Fully Devoted: JesusSample

The Gospel According to Mark

After reading Matthew’s account of Jesus’ life, we arrive at the Gospel according to Mark. Mark’s Gospel, while similar to Matthew’s in a lot of ways, is very different in other ways because Mark was writing from a different perspective to a very different audience. So, just as we did yesterday, we’ll explore those same three questions to help us read this Gospel account wisely. 

Question 1: Who is Mark?

Mark was the cousin of Barnabas, a follower of Jesus and traveling companion of Paul. He is believed to have been a citizen of both the Roman Empire and Israel: Mark was his Roman name, and John was his Jewish name. Mark was a student of Peter, one of the original twelve disciples. Peter even refers to Mark as his “son” in one of his letters!  The Church Father Papias reinforces this idea by stating that Mark’s primary source for his Gospel were the stories he heard from Peter. So, Peter told Mark his stories of Jesus, and Mark wrote them down. It’s interesting to note that Mark gets the authorship credit, even though, when compared to Peter, Mark seems to be a relatively unimportant side character in the story of the early church. In the eyes of God, John Mark was an integral part of His plan to spread the good news of Jesus throughout the world.

Question 2: Who was he writing to?

Mark’s Gospel was written for a Roman audience. It’s much faster paced (and also shorter) than any of the other Gospels. The word “immediately” appears 41 times! The Romans, like most people today living in a western culture, tend to prefer things that are short, sweet, and to the point. 

Another important piece of this story is how perfectly Jesus’ road to the cross maps onto a Roman emperor’s road to the throne. Step by step, Mark leads up to presenting Jesus’ crucifixion as His coronation—the moment He was recognized as King. 

What was intended to be mocking humiliation by the Roman soldiers was actually royal preparation for Jesus to be exalted to His throne. Instead of a crown of jewels, He wore a crown of thorns. Instead of sitting on an ornate chair, He was hanging on a rugged cross. But the message is all the same: Somehow, Jesus’ crucifixion was His coronation. And these parallels would not have been missed by Mark’s Roman audience. 

Question 3: What was he trying to accomplish? 

Mark’s Gospel is bookended by two different statements about Jesus being the Son of God. 

“The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God ...” Mark 1:1 NIV

And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” Mark 15:39 NIV

Mark makes it clear from the beginning that the purpose of his writing is to help his audience see that Jesus, not Caesar, is the one true Son of God and rightful King of Creation. He wanted his readers to see that Jesus is a better King and He is ushering in a better kingdom. 

But it’s not just that Mark wanted his Roman audience to know that Jesus was the rightful ruler of the world. He also wanted them to know that Jesus had prepared a place for them in His Kingdom. 

His Gospel concludes with a Roman centurion—the leader of the soldiers who brutalized and crucified Jesus—declaring that He was surely the Son of God. 

The challenge of Mark’s Gospel is to repent and believe the good news of the Kingdom of God. The good news that Jesus is King, His Kingdom is coming on earth as it is in heaven, and everyone has been invited in. 

Journaling Questions

• What verse or passage from today’s reading stood out to you the most? Write it down in your journal. Why did that stand out to you? 
• What are some of the biggest differences you can think of between Jesus and the emperor of Rome? Why do you think Mark made such an effort to highlight those differences? How do those differences affect the way you think about the Kingdom of God?