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Jesus Proclaims the Kingdom and Calls Disciples (1:14-20)
We saw Mark introduce John the Baptist as the “beginning of the good news” and described Jesus’ baptism and testing in the wilderness as preparation for his mission.
Mark now moves to the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee.
Our main theme in this section is the authority of Jesus.
Jesus demonstrates his authority by proclaiming the kingdom (1:14-15), calling disciples (1:16-20), casting out demons (1:21-28), healing the sick (1:29-34; 40-45; 2:8-12), and forgiving sins (2:5).
This authority also provokes opposition form the religious leaders.
Challenging his authority and accuse him of blasphemy (2:7),
Associating with sinners (2:16)
Violating the Sabbath (2:24; 3:2)
Ministry in Galilee (1:14-15)
1:14 - Mark’s purpose in this introductory summary is threefold:
Provide a transition from John’s ministry to that of Jesus.
Establish Galilee as the setting for Jesus’ early ministry
Summarize the content of Jesus’ preaching: the need to repent and believe in the good news of the kingdom of God.
Mark refers in passing to John’s arrest; later he will use a narrative flashback to describe John’s imprisonment and execution (6:14-29).
We see a period of overlap in the Fourth Gospel between the ministries of Jesus and John (John 3:22-4:2), the Synoptics move John off the scene before Jesus’ public ministry begins.
(Matt.
4:12; Luke 3:19-20).
More of a theological rather than a chronological purpose.
Emphasizing the transition from the old age of promise to the new age of fulfillment.
John being the last and greatest of the OT prophets (Matt.
11:9-11; Luke 7:26-28).
Luke gospel, Jesus explains Luke 16:16
John is a also a transitional figure, with one foot in each age.
As a forerunner and herald of the Messiah, he passes the prophetic baton across the ages to Jesus.
John announces the need to repent in light of the soon coming of eschatological judgement.
Jesus will proclaim its arrival through his own words and deeds.
“The Good News”
1:15 - The “time” here is eschatological time of Salvation (Gal 4:4)
The two phrases
“the time is fulfilled” and “the kingdom of God is close at hand” are parallel and corefrerential, with both referring to this new age of salvation.
The kingdom is shorthand for God’s eschatological salvation, which is even now breaking into human history through Jesus’ words and actions.
The appropriate response to this kingdom announcement is to “repent and believe in the good news.”
Repentance means turning away from sin and faith means acknowledging dependence on God.
Theses are two sides of the same coin: repudiating or refusing a life focused on self and reorienting toward God and his purpose for the world.
The First Disciples
1:16 - Mark shift’s his description of Jesus’ Kingdom message to a more individualized in his call of disciples.
Two pairs of Fishermen brother.
Simon “Peter” and Andrew ; James and John
Three of the four - Peter, James and John will become the core disciples or the “inner circle”
Simon will not be called “Peter” until (Mark 3:16), where Jesus gives him the nickname.
(meaning “rock” or “stone”)
Peter becomes the most prominent of the Twelve.
Always named first in lists of the disciples (3:16-19).
According to the Gospel of John, Andrew was first a disciple of John the Baptist, and it was he who introduced his brothers o Jesus (John 1:40-42).
The Sea of Galilee is actually a large kidney-shaped inland lake.
14 miles log and 6 miles wide
Located 682 feet below sea level.
OT refers to it as the “Sea of Kinnereth or Chinnereth”
Possibly from the Hebrew word for “harp,” referring to the shape.
Luke calls it the “Lake of Gennesaret” (Luke 5:1)
A Greek form of Chinnereth.
Also called the Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1) after the main city on the western shore, named after the Roman emperor Tiberias.
Fishing was a major industry in Galilee.
1:17 - Greek idiom “come after me” is a call to discipleship, a relationship of learning from a master teacher.
Discipleship was very common during this time.
Although, Jesus’ manner of calling was unusual.
Normally the student would seek out a particular rabbi and ask to follow him.
Jesus instead approaches disciples and calls them.
Mark’s account emphasizes Jesus’ authority, which demands an immediate response.
The image of fishing for people is found in the OT, though always in the context of impending judgement.
Jesus reverses this image to one of salvation.
To fish for people is to rescue them from sin and death by calling them into God’s Kingdom.
The Greek clause “I will make you to become fishers of people” may mean either “I will send you out to fish for people” (NIV) or “I will teach you how to fish for people” (GNT; GW; NLT),
That is to train them in the art of people-fishing.
1:18 - Mark’s characteristic word “immediately” often serves as a transitional word without temporal significance, here it certainly means “at once.”
The disciples drop what they are doing and follow him.
If Mark is aware of any previous encounters between Jesus and the disciples (John 1:35-42) he shows no interest in them.
For Mark the important point is the authority of Jesus’ words and the immediate response of the disciples.
The Kingdom of God is an urgent call and demands an absolute response.
1:19 - The same scene is now repeated with two more fishermen brothers,
James and John
They were preparing the nets and getting ready for more fishing.
James was probably the oldest and firstborn son and so is named first and in relationship to his father.
This James is different form the lesser-known disciple, James the son of Alphaeus,
As well as James, the half brother of Jesus (Mark 6:3; Acts 1:14).
Who became a key leader in the Jerusalem church (Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; Gal.
2:9).
This James will eventually be arrested and executed by Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1-2; AD 44), the first of the twelve to suffer martyrdom.
He and his brother John are nicknamed “sons of thunder” by Jesus (Mark 3:17).
Possibly because of their volatile personalities.
Later church tradition identifies John as the author of the Fourth Gospel (“the disciple whom Jesus loved”), the Johannine Letters (1-3 John) and while in exile on Patmos, the book of Revelation.
1:20 - We see again that both the call and response are immediate.
The Kingdom and God’s Redemptive Purpose
The Message of the kingdom is that human history is not an endless cycle of sin, suffering, and death.
Redemptive history is not circular but linear, with a beginning, middle, and end.
God started it and He will end it, because He is the sovereign Lord of the universe.
And the end is in fact a new beginning, the restoration of creation as it was intended to be.
Jesus’ announcement that “the kingdom of God is close at hand” means the endgame has begun.
God’s plan of redemption and restoration is entering its most important and decisive phase.
The Presence of the Kingdom
The kingdom is present not because God’s authority is universally acknowledged, but because a right relationship with God is now available through God’s agent of redemption.
Jesus’ message is an invitation to repent and believe in the kingdom, to submit to God’s authority, and so to “enter” the kingdom.
It is an invitation to reorient a life focused on self to a life focused on God.
Jesus is launching the plan that will bring about the final restoration of all things.
His exorcisms reveal that the power of the adversary is being neutralized.
His healings demonstrate that fallen humanity is being restored (Isa 35:5-6)
His offer of forgiveness confirms that the power of sin is being broken
His nature miracles show his divine authority to restore a fallen creation.
All these are postcards from the kingdom, telling people that its power is really present and that its consummation is coming.
Ultimately, Jesus’ death on the cross will serve as a ransom for sins (Mark 10:45)
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