Gospel Of Mark

Gospel of Mark: A Biblical History
The Gospel of Mark is one of four gospels in the Holy Bible and is the second book in chronological order presented in the New Testament. Mark (John Mark was his full name) was an associate with Simon Peter, one of the 12 apostles that followed Jesus Christ throughout His public ministry on earth. Peter was the name given to Simon by Jesus Christ personally (Mark 3:16). He was very close to Jesus and after the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, Peter was one of the founders of the early Christian church. Although the book was written by Mark, the facts contained in it are thought to be the accounts of Peter during his ministry with Jesus. The consensus among scholars is that the book of Mark was written between 50 and 60 A.D. The author is referenced several times in the New Testament starting in the book of Acts, chapters 12 and 13, in Colossians 4:10, and finally in 2 Timothy 4:11. The book of Mark was probably written in Italy, and perhaps even Rome. This book has 16 chapters and is the shortest book of the four gospels. However, the details of the events and miracles of Jesus in this book are consistent with the other three gospels; Matthew, Luke, and John.

Gospel of Mark: The Outline and Structure
The Gospel of Mark is organized into seven sections that describe the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The first chapter begins with a quotation from Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet, and John the Baptist, who prophesied the coming of the Messiah. This chapter also details the baptism and the temptation of Jesus. The beginning of the second section of the book describes when Jesus calls Simon Peter and his brother Andrew to follow Him for ministry along with the other ten disciples (Mark 1:14-20). Jesus starts performing miracles during this section of the book (See Mark 1:21) known as His Galilean Ministry through verse 6:29. Section three depicts the withdrawal from Galilee by Jesus and His disciples and the miracle of feeding five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish (Mark 6:37-44). This chapter also describes the miracle of Jesus walking on water (Mark 6:49), Peter's confession that Jesus is the Messiah (Mark 8:29), and the transfiguration (Mark 9:2-5). In the last portion of this section Jesus predicts His death and resurrection (Mark 9:32). Section four, beginning with verse 9:33, covers the period when Jesus goes to Capernaum and preaches to His disciples about who is the greatest (Mark 9:36) and other subjects. Jesus then goes to Judea in section five, starting in Chapter 10. There, He teaches on many subjects, performs the miracle of restoring sight to a blind man that shows faith (Mark 10:52) and again predicts His death and resurrection to His disciples (Mark 10:33, 34). Chapters 11 through 15 start with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the back of a colt (Mark 11:1-11:11). In Jerusalem, Jesus teaches many lessons through answering questions, telling parables and gives warnings to people. The Lord's Supper is recounted in verses 14:17-26. Jesus is then arrested, tried and crucified on the cross. The last section of Mark details the account of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb.

Gospel of Mark: What is the Significance?
The Gospel of Mark presents many important facts and significant lessons. First, it clearly establishes that Jesus Christ is the Messiah that was prophesied throughout the Old Testament. Second, it proves that Jesus was the Son of God, whom He claimed to be by living a sinless and perfect life. Third, the Gospel records Jesus' miracles over nature (calming the storm; Mark 4:37-41, walking on water; Mark 6:48-51, and withering the fig tree; Mark 11:12-14). His miracles also include healing many people, including Peter's mother-in-law (Mark 1:30-31), the paralyzed man (Mark 2:3-12), the woman with bleeding (Mark 5:25-29), and the deaf mute (Mark 7:31-37). Jesus also displayed miracle powers over death by raising Jairus's daughter from the dead (Mark 5:37-39). The most important fact in the Gospel of Mark is the evidence that Jesus Christ overcame the power of death through His resurrection from the tomb. He proved that there is no power that can overcome Him, that He is the authority to forgive the sins of people, and that He is the One and only Son of God. Lastly, Jesus gives people perfect instructions for how God desires people to live, respond through challenging circumstances, and make choices regarding their future for eternity. A few examples of these include having faith (Mark 2:5), replacing fear with trust (Mark 4:40), believing in the power of God (Mark 5:36), following Christ (Mark 8:35), understanding God's will (Mark 9:35), and sacrifices (Mark 10:21). Every word spoken and written in this Gospel can be applied to life in a practical manner. Of course, a summary of this Gospel can only provide highlights to the actual text and cannot replace it. You are encouraged to read the Gospel to learn more about Jesus Christ.

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