Mark is noted for his vivid, vibrant, energetic, but abrupt emphasis on the deeds of Jesus, rather than his words.  Mark is therefore known as the writer that focused on Jesus as a man of action in his ministry; who directly confronted and met the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of different people. 

The general belief is that Mark’s gospel was dictated to him by the Apostle Peter and that it was the first gospel written. The style probably reflects Peter's personality and temperament; his bluntness, high energy level, quick to act, and passionate approach to the person and ministry of Jesus. 

The gospel emphasizes Jesus as Servant, and in line with that gives no genealogy. Mark is obviously excited that the Servant of God has finally come as a living, breathing, active individual. His gospel begins abruptly, and similarly ends abruptly. 

Mark begins by telling us that he is relating from the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This gospel was something that the prophets had talked about, but this was the full gospel of the Anointed Saviour, the Messiah. There is total harmony between the message of the prophets and the revelation in the Old Testament, and what the Messiah Jesus would do. This gospel is all about him, and it came from him. 

Now, the word “gospel” means “good news”, and that it certainly is, but today many different meanings are attached to this word. Mark makes it quite clear however, that for him the gospel is the story of Jesus Christ.

 The word gospel was associated at that time with the announcement of some significant event that would affect world history.  But in Mark’s announcement, he goes much further that anyone else before him, for Mark makes a stupendous claim when he linked the name of a person Jesus, or in Hebrew “Yahweh is salvation”, or “God saves”, with the Messiah, the Christ, and announced that this one person is God's agent, and is the focus of good news.   

He is the promised one, as was predicted in Isaiah, and Mark combines Malachi 3:1 with Exodus 23:20 and Isaiah 40:3, and immediately jumps into a discussion of the messenger that would come to prepare the people to receive their king.  John the Baptist was this messenger who prepared the way, and Jesus Christ was the king, the Anointed one, who followed him. 

John's ministry was therefore one of repentance and confession of sin, followed by baptism to indicate cleansing.

 Note carefully that John’s ministry was “the beginning of the gospel”. This was to be expected, for the gospel addressed sin, guilt, and fear that dominates the heart of sinful men.  His coming and ministry was anticipated in the Old Testament, and he appeared in the wilderness, according to that promise, announcing the way to God.

 So John began his announcement that the way to God was through repentance; for repentance results in the forgiveness of sins, the greatest blessing one can experience. The attitude of the heart of the offender must be changed. He had to acknowledge his attitude was offensive, and that he was guilty, no justifying the behaviour but admitting that pardon must be received. 

Mark simply announced that John the Baptist literally ‘appeared’, suddenly, exploded on the scene, and that he “preached”, calling the people to radical repentance, to turning away from sin, and return to God. 

Mark deals very briefly with the temptation of Jesus, but not before telling us that it was the Spirit that “drove” Jesus into the wilderness to face temptation. 

Mark as one would expect given his approach, pictures Jesus in our lesson as also exploding on the scene.  

In this beginning God sent his messenger to prepare the way, and then sent his Son.   

The lines were clearly drawn.  The population was not following the ways of God. God choose someone outside the religious and cultural mainstream, breaking with the religious institution and culture. He sent someone totally different from the norm, dressed his messenger as an Old Testament prophet that was noted to be dynamic, confrontational, in-your-face; one that did not mince his words in calling on the people to stop sinning. 

We should hardly expect that even the disciples, and there were some that were originally disciples of John, would really understand completely who Jesus was, and his ministry, and to fully appreciate that he was to select them and train them to continue his ministry. 

Then the Messiah came, and once identified by the action of the Holy Spirit at his baptism, faced the forces of Hell. The Messiah must therefore not beat around the bush, but must be vigorous, active, expect confrontation, but mightily do his work. The environment would not be a pleasant one. 

Note that Mark skips over a full year of the life and work of Jesus, and he moves immediately from the Temptation to the beginning of Jesus’ Galilean ministry.  The gospel of John records Jesus' activities during that year, see John 1:35-4:42, but Mark begins his account of Jesus' ministry with the calling of the disciples by the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus preached, that was his method. His preaching was about the nearness of the kingdom.  He had come to set up the kingdom of God, and began this work by preaching his gospel.  There are many Old Testament prophecies which discussed this matter of the kingdom of God and everyone who heard this preaching of Jesus would understand him clearly, and link what he was saying to those of the prophecies.

Verse 15.  The previous times which God had allowed were given to prepare the people for the coming of Messiah or Saviour. Many lessons had been taught and learned. The prophets had unfolded messages of God and had revealed the plan of God. 

