17:24 After 4 they arrived in Capernaum, 5 the collectors of the temple tax 6 came to Peter and said, “Your teacher pays the double drachma tax, doesn’t he?”
1:21 Then 7 they went to Capernaum. 8 When the Sabbath came, 9 Jesus 10 went into the synagogue 11 and began to teach.
4:46 Now he came again to Cana 12 in Galilee where he had made the water wine. 13 In 14 Capernaum 15 there was a certain royal official 16 whose son was sick.
6:59 Jesus 22 said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue 23 in Capernaum. 24
1 sn Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region.
2 tn The interrogative particle introducing this question expects a negative reply.
3 sn In the OT, Hades was known as Sheol. It is the place where the unrighteous will reside (Luke 10:15; 16:23; Rev 20:13-14).
4 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
5 map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-C3; Map3-B2.
6 tn Grk “Collectors of the double drachma.” This is a case of metonymy, where the coin formerly used to pay the tax (the double drachma coin, or δίδραχμον [didracmon]) was put for the tax itself (cf. BDAG 241 s.v.). Even though this coin was no longer in circulation in NT times and other coins were used to pay the tax, the name for the coin was still used to refer to the tax itself.
7 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
8 sn Capernaum was a town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
9 tn The Greek word εὐθύς (euqus, often translated “immediately” or “right away”) has not been translated here. It sometimes occurs with a weakened, inferential use (BDAG 406 s.v. 2), not contributing significantly to the flow of the narrative. For further discussion, see R. J. Decker, Temporal Deixis of the Greek Verb in the Gospel of Mark with Reference to Verbal Aspect (SBG 10), 73-77.
10 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11 sn The synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though its origin is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. (See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2.) First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and its relationship to Old Testament fulfillment.
12 map For location see Map1-C3; Map2-D2; Map3-C5.
13 sn See John 2:1-11.
14 tn Grk “And in.”
15 sn Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region.
16 tn Although βασιλικός (basiliko") has often been translated “nobleman” it is almost certainly refers here to a servant of Herod, tetrarch of Galilee (who in the NT is called a king, Matt 14:9, Mark 6:14-29). Capernaum was a border town, so doubtless there were many administrative officials in residence there.
17 tn Or “sea.” See the note on “lake” in the previous verse.
18 map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-C3; Map3-B2.
19 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
20 tn Or “embarked in the boats.”
21 map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-C3; Map3-B2.
22 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) is specified in the translation for clarity.
23 sn A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).
24 map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-C3; Map3-B2.