Mark 1:29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue,; As soon as they left...--Wms; Direct from the synagogue--Ber; they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew,; they went into the home of...--Beck; they went home with...--Wms; with James and John.; and James and John went with them--NEB; accompanied by James and John--Phi; And he went unto the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. And immediately, having come forth out of the synagogue, they went to the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John, DM108 - meta. Resultant meaning: (1) with the genitive: with TRNTyeager577 - kai euthus ek tAs sunagwgAs exelthontes Althon eis tAn oikian Simwnos kai Andreou meta IakwBou kai Iwannou, kai (continuative conjunction). euthus (adverbial). ek (preposition with the ablative of separation). tAs (abl.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with sunagwgAs). sunagwgAs (abl.sing.fem.of sunagwgA, separation). exelthontes (aor.part.nom.pl.masc.of exerchomai, adverbial, temporal). Althon (3d.per.pl.aor.dep.ind.of erchomai, constative). eis (preposition with the accusative of extent). tAn (acc.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with oikian). oikian (acc.sing.fem.of oikia, extent). Simwnos (gen.sing.masc.of Simwn, possession). kai (adjunctive conjunction, joining nouns). Andreou (gen.sing.masc.of Andrean, possession). meta (preposition with the genitive of accompaniment). Iakwbou (gen.sing.masc.of Iakwbon, accompaniment). kai (adjunctive conjunction, joining nouns). Iwannou (gen.sing.masc.of IwannA, accompaniment). Translation: "And immediately having walked out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew in company with James and John." COMMENT: Out of the synagogue where He had rescued a poor man from a demon, Jesus now went immediately (euthus) into the home of Simon and Andrew to rescue a woman from a different type of disease. James and John, the other brothers of His newly acquired disciples accompanied Him. There is nothing unusual about the grammar or syntax. All is perfectly regular. The ablative of separation, the accusative of extent and the genitive of accompaniment, with ek, eis and meta, may be followed by consulting #'s 19, 140 and 50 respectively. MARKwuest36 - "Simon" here is Peter. Peter was married, and Andrew, and Peter's mother-in-law lived with him. Jesus made His home with Peter when He was in Capernaum. MARKmcgarvey270 - They went immediately from the synagogue to the "house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John." If this house was in Bethsaida, the home of these brethren previous to their call (Jn.1:45), this village must have been a suburb of Capernaum; for below (vs.33) it is said that the whole city was gathered together at the door, and the only city mentioned in the context is Capernaum. (Vs.21). MARK-j&d47 - III. THE GREAT HEALER AT WORK. The day's work was not nearly ended. As soon as they left the synagogue, the Lord comes in contact with a case of suffering. Peter and Andrew now lived in Capernaum, though their former home had been at Bethsaida. NTChendriksen67,8 - From the synagogue the walk was directly to Simon's (=Peter's) house. So much is clear (cf. Mt.8:14; Lk.4:38). Peter was a married man, and his mother-in-law was living with them. Mark, however, speaks of "the house of Simon and Andrew." Evidently then, Simon's brother Andrew must also have been living in the same house. A difficulty arises, however, in connection with the subject of the sentence. Should it be "they" or "he"? We know that Jesus had attended the synagogue, had taught there, and had performed an astounding miracle (vs.21-28). May we not assume that Simon and Andrew, James and John, all of whom had just previously been called to become fishers of men (vs.16-20) and had entered Capernaum with Jesus, had also attended the services in Capernaum's synagogue? Now if that assumption is correct, then at first glance would it not seem that the word "they" in vs.29 refers to Jesus and these four disciples? However, a second look is necessary: the fact that they are said to have entered the house of Simon and Andrew "with James and John" makes this interpretation impossible. Among the solutions that have been offered the two that are probably the best are as follows: a. Mark, being Peter's interpreter, is reproducing almost literally (with change from the first to the third person) what he had heard Peter say in a sermon or discourse. Peter had spoken somewhat as follows, "And immediately we [meaning Jesus, I myself and Andrew] left the synagogue, and with James and John went (to my) home." If this be the correct solution Mark's "they" would refer to Jesus, Simon, and Andrew. b. Instead of "they" the variant reading "he," which has considerable manuscript support, should be adopted. That "he" refers to Jesus. it is he who, taking James and John with him, enters the home of Simon and Andrew. Mark 1:30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever,; And the mother- in-law of Simon was lying sick with fever--ABUV; And Simon's mother-in-law was confined to her bed with a fever--Wms; and anon they tell him of her.; and straightway...--ASV; and immediately they told him of her--RSV; They told him about her at once--NEB; Now /the mother-in-law of Simon\ was lying in a fever, and /straightway\ they speak to him concerning her; and the mother-in-law of Simon was lying fevered, and immediately they tell him about her, TRNTyeager577,8 - hA de penthera Simwnos katekeito puressousa, kai euthus legousin autw peri autAs. hA (nom.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with penthera). de (adversative conjunction). penthera (nom.sing.fem.of penthera, subject of katakeimai). Simwnos (gen.sing.masc.of Simwn, relationship). katekeito (3d.per.sing.imp.pass.ind.of katakeimai, progressive description). lie - Mk.1:30; 2:4; Lk.5:25; Jn.5:3,6; Acts 28:8. sit at meat - Mk.2:15; 14:3; I Cor.8:10; Lk.7:37. sit down - Lk.5:29. keep - Acts 9:33. Meaning: A combination of kata and keimai. Hence, to recline; to lie or be laid down. With reference to those who are ill and confined to a bed as a result - Mk.1:30; 2:4; Lk.5:25; Jn.5:3,6; Acts 28:8; 9:33. The verb is used to describe the position at a table of those who are dining - Mk.2:15; 14:3; I Cor.8:10; Lk.5:29; 7:37. puressousa (pres.act.part.nom.sing.fem.of puressw, adverbial, causal). kai (inferential conjunction). euthus (adverbail). legousin (3d.per.pl.pres.act.ind.of legw, historical). autw (dat.sing.masc.of autos, indirect object of legousin). peri (preposition with the genitive of reference). autAs (gen.sing.fem.of autos, reference). translation: "But the mother-in-law of Simon was in bed with a recurrent fever. Therefore immediately they told Him about her." COMMENT: katekeito puressousa is used like an imperfect