The Gospel of Mark – Background Notes

This is a compilation of notes to assist a study of the book of Mark.


Mark is generally considered the first gospel account of Jesus that was written. Matthew & Luke likely drew on the writing of Mark as those subsequent gospels were composed.

The vast majority of commentators believe the gospel of Mark was written by John Mark, the student of Peter and traveling companion of Paul and Barnabas.

The life of John - Mark

Jewish name – John / Roman name – Mark - he gradually came to supersede his Jewish name – called John in Acts 13:5, 13 and then Mark in Acts 15:39, 2 Tim4:11

John Mark lived in Jerusalem.

Father – no information – presumed dead

Mother - Mary – of some financial means / influence – owns a large home with servants. The family is originally from Cypress. She likely had given significant resources to the apostles (Acts 4:32-37) as her home seemed to be a main meeting location for the church. No known siblings.

Cousin – (Joseph) Barnabas –(Col 4:10); A Levite (of priestly background) who "sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostle's feet" (Acts 4:36-37), He was one of the first believers in Jerusalem to support Saul (Paul) in the authenticity of his conversion to the other brothers (Act 9:27). Barnabas was sent by the church in Jerusalem to Antioch to guide the new church as it began to grow (Acts 11:22-23). He went to find Paul in Tarsus and bring him to Antioch where they stayed together for a year helping the new church get established in the faith. Barnabas convinces Paul to take John Mark with them on their first missionary journey.

Converted to Christianity by Peter who calls him "his son" (1 Pet 5:14). Peter gave John Mark much attention in helping him grow in his faith – likely as a result of the prominence of his family in the faith community and his earnest desire to grow. Mark was at his mothers home when Peter arrived after his miraculous release from prison (Acts 12:12) - the only man identified by name from the "many people gathered there to pray".

Papias (AD 60-130) and Clement of Alexandrea (AD 150-215) report that Mark was the close attendant and "interpreter" of Peter and wrote his gospel from the recollections and teachings of Peter. (Nelson, ISBE)

Other tradition says Mark had been a priest (Barnabas, and the family, was a Levite) and after becoming a Christian he amputated a finger to disqualify himself for that service and gained the nickname kolobo-daktulos, "stumpy fingered".

Time-line of John Marks life

Date	Description	Location	Reference
34 (approx age – 15yrs)	Probable that Mark is the young man running from the soldiers at Jesus' arrest. – Eyewitness of Jesus arrest. Likely he would have been a teenager since he was called a young man. In Jewish culture a boy became a man at 12. (Eastons Bible Dictionary, Fausset's )	Mount of Olives, outside of Jerusalem	Mark 14:51-52 A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, 52 he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
41-43 (22 yrs)	Mary's home (mother) after Peter's release from prison Peter was imprisoned by Herod Agrippa I (reigned 41-44 AD) Agrippa died Some believe it is in this time John-Mark is converted to Christianity by Peter	Jersualem	Acts 12:12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.
45 (26 yrs)	Accompanies Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. Paul and Barnabas are part of the first church in Antioch.	First Christian church – in Antioch	Acts 12:25 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.
46 (27yrs)	Accompanies Paul and Barnabas on first missionary journey as an "assistant" Begin preaching in Jewish Synagogues.	Cypress – Salamis - hometown of Barnabas & John Mark	Acts 13:4-5 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
Late 46	Traveled through island of Cypress with Paul & Barnabas Arrive in Paphos – encounter popular Jewish sorcerer / false prophet Elymas – Attendant of Sergius Paulus – Roman Proconsul (gentile) – Saul curses Elymas who becomes blind – Sergius Paulus becomes believer through faith in Jesus. First known gentile convert on Pauls journeys	Paphos – on Island of Cypress	Acts 13:6-12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
47 (28 yrs)	Paul, Baranabas and JohnMark travel by ship to Perga John leaves Paul and Barnabas and returns to the home of his mother in Jersualem	Perga	Acts 13:13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.
49-50 (30 yrs)	Paul rejects Mark from going on next journey A "sharp dispute" between Paul & Barnabas over Marks involvement in the ministry divided the partnership. Barnabas leaves Paul and takes John Mark to Cypress Tradition states he stayed in Cypress until Barnabas' death (who was living in 57 AD according to 1 Cor 9:5)	Jersualem	Acts 15:37-40 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,
60-62 (41 yrs)	In prison with Paul Paul wrote Colossians during his first imprisonment in Rome (Acts 28:16) Paul now calls him Mark Letters to Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon sent at this same time	Rome	Col 4:10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) Philem 24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
63 (44 yrs)	Mark wrote the gospel of Mark Strong tradition that Mark derived his information mainly from the teachings of Peter	Rome	Papias (60-130) Clement of Alexandria (150-215) Eastons Bible Dictionary;
65 (46 yrs)	With Peter in Babylon in the Euphrates	Babylon (Rome?)	1 Peter 5:13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark
66-67 (47 yrs)	2 Timothy was written by Paul in Rome near the end of his life(68?) Mark is likely with Paul and Peter near the ends of their lives (68-69)		2 Tim 4:10-11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry
68 (49 yrs)	Tradition states that Peter sent Mark on a mission to Egypt. As the first evangelist to Egypt, Mark founded churches in Alexandria; becomes first bishop of the city. According to Eusebius: "So great were his converts, both in number and sincerity of commitment that the great Jewish philosopher, Philo, was amazed" Mark dies in Alexandria, some say martyred– date unknown Tradition states that in 815AD Venetian soldiers stole Marks remains from Alexandria and place them under the church of St. Mark in Venice.		ISBE; Fausset; Unger;

