Μετὰ δὲ τὸ παραδοθῆναι τὸν Ἰωάννην, ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ·
Introduction
Mark 1:14 initiates a major transition in the Gospel narrative. The arrest of Ἰωάννης marks the close of the prophetic age and the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. The Greek syntax here is structured to emphasize both the theological hinge and the immediate commencement of Jesus’ proclamation. This verse employs an articular infinitive, a historical aorist, and a circumstantial participle, each carrying critical semantic and eschatological weight.
Temporal Clause: Μετὰ δὲ τὸ παραδοθῆναι τὸν Ἰωάννην
– Μετὰ: Preposition governing the accusative, meaning “after.”
– δὲ: Coordinating conjunction; transitional, often translated “and” or “but.”
– τὸ παραδοθῆναι: Articular aorist passive infinitive of παραδίδωμι, “to be handed over” or “to be delivered up.”
– The article τὸ plus infinitive creates a temporal clause: “after the being handed over.”
– The aorist infinitive expresses the action as a whole—John’s arrest is viewed as a complete event.
– τὸν Ἰωάννην: Accusative subject of the infinitive (Accusative + Infinitive construction).
– The person undergoing the action is placed in the accusative: “John having been handed over.”
– Translation: “Now after John had been handed over…”
Main Clause: ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν
– ἦλθεν: Aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular of ἔρχομαι, “he came.”
– Historical aorist presenting the entrance of Jesus into Galilee as a decisive event.
– ὁ Ἰησοῦς: Nominative subject with definite article—”Jesus.”
– εἰς: Preposition governing the accusative; marks direction or movement toward a place.
– τὴν Γαλιλαίαν: Accusative singular feminine proper noun with article—”Galilee.”
– Emphasizes the beginning of ministry in the northern, often overlooked, region of Israel.
– This clause presents Jesus’ movement as both geographical and theological: a shift from Judea (prophetic center) to Galilee (mission frontier).
Present Participle: κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον
– κηρύσσων: Present active participle, nominative masculine singular of κηρύσσω, “proclaiming” or “preaching.”
– Participial agreement with ὁ Ἰησοῦς.
– The present tense indicates ongoing, habitual activity.
– Describes what Jesus was doing upon arriving in Galilee.
– τὸ εὐαγγέλιον: Accusative singular neuter noun with article—”the gospel” or “the good news.”
– Direct object of κηρύσσων.
– The article τὸ shows definiteness—”the gospel,” not “a gospel.”
Genitive Phrase of Content: τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ
– τῆς βασιλείας: Genitive singular feminine noun with article, “of the kingdom.”
– τοῦ Θεοῦ: Genitive singular masculine noun with article, “of God.”
– Together, this is a genitive of content or apposition: “the gospel which is about the kingdom of God.”
– This phrase defines the message Jesus proclaims: the arrival or nearness of divine rule.
Syntax and Sentence Structure
The sentence structure is chronological and participial:
1. Temporal clause (aorist infinitive + accusative subject):
Μετὰ δὲ τὸ παραδοθῆναι τὸν Ἰωάννην
2. Main verb + subject (aorist indicative):
ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς
3. Destination (prepositional phrase):
εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν
4. Action in progress (present participle):
κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ
The arrangement highlights the sequence of events and ongoing nature of Jesus’ ministry.
Lexical and Theological Notes
– παραδοθῆναι: Often used in passion narratives to refer to betrayal and arrest. Here it introduces the beginning of eschatological transition.
– κηρύσσω: A formal term used for heraldic proclamation, indicating public authoritative announcement.
– εὐαγγέλιον: Rooted in Isaiahic themes of good news; in Mark’s Gospel, it refers specifically to the message of God’s kingdom inaugurated in Jesus.
– βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ: Central theological theme. Not a political state, but God’s rule and reign manifest through the Messiah.
Verbal Aspect and Voice
– Aorist (ἦλθεν, παραδοθῆναι): Used for singular, punctiliar events—Jesus’ coming and John’s arrest.
– Present (κηρύσσων): Describes continuous, repeated action—Jesus’ sustained preaching activity.
– Passive (παραδοθῆναι): John is the recipient of action, highlighting his suffering role in the plan of redemption.
Transition Verse
Mark 1:14 is a transition verse of theological and grammatical significance. The temporal phrase Μετὰ τὸ παραδοθῆναι introduces a shift from prophetic preparation to messianic fulfillment. The aorist verb ἦλθεν marks Jesus’ decisive movement into Galilee, while the participle κηρύσσων indicates the nature of his ministry. The phrase τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ encapsulates the content and urgency of Jesus’ message. The grammar of this verse thus narrates not just movement but mission—the inauguration of God’s reign through Jesus’ arrival and preaching.
