The Gospel of Mark
Authorship and Date
The Gospel of Mark is an action-packed Gospel delivering a concise and balanced account of Christ’s ministry. While the Gospel is anonymous, it has traditionally been named after John Mark[1], a companion of both Paul and Peter, and cousin of Barnabas (cf. Col. 4:10). Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis, provides the earliest literary account attributing the Gospel to Mark. The church historian Eusebius (c. 260-340 AD) cited Papias (c. 70-160 AD), who wrote:
When Mark became Peter’s interpreter, he wrote down accurately, although not in order, all that he remembered of what was said or done by the Lord. For he had not heard the Lord nor followed Him, but later, as I have said, he did Peter, who made his teaching fit his needs without, as it were, making any arrangement of the Lord’s oracles,15 so that Mark made no mistake in thus writing some things down as he remembered them. For to one thing he gave careful attention, to omit nothing of what he heard and to falsify nothing in this. (Hist. Eccl. 3.39.15)[2]
Like the authorship, the date of the Gospel is obscure, as it is not explicitly recorded in the Gospel; however, scholars typically suggest a date between 60 and 70 AD.
Outline
The following outline is an abridged version of Geddert’s (2001):
PART 1: MINISTRY IN AND AROUND GALILEE (1:1-8:26)
Preparing the Way (1:1-15)
Jesus’ Ministry Begins (1:16-45)
Conflict in Galilee (2:1-3:6)
From a Religious System to a Family of Disciples (3:7-35)
Parables: For Those with Ears to Hear (4:1-34)
Victories over Storm and Satan, Sickness and Death (4:35-5:43)
The Rejected Prophets (6:1-29)
The Misunderstood Miracle-Worker (6:30-56)
Breaking Down Barriers (7:1-30)
Hearing Ears and Seeing Eyes (7:31-8:26)
PART 2: JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM, THE CROSS, AND BEYOND, 8:27-16:8
A Promise of Glory by Way of the Cross (8:27-9:1)
Divine Thoughts – Human Thoughts (9:2-10:16)
The Cost and the Reward of Discipleship (10:17-52)
House of Prayer or Den of Thieves? (11:25)
Conflict in Jerusalem (11:27-12:44)
The Beginning of the End (13:1-37)
Preparations for the Passion (14:1-26)
The Trials of Jesus and the Disciples (14:27-15:15)
The Coronation of the King (the Crucifixion) (15:16-47)
Resurrection … A New Beginning (16:1-8)
What Kind of Gospel is Mark?
Geddert (2001, pp. 15-17) writes the following engaging summary of what kind of Gospel Mark wrote:
Mark’s Gospel looks back, it looks around, and it looks forward. It is about what God did through Jesus of Nazareth, continues to do (or still desires to do) among those who follow Jesus, and will yet do until Jesus comes again.
Looking backward is one of the most obvious things Mark does. From a vantage point about four decades later, Mark reports and interprets key events surrounding the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Among these are the following:
Events preceding and preparing for Jesus’ announcement that God’s reign has arrived (1:1–15).
The call of disciples (1:16–20).
Effective ministry and growing popularity (1:21–45).
Conflict with religious leaders (2:1–3:6; 3:22–30; 7:1–23).
The creation of a new spiritual family (3:7–35).
Mysterious words about the secret kingdom of God (4:1–34).
Mighty deeds revealing the presence of God’s reign (much of 4:35–8:26).
As Mark’s Gospel approaches its midpoint, the focus narrows and concentrates on a journey to Jerusalem:
Jesus teaches about discipleship on the way (8:27–10:52).
Jesus confronts the religious leaders and is rejected by them in Jerusalem (most of 11:1–14:26).
Jesus submits to God’s will, allowing himself to be tried, mocked, crucified, and killed (14:47–15:47).
Jesus is raised from the dead and goes before his followers into Galilee (16:1–8).
Mark also looks around at the followers of Jesus in his own day and at those who still need to hear and respond to the message of the Gospel. Mark teaches his fellow believers to look again to Jesus, to learn from him to think divine thoughts (8:33), to follow Jesus with courage even in tough times, and to proclaim the gospel with conviction. Jesus’ first disciples are occasionally presented as positive models to be followed; more often they are foils. As we observe them, we learn what it means to misunderstand Jesus, to hold wrong priorities, and to fail in the crisis. For Mark, Jesus is the one who models faithfulness. By learning from Jesus’ teaching and example, believers in Mark’s day are drawn into the discipleship journey.
Mark also looks forward. Mark lives in the end time (chap. 13). It is a period Jesus said would be filled with crises of many kinds, with persecution for his followers, and with opportunities for gospel proclamation. Mark reminds his readers of Jesus’ promise that he will some day return as the Son of Man in power and glory. Like Jesus before him, Mark teaches believers what it means to discern the times and serve the Master faithfully until he comes back.