( age timeline purely speculative and for general understanding of possible age of Mark at different stages of his life)

HELLENISM

"The Hellenistic age is rather the sudden unfolding of a flower whose bud was forming and maturing for centuries."

Hellenism – was a time of great political and social change in world and a name we give to the manifold achievements of the Greeks in social and political institutions. It is represented by the spread of the Greek culture and civilization that spread through civilization in the wake of Alexander the Great. He proposed to solve to problem of ruling the heterogenous world by applying a narrow nationalism and instead impose a culture that would transcend national boundaries – where all people could be accepted and 'at home'. This basically meant that the greek way of life would be extended to non-greeks, but in the process there became an amalgamation of Greek and non-Greek ideas and resulted in Hellenism. Hellenism was far from being 'pure Greek', but the Greek culture dominated the whole. It's affects were revealed through the expansion of the arts, science and philosophy, both in morals and religion.

Sometimes the Greek influence was most obvious in 'surface matters' like the wearing of Greek dress or a focus on athletic contests like the Greek games. Other times it penetrated deeply in to the relms of religion and philosophy. Hellenism was 'all embracing' and 'tolerance' it's chief value. Alexander encouraged a thorough mixing of the conquerors and the conquered by intermarriage; marriage was redefined by Hellenism.

Generally, Hellenism was not seen as a 'bad thing' by the populous, but the Jewish culture struggled greatly and did not welcome these 'new ways of thinking'. Though the traditional Jewish culture began to accept the Greek language they rejected the religious plurality and immorality that accompanied the Hellenistic culture. On the whole, most cultures, excluding the Hebrew culture, welcomed Hellenism with it's notable scholars, artists and scientists and many were impressed by the superiority of the Greek achievements. It became fashionable to adopt the latest Greek fads.

The Greek language was the influential force in the whole process, the whole known world spoke Greek and was a great convenience to the first Christian missionaries who took the gospel abroad because they did not have to learn another language. The world came together and was unified by the Hellenistic force of the Greek ideals and culture.

When Socrates was asked what country he belonged to, he supposedly replied "I am a citizen of the world" and Diogenes adhered to the same idea when he called himself kosmopolites – a "world-citizen" – the worlds first cosmopolitans.

In a cosmopolitan world – the local issues and concerns of the city-states were never allowed to dominate over the 'wave' of the Greek culture and thought that was overtaking the world.

The world was giving birth to the concept of democracy that was marked first by the inclination to permit the free development and expression of individuality that was subordinated to the common good. There was a recognition that no individual should subject their own individuality over the whole, but that as an individual subjected themselves to the whole and became part of the common good they were free to express their individuality and in fact they began to change to become part of the whole.

(from International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, All rights reserved.)

