Jesus Begins His Ministry and Calls the First Disciples
Mark 1:14-20
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Mark.1.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- μετα: PREP
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- παραδοθηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- Ιωαννην: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- Γαλιλαιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- κηρυσσων: PART,pres,act,nom,sg,m
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- ευαγγελιον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 4:12-17 (structural): Narratively parallels Mark: when John is imprisoned Jesus withdraws to Galilee and begins his public proclamation. Both place the start of Jesus’ Galilean ministry immediately after John’s arrest and introduce the preaching of God’s reign.
- Luke 4:14-15 (cf. Luke 3:19-20) (thematic): Luke likewise links John’s imprisonment to the rise of Jesus’ ministry; Jesus returns to Galilee, teaches and gains fame—echoing Mark’s emphasis on the timing and public proclamation in Galilee.
- Mark 1:1 (verbal): The opening verse of Mark frames the book as a 'gospel' (the good news) of Jesus Christ; Mark 1:14 then specifies Jesus’ own proclamation as the 'gospel of God,' creating an internal verbal and thematic link.
- Romans 1:1 (verbal): Paul uses the phrase 'gospel of God' (Rom 1:1) to describe the message he proclaims. This verbal parallel highlights early Christian usage of the formula and links Mark’s description of Jesus’ preaching to the broader Pauline vocabulary.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.
- Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,
Mark.1.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- λεγων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,m,sg
- οτι: CONJ
- Πεπληρωται: VERB,perf,pass,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- καιρος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ηγγικεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- βασιλεια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου·μετανοειτε: NOUN,gen,sg,m+VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- πιστευετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- ευαγγελιω: NOUN,dat,sg,n
Parallels
- Matthew 4:17 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel: Jesus begins his preaching with 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,' matching Mark 1:15's call to repent and the kingdom's nearness.
- Matthew 3:2 (verbal): John the Baptist's proclamation, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,' anticipates and frames the same message about repentance and the coming kingdom.
- Luke 10:9 (verbal): Jesus instructs healers to announce that 'the kingdom of God has come near to you,' using the same language of the kingdom's nearness found in Mark 1:15.
- Luke 4:21 (allusion): After reading Isaiah, Jesus declares 'Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing,' echoing Mark's theme 'the time is fulfilled'—an explicit fulfillment motif.
- Isaiah 61:1-2 (quotation): Prophetic background for Jesus' proclamation: the Jubilee/eschatological announcement of good news and restoration underlies the language 'the time is fulfilled' and the gospel/kingdom theme.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has drawn near; repent and believe in the good news.'
- and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news."
Mark.1.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- παραγων: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- παρα: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- θαλασσαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- Γαλιλαιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ειδεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- Σιμωνα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Ανδρεαν: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- αδελφον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- Σιμωνος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- αμφιβαλλοντας: VERB,pres,act,ptc,acc,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- θαλασση: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ησαν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- γαρ: PART
- αλιεις·: NOUN,nom,pl,m
Parallels
- Matthew 4:18-22 (verbal): Nearly identical opening: Jesus 'seeing' Simon (Peter) and Andrew by the Sea of Galilee as they cast nets and immediately calling them to follow (close verbal and narrative parallel).
- Luke 5:1-11 (structural): Different episode of the calling: focuses on a miraculous catch and the commissioning of Simon Peter and partners while they are at their nets—structurally parallel as the calling of fishermen to discipleship.
- John 1:40-42 (allusion): Andrew (Simon’s brother) appears as an early follower who brings Simon to Jesus; shares characters and the theme of Andrew’s role in introducing Simon to Jesus.
- John 21:1-7 (thematic): Post‑resurrection scene at the Sea of Galilee where Simon Peter and other fishermen encounter Jesus and experience a miraculous catch—recurring fishing imagery and seaside setting linking to the original calling.}]}nance.
Alternative generated candidates
- As he walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
- As he walked along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
Mark.1.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους·Δευτε: NOUN,nom,sg,m+VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- οπισω: ADV
- μου: PRON,gen,sg,1
- και: CONJ
- ποιησω: VERB,fut,act,ind,1,sg
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- γενεσθαι: VERB,aor,mid,inf
- αλιεις: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- ανθρωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Matthew 4:19 (verbal): Nearly identical wording: Jesus says “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,” a direct verbal parallel to Mark’s call.