Mark betrays great interest in what the historical Jesus actually said and did, what he suffered, and how he was vindicated by God. It is fair for us to assume that Mark had faithful traditions to rely on and that he preserved them with care. Yet Mark is much more than a historian; he is also a great storyteller. Taking up reliable traditions, Mark has creatively shaped them into a gripping short story, a mini-historical novel, a closet drama, a sermon, a crafted proclamation. Mark’s Gospel tells God’s good news (1:14–15). It does so with vividly portrayed characters, a fascinating plot, artfully employed literary devices (such as deliberate ambiguity, irony, foreshadowing, and paradox), and a powerful life-challenging message.
Mark has many priorities: he recounts the historical origins of Christian faith, interprets these events theologically, and provides encouragement and challenge to his readers. But his highest priority is to proclaim a message of good news. What he wrote was designed not only to inform readers but also to challenge them; not only to enlighten them concerning other people’s responses to Jesus, but also to urge them to make life-changing responses themselves.
Theology of Mark’s Gospel
Regarding the theology of Mark’s Gospel, Geddert further writes,
Since Mark’s theology is presented in the form of a narrative, summarizing that theology really means previewing Mark’s story line and highlighting some of its key themes.
Jesus’ coming marks the arrival of God’s kingdom, God’s dynamic reign. His mighty works are the works of God. His authoritative teaching interprets God’s ways. His mysterious parables separate those with spiritual discernment from those who have already rejected Jesus. Those with eyes to see, discern that in all Jesus does, the secret kingdom is being established.
When Peter confesses Jesus as Messiah, Jesus turns his attention to the inseparable themes of the Messiah’s destiny and the way of God’s kingdom. Accepting God’s reign by following this Messiah means self-sacrifice, servanthood, humility, standing with the weak, and rejecting the power-hungry and glory-seeking ways of the world. It means allegiance to a Messiah who will suffer and die. It means living by the values of the coming kingdom, where God’s thoughts, not human thoughts, determine what is right.
In Jerusalem, Jesus and his message are proclaimed (sometimes ironically)—by festival crowds, by Jesus himself, by Scripture, and by a woman expressing her devotion to Jesus and unwittingly anointing him as the Messiah. In Jerusalem, Jesus is also rejected—by Judas, by religious leaders, by nationalistic crowds, and by Pilate, who gives in to pressure and authorizes the execution of Israel’s true King.
In Jesus’ unjust death, his true identity is revealed: he is God’s Son and Messiah, who gave his life to redeem others. After three days, the crucified one becomes the resurrected one. Jesus offers new beginnings to those who have failed him; they are invited back to a life of faithful discipleship and mission.
At 16:8, Mark’s narrative ends (see “Preview” for 16:1–8 and essay [Textual Criticism of Mark]) with a provocative resurrection message offering second chances to disciples who have failed to follow and who are afraid to proclaim the good news. But Mark’s story includes guidance for the post-resurrection period of waiting for the Son of Man to return with great power and glory. In the end time, watching has nothing to do with seeking signs or sketching out God’s timetable (chap. 13). Those who keep alert discern appropriate responses to crises of all kinds, courageously proclaim the Gospel, and serve and follow Jesus right up to the end.
As the narrative unfolds, certain themes emerge as central. The most important of these is Christology: Who is Jesus? Mark’s main titles for Jesus are Christ and Son of God. Secrecy surrounds both titles, because their true significance can only be understood by those who accept the way of the cross.
We also find other key themes in Mark:
God’s reign is being established as Jesus proclaims, interprets, and enacts God’s secret kingdom.
Authentic discipleship involves following Jesus on the way of the cross (understood as the way of submission to God’s reign and its principles, even if it involves suffering).
Discernment in the context of discipleship is the way to understand the teaching of Jesus. One gains insight, not through signs and objective evidences, but by having seeing eyes and hearing ears.
Jesus breaks through barriers of religion, piety, tradition, and ethnicity to bring God’s good news to those formerly excluded. (pp. 23-24)
Reflective Questions
What important themes do you see in Mark?
What differences do you see between Matthew and Mark?
Do you think it matters that the Gospel of Mark – like many other books – does not state when it is written or by whom it is written? Why?
How or why is prayer an important part of Scripture reading?
What parts of, or passages in, Mark’s Gospel are you particularly fond of?
References
Eusebius of Caesarea. (1953). Ecclesiastical History, Books 1–5 (R. J. Deferrari, Ed. & Trans.; Vol. 19). The Catholic University of America Press.
Geddert, T. J. (2001). Mark. Herald Press.
[1] John Mark is known as such as he is called both John and Mark in various NT texts (cf. Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5, 13; 15:37, 39; Col. 4:10; 2 Tim. 4:11; Philem. 24; 1 Pet. 5:13)
15 Reading logion rather than logon, ‘discourses.’
Hist. Eccl. Historia Ecclesiastica
[2] Eusebius of Caesarea. (1953). Ecclesiastical History, Books 1–5 (R. J. Deferrari, Ed. & Trans.; Vol. 19, p. 206). The Catholic University of America Press.