periphrastic - the imperfect of katakeimai with the present participle. Stricken with intermittent fever, which rose and fell periodically, she was confined to her bed. This is a continuous condition of illness, a situation described by the durative nature of the imperfect periphrastic. It is therefore possible to take kai as inferential. Note that Mark uses the historical present in legousin. It would be natural for Simon to ask his wife about her mother and for his wife to tell Jesus about it as soon as He entered the house. Luke uses erwtaw, a stronger word than legw. Note that Matthew uses ballw. Note the genitive of reference with peri. The disciples had seen enough of Jesus' power and His willingness to use it to justify their expectations that He would heal the sick woman. Their hopes were not in vain as we see in vs.31. BW80 - Historical Present. For the sake of vividness or dramatic effect a writer sometimes imagines that he and/or his readers are present and are witnessing a past event. "They spoke to him about her." Ear112 - Fever. "Sick of a fever" (KJV) is all one word in the Greek, the participle puressousa. The verb puressw (only here and Mt.8:14) comes from the noun pur, which means "fire." A fever burns like a fire in our bodies. The noun puretos ("fever," v.31) is found also in Mt.8:15; Lk.4:38-39; Jn.4:52; Acts 28:8. It suggests a state of fiery burning. MARKwuest36 - "Lay" is katakeimai, "to have lain down, to lie prostrate." It was used colloquially of the sick, "down sick." The papyri give us, "the blows caused me to be laid up with sickness," and "she is laid up." The verb is in the imperfect tense, speaking of continuous action or state in past time. She had been sick for some time. "Of a fever," puressw "to be sick with a fever." The noun form is the Greek word for fire. The word is a present tense participle. She was burning up with a fever. It is interesting to note in passing that Thayer says that the Greek word for fire, pur, is derived from the Sanskrit word pu, which means "to purify." The whole expression could be translated, "lay prostrate, burning with fever." Matthew says "Stretched out with a fever," and Luke uses a medical term, "holden with a great fever." Luke speaks of Jesus standing over her like a doctor. Translation: "And Simon's mother-in-law had been down for some time, burning up with fever. And immediately they speak to Him concerning her." MARK-j&d47 - Peter, though the Romanists claim him as the first of the Popes, was a married man. Many years after this, Paul (I Cor.9:3) speaks of Peter as then having a wife and traveling with him. ... Malarious fevers of a malignant type are common in the vicinity of Capernaum. In the very imperfect medical language of that day, fevers were simply divided into little and great fevers. Luke, who was a physician, characterizes this as a "great fever." That she was entirely prostrated by it, is evident by the language here, "laid and sick of a fever."--Abbott. The quantity of marshy land in the neighborhood, especially at the entrance of the Jordan into the lake, has made fever of a very malignant type at times the characteristic of the locality.--Geikie. NTC-MARKhendriksen68,9 - "..." While Matthew and Mark report that the mother of Peter's wife was "laid up with fever" or "lying sick with fever," Luke, who was himself a physician (Col.4:14), tells us that she was "in the grip of a high fever," or "was suffering from a severe attack of fever." Without delay Jesus was informed about the situation, either on reaching the home or even before. Not only did the disciples--no doubt especially Peter and Andrew--tell Jesus about her, but, as Luke mentions, they asked him to help her. TCGTC-MARKcranfield82 - puressousa. Luke takes it to have been 'a high fever', according to the ancient distinction between megas and mikros puretos. Mark 1:31 And he came and took her by the hand,; He came forward, took her...--NEB; So He went to her, and taking her hand--Wey; whereupon he went close and took her by the hand--Knox; and lifted her up;; and raised her up--ASV; and helped her to her feet--NEB; and immediately the fever left her,; and the fever left her--ASV; and she ministered unto them.; and she began to wait on them--Rieu; ...to see to their needs--Phi; and, coming near, he raised her up, grasping her hand,--and the fever left her, and she began ministering unto them. and having come near, he raised her up, having laid hold of her hand, and the fever left her immediately, and she was ministering to them. TRNTyeager579 - kai proselthwn Ageiren autAn kratAsas tAs cheiros, kai aphAken autAn ho puretos, kai diAkonei autois. kai (inferential conjunction). proselthwn (aor.dep.part.nom.sing.masc.of proserchomai, adverbial, temporal). Ageiren (3d.per.sing.imp.act.ind.of egeirw, inceptive). autAn (acc.sing.fem.of autos, direct object of Ageiren). kratAsas (aor.act.part.nom.sing.masc.of kratew, adverbial, temporal). tAs (gen.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with cheiros). cheiros (gen.sing.fem.of cheir, objective genitive). kai (inferential conjunction). aphAken (3d.per.sing.aor.act.ind.of aphiAmi, constative). autAn (acc.sing.fem.of autos, direct object of aphAken). ho (nom.sing.masc.of the article in agreement with puretos). puretos (nom.sing.masc.of puretos, subject of aphAken). kai (continuative conjunction). diAkonei (3d.per.sing.imp.act.ind.of diakonew, inceptive). autois (dat.pl.masc.of autos, personal advantage). Translation: "Therefore He approached the bed, grasped her hand and began to raise her up and the fever left her and she began to wait upon them." COMMENT: Cf. Mt.8:15; Lk.4:39. Matthew uses hAphato and Mark uses kratAsas. Luke tells us that He commanded the fever to subside. Note the objective genitive in kratAsas tAs cheiros. Review this construction in TRNT, I, xlii, (6), (b). T67 - DiAkonei is used as an iterative imperfect, meaning "began to wait on them." Ear113 - Ministered Unto. When Simon's mother-in-law was healed of her fever, she "ministered unto" Jesus and His disciples. The verb is diakonew, the earliest meaning of which was "wait on someone at table" (AG). The verb here is in the imperfect (probably inchoative). So the best translation would be "began to wait on them." They had just come home from the synagogue service (v.29). Instead of dinner being ready, Peter's mother-in-law was sick. When healed, she proceeded to help serve the meal. MARKwuest36,7 - "He came" is proselthwn, the prefixed preposition meaning "facing." The Great Physician came to her couch and faced her. Luke, the Greek doctor says, "And He stood over her" (Lk.4:39) as a physician would do. "..." The Greek order is, "He lifted her up, having taken hold of her hand." "..." The word "immediately" is not in the best texts. However, there was an instant recovery and no convalescence, for