Mark 1:13-20 | Session 4 | Dr. Randy White**
Mark 1:12-13 | The Temptation of Jesus
Verse 12
-see session 3 for commentary on v. 12
Verse 13
Mark's account of the temptation of Jesus is notably brief, covering only two verses (Mark 1:12-13). More detailed accounts of the temptation can be found in Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13. Mark seems to be more concerned with the action of Jesus than the details of setting and purpose, and we will find this sense of “immediacy” throughout the Gospel.
It is of special note that Mark alone mentions that Jesus “was with the wild beasts.” This is likely simply a literal description of His wilderness time. However, it could also be a subtle reference to Isiah 11:6-9, which describe a future time of peace when “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid” (Is. 11:6), implying that Jesus was the One who would initiate such a time.
Mark mentions that Jesus was in the wilderness “forty days.,” and therefore this number may have some significance beyond a time-frame. When numbers are found in Scripture, the symbolism they represent should also be considered. The number 4 is considered to have an "earthy" quality in the Bible, as it is associated with material things such as the four elements (earth, air, fire, and water), the four seasons, and the four directions on a compass. When multiples of 4 are found in the tens or hundreds place, this association with the earthly realm is reinforced, such as 40 days of temptation, 40 years in the wilderness, etc. In contrast, numbers such as 3, 7, and 12 are often associated with heavenly qualities, such as the Holy Trinity, the seven days of creation, or the twelve tribes of Israel.
The verse also notes that “the angels ministered to him.” The nature of their care is not given, but their presence tells us that the presence of angels does not prohibit the presence of Satan.
Mark 1:14-20 | The Galilean Ministry Begins
Verse 14 -
The timing of John's imprisonment is not indicated in Mark 1:14, but it is almost certain that a few weeks or months had passed. While the public ministry of Jesus is almost always considered to start at his baptism, it actually began with his Galilean ministry, which could have taken place months later. It is unlikely that it started years later, as it is presumed that Jesus did not move to Judea but was only there temporarily before returning home to Galilee.
👉 In the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, the phrase "after that" is employed to establish a chronological sequence of events. However, its usage can be forward-looking or backward-looking depending on the context.
In some instances, "after that" anticipates an event that is about to be described, serving to set the stage for subsequent occurrences. It essentially means "after the occurrence of a specific event (that I'm going to describe next), then the following thing happened."
For example, in Mark 1:14: "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee..." Here, "after that" introduces the event of John's imprisonment and leads into the subsequent event of Jesus coming into Galilee.
Alternatively, "after that" can reference a previously mentioned or implied event, acting as a bridge to the ensuing events. It is used in the traditional sense of "following the event that has just been described or implied."
Take, for instance, Mark 12:34: "...and after that, no man dared ask him any question." In this case, "after that" refers to the preceding discussion and leads into the resulting situation of no one daring to ask any more questions.
This distinction becomes critical in verses like Ephesians 1:13, where "after that" is used in the anticipatory manner, rather than the traditional one. Misinterpretation of this pattern may lead to chronological errors in understanding the events. For instance, if one were to interpret it in the more conventional (and common) sense, it might erroneously suggest that a person would trust Christ and only then hear the Gospel – a misinterpretation sometimes made by some Calvinists. The NIV of Ephesians 1:13 has ambiguity in its translation, allowing the reader to use the Calvinist sense or the traditional sense, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth….”
Jesus began His Galilean ministry by "preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God." It is important to allow the text to speak for itself and not read into it (eisegesis). The best way to do this is to let Scripture interpret itself. The definition of the Kingdom of God has been analyzed in George N.H. Peters' three-volume work, "The Theocratic Kingdom." While we will not delve into a full support for the future fulfillment of Kingdom promises here, a summary review of theology up to this point in first century history could come to no other conclusion than that “the gospel of the kingdom of God” was the expectation that God would send His Messiah to overthrow the Roman Empire and re-establish the Davidic throne. The establishment of this kingdom not only involved an overthrow of political enemies (Lk. 1:71-74), but also the eradication of the curse, including disease and death. Furthermore, the preaching of John the Baptist in previous verses has displayed the inner-spiritual renewal that was expected as part of the Kingdom. Jesus came into Galilee proving Himself to be the Messiah they expected, as will be seen by His teaching, His miracles and the response of the Galileans. Matthew’s presentation of this same event, going into further detail, shows how successful Jesus was in showing Himself to be this Messiah (see Matt. 4:23-24).