It is obvious that the people had misinterpreted many of the teachings of God, and had come to expect the establishment of an earthly kingdom with might, pomp, and power.  Israel had expected that God would have made them to become the ruling power, to give them dominion over all the nations, to make them war successfully against their neighbours, and to then enjoy the fruits of military victory. 

It is understandable that a nation in subjugation, and the people who would worship as they thought fit, would long for freedom.  But people of God cannot rightfully expect that God will permanently elevate them to power over others and always continue to bless them; when he knows that their mind is not right with him. He just does not work that way. 

Grace is extended to nations and to people individually, so that they will follow the precepts of God, understand what they ought to do, showing repentance to God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. All must give glory to their Creator, especially by observing faithfully his Sabbath, and give glory to the Christ who saves us from our sins. 

If there is no trust and obedience to God the Father, and no faith in Jesus Christ exhibited in the transformation and reform of the heart and reformed lives, there really cannot be any permanent elevation to power, for that would lead to disaster.  We see that when Israel was placed in the land of Canaan and were given power over their enemies, they became corrupt, left God and became even worse than the other nations. 

Judgment then must begin at the house of God. 

The content of Jesus’ preaching was that the invisible, spiritual kingdom of God was now been fully brought into the world, because He, the Lord, was reigning. Men were called on to relate to this kingdom of God, that had given power to break the helplessness and futility of human life. 

The mercy of God had now come.  The time of the breakthrough was now beginning.  As one writer puts it:

“ God's power had broken through.  Jesus came to announce that the King is at hand, the One who can master a life, put it in order, bring peace and harmony into it, and supply a power which will produce a character no one else can rival. That is the Kingdom of God. It is not meat and drink, says Paul, “but righteousness and joy and peace in the Holy Spirit,” (Romans 14:17). The Kingdom is at hand. And the place to gain it is the place of repentance, acknowledgment of need.  To anyone and everyone who wants it, when you are willing to acknowledge that you cannot get along without it.”

Verse 16.   Simon and Andrew his brother were fishermen, and John 1:40- 42 tells us that they had previously met Jesus and had acknowledged that Jesus was in fact the Messiah or the Christ.  John 1:35- 4:54 describes some previous encounters with these men who were to eventually become Jesus disciples. 

Both of them were disciples of John the Baptist, and Jesus had met them some time before in Judea, and it even seems that they might have followed him for a while as disciples.  These were clearly regular working-class men, obviously not from a profession noted for its educated, sophisticated, gentile or smooth members.  

They were untutored, ignorant, nationalistic, narrow in outlook, governed by Jewish prejudices and passions  and expecting that they would be masters of the world one day. They would have to be considered to be among the weak and foolish things of the world, unusual instruments that Christ used in the setting up of his kingdom. 

It is important to note that God can set up his kingdom without the help of men, but he is pleased to involve men with the work of his kingdom. We thank him for that privilege. 

These men were casting their nets into the sea to catch fish, good training for the work of evangelism, which involves preaching to many people; throwing out the word, knowing that when they ‘threw’ the word out, they would only ‘haul’ in some of the hearers. 

They would know that there were ‘fish’ somewhere out there, and that getting to them required continuous hard work.  Sometimes their effort would bring very little return, but sometimes there would be great success. They knew the dangers and perils in being out on the sea, toiling away from the safety and comfortable life of the shore. But whatever it is, they would be accustomed to work knowing that the harvest was indeed plentiful. They had a worker mentality. 

Remember, our job is to fish for souls.  All our talents, past experience and career training has been guided by God, to equip us for the work of fishing for souls and winning them to Christ. 

We should not make the mistake of thinking that our past life and experiences have been unimportant. God has made us in a certain way for a purpose.  Sometimes bad things happen to us and we think that God has not been watching and did not care.  We should remember that our experiences will eventually work to demonstrate the glory of God. 

Just think of the world as a ocean in which the natural men swim endlessly, carried this way and that, playing, not realizing that they will be devoured by the enemy of their soul, after being soothed and lulled by the seductive motion of the waves.

Verse 17.  Jesus now acted to call these men that had been previously exposed to him. The time for them to be half hearted in their commitment, and sitting unconcerned to the problems of the world was now over.  He called them to be evangelists.  Peter proved how good he was at this, for on the day of Pentecost, he preached the gospel to many thousands, and three thousand people were saved.  This was a great fisherman. 

Note that these men were diligent in their business, employed, working together with others, and knowing how to cooperate with others.  

Jesus called.

Verse 18. When Jesus called they immediately left everything to follow him. He did not tell them that they had to complete a course in management skills, in personality development, or in eloquence.  He simply called them, for he had the power to empower and to teach them. 