- Luke 5:10 (verbal): After the miraculous catch Jesus tells Simon (and companions) that from now on they will catch men—same fishing imagery applied to evangelistic mission.
- Matthew 9:37-38 (thematic): Jesus speaks of the plentiful harvest and prays for laborers, framing the disciples’ mission to bring people into God’s kingdom—complements the ‘fishers of men’ commission.
- John 21:15-17 (thematic): Post-resurrection commissioning of Peter to feed and tend Jesus’ sheep: a pastoral continuation of the disciples’ calling to care for and win people for Christ.
- Mark 8:34 (structural): “If anyone would come after me…” frames discipleship as following Jesus; parallels Mark 1:17’s call to ‘come after me’ as the initiation of that costly following.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Jesus said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of people.'
- And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of people."
Mark.1.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ευθυς: ADV
- αφεντες: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,pl,m
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- δικτυα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- ηκολουθησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 4:20 (verbal): Nearly identical wording and scene: the fishermen immediately leave their nets and follow Jesus (straight verbal parallel to Mark 1:18).
- Luke 5:11 (verbal): Peter and partners leave their nets/boats and follow Jesus; Luke preserves the same basic action of abandoning fishing to follow him (shared wording and motif).
- Mark 2:14 (thematic): Another Markan call-scene (call of Levi) in which Jesus summons a man and he promptly gets up and follows — theme of immediate response to Jesus' call.
- John 1:37 (verbal): Two of John the Baptist's disciples ‘followed Jesus’ after hearing about him; similar language of discipleship initiated by following Jesus.
Alternative generated candidates
- Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
- Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Mark.1.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- προβας: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,m,sg
- ολιγον: ADV
- ειδεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- Ιακωβον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- Ζεβεδαιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Ιωαννην: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- αδελφον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- πλοιω: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- καταρτιζοντας: VERB,pres,act,part,acc,m,pl
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- δικτυα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
Parallels
- Matthew 4:21 (verbal): Parallel call of James son of Zebedee and John in a boat ‘mending their nets’; wording and scene closely mirror Mark’s account.
- Luke 5:10-11 (thematic): Luke presents a related calling scene naming James and John (sons of Zebedee) in the fishing context; emphasizes partnership with Simon and their leaving the boat.
- Matthew 4:18-22 (structural): Matthew’s broader calling narrative includes James and John leaving their nets and following Jesus, corresponding to Mark’s brief report within the same sequence.
- John 21:2 (allusion): Later Johannine passage that lists ‘James son of Zebedee’ among the disciples, echoing the identity and ongoing role of James introduced at the call.
Alternative generated candidates
- And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in the boat mending their nets.
- And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in the boat mending the nets.
Mark.1.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ευθυς: ADV
- εκαλεσεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- αφεντες: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,pl,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- πατερα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- Ζεβεδαιον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- πλοιω: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- μετα: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- μισθωτων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- απηλθον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- οπισω: ADV
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 4:21-22 (verbal): Parallel Synoptic account of Jesus calling James and John; similar wording about leaving the father in the boat and immediately following Jesus.
- Luke 5:10-11 (structural): Luke's account groups James and John with Peter as partners and reports that they left everything and followed Jesus, echoing the theme of immediate abandonment of former work.
- John 1:35-42 (thematic): John's narrative of the first disciples emphasizes the motif of individuals leaving their previous attachments to follow Jesus, paralleling the call-and-response dynamic in Mark 1:20.
- Mark 2:14 (thematic): Call of Levi (Matthew) in Mark shows the recurring Markan theme of Jesus calling people from their occupations and their immediate decision to follow, providing thematic parallel to the fishermen's response.
- Matthew 20:20 (allusion): Later reference to 'the mother of Zebedee's sons' presupposes the identity and family background of James and John introduced in Mark 1:20, alluding back to their patrimony as sons of Zebedee.
Alternative generated candidates
- Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
- Immediately he called them; and leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, they went and followed him.
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.
He said, The time has been fulfilled; the kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent and believe in the good news.
As he passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them, Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of people.
Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
A little farther on he saw James son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in the boat mending the nets.
Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.