This title has been associated with the second Gospel as long as it has been known. It was named this because its author was believed to be (John) Mark, the first-century Christian associated especially with Peter and Paul.
Key Text: 10:45
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many."
Key Term: "Servant"
Omitting Jesus' birth and reporting relatively few of His teachings, this Gospel emphasizes Jesus as One who actively served the needs of people through His deeds.
Cutaway reconstruction of a first-century ad house in Israel. The four friends of the paralytic would not be denied (2:1–12). They removed the roof and lowered their friend into the presence of Jesus. Most houses in Israel were single-story, flat-roofed structures with an outside staircase. The roof was used for work, drying laundry, sleeping, or praying. Over the crossbeams small branches were placed and covered with thatch and mud. As the four friends made a hole in the roof, debris must have fallen on the crowd below.
Sites of Jesus' baptism and temptation.
One-Sentence Summary
In His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus did the deeds of the (suffering) Servant of the Lord, notably through His death as "a ransom for many."
Original Historical Setting
Author and Date of Writing
John Mark, Perhaps Around ad 50–60
The book is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly asserted that Mark composed this Gospel in conjunction with Peter's memories. He was a secondary figure in Acts. Mark became infamous for deserting Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Ac 12:25; 13:5). He later did mission work with Barnabas and eventually won his way back into Paul's good graces (Col 4:10; 2Tm 4:11). At the time Peter wrote his first letter, perhaps a few years after Mark wrote his Gospel, the aged apostle called Mark "my son" (1 Pt 5:13). Most critical scholars deny that Mark was the author or that he wrote on the basis of Peter's recollections, but a number of incidental details in the book support this conclusion. In particular, Bible students have noted that Mark's outline is identical to the outline Peter used in his preaching (Ac 3:13–15; 10:36–41).
During the past two centuries a general, but not universal, consensus has emerged (among all kinds of scholars, both critical and conservative, Protestant and Roman Catholic) that Mark was the first Gospel written. The reasons focus on Mark's more elementary chronology and style of writing as compared to the other Gospels. In any event, most conservative scholars conclude that Mark finished his Gospel before ad 70, prior to the temple's destruction (Mk 13:2). A good estimate for its composition is the decade from 50 to 60, when both Peter and Mark were still alive and certainly had opportunities for collaboration on this project.
First Audience and Destination
Probably Gentile Christians Living Around Rome
The original hearers and destination are not stated but are accepted based on tradition. Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria (both late second century) each identified Rome as the place of origin. A number of details in the Gospel support this conclusion, such as the quick, businesslike pace with which Jesus is presented, heightened by Mark's frequent use of "immediately." Several terms with Latin origins also point in this direction.
Occasion
Scholars have long debated the human factors that prompted the composition of this Gospel. Frankly this is all a matter of conjecture. Some have suggested that the impetus was the growing realization that Jesus' return might be in the distant future. Until then His followers had a need for a written account of the life of their Master. Since Peter was an eyewitness to almost everything recorded in this Gospel, his memories provided Mark with an outstanding historical basis for writing. Another suggestion is that this Gospel was written for Christians facing persecution, perhaps the Roman persecution instigated by Emperor Nero in ad 64. The Christians would thus be encouraged. Since their Master had faced the injustice of religious and political authorities victoriously, they too could triumph no matter what they had to suffer.
Who then is this?" is the central question of Mark's Gospel. Jesus' disciples asked this question of one another just after Jesus spoke to and calmed what seemed a life-threatening storm on the Sea of Galilee (4:35–41). At the turning point of this Gospel, Jesus asked, "Who do people say that I am?" Ironically, the Roman centurion in charge of the crucifixion detail answered the question when he observed the way Jesus breathed His last (15:39).
Purpose
The main purpose of this Gospel was to provide a written proclamation of the redemption brought about through Jesus with an emphasis suitable for Gentile Christians: Jesus is the perfect Servant of the Lord. God's people who read and study Mark today should view it with its original purpose in mind.
First Pass
Introduction
In introducing his Gospel (1:1), Mark gave his readers the answer to a question that is implicit throughout the Gospel: "Who then is this?" (4:41). The Greek term "Christ" corresponds to the Hebrew "Messiah," meaning anointed king. For Mark the "gospel of Jesus Christ" begins with John the Baptist to whom Jesus came for baptism. On receiving John's baptism, Jesus was confirmed as the beloved Son who pleased God by His identification with sinners (1:9–11). The experience of God's affirmation quickly gave way to Satan's temptations in the wilderness of Judea (1:12–13).
