The Gospel According to
Mark
Mark's Gospel is unique. It is not a biography of Jesus, Like Matthew or Luke, for it does not dwell on Jesus' family history or career. Instead, the Gospel is a record of Jesus' actions and achievements. It presents Jesus as a Savior-King, who conquers demons, disease, and death.
The emphasis on Jesus' mighty and miraculous works makes the Gospel action-packed, fresh, and vivid. Mark constantly uses the present tense to create the impression of an eyewitness account - the kind presented by an on-the-spot reporter. And just like a reporter, he speaks directly to the reader. He uses rhetorical questions that readers would likely ask themselves, such as, "Who can this be, that even the wind and sea obey Him!" (4:41) Sometimes he even addresses his audience with Jesus' words, "And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" (13:37). Mark wants to transform believers with his report, not to merely inform them.
Moreover, his eyewitness accounts provide considerable detail - the emotional responses of Jesus and others, the sizes and reactions of crowds, and the appearance of men and women. The account of the Gadarene demonic is an example of Mark's attention to detail. He uses twenty verses to tell that story, while Luke uses fourteen and Matthew writes a mere seven. Yet Mark's Gospel is the most concise of all the Gospels, because he omits Jesus' longer discourses. In general, Mark presents the miracle-working Jesus, not the teaching Jesus.
Author: The Gospel of Mark does not identify the author. However, numerous documents from the early church unanimously point to Mark as the author. Papias, bishop of Hierapolis (AD 140), claimed that Mark, as Peter's interpreter, wrote an accurate Gospel. The Roman prologue to Mark, dating from AD 160-180, also named Mark as the author, and Irenaeus, in France around AD 180, claimed that Mark wrote down Peter's preaching This repeated by Tertullian and Clement of Alexandri, both in North Africa around AD 200.
Mark is mentioned tens times in the New Testament. His Jewish name was John (Acts 13:5, 13), but his Roman name was Mark (Acts 12:12, 25; 15:37). He lived in Jerusalem and was a cousin of Barnabas (Col. 4:10). He might have been the youth wearing a linen cloth Jesus' arrest (14:51, 52), because only his Gospel mentions this incident, which occurred after all the disciples had already fled. The fact that Peter announced his miraculous jail escape at the home of Mary, Mark's widowed mother (Acts 12:12), indicates Mark had significant contact with Peter and the other leaders of the Jerusalem church.
In AD 46, Mark spent time with Barnabas and Saul in the Anitoch Church before he accompanied them as a helper on the first missionary journey. His unexpected departure from that expedition, however, caused Paul to loose confidence in him (Acts 15:37-39). Yet Mark later continued his missionary activity with Barnabas on Cyprus.
By AD 60-62, Paul again had placed his confidence in Mark and had complimented him as a fellow worker (Col. 4:10, 11; Philem. 24). In addition to helping Paul and Barnabas, Mark assisted Peter in Babylon. (1 Pet. 5:13). Finally, Paul asked Mark to come to Rome to assist him while he was confined (2 Tim 4:11). These short, positive references to Mark in the New Testament indicate that he faithfully and successfully served God as a missionary and apostolic helper throughout the period.
Composition: Peter was Mark's primary informant. In fact, the outline of events in Mark's Gospel follows precisely the outline of Peter's sermon to Cornelius at Caesarea (Acts 10:34- 43; compare Acts 13:23-33). Oral preaching at the time, such as Peter's sermon, used established styles and rhetorical techniques to aid both instruction and recall; Mark's Gospel reflects these oral styles. Furthermore, Justin Martyr, writing about AD 150 in Rome, confirmed that Mark wrote down Peter's recollection of events. He quoted Mark 3:17 as being in "the Memoirs of Peter." In addition, to recording Peter's memories, Mark may have added his own memories and consulted other documents.
Most agree that Mark wrote his Gospel in Rome under Peter's supervision. A second-century document, called the prologue to Mark, states that the Gospel was composed in Italy. Furthermore, Irenaeus, writing about AD 180, specifically stated Rome. Since Mark was with Paul in Rome around AD 60-62 and may have retuned around AD 65 at Peter's request (2 Tim 4:11), there is little reason to doubt this evidence.
Several important early source, including the anti-Marcionite Prologue and Irenaeus, stated that Mark composed his Gospel after Peter's death. In fact, Irenaeus dated its composition after both Peter and Paul's death around AD 67.
However Clement of Alexandria and Origen, writing a few years after Irenaeus, insisted that Peter was still alive during Mark's writing of the book. Moreover, a later tradition, recorded by Eusebius about AD 340, stated that it was written earlier during the reign of Claudius (AD 41-54). Finally, in inscription on the later manuscripts dated Mark's composition at even an earlier date around AD 39-42. These early dates, however seem doubtful because (1) Mark probably would not have written the Gospel before his first failed missionary journey, (2) Peter most likely was not in Rome until after AD 60, and (3) Paul's epistle to the Romans (About AD 56-57) greets many believers, but mentions neither Mark or Peter.
The Most thoughtful estimate would place Mark's work sometime after Peter's death in AD 64 or 65, yet prior to AD 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed. In any event, the Gospel of Mark was penned within only three or four decades after the events it records.
Intended Readers: Mark wrote for the Gentile Christians, especially Romans. This conclusion is based on several facts: (1) Mark assumes some prior knowledge of the Christian faith on the part of his readers. John the Baptist, baptism, the Holy Spirit (1:4, 5; 8) are all mentioned without comment. (2) He does not assume a familiarity with Jewish scripture. He directly quotes only one Old Testament passage (1:2, 3). (3) Furthermore, he regularly explains Jewish customs and geography (7:2-4; 13:3; 14:12). (4) Finally, Mark purposely omits Jesus' prohibition of preaching to the Samaritans and Gentiles (6:7-11; compare Matt. 10:5, 6).
Mark's Gentile readers faced persecution and martyrdom. He wrote his Gospel to strengthen and guide Roman believers through Nero's terrible persecutions. First of all, his readers needed to know that Jesus had also suffered. But, they also needed to know that Jesus, after his suffering, had triumphed over suffering and death. The suffering Jesus was also the Son of God (1:1; 11; 14:61; 15:39), the Son of Man (2:10; 8:31; 13:26), the Christ (Messiah 8:29), and the Lord (1:3; 7:28). After the death of Peter and other eyewitnesses to Jesus' life, the Gospel message needed to be written down. Mark wrote the story down in order to verify these truths and provide a way to pass them on to new generations of believers.
Content: Mark introduces the main character of his action-packed narrative, Jesus, in thirteen quick verses. He weaves in this introduction both expectation ("Prepare the way of the Lord," 1:3) and conflict (Satan tempts Christ in v. 13). The large section that follows (1:14-8:30) heightens the conflict, as in a Greek tragedy. There are successes for Jesus, but there is also growing hostility. Triumph and conflict appear side by side. This long section culminates in Peter and the other disciples recognizing Jesus as the promised Messiah (8:29).
In the next section (8:31-15:47), Mark describes the final outcome for the messiah - Jesus' passion and death. First, Jesus announces His coming death to His disciples (8:31; 9:31; 10:33) and prepares them for it. Then, He journeys to Jerusalem and is tried and put to death. But in the epilogue (16:1-20), the purpose of His death becomes clear. The drama comes to a rousing conclusion as Christ rises from the dead and encourages His followers. This is the Gospel of Mark - the good news of Jesus Christ.