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Mark Chapter 1

Mark Chapter 1

(Underlining marks a quotation/allusion. [Brackets] mark a textual variant.fnWhen two (or more) different copies of an original manuscript disagree on any given word or phrase — addition, omission, word order, etc. — the disagreement is called a "textual variant". ~99% of existing textual variants are either minor (like spelling), obviously not original (often appearing only in a few late manuscripts), or don't affect meaning (like "Jesus Christ" vs. "Christ Jesus"). The ~1% that remain do not affect any central doctrine of Christianity. The BOS Bible only marks significant textual variants that affect the meaning; smaller variants that do not affect meaning won't be marked for readability.  "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.fn"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love".  However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings — agapé centers on choice and behavior.  It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings.  (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".)  Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé".  Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing.  It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. An asterisk (*) indicates a verb in the Greek perfect tense.fnThe Greek perfect tense signifies a completed action in the past with a result and/or an ongoing state that extends into the present. For example, Hebrews 12:2 says in part: "He *sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; the verb for "sat" is in the perfect tense, indicating that He sat down once (completed action in the past), and also that He remains seated until the present moment (ongoing state).)

Glossary

Note: this glossary is currently a work in progress; entries that do not expand will be added as time permits

Ages/of ages
“ages” and “of ages” are the Greek words “αἰών” (aión, noun form) and “αἰώνιος” (aiónios, adjective form) respectively.  The adjective form is typically translated “eternal”, as in “eternal life”. The noun form refers to a whole time period, (Keizer, “Life Time Entirety”) such as a person’s lifetime (an older Greek sense), an age/epoch (e.g., 2 Cor 4:4), or even time in its entirety, making its meaning similar to “forever” (e.g., John 14:16). The adjective form is similarly context-dependent, and the New Testament context often dictates a meaning similar to “forever” (but not always: e.g. 2 Tim 1:9).  Alternately or additionally, it can indicate the quality of a time period — indicating greatness/severity — like the English idiom “of ages” (e.g. “battle of the ages”). Thus, “of ages” was chosen for the adjective form so that both the time and quality senses remain visible.

Clean/unclean

Covenant

Faith

Flesh

Forgive/forgiveness

Grace
The Greek word is “χάρις” (charis), most often translated “grace”, “gift”, or “thanks”. It was a technical term in the 1st century, referring to the Patronage system in place. The Patron (from “pater” = “father”) would give gifts or do favors (both called a charis). A charis was always given/done freely to anyone who would be grateful for it, and this person then became a “client” of the patron. The clients were expected to reciprocate by telling everyone what the patron had done, and offering their services to the patron whenever the patron needed them. This reciprocal act was also called “charis”, and the ones who reciprocated were “being faithful” by giving thanks in this way. Both were done out of gratitude, not legal obligation. A client who wasn’t faithful and grateful probably wouldn’t receive any more charis from his patron, or any other patrons. The patron was responsible for taking care of all his clients, and making sure their needs were met. New Testament usage typically casts God the Father as a Heavenly Patron, to whom Christians should be grateful and faithful because of the gifts He has given us. (e.g. salvation, provision, protection, etc.)

Holy

Justification

Law (Torah)

Make purification

Pure/Impure

Purification offering
In the Old Testament, this is typically the Hebrew “חַטָּ֖את” (khat-tat); in the New Testament, it’s typically “περὶ ἁμαρτίας” (peri hamartias), which is what the Septuagint (an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek) used to translate the Hebrew. It’s traditionally translated “sin offering”, but that translation has less support in high-level scholarship. The Hebrew word can mean “sin”, but it can also mean “purification” (e.g. Numbers 8:7). This offering was used to purify uncleanness, whether or not a sin was committed. Thus, it was required even when no sin was committed, such as after childbirth (Leviticus 12:1-8), for certain diseases (Leviticus 14), etc. High-level, peer-reviewed scholarship dedicated to the field (e.g. Milgrom, Levine, Gane, Sklar, Wright, Gorman, etc.) is largely united on the “purification offering” understanding. The BOS Bible has aligned itself with that high-level, peer-reviewed scholarship in its translation.

Ransom

Redemption

Repent/repentance

Righteous/righteousness

Salvation/save

Soul
“soul” is the Greek word “ψυχή/psuché” and Hebrew word “נֶפֶשׁ/nephesh”. The BOS Bible translates these words as “soul” for consistency, and so the full meaning of “soul” isn’t obscured by different translations in different places. They closely overlap in meaning and are typically translated “soul” or “life”. They refer to the animating force of a living thing, and thus can also refer to its life, or to the whole of any person or creature, including animals (e.g. fish in Revelation 8:9 and Genesis 1). They are frequently used as an emphatic reference to a person’s whole self, including longings, deep emotions, and inner life. (e.g. Ps 42:11) Note: while “soul” has significant overlap in meaning with “spirit”, the words have distinct meanings and usages throughout scripture. For example, lions tear apart a soul in Psalm 7:2, and a “dead soul” is mentioned in Leviticus 21:11; “spirit” has no analogous usages, and it returns to God at death (Ecc 12:7; Acts 7:59). The adjective forms of soul and spirit are contrasted in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; see also: Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Sin

Click to Collapse the Glossary
John the Baptizer

(Parallel accounts: Matthew 3:1–12;  Luke 3:1–18;  John 1:19–28)

