The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV, page 480
3:8 In spite of His conflicts with the Pharisees, Jesus remained very popular with the ordinary people. Mark is the only gospel writer who at this point in Jesus’ ministry noted that the masses came from all parts of Palestine to see and hear Him. Idumea. An area SE of Judea, mentioned only here in the NT and populated by many Edomites (originally descendants of Esau, see note on Gen. 36:43). By this time it had become mostly Jewish in population and was considered a part of Judea. beyond the Jordan. The region E of the Jordan River, also called Perea, and ruled by Herod Antipas. Its population contained a large number of Jews. Tyre and Sidon. Two Phoenician cities on the Mediterranean coast, N of Galilee. Phoenicia as a whole was often designated by these cities (cf. Jer. 47:4; Joel 3:4; Matt. 11:21; Acts 12:20).
3:10 afflictions. Lit. “a whip, a lash,” sometimes translated “plagues,” or “scourges.” This metaphorically describes various painful, agonizing, physical ailments and illnesses.
3:11 unclean spirits. This refers to demons (see note on 1:23; cf. Luke 4:41). whenever they saw Him. The tense of the Gr. verb means there were many times when demons looked at Jesus and contemplated the truth of His character and identity. “You are the Son of God.” Cf. 1:24. The demons unhesitatingly affirmed the uniqueness of Jesus’ nature, which Mark saw as clear proof of Jesus’ deity.
3:12 warned…not make Him known. Jesus always rebuked demons for their testimonies about Him. He wanted His teaching and actions, not the impure words of demons, to proclaim who He was (see note on 1:25; cf. Acts 16:16–18).
3:13 called…those He Himself wanted. The Gr. verb “called” stresses that Jesus acted in His own sovereign interest when He chose the 12 disciples (cf. John 15:16).
3:14 appointed twelve. Christ, by an explicit act of His will, formed a distinct group of 12 men who were among His followers (see note on Matt. 10:1). This new group constituted the foundation of His church (cf. Eph. 2:20).
3:15 have power. This word is sometimes rendered “authority.” Along with the main task of preaching, Jesus gave the 12 the right to expel demons (cf. Luke 9:1).
3:16–19 A list of the 12 (see notes on Matt. 10:2–4).
3:16 Peter. From this point on (except in 14:37), Mark uses this name for Simon, though this is not when the designation was first given (cf. John 1:42), nor does it mark the complete replacement of the name Simon (cf. Acts 15:14). The name means “stone,” and describes Peter’s character and activities, namely his position as a foundation rock in the building of the church (cf. Matt. 16:18; Eph. 2:20).
3:17 “Sons of Thunder.” Mark defines the Aram. term “Boanerges” for his Gentile readers. This name for the two brothers probably referred to their intense, outspoken personalities (cf. 9:38; Luke 9:54).
3:18 Thaddaeus. The only name that is not the same in all the NT lists of the 12 (cf. Matt. 10:2–4; Luke 6:14–16; Acts 1:13). Matthew calls him Lebbaeus, with Thaddaeus as a surname (Matt. 10:3); Luke and Acts call him “Judas the son of James”; and John 14:22 refers to him as “Judas (not Iscariot).” the Cananite. This does not indicate that this Simon was a native of Cana. Rather, the word is derived from the Aram. which means “to be zealous” and was used for those who were zealous for the law. Luke uses the word transliterated from the Gr. term that meant “the Zealot” (Luke 6:15; see note on Matt. 10:4).
3:19 Iscariot. This Heb. term means “man of Kerioth,” as in Kerioth-Hezron, S of Hebron (Josh. 15:25). went into a house. A clearer translation is “went home,” which would refer to Jesus’ return to Capernaum (cf. 2:1). Verse divisions of the text are also misleading here; the phrase should be included with v. 20 and actually start the new paragraph.
3:21 His own people. In Gr., this expression was used in various ways to describe someone’s friends or close associates. In the strictest sense, it meant family, which is probably the best understanding here. lay hold of Him. Mark used this same term elsewhere to mean the arrest of a person (6:17; 12:12; 14:1, 44, 46, 51). Jesus’ relatives evidently heard the report of v. 20 and came to Capernaum to restrain Him from His many activities and bring Him under their care and control, all supposedly for His own good. out of His mind. Jesus’ family could only explain His unconventional lifestyle, with its willingness for others always to impose on Him, by saying He was irrational or had lost His mind.