Luke tells us that she immediately began to minister to those assembled in the house. "..." "Ministered" is diakonew "to be a servant, a domestic, to wait upon, to serve." It is the word Martha uses when she informs the Lord that Mary has let her down, leaving her to serve alone. The cure must have been instantaneous, to make it possible for Peter's mother-in-law to cook a meal for the Lord and themen He nad with Him. The verb is in the imperfect tense, showing progressive action. She went to serving them. it took some time to prepare the meal. Translation: "And having come, He lifted her up, having taken hold of her hand. And the fever left her, and she went to serving them." MARK-j&d47,8 - "He came." Observe all the graphic touches in this verse: the Lord (1) went to the sufferer, (2) took her by the hand, (3) lifted her up, and (4) the fever, rebuked by the Lord of life (Lk.4:39), left her and (5) she began to minister unto them. MARKbarclay28,29,30 - In the Synagogue Jesus had spoken and had acted in the most amazing way. The Synagogue service ended and Jesus went with His friends to Peter's house. According to Jewish custom the main Sabbath meal came immediately after the Synagogue service, at the sixth hour that is at 12 o'clock midday. (The Jewish day began at 6 a.m. and the hours are counted from then.) It might well have been that Jesus might have claimed the right to rest after the exciting and exhausting experience that the Synagogue service had brought to Him; but once again His power was appealed to and once again He had to spend Himself for others. This miracle tells us something about three people. (i) It tells us something about Jesus. He did not require an audience to exert His power; He was just as prepared to heal in the little circle of a cottage as in the great crowd of a Synagogue. He was never too tired to help; the need of others took precedence over His own desire for rest. But above all, we see here, as we saw in the Synagogue, the uniqueness of the methods of Jesus. There were man exorcists in the time of Jesus, but they worked with elaborate incantations, and formulae, and spells, and magical apparatus. In the synagogue Jesus had spoken one authoritative sentence and the healing was complete. Here we have the same thing again. Peter's mother-in-law was suffering from what the Talmud called "a burning fever." It was, and still is, very prevalent in that particular part of Galilee. The Talmud actually lays down the methods of dealing with it. A knife wholly made of iron was tied by a braid of hair to a thorn bush. On successive days there was repeated, first, Ex.3:2,3; second, Ex.3:4; and finally Ex.3:5. Then a certain magical formula was pronounced, and thus the cure was supposed to be achieved. Jesus completely disregarded all the paraphernalia of popular magic, and with a gesture and a word of unique authority and power, He helaed the woman. The word that the Greek uses for authority in the previous passage is exousia; and exousia was defined as unique knowledge together with unique power; that is precisely what Jesus possessed, and that is what He was prepared to exercise in a cottage. Paul Tournier, the Christian doctor, writes, "My patients very often say to me, 'Iadmire the patience with which you listen to everything I tell you.' It is not patience at all, but interest." A miracle to Jesus was not a means of increasing His prestige; to help was not a laborious and disagreeable duty; He helped instinctively, because He was supremely interested in all who needed His help. (ii) It tells us something about the disciples. They had not known Jesus long, but even in that short acquaintanceship they had begun to take all their troubles to Him. Peter's mother-in-law was ill; the simple home was upset; and it was for the disciples already the most natural thing in the world to tell Jesus all about it. Paul Tournier tells how one of life's greatest discoveries came to him. He used to visit an old Christian pastor, who never let him go without praying with him. He was struck by the extreme simplicity of the old man's prayers. It seemed just a continuation of an intimate conversation that the old saint was always carrying on with Jesus. Paul Tournier goes on, "When I got back home I talked it over with my wife, and together we asked God to give us also the close fellowship with jesus the old pastor had. Since then He has been the centre of my devotion and my travelling companion. He takes pleasure in what I do (cp. Eccl.9:7), and concerns Himself with it. He is a friend with whom I can discuss everything that happens in my life. He shares my joy and my pain, my hopes and fears. He is there when a patient speaks to me from his heart, listening to him with me and better than I can. And when the patient is gone i can talk to Him about it." Therein there lies the very essence of the Christian life. As the hymn has it, "Take it to the Lord in prayer." Thus early the disciples had learned that which became the habit of a lifetime--to take all their troubles to Jesus and to ask His help for them. (iii) It tells us something about Peter's wife's mother. No sooner was she healed than she began to attend to their needs. She used her recovered health for renewed service. There is a great Scottish family which has the motto "Saved to Serve." Jesus helps us that we may help others. NTC-MARKhendriksen69 - It is very interesting to note how the different evangelists individually describe just what Jesus did. Matthew characteristically (8:3, 15; 9:29; 17:7; 20:34) states that Jesus "touched" the woman's hand. What a tender touch it was, and how powerful! ... Mark, very graphically, having often listened to Peter as the latter with unrestrained emotion had described what happened, says, "He took her by the hand and lifted her up." Dr. Luke mentions what must have struck him especially, namely, that the position in which Jesus, the Great Physician, was standing was exactly that of the typical doctor: "So he stood over her...."Had Luke himself done this many times while attending patients? Luke adds, "and rebuked the fever." Jesus bade the fever leave her. Fever, winds, waves, it made no difference to Jesus. He exercised complete control over them all. So here he speaks to the fever as he was going to speak to the wild winds and the boisterous billows, in the original using the same verb in each case (cf. Lk.4:39 with 8:24). Result: "The fever left her and she began to wait on them." Jesus had already lifted her up. But now of a sudden "the fever left her," as all three evangelists state. Moreover, she did not even say, "I'm rid of the fever, but completely exhausted." Nothing of the kind. On the contrary, one moment, just before Jesus had taken her by the hand and had rebuked the fever, there were still those flushed cheeks, that burning hot