Jesus' Authority Revealed
The first major section of Mark highlights Jesus' role as authoritative teacher, healer, and exorcist (1:14–3:6). Jesus began His ministry following John's arrest (6:14–18). The "fulfilled time" was the era the prophets anticipated when God's rule would become a reality. The necessary response to God's work in Jesus was repentance (a radical turning from self to God) and trust in the good news of God's reign.
Jesus' Authority Rejected
The Herodians' and Pharisees' rejection of Jesus contrasted with the common people's acceptance. Jesus' popularity exceeded John's (1:5), extending into the Gentile areas of Lebanon and Transjordan (3:7–6:6a). The parable of the soils (4:1–34) provided a framework for interpreting responses to Jesus' message. Jesus' preaching evoked (1) the disciples' obedient following (1:18,20; 2:14); (2) the crowd's amazement; (3) His family's suspicion of insanity (3:21); and (4) the Jewish leaders' opposition (2:7,16,24; 3:6,22).
Gathering a New Community
Jesus' rejection by "His own" prepared for the gathering of His new people anticipated in 3:35 (6:6b–8:21) . The mission of the Twelve brackets the account of John's martyrdom, underscoring the danger of preaching repentance. Jesus set the pattern for the mission of the Twelve by His preaching, healing, and exorcisms. Though the authority given the disciples to heal and exorcise demons was a sign of the kingdom, Jesus only commissioned them to preach repentance, not the good news of the kingdom (1:15). The mission instructions are evidence of absolute dependence on God for support and allude to the exodus. The disciples, like Jesus before them, were to experience rejection as well as welcome.
Equipping the New Community
Mark's central section is preceded and followed by two accounts of Jesus' giving sight to blind men (8:22–26; 10:46–52). This core teaching emphasizes the cost of discipleship and the suffering/glorification of the Son of Man. The healing of the blind man at Bethsaida is distinct from other miracles in the Gospel traditions in being two-part healing. The man at first saw distorted images—people who looked like walking trees. Only after a "second touch" from Jesus did he see clearly. Similarly Peter correctly answered Jesus' question, "Who do you say that I am?" but Peter's understanding of Messiah was badly distorted, even Satanic. In this larger section of Mark, Jesus reminded His disciples repeatedly of the necessity of His suffering and death (8:31; 9:31; 10:32,45).
Judgment on Jerusalem
Jesus' coming to Jerusalem was the occasion for escalating conflict with the religious leaders (11:1–13:37). Their failure to see and respond to what God was doing would result in the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Jesus' teaching on the destruction of the temple/Jerusalem and the coming of the Son of Man in Mark 13 are challenging to untangle. Despite these difficulties, two primary pastoral emphases are clear in the warnings to beware of deception and to be prepared for Christ's return.
The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem by David Roberts (1850). As Jesus was in Jerusalem for the last time, He and His disciples were leaving the temple complex. One of the disciples observed the massive stones and impressive structure that were part of the temple complex. "Jesus said to him, 'Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down!'" (Mk 13:2). Less that 40 years after Jesus spoke these words, the Roman general Titus led his legions in the destruction of Jerusalem to put down a revolt in the province of Judea that began in ad 66.
Jesus' Passion and Resurrection
Mark's final section concerns events surrounding the human judgment against Jesus (14:1–15:47) and God's judgment for Jesus (16:1–8). Mark's account of the Lord's Supper repeatedly emphasizes its Passover setting. As Son of Man, Jesus would go to His death in accordance with Scripture just as the Passover lambs were sacrificed. At Gethsemane Jesus responded to crisis with prayer. Mark showed a frankly human Jesus, "deeply distressed and horrified," repeatedly falling on the ground in anguished prayer. Despite the test of faith, Jesus emerged reaffirming faith in God's possibilities and obeying His Father's will. Judas, one of the Twelve, betrayed Jesus. While Jesus was in the Jewish phase of His trial, Peter denied Him. The religious leaders were pressing for execution. Only the Romans had the authority to carry out capital punishment, so Jesus was taken to Pilate, prefect of the Roman province of Judea. Pilate was not convinced of Jesus' guilt but gave in to the pressure of the religious leaders and the mob they had incited. Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified. Before Jesus died, He cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?" Witnessing the manner of Jesus' death, the Roman centurion in charge of the execution detail confessed, "This man really was God's Son!" giving a strong affirmative answer to the question that recurs in Mark's Gospel: "Who then is this?" The centurion's affirmation was strongly punctuated in what followed. Early Sunday morning, three women strongly devoted to Jesus came to the tomb to anoint His body with spices. To their amazement they found the tomb empty. A young man sitting to the right of the entrance told them not to be alarmed. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been resurrected!" They were then invited to explore the tomb for themselves.
