Mark— the Gospel of the Servant of the Lord
01.11.23
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)
This is the shortest of the four Gospels. Mark gives brief space to what Jesus said but much space to what Jesus did. Nineteen miracles are recorded in this short book. The aim of the author is to let Jesus’ wonderful works testify to His deity.
Mark was the son of Mary, a woman of wealth and position in Jerusalem. He was also referred to as John Mark—John being his Jewish name and Mark his Roman name. Possibly his father was a Roman. He was a nephew of Barnabas.
He was associated with Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey. He left that work and was temporarily alienated from Paul, going with Barnabas to Cyprus. Some twenty years later he was restored to fellowship with Paul. What an encouragement to us that God gives us a second chance!
He was not related to Peter but was his companion and Peter calls him son— he may have led him to the Lord. It is likely that Peter was very influential in the writing of this Gospel. A comparison of Mark’s Gospel with Peter’s sermon in Acts 10 shows the latter to be an outline of Jesus’ life that Mark fleshed out in greater detail.
Mark was likely the first Gospel written. It is generally agreed that Luke used Mark’s Gospel in writing his own.
While Matthew wrote his Gospel to a Jewish audience, presenting Jesus as the King of the Jews, the Messiah, Mark presents Christ as the Servant of the Lord. The book is addressed to Gentile Christians, and especially to the Romans. It is not adapted to Jewish readers for it has few OT references, and many Jewish customs and words need his explanation. .
The life of Jesus is portrayed as a busy one, filled with benevolent deeds. His devotions are interrupted, his has little time to eat, He is thought to be unbalanced by his friends, and when He seeks to rest, He is pursued.
Mark does not wait to get to his point. In the first chapter we hear the voices of Mark, Isaiah, John the Baptist, and God the Father. Our Lord heals a fever, cures crowds of invalids, casts out demons and cleanses a leper, along with brief mentions of His immersion and temptations in the wilderness— all in the first chapter!
One of Mark’s favorite words is ‘straightway’ or ‘immediately.’ It occurs over forty times. It begins most of the chapters. This Gospel is one continuous story of the Servant of the Lord who came to do the Father’s will.
The book can be divided into two parts. In the first ten chapters we are presented with the Service of the Lord. The last six chapters are devoted to the Sacrifice of the Lord, the eight days of Passion Week. This begins with the Triumphal Entry, and ends with His Resurrection on the first day of the week.
In the brevity of the Book, Mark omits many important things: Jesus’ genealogy, birth and early life, most of the parables, and His great sermons. What Mark uniquely includes are Latin and Aramaic words and customs, and many references to Jesus’ hands. He is saying to a Gentile world that this patient, humble Servant of the Lord is the Christ who alone can save us from our sins if we will place our faith in Him alone.