AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF MARK

The book of Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels. About 93% of the material in Mark is covered by Matthew and Luke, but Mark gives more vivid details in his brief account. The Gospel of Mark emphasizes the superhuman power of Jesus. Christ is presented as God's Son in action, demonstrating His divinity by His miracles. Mark tells more of what Jesus did and less of what Jesus said. Like a motion-picture camera, the author rushes from one dynamic scene to the next. He uses "immediately" and "straightway" about 40 times to make the transitions. Judging from only a few references to the Old Testament, his translations of Aramaic expressions, and the themes of power, it is safe to say that Mark's Gospel was aimed at those who lived outside Palestine.

A very early tradition states that Mark, the son of Mary in Jerusalem (Ac.12v12), wrote this Gospel. We know that John Mark was a cousin of Barnabas (Col.4v10) and may have been a Levite (Ac4v36). Many scholars believe that Mark was the young man described in Mk.14v51-52. Mark traveled with the Apostle Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Ac.12v25), but Mark turned back (Ac.13v13). For this reason, Paul refused to consider taking him along on the second missionary journey (Ac.15v36-39). Since both Paul and Barnabas had strong opposite feelings about the matter, they decided to go different directions--Paul with Silas and Barnabas with Mark. However, much later, Paul felt differently about Mark (2Tim.4v12).

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