THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK THE ARGUMENT That the author of this compendious history of the Gospel was none of the twelve apostles, is evident to any who will read over their names, Matt. 10:2–4, Mark 3:14–19.

The Gospel seems to have taken its name, ευαγγελιον, from the angel’s words to the shepherds, Luke 2:10, I bring you good tidings of great joy; for the word in the Greek signifies a good message, or good news or tidings.

The prophets Malachi and Isaiah (saith the evangelist) prophesied of this beginning of the gospel. Malachi prophesied that before the great King should come unto Zion, a harbinger should come before him, to prepare his way. The angel, Luke 1:17, expounds both their prophecies, and also that Mal.

Luke saith that John began about the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar. He baptized in the wilderness, that is, a place little inhabited. By his baptism is not to be strictly understood baptism, but his preaching and doctrine, his whole administration; which is called the baptism of repentance,…

See Poole on “Matt. 3:4”.

We had the same, with very little difference in the phrase in Matthew. See Poole on “Matt. 3:11”.

Christ, who, Luke 2:51, went with his parents to Nazareth, and was subject to them, after he had been disputing with the doctors in the temple, now goes from Nazareth, a city in Galilee, to that part of Galilee near Jordan, or rather to Bethabara, where John was baptizing, and was baptized: See…

Both Matthew and Luke relate the history of our Saviour’s temptations by the devil more fully. See Poole on “Matt. 4:1–2”. Mark saith immediately, but it is not to be taken strictly for the next moment, but after a day or two, as it should seem.

It should seem that John had but a short time wherein he exercised his public ministry: he was the son of a priest, Zacharias, Luke 1:13, and it is probable that he entered not upon his public ministry till he was thirty years of age (it was the priestly age, and the age at which Luke tells us our…

We heard of the call of these four apostles before, in Matthew. See Poole on “Matt. 4:18”, and following verses to Matt. 4:22, upon which may be found whatsoever is necessary for the explication of these verses, (having nothing new in them), as also the reconciling of what John saith, John 1:40,…

We heard before that the synagogues were much of the nature of our parish churches, places where people ordinarily met together on the sabbath days, to worship God by prayer, and reading the law and the prophets, and hearing the words of exhortation, from such as the rulers of the synagogues…

Luke reports the same passage, Luke 4:33–34; he saith, There was a man which had a spirit of an unclean devil. The devil is called an unclean spirit in opposition to the Spirit of God, which is the Holy Spirit.

It is both here and in many other places observable, that when the devils made a confession of Christ, yet neither Christ nor his apostles would ever take any notice of it. Truth is never advantaged from the confession of known liars, as the devil was from the beginning.

The Jews had exorcists amongst them, who sometimes cast out devils by some forms of invocation they had; but Christ commanded them out; he neither did it by any kind of entreaty from any compact with the devil, nor yet by any invocation of God, but by an authoritative command.

The fame of his miracles, rather than of his doctrine; by this means many were brought to him to be cured, many were brought also to hear him, some of whom believed, others were hardened.

See Poole on “Matt. 8:14–15”, where we met with this history. Our Saviour sometimes showed his power in diseases not accounted incurable. The miracle appeared, 1. In the cure of her without the use of any means. 2.

It was upon the sabbath day, (as appeareth from what went before), therefore the time is noted, at even, when the sun did set. Before that time, when the sabbath was determined, the Jews thought it unlawful to carry any burdens, but after sunset they judged it lawful.

Secret prayer stands commended to us, as by the precept of Christ, Matt. 6:6, so by his frequent example, to teach us that our duty in prayer is not discharged without it: we are to pray with all prayer and supplication.

Peter probably pitieth the multitude, because many amongst them needed Christ’s presence, for their bodily infirmities. Our Saviour knew their hearts better than Peter; and that which made them so much seek for him, was either in some a curiosity to see miracles wrought, or at best but a desire of…

We before had this piece of history, in Matthew, See Poole on “Matt. 8:2–4”, we shall also meet with it hereafter in Luke 5:14–15. Our Lord being moved with compassion, or affected in his bowels, (as the word signifies), is often used as expressive of the cause of his acts of mercy: thus in curing…