Gospel of Mark
The Gospel according to Mark is a beautiful and action-packed account of the life of Jesus and the message of good news. Its purpose is clear, and its message is revolutionary. The Gospel of Mark proclaims the world-changing news: Jesus is the Messiah and God’s Son, and the kingdom of God has come to all who repent and believe in Him.
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)
About the Gospel of Mark
Author
Many of the specifics about this Gospel account are not told to us in the work itself. The author remains anonymous, and he does not specify where or when he wrote it. This anonymity emphasizes the author's intent to focus all attention solely on the subject of the book: Jesus Christ.
There is, however, a strong and compelling tradition that Mark was the one who originally recorded these accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus. Much of what we know about this Gospel comes from the early writings of the church. Eusebius, a third-century church historian, in his ten-volume History of the Church, quotes a lost work by Papius, a first-century bishop of Hierapolis and disciple of the apostle John. Papius writes:
And so greatly did the greatness of devotion enlighten the minds of Peter's listeners that they were not content to hear it only once. And they did not have enough of the unwritten doctrine of the divine gospel, but with all sorts of complaints they asked Mark, a follower of Peter, and one whose gospel survived, to leave a written testimony of the doctrine given to them orally. Nor did they cease until they prevailed over man, and thus became the occasion for the writing of the Gospel bearing the name of Mark.
…The elder also said: Mark, after becoming Peter's interpreter, recorded exactly, though not in order, as he remembers the things said or done by Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor followed him, but later, as I said, he followed Peter, who adapted His teaching to the needs of his hearers, without intending to tell us a connected story of events concerning the Lord, so Mark did not make a mistake in writing things the way he remembered them. Because he was careful about one thing - not to miss some of the things he heard, and not to point out any of them falsely. (from “The writings of Papius” Chapter XXXIX)
Similarly, the second century Bishop of Gaul, Irenaeus, in his book “Against Heresies” wrote:
Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome, and laying the foundations of the church. After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down to us in writing what had been preached by Peter. Luke also, the companion of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel preached by him. Afterwards, John, the disciple of the Lord, who had leaned upon his breast, did himself publish a Gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia.
From these writings and others, we can be fairly certain that Mark is the author of this Gospel. If the early church had falsely attributed this Gospel, they likely would have chosen a more prominent figure, such as Paul, Barnabas, or one of the twelve apostles.
These quotes also highlight that Mark’s source for his writing was the apostle Peter. Mark, an associate and partner of Peter in the Gospel ministry, wrote down what he had heard and learned from the apostle at the request of the church in Rome. This was done so that they might continue to learn about Jesus. Many details in the Gospel are best explained as Peter’s personal memories. Notably, the Gospel does not always speak highly of Peter and is quick to point out his shortcomings and weaknesses. Since Peter was a central figure in the early church, it is unlikely such portrayals would appear unless Peter himself had shared them and insisted on their inclusion.
John Mark
Although John Mark is not a central figure in the Bible, he is mentioned several times in the New Testament, allowing us to piece together a short biography of his life. Mark was the nephew of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). During Jesus' ministry, his family most likely lived in Jerusalem. The disciples used his mother’s home as a place of prayer and gathering in the early years of the church (Acts 12:12).
Mark joined Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, but for unknown reasons, he abandoned them and returned to Jerusalem early in the mission (Acts 13:4-13). Later, when Paul and Barnabas prepared for a second missionary journey, Mark was eager to join them again. However, this caused a disagreement between the two leaders, resulting in their separation. Barnabas took Mark under his wing, and the two sailed to Cyprus, where they served together for some time. Despite this earlier conflict, Paul and Mark later reconciled. Paul came to appreciate Mark’s partnership in the Gospel, writing to Timothy, “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).
Mark the Evangelist - Valentin de Boulogne
More significantly, Mark served alongside Peter in the ministry of the church in Rome and was like a son to him (1 Peter 5:13). This close relationship likely led to Mark’s writing of the first Gospel. Peter, before his death, intended to record his memories of Christ (2 Peter 1:15). Early church fathers widely believed that Mark’s Gospel fulfilled this purpose, preserving Peter’s firsthand accounts for future generations.