skin, profuse sweating, dryness in the throat--or else, depending on the kind of fever, there may have been violent shivering--; the next moment (see Lk.4:39, "at once she got up...") every fever symptom had vanished completely. Not only was the woman's temperature normal but such a surge of new strength was coursing through her entire being that she herself insisted on getting up. In fact, she actually got up and started to perform the duties of a busy hostess. She began to wait on all those present: Jesus, Peter, Andrew, James, John, and perhaps even on her daughter if she too was present, as is probable. Or, "mother" may have been ably assisting "daughter" in performing this act of hospitality. So quickly did the news of the demon-expulsion (vs.23- 26) and of the victory over a terrible attack of fever (vs.29-31) spread that people from all around regained hope of recovery for their dear ones. TCGTC-MARKcranfield82,3,4,5,6 - tAs cheiros. Partitive genitive, as is usual after verbs of touching. Cf. 5:41; 9:27. As this is Mark's first account of a healing miracle, it will be well to say something at this point about Jesus' miracles in general. They may be divided into four classes: exorcisms, healing miracles, raisings of the dead, nature miracles. About the first of these we have already said something (1:23-8). The importance of the miracles for Mark is indicated by the fact that 47 per cent of the verses of the first ten chapters deal directly or indirectly with them. In the Synoptists they are characteristically referred to both in narrative and on the lips of Jesus as dunameis (e.g. 6:2,5; Mt.11:20,21,23). These 'mighty works' reflect the might of him who is mightier' (ischuroteros) than John the Baptist (1:7). His exorcisms are evidence that he is 'stronger' (ischuroteros, Lk.11:22) than the strong one Satan (3:27 = Mt.12:29 = Lk.11:21f.). The disciples on the way to Emmaus speak of him as having been 'a prophet mighty (dunatos) in deed and word...' (Lk.24:19). According to Jesus himself his miracles are the activity of God, wrought by God's Spirit or 'finger', and the manifestation of God's kingdom (Mt.12:28=Lk.9:20). They are inspired by God's Spirit (Lk.4:18f), the fulfilment of OT eschatological prophecies (Lk.4:18; Mt.11:4f=Lk.7:22: cf. Isa.29:18f; 35:5f; 61:1) and evidence that Jesus is the promised Coming One (Mt.11:2-6=Lk.7:18-23). They signify that Satan has been bound (3:27): those whom Satan has kept bound are being loosed (Lk.13:16--which indicates that, while all disease is not demon-possession, it is all Satan's work). In the case of one miracle at least Jesus expressly indicates that his motive is compassion (8:2); he also indicates that his miracles are the expression of God's own pity (5:19). At the same time the miracles are not compelling proofs. The cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum do not repent (Mt.11:20-24=Lk.10:13-15), and even the disciples can misunderstand them (6:52). Their true significance is recognizable only by faith. They are, as it were, chinks in the curtain of the Son of God's hiddenness. The light let through the chinks is real light (the miracles do reveal, they are an effective manifestation of Christ's glory for those who believe (cf. Jn.2:11), and failure to discern their meaning and to respond to the summons to repentance which they constitute is without excuse (Mt.11:20-24=Lk. 10:13-15); but the light is not so direct as to be compelling. There are several reasons why it is not. For one thing, the amazement which the miracles cause is offset by the apparent weakness and unimpressiveness of him who works them(e.g. 6:1-6a). For another, other people were credited with miracles. Jesus himself refers to Jewish exorcisms (Mt.12:27=Lk.11:19) and reckons with false messiahs and false prophets working miracles in the future (13:22). The OT records numerous miracles and even attributes miracles to heathen magicians (Ex.7:11, etc.), and in the contemporary Gentile world people certainly were credulous about miracles (the healings attributed to Vespasian a little later are well known). Moreover, there are striking external similarities between many of Jesus' healing miracles and those attributed to others (those in the case of the exorcisms have already been mentioned): for example, his use of material means such as spittle (7:33; 8:23) and his touching the sufferer. Thus other explanations lay close to hand besides that of faith: another prophet, another Rabbi, or even just another wonder-worker. Again, the amazing authority manifest in miracles wrought by a word only was strangely offset by other occasions when Jesus apparently effected a cure only gradually and with difficulty (7:31ff; 8:22ff). And even the things which were specially characteristic of Jesus' miracles were not the sort of things to render them compelling proofs for unbelievers: his dependence on God (e.g. 6:41; 7:34 (cf. Jn.5:36; 10:32; 14:10): in this cf. OT miracles--e.g. I Kings 17:20-22; 18:36f); his valuing preaching above miracle (1:37f); his effort to conceal his miracles (e.g. 1:44); his demand for faith--a faith which is no mere openness to suggestion, but involves a real decision with regard to his person (e.g. 2:5; 4:40; 5:34,36; 9:23f, 10:52). So the miracles are not inconsistent with the general veiledness or indirectness of God's self-disclosure in Jesus, nor is there any real incosistency between Jesus' appeal to his miracles in Mt.11:4-6 and his refusal to give a compelling proof in Mk.8:11f. About the significance of the miracles a further point may be made. For the evangelists and the tradition behind them the miracles are not only signs of the kingdom of God in the sense that the fact of their occurrence is evidence of its presence; they are also signs of it in the sense that they are eloquent symbols of it, picturing it forth. So, for instance, the healing miracles are signs of the forgiveness of sins, not only because, there being a real connection between sin and disease, the release from disease is a pledge of divine forgiveness (2:1ff), but also because they are pictures of forgiveness and salvation, there being not only a connection but also a resemblance between sin and disease. That this way of thinking about the miracles is present in the Fourth Gospel is clear; it is also present already in the Synoptists (see esp. on 7:31-37; 8:22-26; and also 4:35-41; 6:45-51; etc.). But this symbolic significance was always something additional and secondary. To suggest that the evangelists thought of the miracles as 'symbolical acts' conveying 'in a dramatizefd form essential Christological teaching' and to belittle their significance as the response of Christ's compassion to particular concrete need is to give a seriously wrong impression. But did the miracles really happen? It would be fairly widely agreed today that to reject them out of hand as simply impossible would be too rigid and doctrinaire to be truly scientific. 