Journey Through the Bible: Mark's Gospel

Bible ReadingsIsaiah 40:1-11 Page 511Mark 1:1- 28 Page 707

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Saturday, 29 August 2015

• The shortest of the four gospels.

• Half of it focuses on the events of the last week of Jesus' life.

• Mark wrote this account of Jesus’ life in Rome around 60 – 65 AD.

• Paul and Peter were in Rome at this time and Nero was the Roman emperor.

• Nero began a persecution of Christians in Rome.

• Both Paul and Peter lost their lives along with 100’s of others.

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Mark’s Gospel


• “And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.” (Mark 1:10, NKJV)

• “Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.” (Mark 1:12, NKJV)

• “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” (Mark 1:18, NKJV)

• “And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.” (Mark 1:20, NKJV)

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Mark’s Gospel: The Action Gospel


• “Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.” (Mark 1:21, NKJV)

• “And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.” (Mark 1:28, NKJV)

• “So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.” (Mark 1:31, NKJV)

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Mark’s Gospel: The Action Gospel


• This is the gospel of action.

• Mark shows us what Jesus did. Jesus is the servant of God going from town to town, healing sickness and casting out demons by the power of God.

• We see Him confronting the Pharisees' traditions and hypocrisy and, as early as chapter three, they start plotting how they can kill Jesus.

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Mark’s Gospel


• “Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.” (Mark 3:4–6, NKJV)

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Mark’s Gospel


• Mark records how Jesus felt about people.

• “Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honoured everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” And because of their unbelief, He couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place His hands on a few sick people and heal them. And He was amazed at their unbelief. Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people.” (Mark 6:4–6, NLT)

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Mark’s Gospel


• Mark records how the disciples reacted to Jesus’ teaching.

• “Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”” (Mark 10:23–26, NKJV)

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Mark’s Gospel


• Mark records how the crowds reacted to Jesus’ teaching when He confronted the religious authorities.

• After Jesus had silenced the Temple authorities and lawyers by His answers to their trick questions, Mark records, “ . . . . And the common people heard Him gladly.” (Mark 12:37, NKJV)

• The ordinary people were delighted that Jesus had caused the chief priests and Pharisees to lose face in a big way.

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Mark’s Gospel


• Mark records Pilate's reaction to the news of Jesus' quick death on the cross:

• “Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the Body of Jesus. Pilate marvelled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the Body to Joseph.” (Mark 15:43–45, NKJV)

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Mark’s Gospel


• Mark gives only a brief summary of Jesus’ teaching.

• The longest teaching recorded is about the tribulation and the return of Jesus.

• This reflects the concerns of the people for whom this gospel was written who were suffering persecution.

• Mark describes in detail the plot to kill Jesus, His sudden arrest, secret trial, the judgement of Pilate, the flogging and public crucifixion.

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Mark’s Gospel


• In the NIV version in Chapter 16:8 has a line and an editorial note that says, "The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark Mark 16:9-20."

• The NIV translation is based on two Greek manuscripts from the 4th century. These two manuscripts don't have these last 11 verses.

• Most other manuscripts of Mark's gospel do have these verses.

• Three famous early church scholars who wrote commentaries on the New Testament between 150 AD – 180AD refer to these verses in Mark's gospel.

• This shows that these verses must have been part of Mark's original gospel from very early on.

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Mark’s Gospel - The Resurrection


• A number of documents from the early church leaders state that John Mark was the writer of the this gospel. Mark is mentioned ten times in the New Testament.

• “When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.” (Acts 12:12, NIV84)

• John was his Jewish name, Mark was his Roman name.

• Mark lived in Jerusalem and came from a wealthy family.

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Who Wrote Mark’s Gospel?


• John Mark was a cousin of Barnabas, a prominent member of the first church in Jerusalem who'd sold and donated a field to the apostles. (Colossians 4:10)

• Mark accompanied Barnabas to Antioch to see what was happening in the new church there and to meet up with the newly converted Saul (who became known as Paul.) Acts 12:25

• Mark went with Paul and Barnabas as a helper on their first missionary journey. But half way through this mission he left them and returned home to Jerusalem.(Acts 13:5 & 13).

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Who was John Mark?


• In Acts 15 Mark became the source of a strong disagreement with Barnabas.

• “And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.” (Acts 15:36–41, ESV)

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Who was John Mark?


• The next time we hear of Mark is about 15 years later in Paul's letter the Colossians which Paul wrote as a prisoner in Rome. It is clear that Mark was with Paul and was a valued companion:

• “My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.” (Colossians 4:10–11, NIV84)

• In Paul's last letter he urges Timothy to bring Mark back with him to Rome because he was such a help to Paul. 2 Timothy 4:11

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Who was John Mark?


• The last reference to mark in the New Testament is in Peter’s Letter: “Your sister church here in Babylon sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark.” (1 Peter 5:13, NLT)

• Mark was not literally Peter's son. It indicates a close and loving relationship.

• Paul calls his young fellow evangelist Timothy "my beloved and faithful son" in the same way.

• When Peter was miraculously released from prison he first went to John Mark's house in Jerusalem.

• The earliest traditions say that Mark's gospel records the life of Jesus through Peter's eyes.

• This Gospel has the eyewitness account of one of those closest to Jesus.

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Who was John Mark?


• In Mark 14 when Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, we read a fascinating detail that only appears in this gospel:

• “Then all His disciples deserted Him and ran away. One young man following behind was clothed only in a long linen cloth. When the mob tried to grab him, he slipped out of the cloth and ran away naked.” (Mark 14:50–52, NLT)

• Who was this young man? Many think it was Mark.

• It's a little hint that says, "I was there."

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Did John Mark meet Jesus?


• “Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17, NKJV)

• Could this have been Mark's first encounter with Jesus? Only in Mark's account is there the little detail about Jesus response to the young man, "Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him." (10:21)

• Mark came from a wealthy family.

• Mark is never recorded as one of the disciples of Jesus and yet there was relationship with Simon Peter and after Jesus’ resurrection he became a devoted disciple and missionary helper.

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Did John Mark meet Jesus?


• Mark is never recorded as one of the disciples of Jesus.

• He is never recorded as preaching or leading.

• He always served in the background.

• He was a valued and faithful helper.

• A “Hidden jewel of the church”

• He wrote one of the most vivid and direct accounts of Jesus’ life in the New Testament.

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Serving in the Background


Spiritual

Journey Through the Bible: Mark's Gospel