakouousin auti\\). The people were accustomed to the use of
 magical formulae by the Jewish exorcists
 # Mt 12:27; Ac 19:13
 but here was something utterly different. Simon Magus could not
 understand how Simon Peter could do his miracles without some
 secret trick and even offered to buy it
 # Ac 8:19

01099
 \\The report of him\\ (\\h ako autou\\). Vulgate, _rumor_. See
 # Mt 14:1; 24:6
 They had no telephones, telegraphs, newspapers or radio, but news
 has a marvellous way of spreading by word of mouth. The fame of
 this new teacher went out "everywhere" (\\pantachou\\) throughout all
 Galilee.
