Mark — Introduction

Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels. It (and John) present events in the life of Jesus Christ chronologically, while Matthew and Luke arrange events topically.

The theme of Mark is Jesus Christ as servant (Zechariah 3:8; Philippians 2:7) and as sacrifice. This theme is summed up in Mark 10:45: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Mark’s name was John Mark, and he sometimes appears in Scripture as simply John.

According to Acts 12:12, Mark’s mother Mary had a large house that was used as a meeting place for believers in Jerusalem. Peter apparently went to this house often because the servant girl recognized his voice at the gate (Acts 12:13-16). Barnabas was Mark’s cousin (Colossians 4:10), but Peter may have been thee person who led him to Christ (Peter called him “Mark my son,” 1 Peter 5:13. … Peter was evidently Mark’s primary source of information. [This doesn’t mean that Peter dictated the Gospel to Mark–Mark was inspired by the Holy Spirit to author it.] It has been suggested that Mark was referring to himself in his account of “a certain young man” in Gethsemane (Mark 14:51-52). Since all the disciples had abandoned Jesus (Mark 14:50), this little incident may have been a first-hand account.

Barnabas and Saul took Mark along with them when they returned from Jerusalem to Antioch (Acts 12:25) and again when they left on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:5). However, Mark left early and returned to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). When Barnabas wanted to bring Mark on the second missionary journey, Paul’s refusal led to a disagreement. The result was that Barnabas took Mark to Cyprus and Paul took Silas through Syria a Cilicia (Acts 15:36-41). Nevertheless, Paul wrote that Mark was with him during his first Roman imprisonment (see Colossians 4:10; Philemon 1:24) about twelve years later, so there must have been a reconciliation. In fact, at the end of his life, Paul sent for Mark, saying, “he is useful to me for ministry (2 Timothy 4:11). — from Talk Thru the Bible, by Bruce Wilkinson and Kenneth Boa, page 319.

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The distinctive word of [Mark] is euthus, translated “immediately” or “straightway.” … [Mark] uses the historic present tense 151 times to depict action in progress. — Wilkinson, page 321.

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The omissions [things that appear in the other Gospels but not in Mark] are, mainly, that here is no genealogy, for in a servant men seek a character and not a pedigree; here is no miraculous birth or reference to childhood at Nazareth, as in Luke, or to His pre-existence and Deity, as in John; there is not sermon on the Mount, for that became a king and not a servant; no claim to authority, as for example, in the parable of the tares, for the command to the reapers is omitted; here is no sentence passed upon Jerusalem, or woes denounced upon the Pharisees; no Bridegroom as in Matthew 25; no Lord judging between faithful and unfaithful servants, and no king separating the nations to the right and left hand. If parables and discourses are recorded, titles and actions are omitted. In Gethsemane, there is nothing said about twelve legions of angels; on the cross there is no promise of the kingdom to the dying thief; and prior to His Ascension there is no statement as to His having all power in heaven and in earth. He simply dismisses the disciples to service and goes forth working with them as a servant (Mark 26:20). The apostles are here regarded rather as companions that servants; they never call Him Lord in this Gospel, and in His miracles this title is suppressed.

The additions peculiar to this Evangelist appear in the following passages: Chapters 1:31, 35-38, 41, 3:5, 20-21, 4:26-29, 33, 36, 5:36, 6:3-6, 31, 7:24, 32, 34, 8:22-23, 33, 9:22, 27, 36, 10:16, 21, 23, 15:20, 22, 16:7.

All these additions harmonize with the Spirit’s design in here portraying Jehovah’s Servant. They demonstrate perfection and not inaccuracy, as some ignorantly declare. — Williams, page 732.

Resources that I am using for this study:

The Gospel According to St. Mark, by G.A. Chadwick

Commentary on Mark, by Arno Gaebelein

The New Bible Commentary, by d. Guthrie and J.A. Motyer

A Harmony of the Gospels, by Robert L. Thomas and Stanley N. Gundry.

Williams’ Complete Bible Commentary, by George Williams

Mark in the Greek New Testament for the English Reader, by Kenneth S. Wuest

King James Bible Commentary

When I quote from these works, I will use the author’s (or the first author’s) name. For the King James Bible Commentary, I will use “KJBC.”