Mark 1:36 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Simon and those who were with him searched for him,

NIV: Simon and his companions went to look for him,

NASB: Simon and his companions eagerly searched for Him;

CSB: Simon and his companions searched for him,

NLT: Later Simon and the others went out to find him.

KJV: And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.

NKJV: And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.

After a busy day teaching and healing people, Jesus has slipped out of Simon Peter's house to pray alone with God. When the disciples awaken, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John notice Jesus is missing, and go to look for Him. This was not the first time someone looked for Jesus while He connected with God—when He was twelve, he stayed in Jerusalem to talk to Jewish scholars while His parents searched for Him (Luke 2:41–51).

It's interesting to note that Jesus does not concern Himself too much with what the disciples might have thought. He doesn't wake them up and tell them where He is going. He doesn't ask them to come along. He needs quiet and solitude to pray, and He doesn't feel guilty for taking it. Like a parent, waking up early to have quiet time before the kids awaken, He makes arrangements for His own spiritual needs. He isn't sinning by sneaking away from the disciples so that they had to look for Him. In the same way, we shouldn't feel bad when we need a break from obligations to reconnect with God.

This time alone with the Father appears to be preparation for the next stage of His public ministry: leaving Capernaum and preaching in other villages. Another important observation is the response of Jesus to His instant popularity. He does not seek fame, but instead prefers time alone with the Heavenly Father. His goal is not to please people, but to do the will of His Father in heaven. His example in this area is important still today. We are not called to seek our own glory but to give glory to God in all things (Colossians 3:17).

Mark 1:21–45 opens a longer section describing the healing and preaching ministry of Jesus Christ. In this segment, Jesus impresses onlookers with His mastery of the Scriptures. He also amazes people with His authoritative style. During this teaching, Jesus heals a man afflicted with demonic possession. The resulting publicity brings a massive crowd to the home of Simon Peter, where Jesus is staying. Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law of a fever, and cures a leper, before leaving the region to continue His ministry.

John the Baptist is introduced as a figure preparing the world for the arrival of the Messiah. John's baptism teaches people about their need for repentance. When Jesus arrives, and is baptized, it signals the coming of God's fulfillment and the need of people to recognize their Savior. Mark briefly notes Jesus' baptism, desert temptation, and the calling of the first four disciples. After this, Jesus begins teaching in the synagogue and performs miraculous healings which spread His fame around the region.

The first chapter of the Gospel of Mark sets the tone for the rest of the story. Mark's writing is concise, action-packed, and short on details. Within a few verses, Mark establishes the transition from the wilderness ministry of John the Baptist to the healing and preaching of Jesus Christ. This first chapter includes the calling of Jesus' earliest disciples, His early miracles, and His early teaching. This establishes the pattern shown throughout the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus mingles His teaching with miraculous signs.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.