Mark: The Enigmatic Gospel of Action & Immediacy

Plaque with the Symbol of the Evangelist Mark - Abbey of Saint Foy, Conques, France

For most of the history of Christianity, the Gospel of Mark was dismissed as an abbreviated version of the Gospel of Matthew, with less nuance, less detail, and worse grammar. However, since B.H. Streeter’s 1924 definitive presentation of The Two-source Hypothesis, the vast majority of Scripture scholars now believe that Mark was the first gospel written, and that both Matthew and Luke relied heavily on Mark for their content and structure. Because of the similarities in structure, content, and phrasing among these three, they are called the “synoptic” (common view) gospels.

The Gospel of Mark was written as Christians realized the importance of writing down the stories of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ before the generation of disciples who walked with Jesus died out. It was probably written between the years 62 (estimated year of death of Peter) and 70 (destruction of Jerusalem). The name “Mark” was attached to this gospel some time later, but the actual authorship is not clear. Tradition has suggested it was written by John Mark, a companion of Paul and Barnabas mentioned in portions of Acts 12-15. Another tradition suggests that Mark wrote down the remembrances of Peter, shortly before the apostle’s death in Rome. Other scholars suggest that the predictions of Mark’s chapter 13 indicate a Syro-Palestinian origin. Although none of these claims have sufficient evidence for a consensus, for the sake of brevity, scholars refer to this gospel’s author as “Mark.”

Jesus cures a demoniac (Mark 1:21-25)

On learning that 97% of Mark is also in Matthew and/or Luke, one might question why we should study Mark at all. Mark brings a different perspective to the story of Jesus, one worth study and reflection. For anyone first learning about Christianity, missionaries often recommend starting with the Gospel of Mark. And for those Christians looking to deepen their faith, Mark is a great place to start, since it was written first, and it takes only about an hour to read.

Mark reports what Jesus says and does with little commentary, but with more vivid “in the moment” details than Matthew or Luke. This gospel will likely present new questions to consider. For additional insights, listen to this engaging 51-minute episode from “The Bible for Normal People” podcast.

Mark’s Jesus bursts onto the scene as an adult. Within the first 20 verses, Jesus is baptized, he faces temptation in the desert, he begins to preach, and he calls his first disciples. Over the course of 1:21 – 3:5, Jesus performs at least 6 miracles and begins coming into conflict with the scribes and Pharisees. By 3:6, the Pharisees and Herodians plot to put him to death. Jesus continues to travel widely and quickly, impressing people with his authoritative teaching and miraculous healings. Even so, it seems that many of his disciples do not understand his teachings, and many others question his authority.

Jesus heals a blind man, but rather than the man immediately gaining full sight, it happens in stages. Along the 100-mile journey to Jerusalem, Jesus predicts his passion three times. As Jesus repeats the predictions, it appears as if the disciples slowly begin to comprehend some of Jesus’ teachings on humility and suffering. In the town of Jericho, just 20 miles from Jerusalem, the blind Bartimaeus recognizes Jesus as the “son of David,” and asks Jesus to heal him. Jesus heals him instantaneously, and Bartimaeus – who appears to have a greater understanding of Jesus’ teaching than the disciples – immediately follows Jesus.

Healing the Blind Man - Václav Mánes

Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Over the course of several days, he has tense showdowns with scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, and the chief priests. They make more detailed plans to put him to death.

Jesus and the scribe (Mark 12:28-34)

Jesus celebrates the Passover with his disciples. Later that evening, he is arrested. He is crucified the next day, utterly abandoned by his disciples, except for a few women watching from a distance. Joseph of Arimathea receives permission from Pilate to bury the body. Jesus seems to have died a failure. On Easter Sunday, three women bring spices to the tomb, but an angel announces that Jesus has been raised from the dead. The women hurry away in fear, not telling anyone what they saw or heard.

The women at the tomb (Mark 16:1-4)

If Mark wrote anything beyond verse 8 of chapter 16, it is lost to us. Early traditions supply a “longer ending” (16:9-20) and a “shorter ending” (2 sentences) to the Gospel of Mark, but these are not generally regarded as written by Mark himself.