Teks -- Mark 1:1 (NET)

The Ministry of John the Baptist

1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Mar 1:1 - The beginning

The beginning ( archē ).

There is no article in the Greek. It is possible that the phrase served as a heading or title for the paragraph about the ministry of the Baptist or as the superscription for the whole Gospel (Bruce) placed either by Mark or a scribe. And then the Gospel of Jesus Christ means the Message about Jesus Christ (objective genitive). The word Gospel here (euaggelion ) comes close to meaning the record itself as told by Mark. Swete notes that each writer has a different starting point (archē ). Mark, as the earliest form of the evangelic tradition, begins with the work of the Baptist, Matthew with the ancestry and birth of the Messiah, Luke with the birth of the Baptist, John with the Preincarnate Logos, Paul with the foundation of each of the churches (Phi 4:15).

Robertson: Mar 1:1 - The Son of God

The Son of God ( Huiou theou ).

Aleph 28,255 omit these words, but B, D, L, have them and the great mass of the manuscripts have huiou tou theou . If this is a heading added to what Mark wrote, the heading may have existed early in two forms, one with, one without "Son of God."If Mark wrote the words, there is no reason to doubt the genuineness since he uses the phrase elsewhere.

Wesley: Mar 1:1 - The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

The evangelist speaks with strict propriety: for the beginning of the Gospel is in the account of John the Baptist, contained in the first paragraph; the Gospel itself in the rest of the book. Mat 3:1; Luk 3:1

JFB: Mar 1:1 - The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God

By the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ here is evidently meant the blessed Story which our Evangelist is about to tell of His Life, Ministry, Death, Resurrection, and Glorification, and of the begun Gathering of Believers in His Name. The abruptness with which he announces his subject, and the energetic brevity with which, passing by all preceding events, he hastens over the ministry of John and records the Baptism and Temptation of Jesus--as if impatient to come to the Public Life of the Lord of glory--have often been noticed as characteristic of this Gospel--a Gospel whose direct, practical, and singularly vivid setting imparts to it a preciousness peculiar to itself. What strikes every one is, that though the briefest of all the Gospels, this is in some of the principal scenes of our Lord's history the fullest. But what is not so obvious is, that wherever the finer and subtler feelings of humanity, or the deeper and more peculiar hues of our Lord's character were brought out, these, though they should be lightly passed over by all the other Evangelists, are sure to be found here, and in touches of such quiet delicacy and power, that though scarce observed by the cursory reader, they leave indelible impressions upon all the thoughtful and furnish a key to much that is in the other Gospels. These few opening words of the Second Gospel are enough to show, that though it was the purpose of this Evangelist to record chiefly the outward and palpable facts of our Lord's public life, he recognized in Him, in common with the Fourth Evangelist, the glory of the Only-begotten of the Father.

Clarke: Mar 1:1 - The beginning of the Gospel

The beginning of the Gospel - It is with the utmost propriety that Mark begins the Gospel dispensation by the preaching of John the Baptist, he being the forerunner of Jesus Christ, and the first proclaimer of the incarnated Messiah. Gospel - for the meaning of the word see the preface to Matthew

Clarke: Mar 1:1 - Son of God

Son of God - To point out his Divine origin; and thus glancing at his miraculous conception. This was an essential character of the Messiah. See Mat 16:16; Mat 26:63; Luk 22:67, etc.

Calvin: Mar 1:1 - The beginning of the Gospel

Mar 1:1.The beginning of the Gospel Though what we have hitherto taken out of Matthew and Luke is a part of the Gospel, yet it is not without reason that Mark makes the beginning of the Gospel to be the preaching of John the Baptist. For the Law and the Prophets then came to an end, (Joh 1:17.) “ The Law and the Prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, ” ( Luk 16:16 .) And with this agrees most fully the quotation which he makes from the Prophet Malachi, (Mal 3:1.) In order to inflame the minds of his people with a stronger desire of the promised salvation, the Lord had determined to leave them, for a time, without new prophecies. We know that the last of the true and lawful prophets was Malachi.

