Mark 1:35-39, A Preaching Tour (The Study of Mark)

Μάρκον 1·35 Καὶ πρωῒ ἔννυχα λίαν ἀναστὰς ἐξῆλθεν καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς ἔρημον τόπον κἀκεῖ προσηύχετο. 36 καὶ κατεδίωξεν αὐτὸν Σίμων καὶ οἱ μετ ̓ αὐτοῦ, 37 καὶ εὗρον αὐτὸν καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ ὅτι πάντες ζητοῦσίν σε. 38 καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· ἄγωμεν ἀλλαχοῦ εἰς τὰς ἐχομένας κωμοπόλεις, ἵνα καὶ ἐκεῖ κηρύξω· εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ἐξῆλθον. 39 Καὶ ἦλθεν κηρύσσων εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς αὐτῶν εἰς ὅλην τὴν Γαλιλαίαν καὶ τὰ δαιμόνια ἐκβάλλων.

Translation

     And early in the night, long before daylight, after getting up1, he went out and departed into a deserted place2 and was praying there. And Simon and they with him, searched for him diligently3. And they found him and say to him, “Everyone is seeking you.” And he says to them, “Let us go elsewhere, into the nearby market town4 so that I will preach there also: For I came out because of this5. And he went into their synagogues in the whole Galilee preaching and casting out demons6. Mark 1:35-39

Introduction

This storying marks the end of the 24-hour period. This also starts Jesus’ greater Galilee campaign.

1 ἀναστὰς (after getting up) 

This shows that Jesus was possibly asleep in bed or it simply could mean

that he got up from sitting.

2 εἰς ἔρημον τόπον (into a deserted place)

Not the desert, but a remote place where there were no people. τόπος (topos) is the word that we get topography, which relates to physical features of a landscape.

3 κατεδίωξεν (searched for him diligently)

καταδιώκω is a compound verb from κατα (against) and διώκω (I persecute or pursue) διώκω is used by Paul when he speaks of persecuting the Church of God. καταδιώκω is normally used in a hostile sense. This may mean that the disciples were angry with Jesus because they couldn’t find him.

4 κωμοπόλεις (market town) 

Too small to be a city, but too small to be village.

5 εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ἐξῆλθον (I came out because of this) 

Literally, “I came out into this”. On a local sense, Jesus came out of Capernaum. On a broader sense, Jesus came out of heaven.

6 τὰ δαιμόνια ἐκβάλλων (casting out demons)

Mark is adding some drama here by just mentioning that Jesus was casting out demons. More than likely, Jesus was healing people as well.