Peace & Blessings Beloved,
TGBTG for allowing us to see another day. I pray all is well with you and yours, and that your week has been fruitful & blessed thus far.
Today we are going to visit our Getting to Know the Bible Series. In this series, our goal is to come to a comprehensive understanding of each book of the bible. At this point of the series we're going to focus on Mark. But before we get to Mark 1, I want to ensure we have a baseline understanding of the book of Mark. This way we can have a full appreciation for the exquisiteness of the entire book, as well as each individual chapter.
And so, in that spirit, see below for a comprehensive overview of the book of Mark, as we prepare to behold and discern Mark, beginning with Mark 1 in our next installment of this series.
Book Type: : The second book of the four gospels; the second book of the New Testament; the forty-first book of the Bible.
Authors: Mark
Date of Writing: Though there has been some debate on the timeline, but Mark has been universally thought of as most likely the earliest of the Gospels, and one of the first overall books written in the New Testament.
Audience: According to early church tradition, Mark was written in Rome. Since there is little emphasis on Jewish traditions and less citations of Old Testament passages, it is also likely the book was primarily written for a Gentile (non-Jewish) audience
Theme: Purpose, Sacrifice, Endurance
Purpose of Writing: Mark's gospel is believed to be directed towards the Roman believers, particularly Gentiles. Mark wrote as a pastor to Christians who previously had heard and believed the Gospel (Romans 1:8). He desired that they have a biographical story of Jesus Christ as Servant of the Lord and Savior of the world in order to strengthen their faith, as they were set to face severe persecution, and to teach them what it meant to be His disciples.
Summary: This gospel is unique because it emphasizes Jesus' actions more than His teaching. It is simply written, moving quickly from one episode in the life of Christ to another. It does not begin with a genealogy as in Matthew, because Gentiles would not be interested in His lineage. After the introduction of Jesus at His baptism, Jesus began His public ministry in Galilee and called the first four of His twelve disciples. What follows is the record of Jesus' life, death and resurrection.
Mark's account is not just a collection of stories, but a narrative written to reveal that Jesus is the Messiah, not only for the Jews, but for the Gentiles as well.
Overview:
The focus of Mark is on Jesus (Yeshua) as the servant of God (Mark 10:45).
Chapters 1—2 bypass Christ's birth and infancy, moving directly into the ministry of John the Baptist and Christ's baptism, temptation, preaching, and miracles.
Chapter 3 continues to show Christ's miraculous powers as well as the calling of His twelve disciples. Chapters 4—8 include many of Christ's parables, further miracles, commissioning of the twelve, and other actions early in His ministry.
Chapter 9 transitions to Christ's transfiguration and a focus on His future death. Jesus preaches in Judea and Perea in chapter 10, followed by a focus on the final week of Christ's earthly ministry beginning in chapter 11. Chapter 14 offers early insight into the Lord's Supper, with Jesus' arrest, trials, and crucifixion to conclude the letter.
Application: While Matthew’s gospel portrays Jesus as the King, Mark reveals Him as God’s Servant. Jesus’s work was always for a larger purpose, a point clearly summarized in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark filled his gospel with the miracles of Jesus, illustrating again and again both the power and the compassion of the Son of God. In these passages, Mark revealed more than Jesus as the good teacher who offered people spiritual renewal; the book also portrays Jesus as the true God and the true man, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
Key Verses (ESV):
Mark 1:11: "And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.""
Mark 1:17: ""Come, follow Me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men.""
Mark 10:14-15: "He said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.""
Mark 10:45: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."
Mark 12:33: “To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Mark 16:6: ""Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.""
Mark 16:15: "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.""
*Note: Mark's Gospel is a simple, succinct, unadorned, yet vivid account of Jesus' ministry, emphasizing more what Jesus did than what he said. Mark moves quickly from one episode in Jesus' life and ministry to another, often using the adverb "immediately" (see 1:12). The book as a whole is characterized as "The beginning of the gospel" (1:1). The life, death and resurrection of Christ comprise the "beginning," of which the apostolic preaching in Acts is the continuation.
May we establish, nurture, and grow a sincere love for the word of God, and study it lovingly & faithfully.
I pray you receive this with the love intended, and apply it to wisdom.
Love you much.
Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Stay Blessed!
-Humble Servant
P.S- If you have not given your life to Jesus Christ, I implore you to take the time to do so right now. Use John 3:16 & Romans 10:9-10 as a foundation for making your confession of faith. And use Ephesians 2:1-10 to provide proper context for your salvation.