Mark

The Mark who wrote this book is the John mentioned in Acts 12 whose surname was Mark (Acts 12:12, 25).  Mark was a Roman surname; his Hebrew name was John.  He was the son of Mary (there are various women named Mary in the New Testament) and a relative to Barnabas (Col 4:10).

Mark was a kingdom disciple in Jerusalem that later transitioned into Paul’s ministry (1 Pet 5:12-13; Acts 12:25; 13:4-13; 15:36-41; Col 4:10; 2 Tim 4:11; Phil 24).  The Acts period was a unique period of time in which there were two different programs operating simultaneously while one was phasing out (kingdom) and the other phasing in (Body).  Evidently, some of the kingdom disciples transitioned into the Body of Christ while most of them stayed in the kingdom program.  Mark probably wrote his gospel before Acts 13, but definitely before Acts 15.

Mark emphasizes Christ as the perfect Servant (Mk 10:45).  It is fitting that Mark wrote with that emphasis because he was not an apostle, but simply a minister (Acts 13:5).  This book emphasizes the deeds of Christ more than His doctrine.  It is a book of action and not of discussion.  The word “immediately” is used 17 times and “straightway” 19 times.

Outline:

I. The Servant (1:1-13)

II. The Servant’s Work (1:14-10:52)

III. The Servant in Jerusalem (11-13)

IV. The Servant Obedient unto Death (14-16)

V. The Servant Continues His Work (16)