Mark

Mark’s Gospel: An Action-Packed Story of Jesus

The Gospel of Mark is like a fast-paced movie trailer for Jesus’ life. It’s the shortest of the four Gospels in the Bible and jumps right into the action, focusing on what Jesus did rather than what he said. Mark’s Gospel is full of exciting stories about miracles, healings, and confrontations with religious leaders.

Who Wrote Mark’s Gospel?

Tradition tells us that Mark was a young man who travelled with the apostle Peter and later wrote down the stories Peter told about Jesus. Mark’s Gospel is believed to be the earliest written account of Jesus’ life.

What’s in Mark’s Gospel?

• Jesus’ Ministry Begins: Mark starts by introducing us to John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus. Then we see Jesus being baptised, tempted by Satan in the desert, and starting his ministry by preaching, teaching, and healing people.
• Jesus’ Miracles: Mark tells us about many amazing miracles Jesus performed, like calming storms, healing the sick, casting out demons, and even raising the dead! These miracles show us that Jesus has power over nature and evil.
• Jesus’ Teachings: While Mark focuses on Jesus’ actions, he also includes some of his teachings. Jesus talks about the kingdom of God, which is a new way of living where God’s love and justice rule. He also challenges the religious leaders of his time who are more concerned with rules than with people.
• Jesus’ Journey to the Cross: As Jesus’ ministry continues, he faces increasing opposition from the religious leaders. Mark tells us about Jesus’ last week in Jerusalem, his betrayal by Judas, his arrest and trial, and his crucifixion.
• Jesus’ Resurrection: But the story doesn’t end there! Mark tells us the amazing news that Jesus rose from the dead! This is the most important event in the whole Bible, because it means that Jesus has conquered death and offers us new life.

Questions for Reflection

1. Why do you think Mark’s Gospel is so action-packed? What effect does this have on you as a reader?
2. Which of Jesus’ miracles in Mark’s Gospel do you find most interesting or inspiring? Why?
3. What do you think is the most important lesson we can learn from Mark’s Gospel about Jesus?
4. How does Mark’s Gospel challenge us to think about our own lives and our relationship with God?

Mark’s Gospel is a powerful and exciting story that can help us to understand who Jesus is and what he did for us. It’s a great place to start if you want to learn more about the life of Jesus.

---

Since Mark’s Gospel (the “good news”) is traditionally associated with Rome, it may have been occasioned by the persecutions of the Roman church in the period c. A.D. 64-67. Mark may be writing to prepare his readers for such suffering by placing before them the life of our Lord.

Mark was a sister’s son to Barnabas, Colossians 4:10; and Acts 12:12 shows that he was the son of Mary, a pious woman of Jerusalem, at whose house the apostles and first Christians assembled. From Peter’s styling him his son, 1 Peter 5:13, the evangelist is supposed to have been converted by that apostle. Thus Mark was closely united with the followers of our Lord, if not himself one of the number. Mark wrote at Rome; some suppose that Peter dictated to him, though the general testimony is, that the apostle having preached at Rome, Mark, who was the apostle’s companion, and had a clear understanding of what Peter delivered, was desired to commit the particulars to writing. And we may remark, that the great humility of Peter is very plain where any thing is said about himself. Scarcely an action or a work of Christ is mentioned, at which this apostle was not present, and the minuteness shows that the facts were related by an eye-witness. This Gospel records more of the miracles than of the discourses of our Lord, and though in many things it relates the same things as the Gospel according to St. Matthew, we may reap advantages from reviewing the same events, placed by each of the evangelists in that point of view which most affected his own mind. Matthew Henry