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Bible scholars overwhelmingly agree that the Gospel of Mark was the first gospel written. It is also evident that Mark was the resource text used by Matthew and Luke in compiling their own accounts of Jesus’ life. The likely year of it’s composition is 65 AD. It is also believed that this Gospel was originally penned in Greek, the common language of the Roman Empire, the language of the Roman Christians. This particular Mark is probably the same “John Mark” whose mother, Mary, held the first Christian meetings in her house. (Acts 12: 12) John was his Jewish name and Mark (Marcus) his Roman.
Why was this account only written in 65AD and not earlier if the crucifixion took place around 30 AD? The Apostles and other eyewitnesses had been spreading the gospel ever since the first Christian Pentecost. A written record was not really needed since Jesus companions were able to give first hand testimony about what they saw and heard. There were some writings already in circulation, which documented many of Christ’s sayings and miracles. The eyewitnesses were getting older and no actual written account of Jesus’ life had been undertaken.
John Mark, our author, had not been one of the twelve Apostles but as seen in Acts 12:12 and in some of Paul’s letters; he was involved in a big way. (Philemon 24; Col. 4: 10) It was John Mark who left for Cyprus with Barnabas when Paul and Barnabas went different ways. (Acts 15: 39) The argument between Paul and Barnabas was actually about John Marks worthiness to continue on the missionary journey.
Mark accompanied Paul until the latter was martyred. Mark also associated closely with Peter (1 Peter 5:13) as sort of an interpreter. It is now understood that most of what Mark wrote down was as a result of Peter’s testimony and reflects his perspective on Jesus activities. But Peter was also crucified; according to tradition he was hung upside down. The deaths of Peter and Paul no doubt spurred Mark on to write it all down before it disappeared or became distorted by the unreliability of oral tradition only. Some speculate that John Mark may have witnessed the crucifixion.
The Gospel may have been written at the request of Roman Christians who wanted an account of Peter’s preaching. As a result of his close associations with Paul, Peter and other missionaries Mark was no doubt very familiar with Jesus’ Galilean ministry. One notable feature Mark’s gospel is its emphasis on the activities of Jesus. The teachings of Jesus are curiously absent and we wonder whether this was because other existing writings already dealt with them. The sayings of Christ were certainly in wide circulation orally.
The reason that Mark’s Gospel is generally credited with first authorship is the phenomenon of the Synoptic Gospels. Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospel, along with Mark’s are called the Synoptic Gospels. That is because they reflect many of the same sayings and stories with a similar chronology. Much of Matthew and Luke’s work is based on, and even copied from Mark. Mark’s gospel is the shortest of the three. Matthew and Luke embellished Mark’s work, especially in the area of teaching. Either Matthew or Luke had access to information that Mark wasn’t aware of or chose not to include. Mark’s account was written while there were still many witnesses alive that could have challenged any spurious information had Mark included any.
One of the big questions asked today is, why didn’t Mark write anything about Jesus’ life before the start of his public ministry? Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were evangelists. These four men were not historians. They did not compile these accounts as a historian would. They were concerned with salvation and with what Jesus said and did in connection with this spiritual goal. What kind of home life Jesus led, his education and upbringing were not of interest in a spiritual growth sense.
Each Gospel writer slanted his account depending on his perceived audience. Mark’s testimony was written for the persecuted Church in Rome. His Gospel addresses their concerns and was especially relevant for them. Matthew, with his abundance of Old Testament quotations, was written to persuade the Jewish world that Jesus was their Messiah. Mark often explained Jewish customs; Matthew didn’t have to. Luke, as a gentile and a physician, wrote to an intelligent gentile world to convince them that this new Way was not simply another Jewish sect.
OUTLINE OF THE GOSPEL OF MARK:
I. Beginning (1:1-13)
John the Baptist prepares the way (1:1-8)
Jesus’ Baptism (1:9-11)
His Temptation (1:12-13)
II. Ministry in Galilee (1:14–6:6a)
Early Galilean Ministry (1:14–3:6)
Later Galilean Ministry (3:7–6:6a)
Parables (4:1-34)
III. Withdrawal from Galilee (6:6b–8:21)
The News about Jesus Spreading (6:6b-29)
The Withdrawals (6:30–8:21)
Deserted place
Tyre
Decapolis
Sea of Galilee
Dalmanutha
IV. Revelation of Coming Suffering (8:22-38)
V. The Journey to Jerusalem (9:1–10:52)
VI. Ministry in Jerusalem (11:1–13:37)
VII. Death and Resurrection
The Preparation for Death (14:1-52)
The Death of Jesus (14:53–15:47)
The Resurrection (16:1-8)
The Gospel is the story of Jesus the man. There is no account of his birth. The narrative begins with the baptism by John the Baptist and carries on to his crucifixion and resurrection. The beginning is set in Judea and describes the activities of John the Baptist, Jesus' baptism, and the temptation by Satan in the desert. The ministry begins in Galilee and then spreads to different locations, especially around the Lake of Galilee. Jesus embarks on a teaching and healing ministry there. He heals, casts out demons and assembles his band of twelve apostles. The Parables are presented in rapid- fire order in chapter 4: The Parable of the Sower (4:3-9), The Parable of the Lamp (4:21-25), The Parable of the Growing Seed (4:26-29) and The Parable of the Mustard Seed (4:30-32).
He confronted the religious establishment and quietly prepared his disciples for the upcoming trial and crucifixion. He later goes south to the region of Judea, and from Mark 11:11 to the end his activities are centered in and around Jerusalem. In Jerusalem Jesus is arrested, crucified, and buried. Three women: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome go to Jesus tomb to care for his body. (16:1) The stone is rolled away and an angel in the tomb reveals to the three what has happened.
The ending of this Gospel is quite abrupt. Whereas the other three Gospels give accounts of Jesus’ resurrection and subsequent appearances, Mark is silent on these matters. One has to wonder why. Verses 9-20 do not appear in all New Testaments and where they do it is with the notation: “The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16: 9-20” or something similar. The common theory is that someone added these verses to later manuscripts filling in the missing details.
Of course, Mark makes the point that Jesus is risen. The stone has been rolled away and an “angel” advises the three women “He has risen! He is not here” (Mk. 16: 6) 1 Corinthians 15: 3-8 is actually the first written account of Jesus’ resurrection, not any of the Gospels. We’d have to assume that Mark felt that he’d made his point and that the Resurrection was accepted knowledge at that time.
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