Gospel of Mark Chapter 1 Vs. 14

Jesus Begins His Ministry

 

Mark 1:14 “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,”

John was put... He was incarcerated for rebuking Herod Antipas over his incestuous marriage to his niece, Herodias (see 6:17-27).

put in prison... And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. After he had heard and obeyed many things John told him (Mark 6:20). John spent about 18 months in prison. Mat. 11:2; 14:1-12; John 3:24.

Jesus came into... From Judea (Mat. 4:12; Luke 4:13; John 4:3). Mark, along with Matthew and Luke, passes directly from the temptation to the beginning of the Galilean ministry, skipping Jesus’ intervening ministry in Judea (John 2:13 – 4:4). Galilee was the northernmost region of Palestine, and the most heavily populated.

the gospel of... Matthew says, "preaching, teaching, and healing" (Mat. 4:23; 9:35). The good news of salvation both about God and from Him (see Rom. 1:1; Rom. 15:16; 1Thes. 2:2, 8-9; 1Tim. 1:11, 1Pet. 4:17).

Kingdom of God... The earthly aspect of the kingdom of God (Mat. 4:17; 19:24).

Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee gets underway.

THE EARLY PREACHING AND THE FIRST DISCIPLES

Now after that John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of God, and saying, the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe in the gospel.

Jesus’ Early Galilean Ministry (1:14-3:6)

The first major section of Mark’s Gospel includes a summary statement of Jesus’ message (Mark 1:14-15); the calling of the first disciples (Mark 1:16-20); Jesus’ exorcising and healing ministry in and around Capernaum (Mark 1:21-45); five controversies with Jewish religious leaders (2:1-3:5), and a plot by the Pharisees and Herodians to kill Jesus (Mark 3:6). Throughout the section Jesus demonstrated His authority over all things both by His words and deeds.

Introductory summary: Jesus’ message

Jesus began His ministry in Galilee (cf. Mark 1:9) after John the Baptist was arrested by Herod Antipas (see chart on the Herods at Luke 1:5) for the reason stated in Mark 6:17-18. Before entering Galilee, Jesus ministered in Judea for about a year (cf. John 1:19-4:45), which Mark did not mention. This shows that Mark’s purpose was not to give a complete chronological account of Jesus’ life.

The words was put in prison translate to paradothēnai from paradidomi, deliver up or hand over. The verb is used of Jesus’ betrayal by Judas (Mark 3:19), suggesting that Mark set up a parallel between John’s and Jesus’ experiences (cf. Mark 1:4, 1:14). The passive voice without a stated agent implies that God’s purpose was being fulfilled in John’s arrest (cf. parallel to Jesus, Mark 9:31; 14:18) and that the time for Jesus’ ministry in Galilee had now come (cf. Mark 9:11-13).

Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming (kēryssōn cf. Mark 1:4) the good news (euangelion; cf. Mark 1:1) of (from) God. Possibly the words of the kingdom (KJV) should be included before of God because of their presence in many Greek manuscripts.