Big Idea: Jesus reacts to two types of people: (1) those who are willing to commit to him, like the first four disciples, and who are re-created by Jesus to “fish for people”; (2) those who remain outside him and thus will experience his authority to vanquish the powers of darkness.

Understanding the Text

Jesus’s Galilean ministry (1:16–10:52) begins here. Mark will start with two cycles of Jesus’s ministry to the three major Jewish groups of Galilee: his disciples (1:16–20; 3:13–19), the crowds (1:21–45; 3:7–12), and the leaders (2:1–3:6; 3:20–35). Permeating all three groups is spiritual warfare, as Jesus has bound Satan (3:27), demonstrated his binding power by casting out demons (1:21–28; 3:11–12), and given this authority to his disciples (3:14–15; cf. 6:7). In this series of stories Je…