'The so-called "laws"', says Taylor, 'summarize what is observable in the world of nature under normal conditions...they do not preclude the emergence of unusual phenomena, granted the presence of a sufficient cause...' If, then, we believe that God was present and active in Jesus in a unique way, we certainly shall not assume from the start that the answer must be 'No'. As far as the healing miracles are concerned it is not so very difficult for the modern man to answer 'Yes'. For one thing, the fact that modern partial parallels have been well quthenticated enables us to approach them with a more open mind. The third and fourth classes are more difficult. Here two serious theological objections are raised: (i) Would not such signal demonstrations of supernatural power be compelling proofs of the sort Jesus refused to give? But since both raisings of the dead and nature miracles were attributed to OT figures, these things could not be to Jews of the first century compelling proofs of divinity, but at the most proofs of prophetic status. With regard to the other closely related objection: (ii) Do not the nature miracles call the full reality of the Incarnation in question and involve a docetic Christology? the following points, though not as they stand an adequate reply, should be taken into consideration: (i) If the historicity of any OT nature miracles be granted, then those of Jesus do not lift him above human conditions; (ii) jesus is represented as working these miracles for the sake of other people out of compassion, and resolutely refusing to work miracles in order to make the fulfilment of his own mission any less costly (e.g. contrast Mk.8:2 with Mt.4:4); (iii) the possibility of the temptation to work miracles for selfish ends actually aggravated rather than eased the difficulty of his way. Mark 1:32 And at even, when the sun did set,; That evening, at sundown-- RSV; ...after sunset...--NEB; When the evening came, as the sun was setting [based on a variant reading.]--Phi; they brought unto him all that were diseased,; ...sick--ASV; people came and brought to him all the sick--Mon; they kept bringing to him all who were sick--Phi; and them that were possessed with devils.; and those who were demon-possessed-- NASB; and those under the power of demons--Amp; and the demoniacs--ABUV; And they were bearing unto him all' who were sick, and them who were demonized; And evening having come, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all who were ill, and who were demoniacs, TRNTyeager579,80 - ophias de genomenAs, hote edu ho hAlios, epheron pros auton pantas tous kakws echontas kai tous daimonizomenous. ophias (gen.sing.fem.of ophios, genitive absolute). de (explantory conjunction). genomenAs (aor.act.part.gen.sing.fem.of ginomai, genitive absolute). hote (conjunction introducing a subordinate temporal clause). edu (3d.per.sing.2d.aor.ind.of dunw, culminative). be setting - Lk.4:40. set - Mk.1:32. Meaning: To go under; to plunge. Often of the setting of the sun as in both uses in the NT. ho (nom.sing.masc.of the article in agreement with hAlios). hAlios (nom.sing.masc.of halios, subject of edu). epheron (3d.per.pl.imp.act.ind.of pherw, conative). pros (preposition with the accusative of extent). auton (acc.sing.masc.of autos, extent). pantas (acc.pl.masc.of pas, in agreement with echontas). tous (acc.pl.masc.of the article in agreement with exhontas). kakws (adverbail). echontas (pres.act.part.acc.pl.masc.of echw, substantival, direct object of epheron). kai (adjunctive conjunction, joining participles). tous (acc.pl.masc.of the article in agreement with daimonizomenous). daimonizomenous (pres.pass.part.acc.pl.masc.of daimonizw, substantival, direct object of epheron). Translation: "And as darkness fell, when the sun began to set, they began to bring to Him all those who were ill and those who were demon-possessed." COMMENT: Cf.Mt.4:16; Lk.4:40. The aorists, both in the genitive absolute genomenAs and in edu can be taken either as ingressive or culminative - if the former "as evening began to fall and the sun began to set" or, if the latter "evening having fallen and the sun having gone down..." The point is not important. epheron is definitely ingressive. They began to bring to Jesus all those who needed His healing touch. We are not told who did the bringing - the four disciples, Peter's wife, her mother, or the people of the town? It was a dramatic scene as people scurried away in search of their friends and neighbors who were afflicted in any way. The demoniacs probably added excitement to the scene. thus we see the evidence of the spread of His fame as revealed in Mk.1:28; Lk.4:37; Mt.4:24a. The people did not stop to quibble about theological questions. It didf not much matter at that point who this man was or what His relation to Israel's future or to the future of the world might be. He had the power and willingness to heal those who were sick. The practical thing to do was to get those who needed him to His side with all possible speed. Here was One who could help the sick. Their faith was translated into action and they got results. This was no neighborhood event or block party as we learn in vs.33. Ear113 - Devils. In vs.32 we find daimonizomenous, which means "demon-possessed." In vs.34 the word daimonia occurs twice. It does not mean "devils" (KJV) but "demons" (RSV, NASB, NIV). There is only one "devil" (Greek diabolos), but there are many demons. We should always be careful to make the distinction. MARKwuest37,8 - "..." "And evening having come." But the phrase would be somewhat indefinite without the qualifying words "when the sun did set." "Did set" is dunw "to go under, to be plunged into, sink in," as into the sea. It was the Sabbath that day, as shown by the fact that the synagogue meeting was being held. The Sabbath closed at sunset, and so the people were at liberty to bring their sick ones. "..." "Brought" is pherw, "to carry some burden, to move by bearing." The verb is imperfect, speaking of continuous action. They were carrying the sick in a steady stream to Jesus. One marvels at the number of sick people who were brought to our Lord at this place. H.V.Morton, in his excellent volume, In the Steps of The Master has an interesting bit of information for us on this point. He speaks of hot mineral waters containing curative properties, that were the center of the most famous spa in the country. This was located at the city of Tiberius which was ten miles from Capernaum. He says that in the time of our Lord these baths attracted the sick from every part of the country. And so it was that in the midst of a great health resort country, the Great Physician ministered to the ailments of multitudes. "All that were diseased" is