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it." (Mark 8:34-35)
Date and Context
As with the author, we cannot be completely certain about the date, but there is good reason to believe it was written between 60 and 70 AD. Most internal evidence suggests it was written before the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. It was likely written near the end of Peter’s life or shortly after his death (in 67 AD) to preserve his words and testimony about Jesus. From the sources quoted above, it seems most likely that Mark wrote this account for the Christians in Rome. This is supported by the many Latin words Mark uses and translates into Greek, as well as instances where he explains Greek words with their Latin parallels to aid Roman readers.
The 60s and 70s were a tumultuous period for the Christian community in Rome. The infamous Nero was emperor of the vast empire, and under his rule, the Christian church faced severe persecution. Peter, Paul, and many other apostles were imprisoned and executed for preaching about Jesus. The church witnessed their leaders being shamed and martyred, forcing them to grapple with the implications for their own faith. As a community, they endured cruel gossip and hostility, often being falsely accused of rebellion. Roman historians record that Christians were misunderstood, treated with prejudice, and labeled as atheists, antisocial, incestuous, and even cannibals. Beyond persecution, the world seemed to be unraveling as violence and wars escalated.
Nero's Fire
In 64 AD, around the time of Mark’s writing, a catastrophic fire devastated Rome, destroying ten of the city’s fourteen districts. Rumors soon spread that Nero himself had started the fire to rebuild the city according to his vision. To deflect blame, Nero targeted the unpopular Christian community as scapegoats. Tacitus, a Roman historian (56–120 AD), wrote in his Annals:
Bust of Nero at the Capitoline Museum, Rome.
Robert, Hubert: L'incendie de Rome
Therefore, to scotch the rumor, Nero substituted as culprits, and punished with the utmost refinements of cruelty, a class of men, loathed for their vices, whom the crowd styled Christians. Christus, the founder of the name, had undergone the death penalty in the reign of Tiberius, by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilatus, and the pernicious superstition was checked for a moment, only to break out once more, not merely in Judaea, the home of the disease, but in the capital itself, where all things horrible or shameful in the world collect and find a vogue. First, then, the confessed members of the sect were arrested; next, on their disclosures, vast numbers were convicted, not so much on the count of arson as for hatred of the human race. And derision accompanied their end: they were covered with wild beasts' skins and torn to death by dogs; or they were fastened on crosses, and, when daylight failed were burned to serve as lamps by night. Nero had offered his Gardens for the spectacle, and gave an exhibition in his Circus, mixing with the crowd in the habit of a charioteer, or mounted on his car. Hence, in spite of a guilt which had earned the most exemplary punishment, there arose a sentiment of pity, due to the impression that they were being sacrificed not for the welfare of the state but to the ferocity of a single man.
To be recognized as a follower of Jesus at the time when this Gospel was written often led to suffering, rejection, and even death. Many Christians Mark addressed became martyrs for their faith, while others were likely tempted to abandon their beliefs in fear for their lives.
Context of Mark's Gospel
The Bible is one story of God’s kingdom being established on earth so that humanity can experience life and blessing with Him. The Gospel of Mark is the very center of this story and the message of how the longed-for kingdom of God (lost at Eden, prophesied and prepared for through Israel, and which will come in fullness at the end) comes to earth in the person of Jesus.
The events of Mark’s Gospel take place in Palestine in the years 25–30 AD (approximately). The first eight chapters take place around the Sea of Galilee and in the neighboring regions. Chapters 8–10 take place on the journey from Galilee to Jerusalem. The final section (chapters 11–16) takes place entirely in Jerusalem.
To understand the Gospel of Mark, it is helpful to know what had happened in the land in the years leading up to Jesus’ ministry. The Old Testament books end as Israel returns to the land after having been in captivity under the Assyrians and Babylonians. They begin rebuilding the temple which had been destroyed but are told of a day when God will bring the full restoration of the people and the land under His Messianic ruler. Then for about 400 years, it seems as if God remains silent.
But during this time of silence, much happens. Greece, through Alexander the Great, invades the land. With his empire comes a period of Hellenization—where Greek culture, philosophy, language, and theology are propagated. Later, Israel was ruled by the harsh rule of the Syrians, who wanted to remove the Jewish culture and replace it entirely with the popular Greek culture. This led to the temple being raided and defiled (a “desolating sacrilege”) with foreign gods being worshipped there and to the people of Israel being forced to dishonor the Sabbath and to give up the practice of circumcision. Obviously, this led to great tension and a time of pious war and revolts—especially with the famous Judas Maccabees.