Note that when Christ calls us directly and pointedly, whether we know it or not, he has been working on us for some time.  When he calls therefore, we are ready to go.  We must simply submit ourselves to him and begin the process of working, studying, learning, and growing all at the same time.  He is guiding the process and we have no need to fear or to think that we are not good enough. 

Note the use of the word “straightway”. Mark is a man of action. He tells us that Jesus was a man of action, and so were the men he called.

Verse 19.   Then Jesus traveled a little way, he met James and John his brother. They were not fishing but were mending nets. They seemed to have been the equippers, the men who were specialists in getting things ready, so that the fishing would be a success. 

They too would be fishers of men, but it is likely that they would be teacher oriented, equipping the saints. Jesus had guided their life, and was assembling his team, including men with different orientations and personality traits.

Verse 20.   Immediately they too left their earthly business. The amazing competence of Jesus made these men acts in this strange way. They knew who he was, heard the command, were prepared to learn, and they acted.

 Note the use again of the word “straightway”. Action all the time.

Verse 21.   The party then left and went into Capernaum. Capernaum is on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was the headquarters of Jesus' ministry, and the Gospels mention it twenty two times. This was the first full Galilean preaching tour.  There were three preaching tours in which Christ carried his message to every part of Galilee. 

Once Jesus reached Capernaum he immediately, “straightway”, started his work there.  There was no delay. He took the first opportunity to preach the gospel.  

The Sabbath day, Saturday, was the day that God had set apart and sanctified for men to rest from their labours and to worship him in a special focused way.  Genesis 2:1-3 tells us that God instituted the Sabbath when there was no sin in the world, and required men to keep it holy.  This was a set apart day.  Of course, since men  then obeyed God, there was no problem. 

It is only after sin came into the world, and men began to do ‘their own thing’ ignoring the things of God, that there was a problem with the Sabbath day which God had instituted.  Nowadays we see that men prefer to disobey God, and adopt pagan customs, rejecting the Sabbath made by God, while trying to rationalize their disobedience in every way. They behave just like disobedient men behaved before God created Israel, then like disobedience Israel who violated the Sabbath. Certainly, the behaviour of “ religious” men have not really changed. 

God created the nation of Israel to be a light to the Gentiles, not to have Gentiles tell them what God wanted, nor to encourage them to break the Commandments of God and in so doing follow ungodly practices on pagan days. 

Christ knew better.  He honoured the Sabbath day of God and religiously observed it. 

But he definitely did not get himself tied up with the tradition of the elders, and the foolishness that they had brought in, and so corrupt the Sabbath day and its meaning. 

The local synagogues developed as places for teaching and instruction, and there were services during which there was prayer, reading from the Scriptures, and talks by a rabbi or any member of the community or visitors that were considered competent. There was however this stipulation that four times a year, the people would go to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship and sacrifice. 

Jesus upheld the validity of God's command given to Adam in Genesis chapter 2, something that many disregard.  But since Jesus himself had created the Sabbath when he created man, he showed that Sabbath worship was not only an external observance, but was something to come from a spontaneous performance of the will of God, in gratitude to the fact that God is our Creator and is worthy of praise, honour, glory, and obedience.  Nothing can therefore change the Sabbath Day which God instituted, as long as we are outside of eternity. Jesus knows the mind of God.

Verse 22.  Mark does not tell us exactly what Jesus taught, but he tells us the effect the teachings had on the people.  Remember that Jesus knew the mind of God and God had sent him to declare what was in his, God's mind. 

He therefore spoke with authority.  He was competent and able.  He knew all things, and had all necessary insight into life and into humanity.  He knew all things about all people and what was going on in their minds. He did not need for any one to teach him.  

The scribes however, who were the teachers of the law were totally different. These biblical scholars were zealous guardians of the written and oral Law, and their job was to administer justice.   

They were not accustomed to deciding a case by themselves individually.  They would always begin by pointing to a teaching about a particular matter of the law, and then go on to quote several authorities and rabbis, who had previously interpreted or declared on this matter.  They would rarely ever give independent judgment, but would always be dealing with precedents, especially quoting from highly regarded rabbis and authorities, which unfortunately for the people were often contradictory anyway.  The scribes always hedged their bets. 

Jesus didn't need to quote any other of the past or present authorities.  He spoke with the authority and finality of God himself.  He was God and was the final authority. 

When the people heard Jesus, they were absolutely, literally, intensely amazed by his manner of teaching, as well as to the content of his teaching.  This was clearly different from what the scribes did on both counts.

We note that in John 7:14-16 Jesus told the amazed Jews, “ My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent me.”