literally "All those who were having ailments." The demonized were brought because of the news of the casting out of the demon in the synagogue. Translation: "And evening having comer, when the sun had gone down, they kept on carrying in a constant procession to Him all those having ailments, MARKmcgarvey270 - It was the Sabbath-day; for the company in Simon's house had come immediately from the synagogue when the assembly had adjourned. (Vs.29.) The healing of Simon's mother-in-law, the first cure of the kind effected in Capernaum, was the signal for a general rush of the people to secure the healing of their sick. But the traditional interpretation of the Sabbath law, which prohibited the bearing of burdens on the Sabbath-day (Jn.5:10), restrained them until after sunset, when, the Sabbath being over, they were at liberty to engage in any kind of labor. That was a night of joy in the city. Jesus was bestowing his blessings on them, and had as yet said little or nothing to them in regard to their sins. They were now like the seed that fell on the stony ground. MARK-j&d48 - ...i.e., the close of the sabbath, which, amongst the Jews, ended with the setting sun. There are two reasons why the time should be thus specified. (1) It was natural that the sick should be brought in the cool of the evening, rather than in the scorching heat of the afternoon. (2) It was the sabbath, and the feeling which made the Pharisees question the lawfulness of a man's carrying the bed on which he had been lying (Jn.5:10) on the sabbath, would probably have deterred the friends of the sick from bringing them as long as it lasted. ... The news that he was in the city, and of his healing power had not time to spread. ... The term "diseased" in its current modern acceptation, is perhaps a trifle too strong to represent the import of the original expression; but when looked at etymologically, dis-eased, that is sundered from ease, or ill at ease, and thus unwell, it is all that could be desired. ... With demons or evil spirits. It is no doubt a correct enough description; but the word "devil" or "devils" is never used in the original, when demoniacs are spoken of. It is always the word "demon" or "demons," or the generic term "spirit" or "spirits." NTC-MARKhendriksen69,70 - Matthew has "when evening had come" (8:16); Luke, "when the sun was setting" (4:40). Mark has the genitive absolute, literally "evening having come," or, according to the modern idiom "that evening." He adds "after sunset," literally "when the sun did set." According to the Hebrew way of speaking there were two evenings (see Ex.12:6 in the original). The first began at 3 P.M., the second at 6 P.M. So when Mark writes "that evening" and immediately adds "after sunset" we know that the people waited until the end of the sabbath before they "were bringing to him all that were afflicted..." or "were sick"; literally "all that had (it) badly." To this is immediately added "and the demon-possessed," clearly showing that a distinction is being made between a. sick people who were not demon-possessed, and b. demon-possessed individuals who may or may not have been physically ill. ... That ever so many persons came, or were brought, to Jesus is clear from vs.33. Mark 1:33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.; And the whole city...about the door--RSV; and the whole town was there, gathered at...--NEB; so that the whole city stood crowding there at...--Knox; and all' the city was gathered unto the door; and the whole city was gathered together near the door, M53 - The preposition pros may have a pregnant sense, seemingly combining linear motion with punctiliar rest on arrival, "toward" (although it is questionable whether this can be distinguished Mark 11:4 or 13;29 with epi thurais). TRNTyeager580,1 - kai An holA hA polis episunAgmenA pros tAn thuran. kai (continuative conjunction). An (3d.per.sing.imp.ind.of eimi, pluperfect periphrastic). holA (nom.sing.fem.of holos, in agreement with polis). hA (nom.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with polis). polis (nom.sing.fem.of polis, subject of An). episunAgmenA (perf.pass.part.nom.sing.fem.of episunagw, pluperfect periphrastic). pros (preposition with the accusative of extent). tAn (acc.sing.fem.of the article in agreement with thuran). thuran (acc.sing.fem.of thura, extent). Translation: "Now the entire city had been gathered together near the door." COMMENT: In view of the pluperfect periphrastic An...episunAgmenA...it seems proper to interpret kai as explanatory. Note the use of holA rather than pas which seems to emphasize that everyone in Capernaum was there, having been congregated earlier. Each one was pressing to get nearer the house, if not inside, the better to see and hear what Jesus was saying and doing. Those who were being brought for healing were struggling to get in. Others were only curious onlookers. Simon's house was the center of attention that evening because of his Divine Guest. Note #243 for other examples of polis in personification. mark alone gives us the information of this verse. MARKwuest38 - "Gathered together" is from episunagw, agw "to go," sun, "with," and epi "upon," literally, "to go with others and settle down together in a group." The participle is in the perfect tense, speaking of a past completed action having finished results. The people had brought their sick to the door of Simon's house, and had seataed themselves, waiting for the new Teacher to heal those who were ill. They were there to stay until their mission was accomplished. Translation: "and all the city was gathered together, seated, and facing the door." MARK-j&d48 - "All the city." The effect was to rouse and gather the entire population of the city, to obtain healing for themselves or friends, or at least to see and hear the new teacher. "At the door," of Peter's house where Jesus was. NTC-MARKhendriksen70 - One might say: Peter's house was mobbed. "The whole town" refers, of course, to Capernaum (vs.21). That the miltitude of the sick and the demoniacs, together with those who brought or accompanied those in need of help, was indeed huge is stressed also by Matthew (8:16) and Luke (4:40). Mark 1:34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases,; ...who were sick with various diseases--RSV; ...that were afflicted with diseases of every sort--Knox; and cast out many devils; ...demons--ASV; In many cases he expelled evil spirits--Phi; and suffered not the devils to speak,; and he would not permit the demons...