Mark 1:38 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

NIV: Jesus replied, 'Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.'

NASB: He *said to them, 'Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also preach there; for this is why I came.'

CSB: And he said to them, "Let's go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. This is why I have come."

NLT: But Jesus replied, 'We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.'

KJV: And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.

NKJV: But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”

Given the events of the previous day, it is likely that a crowd is gathering at Peter's front door, waiting for Jesus' healing touch. Crowded or not, Jesus'solution is to leave. He isn't there primarily to heal but to preach the gospel. We're not told what Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John think about leaving their families and businesses in Capernaum, but there's no record that they hesitated.

The word translated "preach" here is from the Greek kerusso, and means "to proclaim like a herald." To "come out" is from the Greek exerchomai, which means "to come forth from a place or an assembly." Jesus is "coming out" of His life, His family, and His obscurity to proclaim God's good news of salvation. The people want physical healing and freedom from demons. They are either past the point of listening to Jesus' message or have already heard it. It is time for Jesus to spread the news to the rest of Galilee including Nazareth (Mark 6:1–6), Bethsaida (Mark 8:22), and Cana (John 2:1).

When God works in our own lives, He often gives us a quiet season of growth, training, and spiritual development, but we aren't meant to stay in that place. Eventually, we will have to "come out" and use the gifts He's given us. If we neglect that time of training, we won't be prepared. But if we're mindful, and trust God's training, He will be able to use us in powerful ways we never imagined.

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 Peters' 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.