Mark

Author: John Mark, in association with the apostle Peter
Place of writing: likely the city of Rome
Time of writing: unknown: perhaps between 60 and 65 A.D.

John Mark, who recorded this gospel account, was a traveling companion of the Apostle Paul, who had at one time fallen out of his favor, but was later received by him again as a trusted co-worker (see Acts 15:36-39; Colossians 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11). Mark eventually moved to Rome, to help the apostle Peter in his ministry to the Roman church. There, he compiled and recorded Peter’s accounts of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, in what we have today as the most concise and fast-paced narrative of Jesus’ life and ministry, the Gospel according to Mark.

The story of Mark’s gospel (and all the gospel accounts) is the very foundation of our faith and hope. When man first rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden, he was cursed with death and eternal punishment. But God promised to send a Messiah, who would establish the Kingdom of God on the earth, and restore fallen mankind from his sin and misery. The gospel is the account of how this actually happened: God himself took on human flesh, lived a perfect life of obedience to the Father, did many miracles of healing and compassion, and finally offered himself up as a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of his people. And he did all of these things for us: his perfect life won for all those who believe in him a righteousness sufficient to please the holy God; his sacrificial death was sufficient to satisfy the wrath of God against the sins of all who believe in him; and his miracles of mercy were a foretaste of the eternal joy and forgiveness that he purchased for all who believe in him. Without the story of this gospel account, we are without hope; but because these things did in fact happen, we have the certain hope of eternal life and joy in the presence of our loving God and Father, if we believe in his Son, Jesus the Messiah.

These are some of the distinctive characteristics of Mark’s gospel: it is the briefest gospel of all, and records the events of Jesus’ life in vivid, action-packed descriptions; it emphasizes Jesus as the prophesied Suffering Servant of the Lord (e.g. Isaiah 42:1-7; 49:6-7; 52:13-53:12), and displays his full and perfect humanity; it emphasizes Jesus’ actions, and records far fewer of his teachings than the other gospels; it emphasizes the true nature of discipleship, showing that it is necessary for all of Jesus’ followers to walk the same path that Jesus walked, forsaking everything, taking up their cross, and following him with humility and patience.

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