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Introduction
to Mark
This summary of the Gospel of Mark provides information about the
title
author(s)
date of writing
chronology
theme
theology
outline
a
brief overview
and the chapters of the Gospel of Mark.
Although there is no direct internal evidence of authorship
it
was the unanimous testimony of the early church that this Gospel was written by
John Mark ("John
also called Mark
" Ac 12:12
25; 15:37).
The most important evidence comes from Papias (c. a.d. 140)
who quotes an even
earlier source as saying: (1) Mark was a close associate of Peter
from whom he
received the tradition of the things said and done by the Lord; (2) this
tradition did not come to Mark as a finished
sequential account of the life of
our Lord
but as the preaching of Peter -- preaching directed to the needs of
the early Christian communities; (3) Mark accurately preserved this material.
The conclusion drawn from this tradition is that the Gospel of Mark largely
consists of the preaching of Peter arranged and shaped by Mark (see note on Ac
10:37).
It is generally agreed that the Mark who is associated with Peter
in the early non-Biblical tradition is also the John Mark of the NT. The first
mention of him is in connection with his mother
Mary
who had a house in
Jerusalem that served as a meeting place for believers (Ac
12:12). When Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch from Jerusalem
after the famine visit
Mark accompanied them (Ac
12:25). Mark next appears as a "helper" to Paul and
Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Ac
13:5)
but he deserted them at Perga in Pamphylia (see map
p. 2273)
to return to Jerusalem (Ac 13:13). Paul must have been deeply
disappointed with Mark's actions on this occasion
because when Barnabas
proposed taking Mark on the second journey
Paul flatly refused
a refusal that
broke up their working relationship (Ac 15:36-39). Barnabas took Mark
who was his
cousin (Col 4:10)
and departed for Cyprus. No further
mention is made of either of them in the book of Acts. Mark reappears in Paul's
letter to the Colossians written from Rome. Paul sends a greeting from Mark and
adds: "You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you
welcome him" (Col 4:10; see Phm 24
written about the same
time). At this point Mark was apparently beginning to win his way back into
Paul's confidence. By the end of Paul's life
Mark had fully regained Paul's
favor (see 2Ti 4:11 and note).
Some
who hold that Matthew and Luke used Mark as a major source
have suggested that Mark may have been composed in the 50s or early 60s. Others
have felt that the content of the Gospel and statements made about Mark by the
early church fathers indicate that the book was written shortly before the
destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. See essay and chart
p. 1943.
According to early church tradition
Mark was written "in the
regions of Italy" (Anti-Marcionite Prologue) or
more specifically
in
Rome (Irenaeus; Clement of Alexandria). These same authors closely associate
Mark's writing of the Gospel with the apostle Peter. The above evidence is
consistent with (1) the historical probability that Peter was in Rome during
the last days of his life and was martyred there
and (2) the Biblical evidence
that Mark also was in Rome about the same time and was closely associated with
Peter (see 2Ti 4:11; 1Pe 5:13
where the word "Babylon" may be a
cryptogram for Rome; see also Introduction to 1 Peter: Place of Writing).
The evidence points to the church at Rome
or at least to Gentile
readers. Mark explains Jewish customs (7:2-4; 15:42)
translates Aramaic words (3:17;
5:41; 7:11
34; 15:22
34) and seems to have a special interest
in persecution and martyrdom (8:34-38; 13:9-13) -- subjects of special concern to Roman
believers (and to Peter as well; cf. 1 Peter). A Roman destination would
explain the almost immediate acceptance of this Gospel and its rapid
dissemination.
Since Mark's Gospel 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. The famous fire of Rome in 64 -- probably set by Nero himself but
blamed on Christians -- resulted in widespread persecution. Even martyrdom was
not unknown among Roman believers. Mark may be writing to prepare his readers
for such suffering by placing before them the life of our Lord. There are many
references
both explicit and veiled
to suffering and discipleship throughout
his Gospel (see 1:12-13; 3:22
30; 8:34-38; 10:30
33-34
45; 13:8-13).
Mark's Gospel is a simple
succinct
unadorned
yet vivid account
of Jesus' ministry
emphasizing more what Jesus did than what he said. Mark
moves quickly from one episode in Jesus' life and ministry to another
often
using the adverb "immediately" (see note on 1:12).
The book as a whole is characterized as "The beginning of the gospel"
(1:1). The life
death and resurrection of Christ comprise the
"beginning
" of which the apostolic preaching in Acts is the
continuation.
I.
The Beginnings of Jesus' Ministry (1:1-13)
A.
His Forerunner (1:1-8)
II.
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee (1:14;6:29)
III. Strategic
Withdrawals from Galilee (6:30;9:29)
IV.
Final Ministry in Galilee (9:30-50)
V.
Jesus' Ministry in Judea and Perea (ch.
10)
VI.
The Passion of Jesus (chs. 11-15)
VII.
The Resurrection of Jesus (ch.
16)
──《New
International Version》
Introduction to Mark
The Gospel according to Mark has a character that differs
in certain respects from all the others. Each Gospel
as we have seen
has its
own character; each is occupied with the Person of the Lord in a different
point of view: as a divine Person
the Son of God; as the Son of man; as the
Son of David
the Messiah presented to the Jews
Emmanuel. But Mark is occupied
with none of these titles. It is the Servant we find here-and in particular His
service as bearing the word-the active service of Christ in the gospel. The
glory of His divine Person shews itself
it is true
in a remarkable manner
through His service
and
as it were
in spite of Himself
so that He avoids
its consequences. But still service is the subject of the book. Doubtless we
shall find the character of His teaching developing itself (and truth
consequently shaking off the Jewish forms under which it had been held)
as
well as the account of His death
on which all depended for the establishment
of faith. But that which distinguishes this Gospel is the character of service
and of Servant that is attached to the life of Jesus-the work that He came to
accomplish personally as living on the earth. On this account the history of
His birth is not found in Mark. It opens with the announcement of the beginning
of the gospel. John the Baptist is the herald
the forerunner
of Him who
brought this good news to man.
── John Darby《Synopsis of Mark》
Introduction to Mark
Mark was a sister's son to Barnabas
Col
4:10; and Ac 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
1Pe 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《Concise Commentary on Mark》