Chapter one

 

1:1 Prologue: The first verse is a prologue, with Mark indicating what he will deal with: "The Good News of Jesus Christ." The expression "The beginning" shows the beginning of his work and a new stage in the history of salvation: the New Testament. The centre of this Good News is Jesus. Who is Jesus? Mark will reveal it progressively. For the moment, he only says: He is the "Son of God." This statement will acquire surprising contents until it reaches its peak, almost at the end of the Gospel, when a Roman centurion, seeing how he dies, exclaims: "Truly, this man was the Son of God" (15:39). 

1:2-8 John the Baptist: John is the messenger announced (2-4). The awaited "Elijah" who will prepare the way for the Lord (cf. Mal 3:23). And he does it with a baptism of repentance, of change of life (5). His way of dressing and eating reveals him as a prophet (6; cf. 2 Kgs 1:8; Zech 13:4). Many probably mistook him for the Messiah. Mark clarifies this situation; his status before Jesus is even lower than that of a servant with his master (7). John can only baptize with water (externally); while Jesus baptizes with spirit.

1:9-11 Baptism of Jesus: Jesus assumes our condition as sinners, expressing his determination to give his life for the sake of others. The descent of the Spirit confirms the reopening of communication between heaven and earth. God makes himself accessible to humanity through Jesus, his Son (cf. Ps 2:7; Is 42:1).

1:12-13 The trial in the desert: Being the Son of God does not exempt Jesus from his human condition. That is why the same Spirit that he receives from the Father at baptism is the one that pushes him into the desert. For the people of Israel, the desert was traditionally a place of testing and decision-making, where they had to learn to trust in God (cf. Deut 8). The forty days recall the trials suffered by Moses (Ex 34:28) and Elijah (1 Kgs 19:8). Satan is the Adversary of the divine plan (Rev 12:7-9). Unlike Matthew and Luke, Mark says nothing more about the trials. He does, however, make clear the triumph of Jesus, expressed in the coexistence with the wild beasts and in the service of the angels (13).

1:14-15 His proclamation begins: This brief passage concludes the introduction of the Gospel (1-13) and begins a new stage: the activity of Jesus in Galilee, which begins precisely when that of John the Baptist ends (14a). "Proclaiming" or "preaching" is Jesus' main activity. "The time has come" indicates the beginning of a new stage. "The kingdom of God" is not a place but an experience of life under God's will (life, justice, solidarity, fraternity, peace). The presence of Jesus makes this kingdom close to us. To "repent" means to change course, return to God, and believe in the Good News of Jesus.

1:16-20 He calls his first disciples: Jesus calls and chooses his disciples to give community meaning to his mission. Without a community, there is no kingdom. Traditionally, disciples looked for and chose their master. But, in the case of Jesus, he takes the initiative and calls his disciples and gives them a mission: to fish for people. On the other hand, the disciples respond promptly, and leaving everything behind, they follow him. This is the Christian vocation: to follow Jesus and live as he lived.

1:21-28 He teaches and exorcises in Capernaum: Jesus teaches and acts with authority based on God’s liberating power. In the language and mentality of the time, the evangelist presents his struggle against the oppressive forces. The exorcism he performs on the "possessed" man is also an invitation to his disciples, in the proclamation of the Gospel, to fight against every kind of "possession" that subjugates and denigrates humanity. People admire him because his preaching and teaching go hand in hand; they are one and coherent. From now on, this admiration arouses intrigue about his identity: "What is this?”

1:29-39 He heals and exorcises around the house – Jesus' prayer and mission: The reference to the house (1:29,33; 2:1f.15; 3:20; 7:17; 9:28.33; 10:10) is probably an allusion to the community’s meeting place where Jesus continues to act and many people flock. The prostration of Peter's mother-in-law symbolizes the exclusion suffered by elderly and sick women. Jesus approaches, touches her, and lifts her up (31). The healing power of Jesus reaches all those who approach him. His example teaches the importance of prayer at the beginning of the missionary journey. 

1:40-45 He heals a leper: A leprosy-affected person had to live in isolation and away to prevent others from becoming infected. Far from life, they were like "living dead." But Jesus can even cope with this. The leper's faith and the Master's mercy make the liberating power of the kingdom of God a reality. Despite Jesus' prohibition, the leper divulges his liberating actions. This prohibition is known as "messianic secrecy," which, from the evangelist's perspective, means that Jesus' project can only be adequately understood after his death and resurrection.