Mark 1:14 - Exposition

Now after that John was put in prison ( μετὰ τὸ παραδοθῆναι ); literally, was delivered up. This was our Lord's second coming into Galilee. Galilee had been specially designated as the scene of the Divine manifestation (see Isaiah 9:1 , Isaiah 9:2 ). The land of Galilee, or of Zebulun and Naphtali, had the misfortune to be the first in the sad calamity which fell upon the Jewish nation through the Assyrian invasion; and, in order to console them under this grievious affliction, Isaiah assures them that, by way of recompense, they, above the rest of their brethren, should have the chief share in the presence and ministry of the future promised Messiah. It seems probable that our Lord remained some time in Judaea after his baptism. From thence he went, with Andrew and Peter, two of John's disciples, into Galilee, where he called Philip. And then it was that he turned the water into wine at the marriage feast in Cana. This was his first coming out of Judaea into Galilee, related by St. John ( John 1:43 , etc.). But the Passover brought him back into Judaea, that he might present himself in the temple; and then occurred his first purging of the temple ( John 2:14 ). Then came the visit of Nicedemus to him by night; and then he began openly to preach and to baptize ( John 3:26 ), and thus incurred the envy of the scribes and Pharisees. Therefore he left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee; and this is the departure here recorded by St. Mark and by St. Matthew ( Matthew 4:12 ). Hence it came to pass that it was in Galilee that Christ called to himself four fishermen—Andrew and Peter, James and John.