That the Jews, in the meantime, may not faint with hunger, he exhorts them to continue under the Law of Moses, until the promised redemption appear. He mentions the law only, (Joh 1:17,) because the doctrine of the Prophets was not separate from the law, but was merely an appendage and fuller exposition of it, that the form of government in the Church might depend entirely on the Law. It is no new or uncommon thing in Scripture, to include the Prophets under the name of the Law: for they were all related to it as their fountain or design. The Gospel was not an inferior appendage to the Law, but a new form of instruction, by which the former was set aside.

Malachi, distinguishing the two conditions of the Church, places the one under the Law, and commences the other with the preaching of John. He unquestionably describes the Baptist, when he says, “Behold, I send my messenger,” (Mal 3:1 :) for, as we have already said, that passage lays down an express distinction between the Law and the new order and condition of the Church. With the same view he had said a little before, (which is quoted by Mark, [Mar 9:13;] for the passages are quite similar,) “Behold, I send you Elijah the Prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord,” (Mal 4:5.) Again,

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple,” (Mal 3:1.)

In both passages, the Lord promises a better condition of his Church than had existed under the Law, and this unquestionably points out the beginning of the Gospel But before the Lord came to restore the Church, a forerunner or herald was to come, and announce that he was at hand. Hence we infer, that the abrogation of the Law, and the beginning of the Gospel, strictly speaking, took place when John began to preach.

The Evangelist John presents to us Christ clothed in flesh, “the Word made flesh,” (Joh 1:14;) so that his birth and the whole history of his appearance are included in the Gospel. But here Mark inquires, when the Gospel began to be published, and, therefore, properly begins with John, who was its first minister. And with this view the Heavenly Father chose that the life of his Son should be buried, as it were, in silence, until the time of the full revelation arrived. For it did not happen without the undoubted Providence of God, that the Evangelists leave out the whole period which Christ spent in private, and pass at once from his earliest infancy to his thirtieth year, when he was openly exhibited to the world, invested with his public character as a Redeemer; Luke excepted, who slightly touches one indication of his future calling, which occurred about his twelfth year, ( Luk 2:42 .)

It had a very close connection with this object, that we should be informed, first, that Christ is a true man, (Joh 1:14,) and next, that he is “ the Son of Abraham and of David, ” ( Mat 1:1 ;) as to both of which, the Lord has been pleased to give us an attestation. The other matters which we have examined, relating to “the shepherds, ” ( Luk 2:8 ,) the “Magi,” ( Mat 2:1 ,) and “Simeon,” ( Luk 2:25 ,) were intended to prove his Divinity. What Luke relates about John and his father Zacharias, ( Luk 1:5 ,) was a sort of preparation for the Gospel.

There is no impropriety in the change of the person which is here made, in quoting the words of Malachi. According to the prophet, God says, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way Before Me. Mark introduces God as addressing the Son, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way Before Thee. But we see that Mark had no other intention, than to express more clearly the prophet’s meaning. Mark designates Christ the Son of God The other Evangelists testify that he was born of the seed of Abraham and David, and therefore was the Son of man, ( Mat 8:20 .) But Mark shows us, that no redemption is to be expected but from the Son of God

Defender: Mar 1:1 - beginning of the gospel

Most evidence indicates that Mark was the first to write a life of Christ. His mother owned the house in Jerusalem where the early disciples gathered to pray (Act 12:12), quite likely the one where Christ instituted the Lord's supper (Luk 22:12; Act 1:13). Jesus was probably a close friend of Mark's family. This verse also indicates that the gospel witness began with John the Baptist."