3:22 scribes. Jewish scholars, also called lawyers, (mostly Pharisees) who were experts on the law and its application (see note on Matt. 2:4). Beelzebub. Satan (see note on Luke 11:15).
3:23 parables. Jesus answered the scribes by making an analogy between well known facts and the truths He expounded (see note on Matt. 13:3).
3:26 has an end. An expression used only in Mark which refers to Satan’s ultimate doom as head of the demonic world system. See notes on Rev. 20:1–10.
3:27 enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods. One must be stronger than Satan in order to enter his domain (“strong man’s house”), bind him (restrain his action), and free (“plunder”) people (“his goods”) from his control. Only Jesus had such power over the devil. Cf. Rom. 16:20; Heb. 2:14, 15.
3:28 Assuredly, I say to you. Mark’s first use of this expression, which occurs throughout the gospels, was employed as a formula that always introduced truthful and authoritative words from Jesus (cf. 6:11; 8:12; 9:1, 41; 10:15, 29; 11:23; 12:43; 13:30; 14:9, 18, 25, 30).
3:29 he who blasphemes…never has forgiveness. Whenever someone deliberately and disrespectfully slanders the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit in pointing to the Lordship and redemption of Jesus Christ, he completely negates and forfeits any possibility of present or future forgiveness of sins (see note on Matt. 12:31), because he has wholly rejected the only basis of God’s salvation.
3:31 His brothers and His mother. Jesus’ earthly family (see notes on v. 21; Matt. 12:46). The narrative that left off at v. 21 resumes here.
3:35 Jesus made a decisive and comprehensive statement on true Christian discipleship. Such discipleship involves a spiritual relationship that transcends the physical family and is open to all who are empowered by the Spirit of God to come to Christ in repentance and faith and enabled to live a life of obedience to God’s Word.
Mark 4
4:1 sat. The typical rabbinical position for teaching; and more practically, Jesus may have sat because of the rocking of the boat in the water.
4:2 parables. A common method of teaching in Judaism, which Jesus employed to conceal the truth from unbelievers while explaining it to His disciples (cf. v. 11; see note on Matt. 13:3).
4:3–8 This parable depicts the teaching of the gospel throughout the world and the various responses of people to it. Some will reject it; some will accept it for a brief time but then fall away; yet some will believe and will lead others to believe.
4:4 wayside. Either a road near a field’s edge or a path that traversed a field, both of which were hard surfaces due to constant foot traffic.
4:5 stony ground. Beds of solid rock, usually limestone, lying under the surface of good soil. They are a little too deep for the plow to reach, and too shallow to allow a plant to reach water and develop a decent root system in the small amount of soil that covers them.
4:7 thorns. Tough, thistle-bearing weeds that use up the available space, light, and water which good plants need.
4:8 increased…a hundred. An average ratio of harvested grain to what had been sown was 8 to 1, with a 10 to 1 ratio considered exceptional. The yields Jesus refers to are like an unbelievable harvest.
4:9 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” On the surface, this is a call for the listener to be attentive and discern the meaning of His analogy. Yet more than human understanding is necessary to interpret the parable—only those who have been redeemed will have the true meaning explained to them by the divine Teacher.
4:11 mystery…parables. A “mystery” in the NT refers to something previously hidden and unknown but revealed in the NT (see notes on 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 3:4–6). In context, the subject of the mystery is the kingdom of heaven (see note on Matt. 3:2), which Jesus communicates in the form of parables. Thus the mystery is revealed to those who believe, yet it remains concealed to those who reject Christ and His gospel (see note on Matt. 13:11). to those who are outside. Those who are not followers of Christ.
4:12 so that. See note on Matt. 13:13. Unlike Matthew, which specifically quotes Is. 6:9, 10, Mark quotes Jesus as giving the substance of what Isaiah wrote in that text. Lest they should turn. The implication is that unbelievers do not want to turn from sin (see notes on Matt. 13:3, 13).
4:13 all the parables. Understanding the parable of the sower was to be key in the disciples’ ability to discern the meaning of Jesus’ other parables of the kingdom (vv. 21–34).
