John is clothed in a manner similar to that of Elijah (4Kg 1:8), which helps to show that he fulfills the prophecy of Elijah’s return (see article “John the Baptist”).

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1:9–11 This passage is read on January 5, the Eve of the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Theophany).

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To repent is to do a total “about-face.” The word in Greek literally means to “change one’s mind.” Repentance is a radical change of one’s spirit, mind, thought, and heart—a complete reorientation to a life centered in Christ.

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1:35 Jesus sets forth for us an example of spiritual life. Though God incarnate, He prayed continually, often finding a solitary place to be free from distraction, despite the multitude’s need of Him. Our Lord’s ministry comes forth from His communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit and flows to people in their needs. His praying in the morning teaches us that we must put as first priority our commitment to God, and only then will we be equipped to serve others.

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when the Virgin Mary visited Elizabeth, who was then six months pregnant with John the Baptist, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaped at the sound of Mary’s voice (Lk 1:41).

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John fulfilled the prophecy of the return of Elijah (Mt 11:14), who was to precede the Messiah as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD’” (Mt 3:3; Mk 1:3; Lk 3:4; Jn 1:23).

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John went out to the wilderness of Jordan to prepare the way for the Messiah. He carried out his prophetic role with a brotherhood of disciples characterized by repentance in expectation of the Kingdom, baptism for forgiveness of sins, bearing the fruit of righteousness, and spiritual discipline. John himself lived by an ascetic rule of poverty and fasting; in fact, he may have been a lifelong Nazirite (see Lk 1:15; Nm 6). His eyes were set not on the body and its desires, but on Christ the Lord, and his influence was widespread (see Mk 11:32; Lk 7:29; Acts 18:25; 19:1–7).

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When Jesus appeared before him to be baptized, John was humbled, realizing he was in need of being baptized by Jesus (Mt 3:14). But Jesus knew what was fitting “to fulfill all righteousness” (Mt 3:15), and John obeyed.

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Jesus’ first disciples came from John’s brotherhood (Jn 1:35–39), and the vacancy in the apostolic college left by Judas’ betrayal was filled by one who had been John’s follower (Acts 1:22).

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the Baptist died a martyr for Christ (Mk 6:24–29). The Orthodox Church commemorates him in special hymns every Tuesday, as well as on designated feast days throughout the year.

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Righteous anger is a natural human emotion experienced in the face of sin. While there is anger that is certainly sinful (Mt 5:22), there is also anger that is God-given and proper to humanity (Ps 4:4). Christ’s anger here is in response to people professing God, yet having such hardness in their hearts that they could not rejoice in the healing of one of their brothers.

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4:13–20 In this parable, our Lord reveals Himself as the promised Messiah, the sower, who had been foretold in Is 55:10–13. See also note at Lk 8:5–15.

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4:26–29 This parable occurs only in Mark. The kingdom refers to the whole span of God’s dispensation or plan of salvation. The man is Christ, and the seed is the gospel (see vv. 13–20). His sleep indicates Christ’s death, from which He will rise. That the man does not know how the seed grows shows Christ does not manipulate man’s response to the gospel, but each person is free to receive it and to let it grow in his own heart. The harvest indicates the Second Coming, when all will be judged on their reception of the gospel.

Note: On personal reception

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4:33 To unbelievers, the parables remain bewildering. To those with simple faith, these stories using common images reveal truth in ways they can grasp, as they were able.

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1Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

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