As we begin reading the Gospel of Mark, there is some
background information that may help us along the way. The author is not specifically named. However, unanimous testimony of the early
church confirms that it was John Mark.
He was not one of the Apostles.
Early tradition establishes a close relationship between Mark and Peter, who would have been Mark’s eyewitness source to many of the events he recorded. He would have heard Peter preach about Jesus and then arrange it in such a way as to give a detailed account. In 1 Peter 5:13 Peter makes reference to “my son Mark.”
What do we know about Mark? When Peter had been rescued from prison, Acts 12:12 informs us that he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark.
Incidentally, Mark was the cousin of Barnabas. Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas on Paul’s 1st missionary journey. But he left them during the trip. Whatever the reason for his departure, it left the Apostle Paul very unhappy – so much so that when Barnabas wanted to have Mark join the team again during the 2nd Missionary Journey, Paul didn’t think it was a good idea. It caused a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. They separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him in one direction, and Paul took Silas with him on his missionary trip.
Later there must have been a reconciliation between Paul and Mark, since Mark is referred to by Paul as a fellow worker (Philemon 1:24) and later is sent for by Paul near the end of his life with his execution impending. Paul asked Timothy to “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry” – 2 Timothy 4:11.
It’s possible that we met Mark in his own gospel account. Many believe he is the unnamed young man described in Mark 14:51-52: “And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.” This would have been an ignominious act of cowardice, deserting Jesus in His time of need.
Here is a powerful lesson for each of us. Mark had experienced at least one, perhaps two major failures recorded in Scriptures. Yet here is - a “dear son of Peter,” a “trusted and useful co-worker of Paul,” and a writer of one of the Holy Spirit-inspired Gospels.
The lesson is that failure is not a state of being, just a temporary blip on the screen of life. Failures belong behind us, not with us and not in front of us. Christians are not perfect, just perfectly forgiven.
As we read through Mark there are some distinctives that may be helpful for us.
Early tradition establishes a close relationship between Mark and Peter, who would have been Mark’s eyewitness source to many of the events he recorded. He would have heard Peter preach about Jesus and then arrange it in such a way as to give a detailed account. In 1 Peter 5:13 Peter makes reference to “my son Mark.”
What do we know about Mark? When Peter had been rescued from prison, Acts 12:12 informs us that he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark.
Incidentally, Mark was the cousin of Barnabas. Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas on Paul’s 1st missionary journey. But he left them during the trip. Whatever the reason for his departure, it left the Apostle Paul very unhappy – so much so that when Barnabas wanted to have Mark join the team again during the 2nd Missionary Journey, Paul didn’t think it was a good idea. It caused a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. They separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him in one direction, and Paul took Silas with him on his missionary trip.
Later there must have been a reconciliation between Paul and Mark, since Mark is referred to by Paul as a fellow worker (Philemon 1:24) and later is sent for by Paul near the end of his life with his execution impending. Paul asked Timothy to “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry” – 2 Timothy 4:11.
It’s possible that we met Mark in his own gospel account. Many believe he is the unnamed young man described in Mark 14:51-52: “And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.” This would have been an ignominious act of cowardice, deserting Jesus in His time of need.
Here is a powerful lesson for each of us. Mark had experienced at least one, perhaps two major failures recorded in Scriptures. Yet here is - a “dear son of Peter,” a “trusted and useful co-worker of Paul,” and a writer of one of the Holy Spirit-inspired Gospels.
The lesson is that failure is not a state of being, just a temporary blip on the screen of life. Failures belong behind us, not with us and not in front of us. Christians are not perfect, just perfectly forgiven.
As we read through Mark there are some distinctives that may be helpful for us.
* 91% of Mark is in Matthew.
* 53 % of Mark is in Luke.
* Mark emphasizes the humanity of Jesus but doesn’t neglect His deity.
*He emphasizes more of what Jesus did than what He said.
*He uses the word immediately 42 times. We find fast action, moving from one incident to another. The words astonished and amazed are used more than a few times.
~~Paul Thompson
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