The Gospel according to Mark

The second book of the New Testament and the earliest of the four gospels, according to most New Testament scholars. The Gospel of Mark portrays the person of Jesus more by what He does than by what He says. It is characterized by a vivid, direct style that leaves the impression of familiarity with the original events.

Although Mark is the shortest of the four gospels, it pays close attention to matters of human interest. Mark is fond of linking the episodes of Jesus' ministry together with catchwords (for example, "immediately," "then"), rather than editorial comment; and frequently he interrupts a longer story by inserting a smaller one within it (Mark 5:21-43; 6:6-30; 11:12-25; 14:1-11).

(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

- It is the current and apparently well-founded tradition that Mark derived his information mainly from the discourses of Peter. In his mother's house he would have abundant opportunities of obtaining information from the other apostles and their coadjutors, yet he was "the disciple and interpreter of Peter" specially.

As to the time when it was written, the Gospel furnishes us with no definite information. Mark makes no mention of the destruction of Jerusalem, hence it must have been written before that event, and probably about A.D. 63 AD.

According to Eusebius, the place where it was written was probably Rome. Some have supposed Antioch (comp. Mark 15:21 with Acts 11:20).

It was intended primarily for Romans. This appears probable when it is considered that it makes no reference to the Jewish law, and that the writer takes care to interpret words which a Gentile would be likely to misunderstand, such as, "Boanerges" (3:17); "Talitha cumi" (5:41); "Corban" (7:11); "Bartimaeus" (10:46); "Abba" (14:36); "Eloi," etc. (15:34). Jewish usages are also explained (7:3; 14:3,12; 15:42). Mark also uses certain Latin words not found in any of the other Gospels, as "speculator" (6:27, rendered, A.V., "executioner;" R.V., "soldier of his guard"), "xestes" (a corruption of sextarius, rendered "pots," 7:4,8), "quadrans" (12:42, rendered "a farthing"), "centurion" (15:39,44,45). He only twice quotes from the Old Testament (1:2; 15:28).

(from Easton's Bible Dictionary.)

Theological Contribution

Mark begins his gospel with the statement, "The beginning of the gospel [good news] of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (1:1); and the last human to speak in the gospel is the centurion who confesses at the cross, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!" (15:39). One of Mark's key objectives is to portray Jesus as God's Son. At decisive points in his story, he reveals the mystery of Jesus' person. At the baptism (1:11) and transfiguration (9:7) the Father in heaven calls Jesus "My beloved Son," thus indicating that Jesus shares a unique relationship with the Father. Demons recognize Jesus as God's Son, too (1:24; 3:11; 5:7), testifying that Jesus is equipped with God's authority and power.

Mark, however, is careful to avoid portraying Jesus as an unrealistic superstar whose feet do not touch the ground. The Son of God is not immune from the problems of life, but enters fully into them. He must be obedient to the will of the Father, even to death on a cross. Mark portrays Jesus according to the model of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah. Thus, Jesus tells a parable, which ultimately reflects His own fate: the only son of the owner of a vineyard suffers rejection and death at the hands of rebellious tenant farmers (12:1-12).

Furthermore, Mark does not emphasize Jesus' deity at the expense of His humanity. Jesus appears sorrowful (14:34), disappointed (8:12), displeased (10:14), angry (11:15-17), amazed (6:6), and fatigued (4:38). In no other gospel is Jesus' humanity presented as strongly as in the Gospel of Mark.

For Mark, faith and discipleship have no meaning apart from following the suffering Son of God. Faith is not a magic that works independently of the believer's participation (6:1-6); rather, it draws the believer into intimate union with Jesus as Lord (9:14-29). Jesus' disciples are to be with Him as He is with the Father, and they are given the same tasks of proclamation and power over the forces of evil as He had (3:13-15; 6:7).

As the Son of Man serves in self-abasement, so too must His disciples serve (10:42-45). Discipleship with Christ leads to self-denial and suffering: "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (8:34). This, however, is not a matter of a religious desire to suffer; rather, when one loses his life, he finds it in Christ (8:35). Thus, one can only know and confess Jesus as God's Son from the vantage point of the cross (15:39). It is only through the Son of God who suffers and dies that we may see into the heart of God (symbolized by the tearing of the Temple curtain, thus exposing the Holy of Holies) and enter into fellowship with the Father.

(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)