Mark Chapter 7
7:1-23. Jesus' influence spreads through confrontation.
7:3. Certain unwritten traditions had come to be regarded as equal in authority to the Old Testament itself.
7:5, 6. The concern was not with dirty hands, but with how Jesus' disciples were ignoring Jewish tradition and thereby
becoming ceremonially unclean.
7:7. Howbeit means "nevertheless."
7:8, 9. Years of tradition, Jesus is saying, had brought some Jewish religious practices into conflict with the far older
commands of the Old Testament. Too many were substituting modern religious custom for divinely revealed truth.
7:11, 12. Jews could evade responsibility to parents by declaring their substance Corban, "devoted to God."
Religious leaders evidently condoned this clear circumvention of both the letter and the intent of the Old Testament.
7:13. Jesus' quarrel was not with God's word, but with human misuse of it.
7:18, 19. Once again Jesus challenges His disciples with searching questions.
7:20. Many apparently thought that the food itself forbidden by parts of the Old Testament (see, e.g., Lev. 11)
rendered the eater unclean. Jesus is not challenging the accuracy of the Old Testament. He is pointing out that what
one produces from, not what he takes into, himself is the essence of human sin. In context, Jesus is pointing out the
futility of seeking spiritual salvation by means of ritual observances, like dietary laws, which are incapable of purifying
the heart (i.e., the moral life). A clean heart is something different from a properly cared-for- digestive tract.
7:24-8:26. Jesus cares for and corrects various people.
7:25. The woman's behavior indicates both reverence and desperation.
7:26. This is one of Jesus' few known dealings with a Gentile. The woman is from Phoenicia.
7:27. Jesus' reply is not a cruel dismissal but a test of the woman's resolve, persistence, and faith. Children would be
either Israel (see Matt. 15:24) or the disciples. If the latter, Jesus is saying, "Can you not leave us in peace? The
disciples are weary." Dogs is literally "doggies," household pets that would spend mealtimes beneath the table.
7:28. The woman responds with insight into Jesus' patient grace. She turns His own words back on Him.
7:29. Her reply was evidence of the quality of her faith.
7:34. The word for "sigh" appears also in Romans 8:23 and 2 Corinthians 5:2. It reflects Jesus' inner emotional and
spiritual fervor as He beseeches God to undo this evil.
7:35. String would be simply that which had inhibited his speech.
Mark Chapter 8
8:1-9. Jesus again feeds a multitude. There are similarities with the account in 6:30-44, but also important
differences.
8:3. Divers means "some."
8:4. The disciples had still not grasped the miracle of the earlier feeding (6:52). They were unable to imagine what
Jesus could do now.
8:7. Not only were the fishes few, but Mark stresses that they were also small.
8:10-13. Jesus declines to satisfy the demands for a "sign" (i.e., proof of His messiahship).
8:11. These Pharisees were evidently not interested in Jesus' message. They sought rather to satisfy their own
curiosity, or perhaps to gather further evidence against Him in the supposition that His work was of demonic origin (3:
22).
8:12. Generation refers to those Jews living at that time. "This generation" carries a derogatory sense because this
particular generation of Jews has rejected Jesus as their Messiah, despite all the evidence provided them.
8:14-21. Jesus challenges the disciples to deeper discernment. The disciples apparently failed to realize from the
feeding of the five thousand (6:30-44) and from the feeding of the four thousand that Jesus can certainly provide for
their needs.
8:15. Charged means "ordered." (See also 5:43; 7:36; 9:9.) Leaven here has derogatory meaning: Jesus warns of
the Pharisees' hypocrisy and of Herod's secularism.
8:16. The disciples miss the point totally.
8:17-21. Jesus is often portrayed as the gentle, patient Teacher. here He barrages His followers with a battery of
queries worthy of a prosecuting attorney.
8:22-26. This healing of a blind man, where sight gradually improved until he saw clearly, pictures the disciples' slow
but progressive spiritual comprehension, which climaxes in verse 29 with their confession of Jesus as Messiah.
8:27-9:50. Jesus' influence expands through intimate self-disclosure.
8:29. Christ means here the "Messiah," the Anointed One of God, the Redeemer prophesied in the Old Testament.
8:32. In Jewish thought of that day there was no room for a doctrine of a suffering Messiah- to Peter, as to any other
Jew, that would be a contradiction in terms.
8:34-9:1. Jesus teaches how to follow Him and why.
8:38. Jesus makes a close connection between Himself and His words.
Mark Chapter 9
9:1. Various interpretations have been suggested. Jesus was likely pointing ahead to His Transfiguration (9:2-8).
9:2. Transfigured means to be altered in form, that is, the transformation is outwardly visible. The same word is used
in Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18. The site was probably Mount Hermon (9, 000 ft.).
9:3. A fuller was one who laundered clothes.
9:6. The word for score afraid is used elsewhere only in Hebrews 12:21, where Moses trembled at God's self-
disclosure on Mount Sinai.
