Introduction to Mark

Goal of studying Mark: To experience Jesus Christ and the good news about him. We want to encounter Jesus. In the process of Encountering Jesus, we also hope to sharpen our Bible study skills, but it does no good to have great Bible study skills if we’re not falling in love with the God who wrote this word to us.

Facts about Mark:

  • Shortest gospel
  • Believed to be first written, sometime between AD 60-70
  • Simple but deep
  • Often the first translated in missions
  • Gospels of Matthew and Luke largely based on Mark
  • Mark was probably Peter’s assistant, so this is largely Peter’s story, probably written after he was killed by the Romans

Context Mark was written into:

  • Written to Christians in Rome in a life/death situation
  • Nero was the emperor at that time, a reckless despot, held a reign of terror. I.e. Held dinner parties where guests were invited to commit suicide
  • Christians at first got little attention, because it was a pluralistic society, many religions. But in 64 AD, the Great Fire of Rome burned ¾ of Rome, raged for one week. There was a rumor that Nero ordered it. He blamed Christians for the fire, which began the persecution of Christians in the Coliseum. This is when Christians began to hide in the catacombs
  • Mark writes about faith in the context of suffering and martyrdom

Mark the author:

  • Jewish Christian whose mother owned the home where the original Christian community met in Jerusalem (upper room, last supper), 10 day prayer, where Peter came after his miraculous release from prison (Acts 12:12)
  • Peter’s assistant, who wrote down the stories that Peter told
  • Story of a deserter who made good:
  • Recantation: Comes from a good home, goes on an exciting journey with Paul and Barnabas. Can’t handle it because of struggles and fears. Paul saw him as the one who deserted (Acts 12:25, 13:13)
  • Remorse: Back in Jerusalem must have felt like a failure, asked himself if God would ever use him again?
  • Restoration: with Barnabas, who is ready to take him again. Paul doesn’t want to, they quarrel and separate ways (Acts 15:36-41). Later in 2 Timothy 4:11, Col 4:10 we see a restoration with Paul.
  • Reparation: Became an evangelist with Peter, wrote the gospel that still today introduces Jesus Christ to others.

Manuscript Study:

Text is purposely printed with large margins, double-spaced, so you can make marks and attempt to see it afresh. Original texts had no punctuation, was all in capitals and no spaces, this is a bit easier.

Inductive Bible study: Examines specific instances and derives general principles, i.e. Jesus teaching the story of the Good Samaritan.

Deductive Bible study: states point, proving it and then restating it. Argues from general rules and principles to specific applications and situations. I.e. “the golden rule.”

Method: Refer to study sheet

3 Misconceptions about studying the gospels: Gospels were written to present Jesus as Lord and Savior. They were a personal witness to Him.

  1. Gospels are not written to furnish a sequence of events in the life of Jesus. They are not a biography or a history.
  2. They are not a string of tales ordered in the interest of chronology. Key in studying is why it’s ordered the way it is.
  3. Gospels were written on own terms, independent of each other, so cross-referencing with other gospels may not help us hear what this given gospel is teaching. We do cross-reference with the Old Testament though because this was the most important text to the people Jesus ministered to, and the Christians receiving Mark. Since Mark was the first gospel written, at the time the Roman Christians received it, no other written information was available. Read with this understanding.