Gospel According to Mark

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The Gospel according to Mark was written in Greek sometime around 50-63 A.D.  The book of Mark is the second book and the shortest of the four New Testament Gospels.  Historians and scholars cannot completely agree, which books, Matthew, Mark, or Luke, were written first.   There is a higher probability the book of Mark was probably written as the first gospel.  This will be covered in greater detail in the section: Evidence and Authenticity of the Book of Mark.

The book of Mark is uniquely written as it does not focus on Jesus’ biography, nor His family history. Rather, the book focuses more on Jesus’ actions, miracles, and achievements.  The book is mostly written in the present tense, to portray an impression of an eyewitness account.  It is fast-paced, concise, and provides a great amount of vivid detail. The translations suggest he was writing to the Gentiles.  The book of Mark has 16 chapters and is organized as such:

Mark 1:1-13                Introduction and preparation of Jesus’ ministry.

Mark 1:14-9:50           Describes Jesus’ ministry in and around the Galilee area

Mark 10:1-52              Details the journey to Jerusalem

Mark 11:1-13:37         Describes Jesus’ ministry in Jerusalem

Mark 14-15                 Is the Passion, or Jesus’ suffering and death

Mark 16:1-13              Is the resurrection and appearances

Mark 16:14-20            Jesus’ great commission and continued work from heaven

The final passage in Mark 16:9-20 has been omitted in some versions because two of the oldest manuscripts were not written.  Most scholars believe either Mark or someone else, added these verses at a later time to account for Jesus’ resurrection.   

The Author

The author of this gospel does not identify himself.  However, many historians believe, and there is ample evidence to demonstrate, that the book was written by John Mark.  John Mark’s mother was Mary.  A widow, who was a prominent follower of Jesus Chris.  Mary lived in Jerusalem and owned a house.  Her house was used on occasions for the disciples gather and worship.  His cousin was Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus.  In Acts 12:12, we learn that Mary’s son’s full name is John Mark.  John was his Hebrew name.  Mark was his Greek name.  If this is the case, John Mark was not an apostle nor a companion during Jesus Christ’s ministry.  He would have been much younger, perhaps in his teen years when Jesus was in Jerusalem.  Mark was closely associated with the Apostle Peter, from whom obtained his information about Jesus.

Evidence and Authenticity of the Book of Mark

There have been numerous documents outside of the bible from the early church that unanimously claim Mark as the author of the book of Mark.

The Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea (265-339 AD)

There is evidence outside of the bible, by Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea (265-339 AD) who wrote ten chronicle books to record the events of the first three centuries of the Christian church.  These are what is known as “Eusebius’s Ecclesiastical History.”  Eusebius’ main concern was he wanted to preserve and record the facts and eye-witness evidence before they disappeared.  One of Eusebius’ sources of information came from an early Christian and disciple of the Apostle John known as the Apostolic Father Papias of Hierapolis (60-130 AD).  This means if Papias was a disciple of the Apostle John, then he was a physical eye-witness of one of the original Apostles.  Papias wrote five books “logion kyriakon exegesis” (“An Explanation of the Accounts of The Lord”). Unfortunately, the original version is lost.  However, several authors, including Eusebius were able to preserve some of Papias’ quotations.  In Eusebius states in Ecclesiastical History, 3.39.15: “This also the presbyter said: Mark, having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately, though not in order, whatsoever he remembered of the things said or done by Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor followed him, but afterward, as I said, he followed Peter, who adapted his teaching to the needs of his hearers, but with no intention of giving a connected account of the Lord’s discourses, so that Mark committed no error while he thus wrote some things as he remembered them. For he was careful of one thing, not to omit any of the things which he had heard, and not to state any of them falsely. These things are related by Papias concerning Mark.”  Source: Translated by Arthur Cushman McGiffert. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 1. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1890.)

If Mark used testimonies from the Apostle Peter, there needs to be proof Mark travelled with Peter for some time to corroborate this evidence.  Peter did not speak Greek, and if he did, he was not fluent enough to minister in Greek.  Peter was Jewish and probably spoke in his native tongue of Hebrew or Aramaic.  As Peter travelled and conducted his ministry, he would need an interpreter to translate his message to Greek.  Mark is supposed to have performed this service.  Peter and Mark became closer as Peter ministered throughout Asia Minor and Rome.  Peter writes in his letters to the churches of Asia Minor, that he sent greetings from Mark, who he called “my son” (1 Peter 5:13).  From this passage, it is supposed that Mark was instrumentally converted by Peter.   This does not mean that Peter was the genealogical father of Mark, but that he was converted and was now a disciple.

The Roman Anti-Marcionite Prologue of Mark’s Gospel (160-180 AD)

“… Mark recorded, who is called Colobodactyus “stumpy fingered,” because he had rather small fingers in comparison with the stature of the rest of his body.  He himself was the interpreter of Peter.  After the death of Peter himself, the same man wrote down this Gospel in the regions of Italy.”

Irenaeus in France (around 180 AD) claimed that Mark wrote down Peter’s preaching.

The testimony of Irenaeus provides a recorded section in which he speaks of all the Gospels.  Irenaeus states, after Matthew wrote while Peter and Paul were preaching the gospel in Rome and establishing the church, he adds “And after the death of Peter and Paul, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, also transmitted to us in writing the things preached by Peter.”

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