Overview of Gospel of Mark

As we start reading through the Gospel of Mark in our New Testament Challenge, here are some things to keep in mind as you read. Mark is the shortest of the four gospels, written between 60-64 A.D. making it the first Gospel to be written.  It is written by John Mark who is a servant, a minister.(Read more about him in Acts 12:12, 25 and 15:37)  Tradition says that Peter influenced the author greatly, calling him “my son” (1 Peter 5:13).  Since Mark was so close to Peter’s heart, this makes it very likely that he received the eyewitness accounts of Peter. 

The Gospel according to Mark is an action-packed, vivid account of Jesus' actions and achievements. His eyewitness accounts provide more detail than the other Gospels. It is believed that Mark’s Gospel was written with the Roman believer/audience in mind.  Mark explains Jewish customs and language (i.e., 5:41; 7:34; 15:34)  Mark also his little emphasis to O.T. prophecy.  Mark frequently uses Latin terms (“legion” and centurion”)  The Roman division of the night is given instead of the Jewish. 

Mark records in sixteen chapters “the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). This opening verse introduces major themes in the book―Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God.

After introducing the beginnings of Jesus by speaking of John the Baptist, Jesus’ baptism, and Jesus’ temptation (Mark 1:1–13), Mark gives a summary statement of what we find Jesus doing throughout the book: “Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God” (Mark 1:14–15).
Beginning with the call of four disciples (Mark 1:16–20), Mark records Jesus’ initial ministry in Galilee (Mark 1:16–3:6) and then summarizes by noting the region’s reaction to Him―people swarming to Him from all directions to be healed from disease and demons (Mark 3:7–12).

Beginning his next section with the appointment of the twelve apostles (Mark 3:13–19), Mark then records Jesus’ continuing ministry in Galilee (Mark 3:20–5:43). Through the miracles and teaching of Jesus, both sections show Jesus to be the Christ and Son of God.

After coming back to his hometown Nazareth (Mark 6:1–6), Mark again begins with a focus on Jesus’ disciples and records the continuing ministry of Jesus (Mark 6:7–8:26). The disciples see, but not clearly, that Jesus is the Christ (Mark 8:27–30; cf. 8:22–26), a climactic confession that comes almost exactly halfway through Mark’s gospel. As Jesus continues to travel and teach to Galilee and the surrounding regions (Mark 8:27–10:52), Mark emphasizes through Jesus’ words that being a disciple of Jesus means understanding who He is (cf. Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:32–34) and losing one’s life by giving it away to live for Him (Mark 8:34–38; 9:35–37; 10:42–45).

Opposition mounts against Jesus as he teaches in Jerusalem (Mark 11:1–13:37), which leads to the record of events two days before His death (Mark 14:1–72), including the Jewish leadership’s rejection of Jesus’ claim to be the Christ and Son of God (Mark 14:61–64). After His trial before Pilate, Jesus is crucified and buried (Mark 15:1–47). Just after Jesus’ death, a Roman centurion confesses what Mark desired all his Roman readers to confess: “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39). Rubel Shelly writes, “Mark presents Jesus as the Suffering Servant of God. Mark 8:31;10:33....Surely the purpose of the book was to lead other Romans to confess what one did at the foot of the cross. Mark 15:39."   (A Book-By-Book-Study of the New Testament, p. 18)

 The book ends by leaving the reader to wonder with the women at the emptiness of Jesus’ tomb after His resurrection (Mark 16:1–8—please note I will blog next week about the ending of the Gospel of Mark and how we should view vv. 9-20)

But as one can see, two dominant themes in Mark are who Jesus is (the Christ and the Son of God) and the cost that comes with being His disciple (suffering).

As we read the Gospel of Mark this week together, may God help us to truly understand Jesus and genuinely follow Him.

Robert Prater