Markus 1:22

1:22 The people there ¹  were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, ²  not like the experts in the law. ³ 

Markus 1:27

1:27 They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.”

Markus 4:14-20

4:14 The sower sows the word. 4:15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: Whenever they hear, immediately Satan ⁴  comes and snatches the word ⁵  that was sown in them. 4:16 These are the ones sown on rocky ground: As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. 4:17 But ⁶  they have no root in themselves and do not endure. ⁷  Then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away. 4:18 Others are the ones sown among thorns: They are those who hear the word, 4:19 but ⁸  worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, ⁹  and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, ¹⁰  and it produces nothing. 4:20 But ¹¹  these are the ones sown on good soil: They hear the word and receive it and bear fruit, one thirty times as much, one sixty, and one a hundred.”

Markus 7:3

7:3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they perform a ritual washing, ¹²  holding fast to the tradition of the elders.

Markus 7:5

7:5 The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat ¹³  with unwashed hands?”

Markus 7:7-9

7:7 They worship me in vain,

teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.’ ¹⁴ 

7:8 Having no regard ¹⁵  for the command of God, you hold fast to human tradition.” ¹⁶  7:9 He also said to them, “You neatly reject the commandment of God in order to set up ¹⁷  your tradition.

Markus 7:13

7:13 Thus you nullify ¹⁸  the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like this.”

Markus 11:18

11:18 The chief priests and the experts in the law ¹⁹  heard it and they considered how they could assassinate ²⁰  him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed by his teaching.

Markus 12:14

12:14 When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality ²¹  but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ²²  Is it right ²³  to pay taxes ²⁴  to Caesar ²⁵  or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

[1:22]  ¹ tn Grk “They.”

[1:22]  ² sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.

[1:22]  ³ tn Or “the scribes.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.

[4:15]  ⁴ sn Interestingly, the synoptic parallels each use a different word for Satan here: Matt 13:19 has “the evil one,” while Luke 8:12 has “the devil.” This illustrates the fluidity of the gospel tradition in often using synonyms at the same point of the parallel tradition.

[4:15]  ⁵ sn The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person’s heart, something the devil is very much against.

[4:17]  ⁶ tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[4:17]  ⁷ tn Grk “are temporary.”

[4:19]  ⁸ tn Grk “and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[4:19]  ⁹ tn Grk “the deceitfulness of riches.” Cf. BDAG 99 s.v. ἀπάτη 1, “the seduction which comes from wealth.”

[4:19]  ¹⁰ sn That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.

[4:20]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[7:3]  ¹² tn Grk “except they wash the hands with a fist,” a ceremonial washing (though the actual method is uncertain).

[7:5]  ¹³ tn Grk “eat bread.”

[7:7]  ¹⁴ sn A quotation from Isa 29:13.

[7:8]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “Having left the command.”

[7:8]  ¹⁶ tc The majority of mss, mostly Byzantine ([A] ˹³ 33 Ï), have at the end of v. 8 material that seems to have come from v. 4 and v. 13: “the washing of pots and cups, and you do many other similar things.” A slight variation on the wording occurs at the very beginning of v. 8 in mostly Western witnesses (D Θ 0131^vid 28 565 it). Such floating texts are usually signs of scribal emendations. The fact that the earliest and most reliable mss, as well as other important witnesses (Ì⁴⁵ א B L W Δ 0274 ˹ 2427 co), lacked this material also strongly suggests that the longer reading is secondary.

[7:9]  ¹⁷ tc The translation here follows the reading στήσητε (sthshte, “set up”) found in D W Θ Ë¹ 28 565 2542 it sy^s,p Cyp. The majority of mss here read τηρήσητε (thrhsete; א A L ˹³ 33 Ï co) or τηρῆτε (thrhte; B 2427), both translated “keep.” It is hard to know which reading is best: On the one hand, τηρήσητε/τηρῆτε has much stronger external support, but στήσητε is a more difficult reading. What makes “keep” suspect is that it appears in two different forms, suggesting independent alterations of a difficult reading. Further, scribes may have been influenced by the preceding “commandment of God” to change the text toward “keep” (TCGNT 81), a common enough expression (cf. Matt 19:17; John 14:15; 1 Tim 6:1; 1 John 5:3; Rev 14:12). Thus, the more difficult reading is “set up.” Also, the more natural opposite of “reject” (ἀθεῖτε [aqeite], literally “you set aside”) is “set up.” However, the Western reading may have been influenced by Exod 6:4 or Heb 10:9, but this likelihood seems remote. Thus, “set up” is more likely to be the original wording of Mark here.

[7:13]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “nullifying.” This participle shows the results of the Pharisees’ command.

[11:18]  ¹⁹ tn Or “The chief priests and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[11:18]  ²⁰ tn Grk “how they could destroy him.”

[12:14]  ²¹ tn Grk “and it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”

[12:14]  ²² sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.

[12:14]  ²³ tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.

[12:14]  ²⁴ tn According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος (khnso") was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government.

[12:14]  sn This question concerning taxes was specifically designed to trap Jesus. If he answered yes, then his opponents could publicly discredit him as a sympathizer with Rome. If he answered no, then they could go to the Roman governor and accuse Jesus of rebellion.

[12:14]  ²⁵ tn Or “the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).