Verse 15 -
The message of Jesus, like John before Him, was that "the time is fulfilled." This statement implies a specific time frame, and although there is no clear Biblical timeline given, Daniel 9:24-27 provides some indication. While it is possible for them question their place in that prophetic timeline, it was evident that they were approaching the cut-off point for coming within that window, even if their estimations were off by 10-20 years. Furthermore, it is challenging to argue that Jesus was speaking in a vague manner, such as "now is as good a time as any," and Daniel 9 is the only timeline that could be "fulfilled.”
👉 Daniel's Seventy Weeks Prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27): The prophecy foretells a period of 70 weeks (interpreted as 70 weeks of years, or 490 years) that is split into three parts: 7 weeks (49 years), 62 weeks (434 years), and a final week (7 years). This time frame is believed to start with the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and ends with the coming of the Messiah and eventual desolation. From the literal perspective, the first 69 weeks (483 years) conclude with the arrival of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. In other words, by the time of Jesus's ministry, 69 weeks had passed, fulfilling the prophecy that the Anointed One would come (Daniel 9:25).
Jesus continued by telling them, like John, that “the kingdom of God is at hand.” This does not mean “has arrived,” but rather “is approaching” (as it is translated in Matt. 21:1).
With these two truths, there were two responses expected: repent, and believe the Gospel. While the Greek verb μετανοέω [metanoeo] has an etymology that means “change of thinking,” the actual usage of the word requires a change of behavior. Repentance is not nor was it ever a mental exercise, though a change of thinking certainly is required to bring about a change of behavior.
The Greek verb πιστεύω [pisteuo], translated “believe,” is very much a mental exercise, the act of thinking something to be factual and worthy of adoption. There are times when the Bible talks about believing with the heart (Rom. 10:10), but this is a figure of speech displaying the fact that conviction is deep-seated. The pithy saying about people who “miss heaven by 18 inches” (a reference to mental belief rather than heartfelt condition) is catchy but not well-grounded. All belief of any kind is a mental exercise. If we accuse someone of being convicted of mind and not heart, we are simply saying that they are not doing enough works to show their commitment, and that teaching would not align with Ephesians 2:8-9.
Verses 16-18
This is the first mention of Simon and Andrew, and no information is given except their occupation. It could be speculated, therefore, that Mark wrote to an audience which would have known their identity with no further information given. This speculation would suggest that the Gospel was written after the fame of Jesus’ disciples had grown.
Jesus commanded the two fishermen-brothers to “come ye after me.” It is believed by many that disciples typically chose their rabbi, rather than vice-versa, so this is a new and commanding paradigm, if our understanding of the rabbi/disciple model is correct. When Jesus says “I will make you to become fishers of men” He speaks figuratively, of course, but certainly communicates that their role will be spiritual in nature.
The fact that “straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him” also suggests that thier knowledge of Jesus was such that men would be willing to leave everything behind to follow a young and radical religious teacher. This speculation is all-but confirmed in John 1:40-42 we also learn that Simon and Andrew were previous disciples of John the Baptist, and thus would have had a strong Messianic worldview and knowledge of Jesus.
Verses 19-20
Mark continues by providing basic information about the calling of James and John. All that is revealed is that they are fishermen, the sons of Zebedee (the only apostles whose parents are mentioned), and that they had "hired servants", suggesting the ownership of a family business.
Verse 20 marks the conclusion of the calling of disciples. While Mark later lists all 12, who will then be called "apostles" (Mark 3:16-19), no Gospel provides a complete account of how all 12 were called.