9:10. Not until after the Resurrection did the disciples fully grasp the importance of some of Jesus' sayings.
9:12. Jesus actually asks a question here by way of answering the question in verse 11.
9:13. Elijah refers to John the Baptist.
9:14-29. Jesus handles a difficult case of demon possession.
9:17. The demon caused the boy to be unable to speak normally.
9:23. The sense of Jesus' words may be, "What do you mean, 'If you can'? All things are possible to him that
believeth." "Believeth" is lacking in some early manuscripts, giving the saying a different emphasis.
9:24. He had a certain faith; but it was confession of his undeniable inner turmoil and doubt that marked his faltering
faith as truly authentic, if imperfect, trust. Before God honesty is a wise course.
9:29. While some manuscripts omit fasting, it seems crucial to the context. Jesus does not seem to have resorted to
prayer in the course of this healing. Perhaps He refers to a life-style of prevailing prayer that yields a reservoir of
spiritual power for just such a crisis as this.
9:30-32. Jesus again foretells His death. (See 8:31; 10:33, 34.) The text implies that He sought to travel unnoticed in
order to have undisturbed time to instill very difficult teaching in the disciples' hearts.
9:33-50. Jesus teaches about true greatness (servanthood), unity, and judgement.
9:36, 37. Child may refer to just that; or Jesus may be anticipating John's report in verse 38 by saying, in effect, "You
should be tolerant of those who show a measure of openness to Me, and thus to God, even if their faith lacks
maturity."
9:39. This does not mean that every miracle-worker is automatically blessed of God. See Matthew 7:22, 23.
9:40. This does not contradict Matthew 12:30. The two verses address different situations, When it comes to the
critical point of accepting or rejecting Jesus (see the context of Matt. 12:30), not being for Jesus amounts to
opposing Him (see John 3:18). But in the case of someone attempting to work in Christ's name, but perhaps with less
than a full knowledge of Him (see Acts 18:25), there is no need to quench the smoking wick (Matt. 12:20).
9:42-50. The mention of reward in verse 41 causes Jesus to warn of the equally certain consequences of defying His
words.
9:49. The first phrase has reference to the fire of testing that every believer undergoes. (See 2 Tim. 3:12; 1 Pet. 4:
12.) The second refers to the salting of Old Testament sacrifices (Rom. 12:1). They must not seek to do so apart
from the purging fire God sends for their purifying. See James 1:2; Romans 5:3.
9:50. Salt from the Dead Sea contains impurities and becomes easily stale and unpleasant in taste. Salt in
yourselves is the distinctive quality that marks the person devoted to God. The reference to peace ties in with verse
33, which precipitated this whole discourse.
Mark Chapter 10
10:1-52. Jesus’ ministry shifts from the north to the area of Jerusalem in the sourth.
10:2. The Pharisees wished to trap Jesus in His answer.
10:6. See Genesis 2:21-25.
10:11,12. See also Matthew 5:32; 19:9.
10:14. Mark often stresses Jesus’ showing of strong feeling. (See 1:41, 43; 3:5; 7:34; 8:34; 9:19.) Suffer here
means “allow.”
10:16. Every parent knows that no child is perfect. But Jesus sees in their refreshing openness to new things, their
eagerness to learn and follow, a welcome contrast to adult self-dependence and cynicism.
10:18. Jesus knew that the man addressed Him as only a religious teacher. He reminds him that no mere man merits
the title good, for that term applies only to God. As the Son of God, Jesus does of course merit highest praise.
10:20 Master is here literally “teacher.”
10:21 Jesus identifies the one area that revealed the man’s true lack of devotion to God. A clear-cut issue must be
decided.
10:22. Matthew 19:20 reveals that this rich man was still young. Luke 18:18 shows that he was a ruler.
10:24 It was assumed that whoever was rich was in God’s favor.
10:25. Needle and camel are to be taken literally
10:30 Persecutions are part of the disciples’ lot. See Romans 8:17, also the not on 9:49.
10:31. God’s truth often contradicts human expectations.
10:32-45. Jesus sets His face toward Jerusalem.
10:33, 34. See 8:31; 9:31; also 9:12.
10:35-45. The disciples jockey for personal advantage even while Jesus prepares to face the Cross. They were
simply incapable of visualizing, despite Jesus’ hints, the vindication that lay on the other side of His death. Hence
their scrambling for some measure of concrete assurance now.
10:38. Cup refers to Jesus’ coming sufferings.
10:39. James was martyred (Acts 12:2). John was later exiled (Rev. 1:9)
10:45. If Jesus’ sinless life was deemed by God as fit for sacrifice for sinners, how much more expendable are the
lives of disciples? See Romans 8:36.
10:46. Jericho was 5 five miles west of the Jordan and about 18 miles northeast of Jerusalem.
10:51 This word Lord (Gr. rabbouni) occurs elsewhere only in John 20:16. It is an intensified form of the word for
teacher or master. Its use implies a high regard for Jesus. See “son of David” in 10:47.
