Mark 1:29-45

Context

Healings at Simon’s House

1:29 Now¹ as soon as they left the synagogue,² they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John. 1:30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, so³ they spoke to Jesus⁴ at once about her. 1:31 He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to serve⁵ them. 1:32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed. 1:33 The whole town gathered by the door. 1:34 So⁶ he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons.⁷ But⁸ he would not permit the demons to speak,⁹ because they knew him.¹⁰

Praying and Preaching

1:35 Then¹¹ Jesus¹² got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer.¹³ 1:36 Simon and his companions searched for him. 1:37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 1:38 He replied,¹⁴ “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.”¹⁵ 1:39 So¹⁶ he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues¹⁷ and casting out demons.

Cleansing a Leper

1:40 Now¹⁸ a leper¹⁹ came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If²⁰ you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said. 1:41 Moved with compassion,²¹ Jesus²² stretched out his hand and touched²³ him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” 1:42 The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean. 1:43 Immediately Jesus²⁴ sent the man²⁵ away with a very strong warning. 1:44 He told him,²⁶ “See that you do not say anything to anyone,²⁷ but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded²⁸ for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”²⁹ 1:45 But as the man³⁰ went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus³¹ was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still³² they kept coming³³ to him from everywhere.

[1:29] ¹tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[1:29] ²sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.

[1:30] ³tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.

[1:30] ⁴tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:31] ⁵tn The imperfect verb is taken ingressively here.

[1:34] ⁶tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.

[1:34] ⁷sn Note how the author distinguishes healing from exorcism here, implying that the two are not identical.

[1:34] ⁸tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[1:34] ⁹sn Why Jesus would not permit the demons to speak is much discussed. Two possibilities are (1) the mere source of the testimony (demonic) and (2) that the title, with its political implications, may have had elements that Jesus wished to avoid until the full nature of his mission was clarified.

[1:34] ¹⁰tc The mss vary on what is read at the end of v. 34. Some have “they knew him to be the Christ,” with various Greek constructions (ᾔδεισαν αὐτὸν Χριστὸν εἶναι [hdeisan auton Criston einai] in B L W Θ Ë¹ 28 33^vid 565 2427 al; ᾔδεισαν τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι [hdeisan ton Criston auton einai] in [א²] C [Ë¹³ 700] 892 1241 [1424] pc); codex D has “they knew him and he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons,” reproducing exactly the first half of the verse. These first two longer readings are predictable expansions to an enticingly brief statement; the fact that there are significant variations on the word order and presence or absence of τόν argues against their authenticity as well. D’s reading is a palpable error of sight. The reading adopted in the translation is supported by א* A 0130 Ï lat. This support, though hardly overwhelming in itself, in combination with strong internal evidence, renders the shorter reading fairly certain.

[1:35] ¹¹tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[1:35] ¹²tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:35] ¹³tn The imperfect προσηύχετο (proshuceto) implies some duration to the prayer.

[1:38] ¹⁴tn Grk “And he said to them.”

[1:38] ¹⁵tn Grk “Because for this purpose I have come forth.”

[1:39] ¹⁶tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.

[1:39] ¹⁷sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.

[1:40] ¹⁸tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[1:40] ¹⁹sn The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what we call leprosy today. A leper was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured (Lev 13:45-46).

[1:40] ²⁰tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.

[1:41] ²¹tc The reading found in almost the entire NT ms tradition is σπλαγχνισθείς (splancnisqei", “moved with compassion”). Codex Bezae (D), {1358}, and a few Latin mss (a ff² r^1*) here read ὀργισθείς (ojrgisqei", “moved with anger”). It is more difficult to account for a change from “moved with compassion” to “moved with anger” than it is for a copyist to soften “moved with anger” to “moved with compassion,” making the decision quite difficult. B. M. Metzger (TCGNT 65) suggests that “moved with anger” could have been prompted by 1:43, “Jesus sent the man away with a very strong warning.” It also could have been prompted by the man’s seeming doubt about Jesus’ desire to heal him (v. 40). As well, it is difficult to explain why scribes would be prone to soften the text here but not in Mark 3:5 or 10:14 (where Jesus is also said to be angry or indignant). Thus, in light of diverse mss supporting “moved with compassion,” and at least a plausible explanation for ὀργισθείς as arising from the other reading, it is perhaps best to adopt σπλαγχνισθείς as the original reading. Nevertheless, a decision in this case is not easy. For the best arguments for ὀργισθείς, however, see M. A. Proctor, “The ‘Western’ Text of Mark 1:41: A Case for the Angry Jesus” (Ph.D. diss., Baylor University, 1999).

[1:41] ²²tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:41] ²³sn Touched. This touch would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean (Lev 14:46; also Mishnah, m. Nega’im 3.1; 11.1; 12.1; 13.6-12).

[1:43] ²⁴tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:43] ²⁵tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:44] ²⁶tn Grk “And after warning him, he immediately sent him away and told him.”

[1:44] ²⁷sn The silence ordered by Jesus was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 1:34; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, 30; and 9:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.

[1:44] ²⁸sn On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.

[1:44] ²⁹tn Or “as an indictment against them”; or “as proof to the people.” This phrase could be taken as referring to a positive witness to the priests, a negative testimony against them, or as a testimony to the community that the man had indeed been cured. In any case, the testimony shows that Jesus is healing and ministering to those in need.

[1:45] ³⁰tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:45] ³¹tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:45] ³²tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) often has a mildly contrastive force, as here.

[1:45] ³³tn The imperfect verb has been translated iteratively.