4:14–20 Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the sower, who is in fact Jesus Himself (cf. Matt. 13:37) and anyone who proclaims the gospel.
4:14 the word. Luke 8:11 says it is the “word of God,” and Matt. 13:19 calls it the “word of the kingdom.” It is the salvation gospel (see note on Matt. 13:19).
4:16 receive it with gladness. An enthusiastic, emotional, yet superficial response to the gospel that does not take into account the cost involved.
4:17 no root. Because the person’s heart is hard, like the stony ground (see note on v. 5), the gospel never takes root in the individual’s soul and never transforms his life—there is only a temporary, surface change. tribulation or persecution. Not the routine difficulties and troubles of life, but specifically the suffering, trials, and persecutions which result from one’s association with God’s Word. stumble. The Gr. word also means, “to fall” or “to cause offense,” and from which comes the Eng. word “scandalize.” All those meanings are appropriate since the superficial believer is offended, stumbles, and falls away when his faith is put to the test (cf. John 8:31; 1 John 2:19).
4:19 cares of this world. Lit. “the distractions of the age.” A preoccupation with the temporal issues of this present age blinds a person to any serious consideration of the gospel (cf. James 4:4; 1 John 2:15, 16). deceitfulness of riches. Not only can money and material possessions not satisfy the desires of the heart or bring the lasting happiness they deceptively promise, but they also blind those who pursue them to eternal, spiritual concerns (1 Tim. 6:9, 10).
4:20 hear…accept…bear fruit. Three Gr. present participles mark continuing action. Believers, in contrast to unbelievers, hear God’s Word because God allows them to hear it. They “accept” it—they understand and obey it because God opens their mind and heart and transforms their lives. The result is that they produce spiritual fruit.
4:21 lamp. This refers to a very small clay bowl made with a spout to hold a wick and containing a few ounces of oil that served as the fuel. a lampstand. In common homes, this was simply a shelf protruding from the wall. Wealthier homes might have separate, ornate stands (cf. Rev. 1:12).
4:22 there is nothing hidden…revealed. The purpose in keeping something hidden is so that one day it can be revealed. Jesus’ teaching was never intended to be just for an inner circle of followers. It would be the responsibility of the disciples to communicate the gospel of the kingdom to the world at large (cf. Matt. 28:19, 20).
4:24 With the same measure. The spiritual results which the disciples realized were to be based on the amount of effort they put forth; they would reap as they had sown. more will be given. The one who has learned spiritual truth and applied it diligently will receive even more truth to faithfully apply.
4:26–29 This parable is recorded only by Mark and complements the parable of the sower by explaining in more depth the results of spiritual growth accomplished in good soil.
4:26 kingdom of God. See note on 1:15.
4:29 he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come. When the grain is ripe, the sower of the seed must harvest the crop. There are two possible interpretations of this unexplained parable. It could be referring to the entire scope of the kingdom, from the time Jesus sowed the gospel message until the final harvest in the future. His disciples would continue the work of presenting the gospel that would eventually yield a harvest. The better interpretation pictures the gospel working in lives. After the gospel is presented, the Word of God works in the individual heart, sometimes slowly, until the time when God reaps the harvest in that individual and saves him.
4:30–32 This parable of the mustard seed pictures the kingdom of God beginning with a small influence and then becoming worldwide in its scope.
4:31 a mustard seed. A reference to the common black mustard plant. The leaves were used as a vegetable and the seed as a condiment. It also had medicinal benefits. smaller than all. The mustard seed is not the smallest of all seeds in existence, but it was in comparison to all the other seeds the Jews sowed in Israel.
4:32 herbs. Refers to garden vegetables grown specifically for eating. birds of the air. While not a tree in the truest sense of the word, the mustard shrub has been known to grow as large as 15 ft. high and to have the properties of a tree, such as having branches large enough for birds to nest in. The tree represents the sphere of salvation, which would grow so large that it would provide shelter, protection, and benefit to people (see note on Matt. 13:32). Even unbelievers have been blessed by association with the gospel and the power of God in salvation. Christians have been a benediction to the world. See note on 1 Cor. 7:14.
4:33, 34 This conclusion to Mark’s account of Jesus’ parables highlights Mark’s recording only representative samples of all the parables Jesus taught.