--RSV; but he would not allow them to say a word--Phi; because they knew him. because they knew who He was--NASB; because they recognized him--Knox; because they knew that he was Christ--Gspd; and he cured many' that were sick with divers' diseases, and /many demons\ he cast out, and suffered not the demons to be talking,--because they knew him [to be Christ]. and he healed many who were ill of manifold diseases, and many demons he cast forth, and was not suffering the demons to speak, because they knew him. TRNTyeager581,2 - kai etherapeusen pollous kakws echontas poikilais nosois, kai daimonia polla exebalen, kai ouk Aphien lalein ta daimonia, hoti Adeisan auton. kai (continuative conjunction). etherapeusen (3d.per.sing.aor.act.ind.of therapeuw, constative). pollous (acc.pl.masc.of polus, in agreement with echontas). kakws (adverbial). echontas (pres.act.part.acc.pl.masc.of echw, direct object of etherapeusen). poikilais (loc.pl.fem.of poikilos, in agreement with nosois). nosois (loc.pl.fem.of nosos, sphere). kai (continuative conjunction). daimonia (acc.pl.neut.of daimonion, direct object of exebalen). polla (acc.pl.neut.of polus, in agreement with daimonia). exebalen (3d.per.sing.aor.act.ind.of ekballw, constative). kai (adversative conjunction). ouk (negative conjunction with the indicative). Aphien (3d.per.sing.imp.act.ind.of aphiAmi, progressive duration). lalein (pres.act.inf.of lalew, complementary). to (acc.pl.neut.of the article in agreement with daimonia). daimonia (acc.pl.neut.of daimonion, direct object of Aphien). hoti (conjunction introducing a subordinate causal clause). Adeisan (3d.per.pl.plueperfect act.ind.of horaw). auton (acc.sing.masc.of autos, direct object of Adeisan). Translation: "And He healed many who were stricken with various diseases, and He cast out many demons, but He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they had known Him." COMMENT: Cf.Mt.8:16; Lk.4:41. The best manuscript evidence omits Christon einai. "It is clear that Mark terminated the sentence with auton, and that copyists made various additions, derived probably from the parallel in Lk.4:41 (hoti Adeisan ton Christon auton einai). If any one of the longer readings had been original in Mark, there is no reason why it should have been altered or eliminated entirely" (Metzger, A Textual Commentary of the Greek New Testament, 75). Note the pluperfect in Adeisan. The demons had known for a long time that the Son of God would become incarnate for purposes of redemption and the promotion, through regeneration of the Kingdom of God on earth. our Lord was a general practicioner as well as a specialist. He healed everyone, without regard to the nature of their malady, and continued to demonstrate his superiority over the demon world. his power cast them out; His authority forbade them to speak. The hoti clause tells us why the demons were not permitted to speak. They knew that He was the Messiah. Jesus had had dealings with the demon world before. M72 - With the compound verbs in vss. 34 and 42, there seems to be very little distinction between ek and apo. BW161 - Clauses Introduced by Subordinating Conjunctions. The subordinating conjunctions which are used to introduce clauses in the predicate are hina, hoti, and hopws. In the predicate these clauses indicate cause, purpose, and result. ... Clauses Introduced by hoti. ... This conjunction is used often to introduce causal clauses (here). MARKwuest38 - "..." In Matthew's account, all are said to have been healed. "Divers" is from poikilos "variegated." "Suffered" is from aphiAmi "to permit," imperfect in tense, speaking of continuous action. It was a continuous refusal. The demons clamored to be heard. Translation: "And He healed many who were afflicted with various kinds of diseases, and demons, many of them, He ejected, and He kept on refusing the demons permission to be speaking, because they knew Him." MARK-j&d48 - ... Jesus came as the great Healer. Disease is the result, the outgrowth, the representative, of sin; and Christ's healing of the maladies of the body is an exhibition of his power and willingness to heal the maladies of the soul.--Dean Howson. Matthew syas (8:17) that here was fulfilled the prophecy "which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses" (Isa.53:4,5). How did he bear the infirmities of the sick? Not literally. He removed them from others, but did not become diseased himself. Neither in removing sins from others does he become stricken with sin himself. SIDELIGHTS: 1. "Teaching with authority." Whoever knows any subject can teach it with authority. Some men are authorities on science, some on literature, some on medicine: because they know more about these subjects than others do. But Christ is the only one who has ever been into the other world, and returned to this; and therefore he is authority upon the future life. He knows the final result of sin, and the glory of heaven, and the way to it. And because he is divine, and knows all things, there can be no mistake about what he says: he speaks with perfect authority.--P. 2. Synagogue worship. I attended the Jewish worship at Jerusalem, and was struck with the accordance of the ceremonies with those mentioned in the NT. The sacred roll was brought from the chest or closet where it was kept; it was handed by an attendant to the reader; a portion of it was rehearsed; the congregation rose and stood while it was read, whereas the speaker, and all others present, sat during the delivery of the address which formed a part of the service.--H.B.Hackett. 3. Devils Bearing Witness.--They were ready to speak because they knew his nature and work. The mere belief of the facts and doctrines of Christianity will never save our souls. "The devils believe, and tremble." Let us take heed that ours is a faith of the heart as well as of the head. "The life of Christianity," says Luther, "consists in possessive pronouns." It is one thing to say, Christ is a Savior, it is quite another to say, Christ is my Savior and my Lord. The devil can say the first: the true Christian alone can say the second.--Ryle. LESSONS: 1. The true way to keep God's holy day is to follow Christ to church; to rest from labors and to worship in the sanctuary. 2. We should have such an experience of religion that we may be able to speak to men with authority. 3. We can trust Christ perfectly, because all he says is with the authority of one who knows. 4. It is safe to follow one who has power over the principalities and powers of evil. 5. Every disciple of Christ should be a helper and a healer. He should minister to the afflicted, whether in body or mind. He should cast out unclean spirits by the power of the love of Christ. POINTS FOR TEACHERS: There are two great thoughts in this lesson, and both concentrate in Christ. First, Christ, the Great Teacher, and second, Christ, the Great Healer. Note 1. How he teaches by example; he is in the house of worship on God's holy day; 2. he leads his disciples there; 3. Observe him teaching, (1) in solid earnest, (2) no idle speculation, (3) he teaches what he knows. 