This time of turmoil was replaced with relative peace when the Romans came to Palestine in the 60s BC. The Romans placed Antipater, an Edomite, as the king and ruler over the land. His son, Herod the Great, became ruler after him and completed many great building projects, including the renovation of the temple (which, when finished, was a huge project almost twice the size of Solomon’s original temple). He was an insecure ruler who killed anyone who hinted at rising up against him. He gave the rule of the land to three of his trusted sons—Judea and Samaria were given to Archelaus, Galilee and Perea to Herod Antipas, and Northern Transjordan and Gaulinitis to Philip. Archelaus was another harsh and hated leader, and soon Rome replaced him with direct Roman rule through governors. In 26 AD, Pontius Pilate became the governor.
Map of Palestine at the time of Jesus
Holman Bible Atlas maps
Map of Herod's Temple
Open.Bible maps
At the time of Jesus, Israel had lived under many years of foreign pagan rule. This rule was financially and religiously oppressive to the Palestinians. There were many fears that again the temple in Jerusalem would be filled with pagan symbols and worship. Many revolts began in hopes of autonomy, and many Messiah-like figures appeared claiming they would lead Israel into the long-hoped-for promises of God. But each of these was brought to a swift end. As a result, there were those who gave into the social pressure and gave up their Jewish roots, customs, and hopes and embraced the “modern” society. Others preached a need to go back to strict dedication to the Law, strict separation from Gentiles, and love for the temple.
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)
Purpose and Themes
As mentioned above, Mark wrote this gospel as many of the apostles and leaders of the church were being put to death for the faith. One of the clear purposes of his gospel account was to record the life of Jesus and to have the testimony of Peter documented before it was lost. Mark, being a close companion of Peter, likely drew heavily from Peter’s firsthand experiences and teachings, ensuring the accuracy and authenticity of his account.
Given the circumstances, a second reason for its writing was to encourage those who were suffering and to help them persevere in the midst of persecution. Mark’s gospel displays Christ as the suffering servant who leads his disciples into a life of self-denial and sacrifice but who is also able to care for his followers in the midst of great hardship and difficulty. This portrayal of Jesus would have been deeply comforting to Christians facing trials, as it reminded them that their circumstances were not indications that God was not in control or had forgotten them. Rather, their suffering was the very way of the Christ whom they followed and confessed. Jesus Himself faced similar trials and temptations, and He predicted times of great trial and tribulation for His followers. Ultimately, the gospel encourages those who suffer by presenting the good news that Jesus conquered death and would return for His followers.
A third purpose for Mark’s writings was theological. At the time of his gospel, there were many false teachings and much confusion about the person of Jesus. As the first line of his work shows, Mark desires to prove that Jesus is indeed the Messiah and the Son of God. His suffering and death did not deny His identity but were a response to His identity. Jesus went to the cross in full knowledge and control and in full obedience to the Father. Mark’s narrative highlights Jesus’ authority over nature, demons, and death, countering any doubts about His divine nature and mission.
“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1).
Other significant themes in the book include the coming and expansion of the kingdom of God, the inclusion of non-Jews into God’s new family, and the true meaning of Christian discipleship.
Genre
The Gospel of Mark is the second book in the canon of the New Testament as a result of the great influence and importance of Matthew in the early Church. However, most scholars believe that Mark was the earliest written gospel to survive. (Most scholars agree that Matthew and Luke used the Gospel of Mark as an outline in creating their own gospel accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus). As the first gospel writer, Mark contributed significantly to the development of the Church by gathering a variety of threads from Jesus' teachings and oral traditions into a sequential narrative that is much more than a simple collection of different stories.
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James Tissot: Jesus Stilling the Tempest
Scholars have come to classify the Gospels as a type of ancient biography (called “the lives”). This genre concentrated primarily on the character of the central figure of the book, whereas the events would play a secondary and supportive role to this main goal. Ancient biographies differ significantly from modern biographies, in that the latter have a much greater interest in (and expectation for) chronological accuracy and the development of personality and thought. While the ancient biography often builds upon a basic chronology for the framework of the subject's life, it does not claim or try to present the events in a strictly chronological order. Often the material is arranged so that stories related to a common theme or setting are grouped together, even if they were separated by years.
