Gospel of Mark
The Gospel of Mark is the second Book of the New Testament. It follows the Gospel of Matthew and precedes the Gospel of Luke. It is the shortest Gospel of the New Testament, however it is considered to be the first one to be written, around 55-68 A.D. There are many similarities between the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke, which is why they are called the synoptic Gospels. Let us discover the story of Christ and the announcement of the Good News from the perspective of Mark the Apostle.
The Structure of the Book of Mark
John the Baptist’s Ministry and Jesus’ Baptism
From the first chapter of his Gospel, Mark presented Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. He then used the scriptures of the Old Testament, from the Book of Isaiah, to demonstrate that John was the messenger who prepared the coming of Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee
From chapter 1 to chapter 7, we discover how Jesus preached to the crowds, healed the sick, delivered possessed souls, and fed the people of Galilee.
The Ministry of Jesus Outside of Galilee
“Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis” (Mark 7: 31). This passage narrates how Jesus left His territory to begin His ministry on foreign lands, in Decapolis and Judea.
Jesus’ Ministry in Jerusalem
From chapter 11 to chapter 13, we learn about the way taught and proclaimed the reign of God in Jerusalem. This passage recounts His triumphant arrival in Jerusalem: “Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted: 'Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!'” (Mark 11: 9-10).
The Death and Resurrection of Jesus
Chapter 14 to 16 describe the episodes preceding and following Jesus’ death, namely: the agony in the garden, Jesus’ arrest, His crucifixion, and the resurrection of the Lord. Like the Gospel of Matthew, the Gospel of Mark ends with the Lord instructing His disciples to spread the Good News across the nations.
Who Was Mark the Apostle
Mark was not part of the 12 Apostles, but it is believed that he was a first-hand witness of the life of Jesus. He is presented in the Acts of the Apostles as a companion of Paul, and Barnabas and his cousins (Acts 15: 37-39), who later followed Peter (1 Peter 5: 13). Mark, also known as John Mark, was the son of a woman named Mary (Acts 12:12). One episode from his Gospel, about a young boy who followed Jesus, but ran away (Mark 14: 51-52) seems to be a reference to him.
How does Mark portray Jesus? Out of the 661 verses composing his Gospel, 600 are used in the Gospel of Matthew. Those two books are quite similar, however Mark highlighted the works and miracles of Jesus, while Matthew focused more on His words (18 miracles and 4 parables). The Gospel of Mark is a narration of Jesus at work.
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5 Beautiful Passages from the Gospel of Mark
Jesus’ Prayer
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1: 35)
Jesus, the Son of God
“Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mark 9: 7)
Everything Is Possible for One Who Believes
“If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes. Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9: 23-24)
The Prayer of the Faithful
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11: 24-25)
Being a Believer
“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 16: 16-18)