Mark Chapter 11
11:1-15:47 These are Jesus’ final days in Jerusalem. While the exact chronology of the passage disputed, tradition
places 11:1 on the Sunday before the Resurrection.
11:2 Whereon never man sat: An animal devoted to a sacred purpose must not have been put to common use (Num.
19:2, Deut. 21:3).
11:9, 10 The crowd’s cry echoes words from Psalm 118:25, 26. The occasion recalls the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9,
a passage which rabbis of Jesus’ day were unable to account for. How could the Messiah be content with so lowly an
entry? Hosanna means “save, we pray,” or “save now.”
11:12-26 A fig tree is cursed and the temple is cleansed.
11:12 On the morrow: the incident occurred on Monday.
11:13 If it was not time for figs, why did Jesus look for them? The fig tree is a well-known Old Testament symbol for
Israel. He is going to use this unproductive tree as a teaching aid. Looking for figs when there should have been non
anyway would serve to heighten the disciples’ curiosity and sharpen their memory of the incident.
11:15 There were already laws against such misuse of the temple precincts, but no one was enforcing them.’
11:16 Carry any vessel through: In addition to normal business traffic, some may have used the temple court as a
shortcut.
11:17 Of all nations: The money-changers had their tables in the Court of the Gentiles. It was as close to the inner
confines of temple worship as a Gentile could enter. But it was decidedly profaned, despite God’s Old Testament
intent for His house to be a haven of worship for all. The word for thieves here suggests plunder, taking by violent
means. Jesus did not mince words. See Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11.
11:20 In the morning was Tuesday of Passion week.
11:22-26 The withered fig tree gives occasion for Jesus to expound concerning faith, prayer, and forgiveness.
11:24 One must keep in mind other portions of Jesus’ teaching that shed further light on this (14:36). See Matthew 6:
10; 2 Corinthians 12:8.
11:30 In keeping with a favorite tactic, Jesus responds to a question with a question. This was also a common
practice in normal rabbinic debate.
11:32 All men counted is like saying it was popular opinion.
Mark Chapter 12
12:1-12. The wicked vinedressers are a parable of Israel.
12:2-5. These “servants” would stand for the Old Testament prophets and John the Baptist.
12:6-8. Jesus foresees the treatment He will receive. He will be cast out of the vineyard. Hebrews 13:12 speaks of
Jesus suffering “without the gate.”
12:9. Jerusalem’s destruction in A.D. 70 may well be a partial fulfillment of this statement.
12:10. See Psalm 118:22, 23.
12:11. Marvelous is used in the sense of “remarkable” or “striking.”
12:14. Carest for no man suggests no partiality.
12:17. They marveled perhaps at the ease with which He escaped their trap. The Christian citizen has obligations to
government, but there are limits. Allegiance to God is primary. One ought to do both without neglecting either, where
possible. Other related passages are Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-6; 1 Peter 2:13-17.
12:19. This is called “levirate marriage” (levir being Latin for “husband’s brother”) and is instituted in Deuteronomy
25:5.
12:24. Ye know not the scriptures: They knew the words of the Old Testament, but they lacked insight into its
spiritual implications.
12:25. The resurrection state will bring with it a life different from what we know now.
12:26. Here Jesus places a great deal of weight on the grammar of Exodus 3:6. God said “I am” despite the fact that
the patriarchs had died long before He spoke these words to Moses. Thus the Old Testament itself points to the fact
of life after death.
12:28. Jewish tradition found 613 individual commands in Old Testament Law, so it was important to determine their
respective weight. Salvation, it was taught, depended on the scrupulous observance of each rule.
12:29. See Deuteronomy 6:4. These are the opening words of the Shema, the Jewish call to worship. They establish
the basis of love for God in the fact of God’s being the Lord our God, the God who has covenanted to redeem us to
Himself.
12:31. See Leviticus 19:18.
12:33. This scribe, like some in the Old Testament (see 1 Sam. 15:22), realized that heart commitment and
obedience out of gratitude to God were of utmost importance. God cannot be bribed into accepting us if we do not
from the heart devote ourselves to Him. See also Psalm 40:6; Isaiah 1:11-17.
12:34. Discreetly, meaning wisely, or sensibly, appears only here in the New Testament.
12:36. Jesus grounds the authority of this Old Testament passage (Ps. 110:1) in its divine inspiration. David
recognized the Messiah, who would be his descendant, as being also his Lord.
12:40. Many scribes of that day were dependent on generous individuals for their livelihood. Some abused the
hospitality they were shown and brought their hopeless donors to the brink of financial ruin. Others flaunted their
religion for the sake of impressing others with their spirituality, perhaps thereby obtaining more support.
12:42. The mite (Heb. Lepton) was worth something like one-eighth of a cent. It was so small that its stamp was
barely legible.
12:43, 44. God does not measure giving by conventional human standards.