Mark, Gospel by.
Each Gospel has its peculiar characteristics, as may be seen under the heading Gospels. In Mark the Lord Jesus is more particularly in view as the Servant — Prophet, and 'the gospel' or 'glad tidings' has a prominent place. As with some of the prophets in the O.T. we have no information as to their genealogy, so here we have no human genealogy of the Lord, as is given in Matthew and Luke. The narrative abruptly introduces "the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." John the Baptist's ministry is shortly described to pave the way for that of Christ, which He entered on after being baptised. There are no details here of the temptation: simply the fact stated that Jesus was tempted of Satan forty days, and was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered unto Him. As soon as John was cast into prison the Lord began His unceasing work, taking up the testimony that the kingdom of God was at hand.
In the first two chapters are presented the various proofs which the Lord gave of His mission, which were as a testimony to the leaders in Israel.
In Mark 1:3 we See the break with the existing unbelieving generation, the calling of the apostles, and the consequent disowning of His kindred in the flesh.
Mark 1:4 and Mark 1:5 give an epitome of His personal service, carrying us on to the raising up of Israel in the future, figuratively presented in the ruler's daughter. This closes that view of the Lord's personal service.
In Mark 1:6 the service of the apostles comes into view: the Lord begins to send them forth two and two. For Himself (Mark 1:7) He retired to the north-west into the district of Tyre and Sidon, and healed the daughter of the Syrophenician woman — His grace thus going out to the Gentiles. After returning through Decapolis, and (Mark 1:8) feeding the four thousand at Gennesaret, He went to the north-east, and (Mark 1:9) was transfigured before His three disciples; it was probably on Mount Hermon. From this time we find the Lord repeatedly bringing before His disciples the truth of His approaching death and resurrection, and the consequences flowing therefrom.
The visit of the Lord to Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles, and His discourses there, are not given in this gospel: nor the mission of the seventy: nor His visit to Jerusalem at the Feast of Dedication: nor the death and raising of Lazarus.
Mark 1:10 opens with the Lord on the other side of Jordan on His last visit to Jerusalem. On the way He tells His disciples again of the ill-treatment and death that awaited Him there; but James and John seek a grant from Him, that they might sit on His right hand and on His left in the glory. Sight is restored to blind Bartimaeus (who called Him 'Son of David') at Jericho, the city of the curse.
Mark 1:11. There followed the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The exclamations here do not speak of Him as king, but as of their 'father David:' "Hosanna; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest." Thus the Lord's connection with Israel as Son of David is proclaimed in this gospel, which has been mostly occupied with His labours in Galilee of the Gentiles.
Of the discourses that followed the Lord's entry into Jerusalem, the parables of the Two Sons and the Marriage of the King's Son are not found in this gospel; nor the parables of the Ten Virgins, the Talents, and the Sheep and the Goats.
For the prophecies given in Mark 1:13 refer to MATTHEW, Matthew 14
The solemn events of the Lord's agony in the garden, the trial, condemnation and crucifixion follow. Of the Lord's utterances on the cross, His asking forgiveness for His murderers; His promise to the repentant thief; His commending His mother to John; His saying, 'I thirst;' 'It is finished;' and His commending His Spirit unto the Father, are not recorded here. His commission to the eleven was "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned." Signs should follow them that believe. After the ascension, they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Thus the narrative closes with a commission, which is viewed as having been carried out by the apostles. Briefly the gospel may be said to present to us the personal service of Christ and of His apostles.
It is believed that in Mark's gospel chronological order has been preserved more than in any other. What is peculiar to this gospel are the many details and personal touches. We See too how immediately that one thing was done the Lord was occupied with another, as a diligent and devoted servant. All praise to His holy name! For a list of the principal events in the gospel history see NEW TESTAMENT.
Maroth. [Mar'oth]
Town in the lowlands of Judah. Micah 1:12. Not identified.
Marriage.
This is God's institution: He said it was not good that man should be alone, and He provided a suitable help for Adam in the person of Eve. Adam said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman (isha), because she was taken out of Man (ish). Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Genesis 2:23, Genesis 1:2. This declaration of union was confirmed by the Lord, who, in quoting the above, added, "Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Matthew 19:5, Matthew 1:19; Mark 1:10-9. It is confirmed also by being taken as a type of the sacred union of the Lord with the church: "We are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." Ephesians 5:30-32.
All this shows that God's institution of marriage was the union of one man and one woman, the two and only two, becoming one. What is more than this is not of God, but is of human lust. This order was first broken through by Lamech, the sixth from Adam, who had two wives. Long after this instances are recorded of wives, on account of their great desire for children, giving their maid servants to their husbands: an act that would now be judged as most unnatural in a wife. Sarai gave her Egyptian handmaid to Abram 'to be his wife' (the same word for 'wife' being used for both Sarai and Hagar), and God said He would make of Ishmael a great nation. Jacob's two wives gave their handmaids to their husband, and thus he had four wives. God reckoned the twelve sons of these four women equally as sons of Jacob, and they became the heads of the twelve tribes. It might have been thought that God would not have blessed the issue of these unions, but He did: there is no record of any law having been given on this subject.
In early times marriages were also contracted between near relatives. This was altered by the law of Moses as well as restrictions introduced as to divorce, though even under the law, because of the hardness of their hearts, Moses allowed them to put away their wives for any cause, "but from the beginning it was not so," and from the time the Lord was on earth it was not to be so any longer. Matthew 19:5-9. The choice of persons to be appointed as bishops and deacons in the church, was restricted to those who were the husbands of 'one wife.' 1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 1:3; Titus 1:6. God has providentially so ordered it in all countries called christian that a man is allowed to have but one wife; and in the best of those countries a man cannot divorce his wife except when she herself has already broken the marriage bond. Instruction is given in the Epistles to both: the wives are to be in subjection to their husbands, and the husbands are to love and cherish their wives, even as Christ the church. Ephesians 5:28, Ephesians 1:5.
It is not now known how the negotiations were conducted that led to a man and woman being betrothed, or espoused, or what were the ceremonies usually attending it. The betrothed couple were at once looked upon as husband and wife, as seen in the case of Joseph, who thought of divorcing his espoused wife Mary. Matthew 1:18, Matthew 1:1. In the East a man does not usually See his espoused wife until they are married (as Isaac did not See Rebecca and had no choice in the matter), the engagement, and the amount of dowry to be paid by the husband to the bride's father, being arranged by the relatives.
Of the ancient marriage ceremonies very little is known. On the night of a marriage the young women went forth with lamps or torches to meet the bridegroom and to escort him to the house of the bride, as in Matthew 25. Such processions have been seen in modern times, and the same cry has been heard, "Behold the bridegroom." They had marriage feasts, as in the parable of Matthew 22 (when a special garment was provided for each of the guests), and as the one to which the Lord, His mother, and His disciples were invited at Cana, where the Lord made the water into wine. John 1:2-11.
The assembly has been espoused as a chaste virgin to Christ, 2 Corinthians 11:2; and it waits for that glorious time when it will be said, "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready . . . . arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of saints . . . . Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." Revelation 19:7-9. The Lord will also have an earthly bride during the kingdom. Hosea 2:7. See also the Canticles.