Mark 1:11

1:11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son; ¹  in you I take great delight.” ² 

Mark 4:29

4:29 And when the grain is ripe, he sends in the sickle ³  because the harvest has come.” ⁴ 

Mark 10:18

10:18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? ⁵  No one is good except God alone.

Mark 12:21

12:21 The second married her and died without any children, and likewise the third.

Mark 14:20

14:20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips his hand ⁶  with me into the bowl. ⁷ 

[1:11]  ¹ tn Grk “my beloved Son,” or “my Son, the beloved [one].” The force of ἀγαπητός (agaphtos) is often “pertaining to one who is the only one of his or her class, but at the same time is particularly loved and cherished” (L&N 58.53; cf. also BDAG 7 s.v. 1).

[1:11]  ² tn Or “with you I am well pleased.”

[4:29]  ³ 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.

[4:29]  ⁴ sn Because the harvest has come. This parable is found only in Mark (cf. Matt 13:24-30) and presents a complete picture of the coming of God’s kingdom: (1) sowing; (2) growth; (3) harvest. Some understand the parable as a reference to evangelism. While this is certainly involved, it does not seem to be the central idea. In contrast to the parable of the sower which emphasizes the quality of the different soils, this parable emphasizes the power of the seed to cause growth (with the clear implication that the mysterious growth of the kingdom is accomplished by God), apart from human understanding and observation.

[10:18]  ⁵ sn Jesus’ response, Why do you call me good?, was designed to cause the young man to stop and think for a moment about who Jesus really was. The following statement No one is good except God alone seems to point the man in the direction of Jesus’ essential nature and the demands which logically follow on the man for having said it.

[14:20]  ⁷ tn Grk “one who dips with me.” The phrase “his hand” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[14:20]  ⁸ sn One who dips with me in the bowl. The point of Jesus’ comment here is not to identify the specific individual per se, but to indicate that it is one who was close to him – somebody whom no one would suspect. His comment serves to heighten the treachery of Judas’ betrayal.