Invitation to the New Testament 5: Mark

MARK: 

MARK The Gospel of the Servant of the Lord

Writer, Audience, Perspective: 

Writer, Audience, Perspective The writer of the second gospel was John Mark. (John was his Jewish name, and Mark his Roman name.) 1. Mark was the son of Mary and a cousin to Barnabas (Col. 4:10). He was a resident of Jerusalem (Acts 12:12).

Writer, Audience, Perspective: 

Writer, Audience, Perspective 2. Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their 1 st missionary journey and Barnabas on his 2 nd missionary journey. ~ Mark deserted Paul and Barnabas before their missionary journey was finished (Acts 13:13). The four possible reasons for his desertion are: a. Immaturity b. He didn't feel "called" to the work, so he eventually left. c. A jealous dislike for Paul. d. He didn't like the Gentile emphasis in Paul's evangelism. ~ Mark asked for permission to go on the second journey. Paul refused and took Silas to travel with him. Barnabas took Mark and went in another direction (Acts 15:36- 41). Years later, Mark regained Paul's confidence and was with him in Rome (Col. 4:10-11; 2 Tim. 4:11).

Writer, Audience, Perspective: 

Writer, Audience, Perspective 3. Mark may have been referring to himself when he spoke of "the young man" in 14:51-52; 16:5. 4. The date of his writing may have been 65 - 68 A.D.

Writer, Audience, Perspective: 

Writer, Audience, Perspective B. Mark appears to have written from Rome to Romans. 1. The early church fathers held this belief. 2. In his gospel he uses 16 words that he transliterated from Latin (the language of the Romans) to Greek. 3. He explains typical Jewish customs, which wouldn’t have been necessary if he had been writing to Jews (2:18; 7:3-4). 4. Mark uses only Roman terms when referring to money. 5. He refers to time according to the Roman method of 4 watches in the night, instead of the Jewish method of 3 watches.

Writer, Audience, Perspective: 

Writer, Audience, Perspective C. Mark seems to see Christ through the eyes of Peter. 1. Mark and Peter knew each other well (1 Peter 5:13). 2. Mark may have been one of Peter's converts. 3. The early church fathers believed Mark wrote his gospel based upon Peter's recollections. 4. Mark emphasizes the servanthood of Jesus, just as Peter does in his two letters.

Distinctive Features: 

Distinctive Features Mark presents Jesus as the Servant. ~ A king speaks, but a servant works. Matthew presents Jesus as a King and emphasizes His parables. Mark presents Him as a Servant and emphasizes His miracles, i.e., His works (20 miracles in Mark). B. Mark is a book of action. Mark contains no genealogy of Christ or reference to His virgin birth. D. Mark contains none of Jesus' great discourses. All of Jesus' teachings in Mark are based upon Christ's actions. ~ The only parables in Mark are: 4:3-20 (the parable of the soils); 4:26-29 (the parable of the seed); 4:30-32 (parable of the mustard seed); and 12:1-11 (the parable of the murderous husbandmen)

Distinctive Features: 

Distinctive Features 1/3 of Mark's gospel focuses on the Passion week. G. Mark vividly portrays Jesus' human emotions. 1. compassion - 1:41 2. weariness - 7:34; 4:38 3. hunger 4. distress and sorrow - 14:33-34 5. personal interests - 5:32; 9:8; 10:23, 27 6. personal touch - 1:31, 41; 7:33; 9:27 7. warm interest in little children - 10:14-16 8. displeasure with sin - 1:43; 3:5; 9:16; 10:14 9. loved by common people - 12:37

Structure: 

Structure A. Theme verse: 10:45 B. Outlines 1. Basic Outline a. Title and Preparation (1:1-13) b. Public Ministry (1:14 - 10:52) 1) Galileean ministry (1:14 - 9:50) 2) Perean ministry (10:1-52) c. Passion Week (11:1 - 16:20) 2. Theological Outline a. Sanctification (1:1-13) b. Service (1:14 - 8:30) c. Sacrifice (8:31 - 16:20) 3. Practical Outline a. The Servant Prepared (1:1-13) b. The Servant at Work (1:14 - 10:52) c. The Servant Rejected (11 - 15) d. The Servant Exalted (16)

Classic Passages: 

Classic Passages A. 1:14-15 - "Repent, the Kingdom is at hand” B. 2:27-28 - Discussion of the Sabbath C. 4:26-29 - Growth not seen D. 5:1-20 - Demon possession E. 6:31 - “Come apart and rest a while" 9:14-29 - Disciples' inability to cast out demons G. 10:13-15 - Blessing of children 11:22-24 (compare with Matthew 17:20) - Grain of mustard seed

Classic Passages: 

Classic Passages I. 12:30 - The first commandment J. 12:37 - The common people heard Him gladly K. 14:8 - Jesus anointed at Bethany L. 16:17-20 - God's protection of His servants ~ Fulfillment: * "cast out devils" - Acts 16:16-18 * "speak with new tongues" - Acts 2:4-11 * "shall take up serpents" - Acts 28:5-6 * "drink any deadly thing" - The Bible doesn't record a fulfillment for this part of the promise. But look at it this way: if you drink something that you didn't know was poisonous and it didn't hurt you, you still wouldn't know it was poisonous. * "shall lay hands on sick" - Acts 3:6-7; 5:15