Mark 1:14

Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) Now after that John was put in prison.—St. Mark agrees with St. Matthew in omitting all our Lord’s early ministry in Galilee and Jerusalem, and takes the imprisonment of the Baptist as his starting-point. That imprisonment is assumed here to be known; but the facts connected with it are not related till Mark 6:17-20.

Benson Commentary

Mark 1:14-15. After John was put in prison — By Herod; Jesus came into Galilee, preaching, &c. — Till that time, say the fathers, ανεμεινε αυτον μαρτυρησαι περι αοτου, he waited for John’s testimony concerning him. Accordingly, St. Peter represents Christ as beginning thus to preach from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached was ended, Acts 10:37. Now hence it is evident, that his coming into Galilee, mentioned Luke 4:14, must refer to the same time, that so all the evangelists may agree. The time is fulfilled — The time of my kingdom, foretold by Daniel, and expected by you, is fully come. The kingdom of God is at hand —

That kingdom which God is about to erect by the Messiah, (foretold by Daniel 2:44; and Daniel 7:14,) whereby he will rescue men from the dominion of Satan and of sin, of the world and of the flesh, and constitute them his loyal subjects and obedient servants; whereby he will reign in them, as well as over them, ruling their hearts by his grace as well as their lives by his laws; that kingdom, which is not in word, but in power, 1 Corinthians 4:20, which is righteousness, internal and external, love to God and all mankind, and obedience flowing therefrom; peace with God and peace of conscience, consequent on deliverance from the guilt and power of sin, and joy in the Holy Ghost, arising from the Holy Spirit’s influences assuring us of our adoption into the family of God, inspiring us with a lively hope of his glory, Galatians 4:6; Romans 5:2; and giving us an earnest of our future inheritance in our hearts, Ephesians 1:14. See note on Romans 14:17. This kingdom of God, of which believers are possessed on earth, is at once a preparation for, and an earnest of, the kingdom of God in heaven. Repent ye, and believe the gospel — That you may be Christ’s loyal subjects in time and in eternity, and be made partakers of this two-fold kingdom. Observe well, reader, the one, only way leading to the kingdom of God on earth and in heaven, is, repentance toward God, productive of fruits worthy of repentance, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the great truths and precious promises of his holy gospel. See on Matthew 3:2; John 1:12; and John 3:16.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:14-22 Jesus began to preach in Galilee, after that John was put in prison. If some be laid aside, others shall be raised up, to carry on the same work. Observe the great truths Christ preached. By repentance we give glory to our Creator whom we have offended; by faith we give glory to our Redeemer who came to save us from our sins. Christ has joined these two together, and let no man think to put them asunder. Christ puts honour upon those who, though mean in this world, are diligent in their business and kind to one another. Industry and unity are good and pleasant, and the Lord Jesus commands a blessing on them. Those whom Christ calls, must leave all to follow him; and by his grace he makes them willing to do so. Not that we must needs go out of the world, but we must sit loose to the world; forsake every thing that is against our duty to Christ, and that cannot be kept without hurt to our souls. Jesus strictly kept the sabbath day, by applying himself unto, and abounding in the sabbath work, in order to which the sabbath rest was appointed. There is much in the doctrine of Christ that is astonishing; and the more we hear it, the more cause we see to admire it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now after that John was put in prison - John was imprisoned by Herod, Matthew 14:3.

Jesus came into Galilee - He left Judea and went into the more retired country of Galilee. He supposed that if he remained in Judea, Herod would also persecute him and attempt to take his life. His time of death had not come, and he therefore prudently sought safety in retirement. Hence, we may learn that when we have great duties to perform for the church of God, we are not to endanger our lives wantonly. When we can secure them without a sacrifice of principle, we are to do it. See Matthew 24:16.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Mr 1:14-20. Christ Begins His Galilean Ministry—Calling of Simon and Andrew, James and John.

See on [1399]Mt 4:12-22.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 14,15. 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 Saviour entered upon his public ministry). He was but about six months older than our Saviour, and was imprisoned as soon as our Saviour entered upon his ministry, indeed before we read of his entrance upon it. Upon his imprisonment, Christ begins to preach in Galilee the gospel by which he set up his kingdom, and which leadeth men to the kingdom of God.

And saying, The time is fulfilled, the time determined of God for the revelation of the Messias, and the grace of the gospel through him, foretold by the prophets, Daniel 2:44: hence Christ is said to have come in the fulness, and in the dispensation of the fulness of time, Galatians 4:4 Ephesians 1:10.

And the kingdom of God is at hand; the gracious dispensation of God in the gospel is at hand, or hath approached.

Repent ye, turn from the wickedness of your ways, and believe the gospel, or, in the gospel: to believe the gospel is one thing, to believe in the gospel (as it is here in the Greek) is another. The former phrase signifies no more than a firm and fixed assent to the proposition of the gospel; but to believe in the gospel, is to place our hope of salvation in the doctrine and promises of the gospel, which are the proximate object of our faith, though the primary object of it be the person of the Mediator. There is a repentance that must go before faith, that is the applicative of the promise of pardoning mercy to the soul; though true evangelical repentance, which is a sorrow for sin, flowing from the sense of the love of God in Christ, be the fruit and effect of faith. Our Saviour’s preaching agreeth with the Baptist’s, Matthew 3:2 John 3:23.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Now after that John was put in prison,.... In the castle of Macherus, by Herod, for reproving him for taking his brother Philip's wife:

Jesus came into Galilee: again, from whence he came to be baptized of John:

preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God: the good news and glad tidings of the kingdom of the Messiah, or Gospel dispensation; which lies not in worldly pomp and splendour, in outward observances, in legal rites and ceremonies, but in righteousness, peace, and joy; in peace and pardon by the blood of Christ, in justification by his righteousness, and in free and full salvation by him.