Verse 23.  It is not surprising that Satan had put one of his people right in the synagogue.  When Jesus spoke a man with an unclean spirit was right there.  He had a conscious, spiritual, intelligent being that was living in him, and had full control of his mind and his actions.   

This demon or spirit in the man was ‘unclean’, because such spirits always lead the people they control into immoral behaviour.   

We do not know how the demon took control of this man.  But we do know that when we expose ourselves to spiritism, astrology, occultist practices, and drugs, these dangerous things open doors that are better left closed. 

At the teaching of Jesus the demon could not sit still. When faced with the power of God the demon in the man cried out, using of course the vocal cords of the man.

Believers should note that it is a dangerous thing to be controlled in any way; slight or large by these powerful beings that are enemies of God.  If one is not under the control of God and constantly praying to be under God’s control, then we are opening ourselves up to the influence of these beings that seek to destroy us.

Verse 24.  The demon knew that Jesus was attacking their kingdom, and rejected him.  He could not stand the teaching of Jesus, for this teaching revealed the error and foolishness of the thinking of men.  The demon was tortured by the truth, and broke in angrily to interrupt Jesus. 

The question of the demon showed that he knew that Jesus of Nazareth was the Holy One of God. The Jews there ought to have known that, however they did not. 

It appears that Satan knows the truth about God, and the people  should also have known the truth about God, but unfortunately they fell short, being blinded.  The world has not changed much since, for we see this type of thing demonstrated everywhere. 

The demon wondered whether Jesus had come to destroy them, for they knew that God was supreme and had total authority. They knew that Jesus was the Messiah, the Anointed One of God. 

Actually they might have skilfully been trying to encourage Jesus to destroy them, for by so doing Jesus would have stepped out of the program of his Father and done something contrary God's timetable.  This might have been a follow-up to the temptation in the wilderness where Jesus was encouraged to step outside of the program of God.

Verse 25.  Jesus immediately muzzled the demon. He saw no advantage in the representatives of Satan proclaiming his Messiahship. 

Be careful. It is not good for evil men to compliment and sponsor believers. God does not need their help and they should be avoided. People of God do not need the help of sinners. 

People of God are possessed by God, and controlled by him, and when necessary are punished and redirected by him. Those outside of God are of a different orientation altogether.  It might not appear to be so but they are entirely separated from the interest of God, and while in the state of rebellion, they do not want God. 

Those that have sunk to the state where they are actually possessed or are entirely under demonic power, are in a state of terror. Their controller knows that Jesus will ultimately destroy them and they anticipate and dread that day. These demonic powers know that their power is only temporary and permitted by God, and they also know that despite their utter contempt for the Lord, he can pluck away any of the seed of Adam from their hands. 

We know that there are some foolish, modern notions that unclean spirits can successfully confront God. Jesus teaches us that there is no need for hocus-pocus, ceremonies or incantations, church rituals, or religious mumbo jumbo when dealing with a devil. 

Jesus simply rebuked.  He told the demon to shut up.  This is very different from many self-styled deliverers who encourage demons to speak, and even believe what they say.

Verse 26.  The unclean spirit raged, refusing to bow, but he could not stand. Despite his reluctance, he was forced to leave the person he was controlling, for he was faced with a superior power. Jesus has always set men free and delivered the oppressed.  The only name that demons have ever feared is the name of Jesus.  When the authority of Jesus is present the command to unclean spirits must be obeyed.

Verse 27-28.  Nothing like this had been seen before and in a few hours literally the word spread like fire throughout the area. Jesus' fame spread around that here was someone who could command even the demons and they had to obey. 

This was revolutionary and people realized that this was certainly new and different from what was commonly around them.  This was the word of God.  Jesus is always victorious. 

Our job is to make people understand this.  There is authority and power in Jesus.  Jesus operated under the power of his Father, for the Father was at work in the Son.  When we understand this and rely on God we will have all the power we need to live a victorious life; for it will be the Father working in the Son, and the Son at work in us.

Let us also note that we should follow Jesus in every respect. He did the work of God on the Sabbath, for he made man to benefit from the Sabbath. We must follow Jesus' example, for there is no better.  

Certainly the Sabbath day, the 7th day is a picture of eternal rest, but until Jesus brings in eternity it is to be observed. Isaiah tells us that when Jesus returns for his millennial reign, all will observe the Sabbath, the same Sabbath of Adam, Abraham, the Patriarchs, Moses and Israel.  So let us never say then that we do not have to follow Jesus and observe his Sabbath.  He has changed nothing. Let us follow the light and turn men toward his truth, keeping away from the doctrine of demons and anything at all, any practice that pagans have devised.