TSK: Mar 1:1 - beginning // Christ // son

beginning : Luk 1:2, Luk 1:3, Luk 2:10,Luk 2:11; Act 1:1, Act 1:2

Christ : Joh 20:31; Rom 1:1-4; 1Jo 1:1-3, 1Jo 5:11, 1Jo 5:12

son : Psa 2:7; Mat 3:17, Mat 14:33, Mat 17:5; Luk 1:35; Joh 1:14, Joh 1:34, Joh 1:49, Joh 3:16, Joh 6:69; Rom 8:3, Rom 8:32; Heb 1:1, Heb 1:2

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Lightfoot: Mar 1:1 - The beginning of the gospel

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God:   

[The beginning of the gospel.] The preaching and baptism of John were the very gate and entrance into the state and dispensation of the gospel. For,  

I. He opened the door of a new church by a new sacrament of admission into the church.  

II. Pointing, as it were with the finger, at the Messias that was coming, he shewed the beginning of the world to come.  

III. In that manner as the Jews by baptism admitted Gentile proselytes into the Jewish church, he admits both Jews and Gentiles into the gospel church.  

IV. For the doctrine of justification by works, with which the schools of the scribes had defiled all religion, he brings in a new (and yet not a new) and truly saving doctrine of faith and repentance.

Haydock: Mar 1:1 - The beginning of the Gospel // Greek: Euaggelion

The beginning of the Gospel. The Greek word[1] and Latin derived from it, signifies the good news, or happy tidings about Christ's coming and doctrine. The word gospel is from the Saxon, God's spell, or good spell, i.e. God's word, or good speech. (Witham) ---

Some are of opinion that the termination of the first verse should be pointed with a simple comma, thus connecting it with the sequel; and the Greek text seems to favour this sentiment. According to the punctuation of the Vulgate, the first verse is merely the inscription or title.

===============================

[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Greek: Euaggelion, Evangelium, bonum nuncium.

====================

Gill: Mar 1:1 - The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ // the Son of God

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,.... Not that the Gospel first began to be preached at this time, for it was preached by Isaiah, and other prophets before; and long before that, was preached unto Abraham; yea, it was preached as early as the times of our first parents, in Eden's garden; and is indeed that mystery, which was hid in God before the creation of the world; and was ordained before that was, to the glory of the saints: but the sense is, that this narrative Mark was about to write, began with the ministry of John the Baptist, and of Christ; which was a Gospel one, and was the beginning of the Gospel dispensation, in distinction from the legal one: the law and the prophets were until John, and they ceased and ended in him; when the עולם הבא, "the world to come", the kingdom of God, or Gospel state, took place. The design of this evangelist, is not to give an account of the genealogy of Christ, of his conception and birth, of what befell him in his infancy, or of any actions and sayings of his from thence, to his appearance in Israel; but to give an account of his ministry and miracles, sufferings and death: which is introduced with the preaching and baptism of John his forerunner, and which he chiefly intends by "the beginning of the Gospel": he first points out Christ, who is the author and substance, as well as the great preacher of the Gospel; the sum of which is, that he is Jesus, the Saviour and Redeemer of lost sinners; the Christ, the Messiah, that was to come; the Mediator between God and man, the prophet that has declared the whole mind and will of God; the great high priest, who has offered himself a sacrifice for his people, made peace, procured pardon, brought in everlasting righteousness, and obtained eternal redemption, and now lives to make intercession for them; and King of saints, who reigns over them, protects and defends them, and is no other than

the Son of God; equal with his Father; of the same nature with him, possessed of the same perfections, and enjoying the same glory; and which is a grand article of the Gospel, and without which he could not be an able Saviour, nor the true Messiah. Mark begins his account of the Gospel, and which he calls the beginning of it, with the same article of the divine sonship of Christ, as the Apostle Paul began his ministry with, Act 9:20. Matthew began his Gospel with the humanity, Mark with the divinity of Christ: the one calls him the son of David, the other the Son of God, both true: Christ is the son of David according to his human nature, the Son of God according to his divine nature; so a testimony is bore to the truth of both his natures, which are united in one person.