4. Hence he teaches with authority. What we know we can teach with authority. His was the authority of absolute knowledge, we can teach with the authority of faith. He next appears as the Great Physician who hals not only sicknesses but sins. Observe (1) He healed a dear firiend of his disciples (vs.29-31), as he is glad to heal those we love, if we bring them to him. (2) Then he healed great multitudes (vs.32-34), showing the nature of his religion to heal and to help. We should note also that Christ refused the aid, testimony or any compromise with devils, and we should learn by his example (1) never to compromise with sin, (2) to decline all aid tendered by the devil, or in his name, (3) seek to overcome the devil and all his works. MARKbarclay31,32 - The things that Jesus had done in Capernaum could not be concealed. The emergence of so great a new power and authority was not something which could be kept secret. So the evening found Peter's house besieged with crowds seeking Jesus' healing touch. They waited until evening came because the law forbade the carrying of any burden through a town on the Sabbath day (cp. Jer.17:24). To have carried such a burden would have been to work and work was forbidden. They had, of course, no clocks or watches in those days; the Sabbath ran from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and the law was that the Sabbath was ended and the day had finished when three stars came out in the sky. So the people of Capernaum waited until the sun had set and the stars were out and then they came, carrying their sick, to Jesus; and He healed them. Three times we have seen Jesus healing people. First He healed in the Synagogue; second, He healed in the house of His friends; and now, third, He healed in the street. Jesus recognized the claim of everyone. it was said of Dr. Johnson that to be in misfortuen was to be assured of his friendship and support. Wherever there was trouble Jesus was ready to use His power. He selected neither the place nor the person; He realized the universal claim of human need. The people flocked to Jesus because they recognized in Him a man who could do things. There were plenty who could talk and expound and lecture and preach; but here was one who dealt no in words but in actions. It has been said that "if a man can make a better mousetrap than his neighbours, the public will beat a path to his house even if he lives in the middle of a wood." The person people want is the effective person. Jesus could, and can, produce results. But there is the beginning of tragedy here. The crowds came, but the crowds came because they wanted something out of Jesus. They did not come because they loved Him; they did not come because they had caught a glimpse of some new vision; in the last analysis they wanted to use Him. That is what nearly everyone wants to do with God and the Son of God. For one prayer that goes up to God in the days of prosperity ten thousand go up in the time of adversity. Many a man who has never prayed when the sun was shining on life begins to pray when the cold winds come. Someone has said that so many people regard religion as belonging "to the ambulance corps and not to the firing-line of life." Religion to them is a crisis affair. It is only when they have got life into a mess, or when life deals them some knock-out blow that they begin to remember God. It must always remain true that we must all go to Jesus for He alone can give us the things we need for life; but if that going and these gifts do not produce an answering love and gratitude there is something tragically wrong. God is not someone to be used in the day of misfortune; He is someone to be loved and remembered every day of our lives. NTC-MARKhendriksen70,1 - Mark is very brief here. In the light of the preceding context he conveys the thought that Jesus healed all (see vs.32; cf. Mt.8:16; Lk.4:40) the many (vs.34) sick people that were brought to him, no matter what happened to be the nature of their illness. Luke, as we would expect of this doctor, pictures the procession of the sick being brought one by one to Jesus, who, paying due attention to, and lovingly placing his hands on, each in turn, healed them all (4:40). Mark, in harmony with Matthew and Luke, states that Jesus similarly cast out many demons. Matthew adds that it was "with a word," namely, the word of effective command, that the evil spirits were driven out (8:16). When Mark now adds, "But he was not allowing the demons to speak, because they knew who he was," this must not be interpreted to mean that the evil spirits never said anything at all. Luke explains what is meant. At first the demons cried out, "You are the Son of God." Immediately they were rebuked by Jesus, and thus prevented from saying any more about this. Now what these demons, by means of the vocal organs of the possessed, were saying was the truth. They actually "knew who Jesus was," namely, the Son of God, the long expected Messiah. Similarly, for example, the outcry of the demon-possessed girl described in Acts 16:17 was true; so true, in fact, that what she said ("These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to y o u the way of salvation") has been used as the text for an ordination service; theme: "The word of the devil!" Nevertheless, two questions arise. The first one is: Why did these demons loudly proclaim this truth? Was this caused by an irresistible fascination which the person of Jesus cast upon them? Was it due, rather, to a malicious and sadistic desire to get Jesus into trouble, since they may have known that if already at this time the truth with reference to Christ's identity were accepted by the masses, this would cut short Messiah's contemplated program and would bring him to death sooner than would have been the case otherwise? An indisputable answer has not been revealed. The second question is: Why did Jesus silence them? A possible answer has already been suggested, but see also vs.44. While Mark and Luke end their respective paragraphs with this prohibition addressed to the demons, matthew (8:17) sees in the cures perfomed by the Master a fulfilment of the prophecy of Isa.53:4, "Surely, our diseases he has borne, and our pains [or: sorrows] he has carried." TCGTC-MARKcranfield87,8 - etherapeusen. The verb means 'to serve', 'attend', and is used in classical Greek of attending medically. It then comes to be used in the sense of 'heal', as here. pollous. Mark is probably not using pollous exclusively, in contrast with pantas in v.32 (which would mean that Jesus healed only some of the sick who had been brought), but inclusively (='all'). Cf. Mt.8:16, where Mk's pantas in v.32 and pollous in v.34 have been transposed, and Lk.4:40: heni hekastw. This inclusive use of polloi is a Semitism. .... ssaimonia. Daimonion, the neuter of the adjective daimonios used as a noun, is equivalent to the more Jewish expression pneuma akatharton (v.23).