Mark 1

St. Mark Lutheran Church

January 13, 2010

The Gospel of Mark

Author and Date:

  • John Mark – based on early (140 AD) testimony from John (through Papias)
  • son of Mary, not Jesus’ mother (Acts 12)
  • not an apostle, but a disciple of the apostles (both Peter and Paul)
  • Cousin of Barnabas, one of the first missionaries (Colossians 4:10)
  • Goes on 1st Missionary Journey with Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13), only to ditch Paul and Barnabas and cause a dispute between them
  • Biblical References:
  • Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5, 13; 15:37-39 – covering years 44-50 AD
  • Philemon 24, Paul’s “fellow worker”; 2 Timothy 4:11, “helpful” to Paul’s ministry”; 1 Peter 5:13, Peter calls him “my son” (did Peter convert Mark?) – covering the years 60-70 AD (approximately)
  • Lenski: “Summing up these New Testament references to Mark, we see how he came to be prepared for the work of writing his Gospel. He had gained some direct knowledge of Jesus in his youth; later on he was in association with the Christian leaders who even frequented his home; he labored at Antioch and with Barnabas in Cyprus; then finally he was first with Paul and after that with Peter” (Commentary on the New Testament: Mark, p9).
  • Church tradition (legend):
  • Born in North Africa, family moved to Galilee, to Cana, and Mark was an attendant at the wedding banquet where Jesus turned water into wine (John 2)
  • One of the 72, and one of those who left Jesus (John 6)
  • The “young man” who fled in Gethsemane, Mark 14:51 (his “signature”?)
  • Mark made his way to Alexandria, Egypt, and there preached Jesus.
  • He is considered the founder of Christianity in Africa
  • Called the first “pope” of Alexandria
  • Died, April 25, 68 AD in Alexandria, as a martyr
  • Symbolized by the Lion (cf. Ezekiel 1:3-21)
  • Perhaps his Gospel written from Rome under Peter’s eyes
  • Perhaps it was written as summary of Peter’s preaching while Mark was in Italy after Peter’s death
  • Perhaps written in the 60s, mid to late (some would suggest range from 50-70 AD)

Some themes to watch out for:

  • “Mark exhibits [Jesus] as the Savior from all evil, who demonstrated His almighty power in his miracles” (Schaller, p203).
  • Synoptic (“seeing together”), arrangement and expressions similar to Matthew and Luke
  • “The Gospel according to Mark is a Gospel of action” (Franzmann, p193).
  • Explains Jewish customs (7:3-4, 7:11, 12:18, 13:3, 14:12, 15:6, 15:42)
  • Adds picturesque details to other Synoptic accounts (cp. Mark 2:1-4 and Matthew 9:1-2; Mk. 3:5 and Matt. 12:3/Lk. 6:8; Mk. 5:2-5, 13 and Matt. 8:28,32/Lk. 8:27,33; Mk. 5:25-34 and Matt. 9:20-22/Lk. 8:43-48; Mk. 6:35-44 and Matt. 14:15-21/Lk. 9:12-17)
  • The cross – for Jesus, and us
  • Discipleship – following Christ
  • Jesus the “Teacher” (39 times some variation on this word is applied to Jesus)
  • The Messianic Secret – repeatedly Jesus warns people to keep silent about Him
  • Son of Man and Son of God!

Some General Outlines:

1. From John Schaller’s Book of Books (introductory volume to People’s Bible series):

  1. The Historical Introduction (1:1-8)
  2. The Prophetic Ministry of Christ (1:9-14:31)
  3. The Narrative of Jesus’ Suffering, Death, and Resurrection (14:32-16:20)

2. From Martin Franzmann’s The Word of the Lord Grows:

  1. Historical Introduction, 1:1-13
  2. Jesus’ Galilean Ministry, 1:14-6:6a
  3. The Period of Wandering, Including the Last Journey to Jerusalem, 6:6b-10:45
  4. The Last Days in Jerusalem, 10:46-16:20

cf. pages 185-192 of this volume for a very detailed, and very interesting extended outline

3. From the People’s Bible volume on Mark:

  1. Prologue, 1:1-13
  2. Jesus Revealed as the Christ, the Son of God, in His Ministry in Galilee and the Regions beyond, 1:14-8:30
  3. Jesus Revealed as the Christ, the Son of God, in His Suffering, Death, and Resurrection, 8:31-16:20

4. From the Concordia Self-Study Bible:

  1. The Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry, 1:1-13
  2. Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee, 1:14-6:29
  3. Withdrawals from Galilee, 6:30-9:32
  4. Final Ministry in Galilee, 9:33-50
  5. Jesus’ Ministry in Judea and Perea, chapter 10
  6. The Passion of Jesus, chs. 11-15
  7. The Resurrection of Jesus, chapter 16
  1. From R.C.H. Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament: Mark:
  1. Jesus proves Himself to be the Christ, God’s Son, by His mighty teaching and deeds, 1:14-8:26
  2. Jesus proves Himself to be the Christ, God’s Son, by teaching and enduring the Passion which is followed by the Resurrection, 8:27-16:20

Mark 1

Note well (and read) the Synoptic Parallels

Mark 1:2-8 – Matthew 3:1-11, Luke 3:2-16

Mark 1:9-11 – Matthew 3:13-17, Luke 3:21-22

Mark 1:12-13 – Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13

Mark 1:16-20 – Matthew 4:18-22, Luke 5:2-11, John 1:35-42

Mark 1:21-28 – Luke 4:31-37

Mark 1:29-34 – Matthew 8:14-17, Luke 4:38-41

What?

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Gospel

Jesus Christ

Son of God

John

Nazareth

Galilee

Jordan

the Spirit

The Kingdom of God

Sea of Galilee

Simon

Andrew

James, son of Zebedee

John, son of Zebedee

Capernaum

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So What?

  1. John’s Baptism – the same or different as your Baptism?
  1. Evaluate Jesus’ first sermon (1:14-15).
  1. Explain the distinction in verse 22, “He taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.”
  1. Why does Jesus refuse to let the demons speak (1:25 and 1:34)?
  1. Why does Jesus refuse to let the man healed of his leprosy speak about Him?
  1. Jesus said, “Let us go somewhere else…so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” Yet, it also says Jesus “stayed outside in lonely places.” So, which is it?
  2. What differences did you see between Mark, Matthew, and Luke in these accounts?
  1. What did you read that you didn’t know or that you forgot?
  1. What did this lead you to confess?
  1. What did this lead you to thank God for?
  1. What did this lead you to pray for?
  • Homework

Read Mark 2

Bring your own questions, concerns, insights, thoughts

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