4:34 But without a parable He did not speak to them. On that particular day, Jesus spoke to the larger crowd only in parables. This method of teaching left unbelievers with riddles and kept them from being forced to believe or disbelieve Him—they could make no decision to follow Him since they did not understand what He taught.
4:35–41 This account demonstrates Jesus’ unlimited power over the natural world.
4:35 the other side. Jesus and His disciples were on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. To escape the crowds for a brief respite, Jesus wanted to go to the eastern shore, which had no large cities and therefore fewer people.
4:37 great windstorm. Wind is a common occurrence on that lake, about 690 ft. below sea level and surrounded by hills. The Gr. word can also mean “whirlwind.” In this case, it was a storm so severe that it took on the properties of a hurricane (see note on Matt. 8:24). The disciples, used to being on the lake in the wind, thought this storm would drown them (v. 38).
4:38 He was…asleep. Jesus was so exhausted from a full day of healing and preaching, even that storm could not wake Him up (see note on Matt. 8:24).
4:39 “Peace, be still!” Lit. “be silent, be muzzled.” Storms normally subside gradually, but when the Creator gave the order, the natural elements of this storm ceased immediately.
4:41 they feared exceedingly. This was not fear of being harmed by the storm, but a reverence for the supernatural power Jesus had just displayed. The only thing more terrifying than having a storm outside the boat was having God in the boat! Who can this be. This statement betrayed the disciples’ wonder at the true identity of Jesus.
Mark 5
5:1 the other side of the sea. The eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee (cf. Luke 8:26). the country of the Gadarenes. The preferred reading in Mark is “Gerasenes” rather than “Gadarenes.” It most likely refers to the small town of Gersa (or Khersa, Kursi; see note on Matt. 8:28) which was located midway on the eastern shore. “Country of” refers to the general region that included Gersa and was under the jurisdiction of the city of Gadara, which was located some 6 mi. SE of the Sea of Galilee; this was probably why Luke referred to the region as the country of the Gadarenes (Luke 8:26, 37).
5:2 out of the tombs a man. Mark mentions only one of the demon-possessed men, who was probably the more prominent of the two (cf. Matt. 8:28). The “tombs”—common dwelling places for the demented of that day—were burial chambers carved out of rock hillsides on the outskirts of town. If the man and his possible companion were Jews, for whom touching dead bodies was a great defilement, living in such an area was an added torment. unclean spirit. This refers to the demon who was controlling the man. Such spirits in themselves were morally filthy and caused much harm for those whom they possessed (see notes on 1:32–34; cf. Luke 4:33, 36; 7:21; 8:2).
5:3 no one could bind him. Multiple negatives are used in the Gr. text to emphasize the man’s tremendous strength.
5:4 shackles and chains. “Shackles” (probably metal or perhaps, in part, cord or rope) were used to restrain the feet and “chains” were metal restraints for the rest of the body.
5:5 crying out and cutting himself with stones. “Crying out” describes a continual unearthly scream uttered with intense emotion. The “stones” likely were rocks made of flint with sharp, jagged edges.
5:7 What have I to do with You. A common expression of protest (see note on 1:24). Son of the Most High God. The demons knew that Jesus was deity, the God-Man. “Most High God” was an ancient title used by both Jews and Gentiles to identify the one, true, and living God of Israel and distinguish Him from all false idol gods (cf. Gen. 14:18–20; Num. 24:16; Deut. 32:8; Pss. 18:13; 21:7; Is. 14:14; Dan. 3:26; Luke 1:32; Heb. 7:1). I implore You…do not torment me. See note on Matt. 8:29. Mark adds “I implore you,” which shows the demon tried to have Jesus soften the severity of his inevitable fate. Cf. James 2:19.
5:9 “What is your name?” Most likely, Jesus asked this in view of the demon’s appeal not to be tormented. However, He did not need to know the demon’s name in order to expel him. Rather, Jesus posed the question to bring the reality and complexity of this case into the open. Legion. A Lat. term, by then common to Jews and Greeks, that defined a Roman military unit of 6,000 infantrymen. Such a name denotes that the man was controlled by an extremely large number of militant evil spirits, a truth reiterated by the expression “for we are many.”