  1. The beginning of the gospel of Jesus the Anointed, God’s Son.
  2. Just as it is *written in [Isaiah the prophet]:fn“Isaiah the prophet” many manuscripts have “the prophets” instead “Behold, I am sending My messenger before your face, he who will fully prepare your way.”fnquotation/allusion to Malachi 3:1, which Mark appears to be using as a ‘preface’ of sorts to the following verse, which is a quote from Isaiah.  Also, see previous note.
  3. “The voice of one crying: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness; make His paths straight.”fnquotation/allusion to Isaiah 40:3
  4. John appeared, the man baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentancefn“repentance” this Greek word it doesn’t speak of remorse or guilt for wrong actions. Rather, it literally means to “think differently after” or to “reconsider”, with an assumed change in behavior. To both the Hebrews and 1st century Greeks/Romans, a change in mind was synonymous with a change in behavior; you couldn’t have the first without the second. for forgiveness of sins.
  5. And the whole region of Judea was going out to him, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
  6. And John was *clothing himself with camel’s hair clothes and a leather belt around his waist,fnquotation/allusion to 2 Kings 1:8, which describes the prophet Elijah as “a hairy man with a leather belt around his waist”. and also eating locusts and wild honey.
  7. And he was proclaiming, saying: “He who is coming after me is mightier than I, He whom I’m not worthy of stooping down to untie the strap of His sandals.
  8. “I baptized you in water, but He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus is baptized and tempted

(Parallel accounts: Matthew 3:13–4:11;  Luke 3:21–22, 4:1–11;  John 1:29–34)

  1. And it happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
  2. And immediately coming up from the water, He saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit coming down on Him like a dove.
  3. And a voice came from the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in you I’m well pleased.”fnquotation/allusion to Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1
  4. And immediately the Spirit drives Him out into the wilderness.
  5. And He was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan.  And He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving Him.
Jesus preaches and calls disciples

(Parallel accounts: Matthew 4:12–22;  Luke 4:14–15)

  1. And after John was handed over to prison, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God,
  2. and saying that: “The time has been fulfilled and the kingdom of God has drawn near.  Repent!fn“Repent” see note on verse 4 and believe in the gospel.
  3. And passing along the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew (Simon’s brother) casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
  4. And Jesus told them: “Come, follow Me and I will make you become fishers of men.”
  5. And having immediately left the nets, they followed Him.
  6. And having gone a little further, He saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, and they were in the boat mending the nets,
  7. and He called them immediately.  And having left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, they went away after Him.
Jesus casts out an unclean spirit

(Parallel accounts: Luke 4:31–37)

  1. And they enter into Capernaum, and having entered immediately into the synagogue on the Sabbaths, He was teaching.
  2. And they were being stunned on account of His teaching, for He was teaching them like a man having authorityfn“authority” It’s possible that the “authority” that stunned the crowd was a technical term.   Properly called “semikhah”, the Jewish word literally means “laying on of hands”.  Its origins (as a technical term of authority) go back to Moses.  Moses was given authority by God, and God commanded him to pass some of that “authority” to Joshua by “laying hands on him” in the sight of the people.  (Num27:15-23, Deut 34:9)  The Jews believed this authority was then passed down through “laying on of hands” to Jesus’ day.  Rabbis with semikhah had the authority to make decisions in the meaning of the Law and other spiritual matters.  In Jesus’s case, that meant a new interpretation of the Law.  However, ordinary scribes (Torah teachers) could only teach what those with semikhah had established. and not like the scribes.
  3. And immediately there was a man with an unclean spirit in their synagogue, and he cried out
  4. saying: “What’s between you and us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Did you come to ruin us?  I *know who you are, the Holy One of God.”
  5. And Jesus rebuked him saying: “Be silent and come out of him.”
  6. And the unclean spirit made him convulse, and having cried out in a loud voice, it came out of him.
  7. And all of them were amazed, so as to discuss among themselves, saying: “What is this new teaching with authority?  He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey Him.
  8. And the report about Him immediately went out everywhere into the whole neighboring region of Galilee.
Jesus heals many

(Parallel accounts: Matthew 8:14–17;  Luke 4:38–41)

  1. And having come out of the synagogue, they immediately went into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
  2. Now, Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever, and immediately they speak to Him about her.
  3. And having approached and grasped her hand, He raised her up and the fever left her, and she was serving them.
  4. Now, it having become evening after the sun set, they were bringing to Him all the men being sick and the demon-possessed men.
  5. And the whole city was *gathering together at the door.
  6. And He healed many sick with various diseases and cast out many demons, and He wasn’t permitting the demons to speak because they had known Him [to be the Anointed].
Jesus leaves and proclaims

(Parallel accounts: Luke 4:42–44)

  1. And having risen very early in the morning with much night remaining, He went out and departed into a desolate place, and He was praying there.
  2. And Simon and the men with him went after Him.
  3. And when they found Him, they also tell Him that: “All the people are seeking you.”
  4. And He tells them: “We should depart into the neighboring towns by another way so I might proclaim there also, for I came for this.”
  5. And He went, proclaiming in their synagogues and in the whole of Galilee, and casting out demons.
Jesus heals a leper

(Parallel accounts: Matthew 8:1–4;  Luke 5:12–16)

  1. And a leper comes to Him, imploring Him, and falling on his knees, and saying to Him: “If you want to, you are able to cleanse me.”
  2. And having been moved with compassion and extended His hand, He touched him and tells him: “I want to, be cleansed.”
  3. And immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was cleansed.
  4. And having sternly warned him, He immediately sent him away,
  5. and He tells him: “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go show yourself to the priest and offer what Moses commanded for your cleansing,fnquotation/allusion to Leviticus 14:2-32 for a testimony for them.”
  6. And having gone out, he began to proclaim it often and to widely report the matter, so that He was no longer able to openly enter into a city, but He was out at solitary places, and they were going to Him from all sides.

 

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