Geneva Study Bible

{7} Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

(7) After John is taken Christ shows himself more fully.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Mark 1:14 f. See on Matthew 4:12; Matthew 4:17; Luke 4:14 f.

εἰς τ. Γαλιλ.] in order to be more secure than in the place where John had laboured; according to Ewald: “He might not allow the work of the Baptist to fall to pieces.” But this would not furnish a motive for His appearing precisely in Galilee. See Weizsäcker, p. 333. In Matthew also the matter is conceived of as ἀναχώρησις.

κηρύσσων] present participle with ἦλθεν. See Dissen, ad Pind. Ol. vii. 14, p. 81; Bornemann, ad Xen. Anab. vii. 7. 17; Stallbaum, ad Plat. Phaed. p. 116 C.

τὸ εὐαγγ. τοῦ Θεοῦ] See on Mark 1:1.

ὅτι] recitative.

ὁ καιρός] the period, namely, which was to last until the setting up of the Messiah’s kingdom, ὁ καιρὸς οὗτος, Mark 10:30. It is conceived of as a measure. See on Galatians 4:4.

πιστεύετε ἐν τῷ εὐαγγ.] Believe on the gospel. As to πιστ. with ἐν, see on Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 1:13; frequently in the LXX. The object of faith is conceived as that in which the faith is fixed and based. Fritzsche takes ἐν as instrumental: “per evangelium ad fidem adducimini.” This is to be rejected, since the object of the faith would be wanting, and since τὸ εὐαγγ. is just the news itself, which Jesus gave in πεπλήρωται κ.τ.λ.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 1:14-20. The Galilean ministry begins (Matthew 4:12-22; Luke 4:14).

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. put in prison] The causes of the imprisonment of the Baptist are more fully related by the Evangelist ch. Mark 6:17-20.

came into Galilee] and commenced the great Galilean ministry. Galilee was the most northern and the most populous of the three provinces, into which the Romans had divided Palestine. It was to Roman Palestine what the manufacturing districts are to England, covered with busy towns and teeming villages, Roman custom-houses and thriving fisheries. See Stanley’s Sinai and Palestine, pp. 375–377.

the gospel of the kingdom of God] or according to some MSS. the Gospel of God.

14, 15. Beginning of our Lord’s Ministry

Between the events just described and those on which the Evangelist now enters, must be placed several recorded chiefly by St John; viz., (1) The testimony of the Baptist to Christ as the Lamb of God (John 1:19-34); (2) the early joining of Andrew, John, Simon, Philip and Nathanael (John 1:35-51); (3) the marriage at Cana (John 2:1-12); (4) the first visit to Jerusalem, first cleansing of the Temple and conference with Nicodemus (John 2:13-21; John 3:1-21); (5) the ministry with the Baptist (John 3:22-36); (6) the imprisonment of the Baptist (Luke 3:19-20); (7) the return of Jesus to Galilee through Samaria, and the discourse with the woman at Jacob’s well (John 4:3-42); (8) cure of the nobleman’s son at Cana (John 4:43-54).

Bengel's Gnomen

Mark 1:14. Παραδοθῆναι, was imprisoned) Mark writes as of a fact known to the reader, either from Matthew or from some other source of information. [Previously, more than once Jesus had visited the city of Jerusalem, as John relates. But His public walk in Galilee, and that a continued one (uninterrupted in its continuity) did not commence until after John was imprisoned.—V. g.]

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - Now after that John was put in prison (μετὰ τὸ παραδοθῆναι); literally, was delivered up. This was our Lord's second coming into Galilee. Galilee had been specially designated as the scene of the Divine manifestation (see Isaiah 9:1, 2). The land of Galilee, or of Zebulun and Naphtali, had the misfortune to be the first in the sad calamity which fell upon the Jewish nation through the Assyrian invasion; and, in order to console them under this grievious affliction, Isaiah assures them that, by way of recompense, they, above the rest of their brethren, should have the chief share in the presence and ministry of the future promised Messiah. It seems probable that our Lord remained some time in Judaea after his baptism. From thence he went, with Andrew and Peter, two of John's disciples, into Galilee, where he called Philip. And then it was that he turned the water into wine at the marriage feast in Cana. This was his first coming out of Judaea into Galilee, related by St. John (John 1:43, etc.). But the Passover brought him back into Judaea, that he might present himself in the temple; and then occurred his first purging of the temple (John 2:14). Then came the visit of Nicedemus to him by night; and then he began openly to preach and to baptize (John 3:26), and thus incurred the envy of the scribes and Pharisees. Therefore he left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee; and this is the departure here recorded by St. Mark and by St. Matthew (Matthew 4:12). Hence it came to pass that it was in Galilee that Christ called to himself four fishermen - Andrew and Peter, James and John. Mark 1:14