The ancient reader would come to the gospel account with the same expectation and posture they would to a sermon. These accounts pass on much more than simple factual information. They are theological treatises that are meant to bring about change in the lives of its listener. Each word and story is used with great precision to describe and defend the identity and ministry of Jesus as well as His teachings. The listeners would expect to leave renewed in their conviction that Jesus is worthy to be heard, that He is truly an authoritative teacher, and that His life is worthy of imitation.
How to read the gospels
Ancient biographies were meant to be read at once, not by jumping from passage to passage. Each of the four gospels was written separately for different readers and was intended to be read in its own terms before the reader began to read another gospel. That is why we must approach each gospel in this line of thought, following the basic idea and logic of the particular gospel.
The individual stories as well as the overarching story have the same basic elements of the stories we tell today, including setting, characters, and plot. We should be careful to observe and take note of each of these and the role they play in the account. Something very specific to Mark’s storytelling is what has become known as the “Markan sandwich” by theologians. Often, he will place one story within another with the purpose of comparing the two and drawing out a significant theological lesson from this comparison.
The ancient reader would come to the gospel account with the same expectation and posture they would to a sermon. These accounts pass on much more than simple factual information. They are theological treatises that are meant to bring about change in the lives of its listener. Each word and story is used with great precision to describe and defend the identity and ministry of Jesus as well as His teachings. Ancient biographies often had a lesson in their stories and presented the characters as positive or negative examples. Therefore, the reader would have asked themselves at the end of each Gospel story: What is the lesson of this story? How does this story help me know Jesus better?
Outline of Gospel of Mark
The general outline of the gospel of Mark follows closely with many of Peter’s sermons about Jesus’ life found in the book of Acts. There are considerable similarities with Mark’s outline and Peter’s sermon to the Gentile Cornelius found in Acts 10.
Francesco Trevisani - Saint Peter baptizing the Centurion Cornelius
Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. (Acts 10:34 – 43)
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Title (1:1)
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Jesus’s Ministry in Galilee – the coming of the kingdom
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Kingdom of God comes in Authority (1:16 – 2:17)
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Growing Opposition and the true family of Jesus (2:18 – 3:34)
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Teaching – Parable of the Kingdom (4:1 – 34)
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Faith and the kingdom (4:35 – 6:6)
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The good shepherd (6:7 – 56)
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True cleanliness (7:1 – 30)
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A second look (7:31 – 8:26)
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On the way to Jerusalem – the predictions of death and resurrection
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You are the Christ (8:27 – 9:13)
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True greatness (9:14 – 10:16)
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The way of salvation (10:17 – 52)
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Jesus’ Inauguration in Jerusalem – the glorious cross
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Triumphal entry (11:1 – 25)
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Questions (11:27 – 12:44)
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Teaching – the last days (13:1 – 37)
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Two meals (14:1 – 31)
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Jesus betrayed, arrested, deserted (14:32 – 52)
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Jesus on trial (14:53 – 15:20)
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Jesus crucified (15:21 – 47)
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The gospel
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Jesus risen (16:1 – 8)
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The epilogue - an added ending (16:9 – 20)
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Resources Used
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Beale, G. K. and D. A. Carson Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
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deSilva, David Arthur An Introduction To The New Testament: Contexts, Methods & Ministry Formation
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Edwards, James R. The Gospel according to Mark (The Pillar New Testament Commentary)
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Garland, David E. Mark (The NIV Application Commentary)
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Gombis, Timothy G. Mark (The Story of God Bible Commentary)
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Guelich, Robert A. Mark 1-8:26 (Word Biblical Commentary) and Mark 8:27 – 16:20 (Word Biblical Commentary)
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Keener, Craig S. The Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
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Marshall, I. Howard, et al. New Bible Dictionary
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Ryken, Leland, et al. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Hardcover
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Strauss, Mark L. Mark (The Expositor's Bible Commentary)
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Tan, Kim Huat Mark (New Covenant Commentary Series)
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Wenham, David and Steve Walton Exploring the New Testament: A Guide to the Gospels and Acts