¹ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

² sn The kingdom of God is a reference to the sovereign activity of God as he rules over his creation and brings his plans to realization.

³ sn Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.

⁴ tn Grk “nullifying.” This participle shows the results of the Pharisees’ command.

⁵ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

⁶ tn The Greek negative here (οὐ μή, ou mh) is the strongest possible.

⁷ tn Grk “will not taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).

⁸ sn Several suggestions have been made as to the referent for the phrase the kingdom of God come with power: (1) the transfiguration itself, which immediately follows in the narrative; (2) Jesus’ resurrection and ascension; (3) the coming of the Spirit; (4) Jesus’ second coming and the establishment of the kingdom. The reference to after six days in 9:2 seems to indicate that Mark had the transfiguration in mind insofar as it was a substantial prefiguring of the consummation of the kingdom (although this interpretation is not without its problems). As such, the transfiguration was a tremendous confirmation to the disciples that even though Jesus had just finished speaking of his death (8:31; 9:31; 10:33), he was nonetheless the promised Messiah and things were proceeding according to God’s plan.

⁹ tn Grk “throw it out.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “than having.”

¹¹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

¹² sn On receive see John 1:12.

¹³ sn The point of the comparison receive the kingdom of God like a child has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit and willingness to be dependent and receive from others than any inherent humility the child might possess.

¹⁴ tn The negation in Greek (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong here.

¹⁵ sn Jesus’ response, Why do you call me good?, was designed to cause the young man to stop and think for a moment about who Jesus really was. The following statement No one is good except God alone seems to point the man in the direction of Jesus’ essential nature and the demands which logically follow on the man for having said it.

¹⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

¹⁷ tn Or “mistaken” (cf. BDAG 822 s.v. πλανάω 2.c.γ).

¹⁸ tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).

¹⁹ sn A quotation from Deut 6:4-5 and Josh 22:5 (LXX). The fourfold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.

²⁰ tn Traditionally, “tribulation.”

²¹ sn Suffering unlike anything that has happened. Some refer this event to the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. While the events of a.d. 70 may reflect somewhat the comments Jesus makes here, the reference to the scope and severity of this judgment strongly suggest that much more is in view. Most likely Jesus is referring to the great end-time judgment on Jerusalem in the great tribulation.

²² tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

²³ tn Grk “the produce” (“the produce of the vine” is a figurative expression for wine).

²⁴ tn Grk “a councillor” (as a member of the Sanhedrin, see L&N 11.85). This indicates that some individuals among the leaders did respond to Jesus.

²⁵ tn Or “waiting for.”

²⁶ sn Though some dispute that Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, this remark that he was looking forward to the kingdom of God and his actions regarding Jesus’ burial suggest otherwise.

²⁷ sn Asking for the body of Jesus was indeed a bold move on the part of Joseph of Arimathea, for it clearly and openly identified him with a man who had just been condemned and executed, namely, Jesus. His faith is exemplary, especially for someone who was a member of the council that handed Jesus over for crucifixion (cf. Luke 23:51). He did this because he sought to give Jesus an honorable burial.