Ghostwriters are persons who write letters, speeches, articles, and even books on behalf of another person. The document carries the name of the person for whom it is written rather than the person who wrote it. A well-known person or one whose name carries weight with a given audience may not take the time to do his own writing. Some scholars believe something like this was practiced in the early church. Documents like gospels and letters were ascribed to one of the apostles or to a person whose name carried significant weight to the document. Mark D. Roberts1 has pointed out that this was certainly the case with The Gospel of Peter, The Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of Philip, The Gospel of Judas, and The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, among others. Roberts and others have made a strong case in support of the early tradition that the second Gospel was written by Mark. The earliest mention of Mark as the author of a Gospel comes from Papias, the bishop of Hierapolis, in Asia Minor, writing around ad 130. The early church historian Eusebius quoted Papias's words to the effect that Mark, as a follower of Peter, recorded stories about Jesus that Peter used in his preaching and that the stories were accurate but not in proper order. Papias added that he received this information from "the elder," by which he possibly meant the apostle John. If the early church had followed the practice the Gnostics, it would have called the second Gospel "The Gospel According to Peter." This would have carried far more weight and authority than calling this "The Gospel According to Mark," after a minor character in the early church. Mark Roberts argues that the church attributed the second Gospel to Mark because Mark wrote it and the church was concerned more about truth than about the status of the human author.
How Mark Fits into God's Story
- 1. Prologue: Creation, Fall, and the Need for Redemption
- 2. God Builds His Nation (2000–931 bc)
- 3. God Educates His Nation (931–586 bc)
- 4. God Keeps a Faithful Remnant (586–6 bc)
- 5. God Purchases Redemption and Begins the Kingdom (6 bc to ad 30)
- 6. God Spreads the Kingdom Through the Church (ad 30–?)
- 7. God Consummates Redemption and Confirms His Eternal Kingdom
- 8. Epilogue: New Heaven and New Earth
CHRIST IN MARK
Mark's presentation of Jesus is action packed and fast paced. He emphasizes Jesus' mighty acts and His role as Suffering Servant who calls followers to take up their own cross and follow Him.
CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW ELEMENTS
Teachings About God
Jesus emphasized God as "your Father" in this Gospel. He is also the Father of Jesus, and from his opening words Mark declared Jesus to be "the Son of God." The Holy Spirit is present, empowering Jesus' ministry and mission. This is seen especially in His triumph over every unholy spirit.
Teachings About Humanity
Jesus encountered both the sick and the sinful in this Gospel. He healed the sick and forgave the sinful. Multitudes (at the feeding of the 5,000 and the triumphal entry) and small groups (the apostles) were transformed by Jesus. Yet other large crowds (at Jesus' trial and crucifixion) and small groups (Jewish religious leaders) utterly rejected him. Mark emphasized that humans could not remain neutral about Jesus. They had to decide either for Him or against Him.
Teachings About Salvation
A higher percentage of this book is given over to the events of Jesus' suffering and death than any other Bible book. By quoting the three times that Jesus' predicted His death, Mark emphasized the necessity of the cross, that He "must" die (8:31; 9:31; 10:33). At the Last Supper, Jesus explained His death was as a substitute: "for many" (14:24).
Genre and Literary Style
A Gospel Composed in Ordinary Greek
See Genre and Literary Style for MATTHEW for information about what a "Gospel" is. Assuming Mark was the first to compose a Gospel, he may be credited as the one who innovated this genre. Mark wrote in ordinary (Koinē) Greek, in a style characterized by frequent use of the present tense to describe the action. His vigorous, vivid vocabulary is generally wordier than Matthew or Luke (when these Gospels are parallel). The style is consistent with someone who is writing down the memories of another as they are recounted to him.
A PRINCIPLE TO LIVE BY
Christ's Authority (Mk 9:1–8, Life Essentials Study Bible, p. 1356)
In a world that is permeated with many religious and philosophical messages, we must discern truth from error by listening carefully to the words of Jesus Christ.
Endnote
1. "Gospel Authorship by Mark and Luke: Some Implications," part 4 of series: Are the New Testament Gospels Reliable? Further Thoughts, Posted for Thursday, July 20, 2006.
