Mark 1:1: ‘The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.’
John Mark (Author)
John Mark was a son of Mary who gave her a home for the church to assemble (Acts 12;12). He was in the garden of Gethsemane during the betrayal of Jesus and ran away without dress (Mark 14:51-52). He was the cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). John Mark accompanied Barnabas and Saul on the first missionary journey (Acts 12:25; 13:5), but left them and returned to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). After the Jerusalem Council, Barnabas took John Mark when Paul disagreed. Consequently, Barnabas took John Mark, and Paul took Silas and the two groups went their separate ways (Acts 15:36-41). However, later Paul calls Mark a coworker (Philemon 24. Colossians 4:10) who was helpful to his ministry (2 Timothy 4:11). Mark shared a special relationship with Peter. So, Peter calls him his son (1 Peter 5:13). Both experienced failure and restoration.
Date
Luke could be placed in the late Fifties to early Sixties, Matthew in the mid to late Fifties, and Mark in the early to mid-Fifties.
Peter, the Source of Mark
Church strongly believed that Peter was behind this Gospel of Mark ( 1 Peter 5:13, Acts 12:25). Mark uses a number of Aramaic phrases than the others, like Boanerges (3:17), Talitha cumi (5:41), Korban (7:11), Ephphatha (7:34), and Abba (14:36) to pick up the same words of Peter who was basically an Aramaic speaking person. Mark uses more Latin phrases and idioms like centurio (15:39), quadrans (12:42), flagellare (15:15), speculator (6:27), census (12:14), sextarius (7:4), and praetorium (15:6), than in the other Gospels.
Gospel
It is good tidings for Romans, Good News because it talks about the salvation in Jesus Christ. One of the most predominant themes in Mark's Gospel is the messianic secret.
Jesus as the OX
‘The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.’ (Revelation 4:7). The European cathedrals has a depiction of this picture to Indicate Jesus as the four-faced person. (Enduring Word). The Four Characters of a Lion of Judah, an OX to refer to the servant of Him, the nature of a son of Man, and the flying eagle to refer to the high standard of life and revelation indicates the revelation of four Gospels.
Busy Jesus
Jesus was shown as a busy person doing the workman of the Kingdom of God. Mark uses the word ‘immediately’ is used more than forty times in this gospel. The deeds of Jesus exceed the word of Jesus in Mark. Mark shows Jesus as a man of few words and generous in activities.
(Please refer this series for the studies on Gospel of Mark)
