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A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF MARK
I. GENERAL CONTENTS OF THE BOOK.
It begins by introducing the work of John the Baptizer
(1:2-8).
It covers events in the life of Jesus from His baptism (ch.
1) to His ascension (ch. 16).
Mark does not record any events in the earthly life of
Jesus that took place before His baptism. Thus, he only records some of the
things that took place in about the last three years of Jesus’ earthly life.
II. WRITER: MARK
He is also called "John" (Acts 13:5,13), or
"John, whose surname was Mark" (Acts 12:12).
Peter called him "my son" (1 Peter 5:14).
Disciples in Jerusalem gathered in the home of his mother,
Mary (Acts 12:12).
He accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their 1st
preaching trip (Acts 13:4-13), and later went with Barnabas on a 2nd
trip (Acts 15:36-39).
He was a relative of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10).
Paul later considered him to be "profitable" for
the ministry (2 Timothy 4:11).
III. WHEN WRITTEN: Some time before the destruction of
Jerusalem and the temple (A.D. 70), as Mark records Jesus’ prediction of this
destruction (Mark 13), but not the fulfillment of it.
IV. TO WHOM WRITTEN: To Romans or Gentiles in general.
Probably not written for Jews, because Mark often explains the meaning of
Hebrew words or customs, which most likely would not be necessary for the Jews.
Examples of this are seen in Mark 3:17; 7:3,4,11 (washing of hands and pots;
"Corban"); 14:12.
V. PURPOSE:
To prove that Jesus is the Son of God (1:1; 14:62; cf. John
20:30,31).
To show why Jesus came to earth:
It shows Him as the Servant of Jehovah and men (10:45).
It shows Him as the ransom for sin, calling sinners to
repent (10:45; 2:17).
It shows Him as the preacher of God’s truth (1:38;
2:2).
VI. OUTLINE
1:1-13 – The work of John the Baptizer, the baptism and
temptation of Jesus.
1:14-9:50 – Jesus’ preaching and work in Galilee and
neighboring regions.
10:1-52 – Jesus’ preaching and work east of the Jordan
(in Perea) and in Jericho.
11:1-15:47 – Jesus’ last week, His death, and His burial.
16:1-20 – Jesus’ resurrection, three appearances to
disciples, the Great Commission, His ascension.
VII. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE CONTENTS OF THE BOOK:
Among the four N.T. books that record the life of Jesus,
Mark's account is the shortest. However, there are some events that he records
in more detail than the other writers, such as the death of John the Baptizer
(6:14-29).
Mark emphasizes the action of Jesus, His great power, and His
miracles.
Mark records one event after another in the life of Jesus,
often using the Greek word "ευθέως”
(eutheos), meaning “straightway, forthwith, or immediately”
(1:10,12,18,20,31,42).
In chapter one alone Mark records about ten events in Jesus’
life. The message/action feels "fast-paced."
In general, Mark’s account is written in chronological
order.
There are a number of events in the life of Jesus that are not
recorded in this book:
There is no genealogy or record of any events of Jesus’
childhood.
There is no mention of the earliest part of Jesus’
ministry (cf. John 1-3).
There is no record of the Sermon on the Mount or other long
sermons of Jesus.
Whereas Matthew often uses the term "kingdom of
heaven," Mark never uses that expression, using rather "the kingdom
of God." Examples of this are Mark 1:14,15; 4:11,26,30; 9:1,47;
10:14,15,23,24,25; 12:34; 14:25; 15:43.
There are just a few events in Jesus’ life that are
recorded only by Mark, but in some cases he supplies details that are not
found in the other 3 gospel accounts.
VIII. MIRACLES OF JESUS IN MARK: [* indicates those
recorded only in the book of Mark]
Cast out an unclean spirit (1:23-27).
Healed Peter’s mother-in-law (1:29-31).
Healed many that were sick with various diseases (1:34).
Cast out many demons (1:34).
Cast out demons throughout Galilee (1:39).
Healed a leper (1:40-42).
Healed one sick of the palsy (2:1-12).
Knew the hearts of men (2:8).
Healed a man with a withered hand (3:1-5).
Healed many (3:10).
Unclean spirits fell down before Him and confessed Him as
the Son of God (3:11).
Scribes from Jerusalem admitted that He cast out demons
(3:22).
Calmed a storm (4:35-41).
Cast a legion of demons from a man (5:1-20).
Healed a woman who had had an issue/flow of blood for 12
years (5:25-34).
Raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead (5:35-43).
Healed a few sick folk (6:5).
Fed 5,000 men (6:30-44).
Walked on water (6:48,49).
The wind ceased when He entered into the ship where the
apostles were (6:51).
Healed many sick on the west side of the Sea of Galilee
(6:55,56).
Cast a demon out of the daughter of a Gentile woman
(7:24-30).
Healed a deaf man who had a speech impediment (7:31-37).*
Fed 4,000 men (8:1-9).
Healed a blind man in Bethsaida (8:22-26).*
Was transfigured before three of His apostles (9:2-4).
Cast a dumb and deaf spirit out of a man after His
disciples failed to do so (9:14-29).
Healed a blind man, the son of Timaeus (10:46-52).
Caused a fig tree to wither (11:12-14, 20,21).
Rose from the dead (16:9).
Sometime in the past He had cast seven demons out of Mary
Magdalene (16:9).
IX. PARABLES OF JESUS IN MARK:
Parable of the sower (4:3-9,14-20)
Parable of the seed that grew (4:26-29) – this parable is
recorded only by Mark.
Parable of the mustard seed (4:30-32)
Parable of the wicked husbandmen (12:1-9)
X. O.T. REFERENCES: In A Harmony of the Gospels,
pp. 295,296, A.T. Robertson lists the following Old Testament quotations or
references in the book of Mark:
1:2 Mal. 3:1; Isa. 40:3
1:3 Isa. 40:3
1:11 Ps. 2:7; Isa. 42:1
1:24 Ps. 16:10
1:44 Lev. 13:49; 14:2-32
2:24 Ex. 20:10; Deut. 5:14; 23:25
2:25 Lev. 24:9; 1 Sam. 21:1-6
4:12 Isa. 6:9,10
4:29 Joel 3:13
4:32 Dan. 4:9
6:18 Lev. 18:16; 20:21
7:6,7 Isa. 29:13
7:10 Ex. 20:12; 21:17; Lev. 20:9; Deut. 5:16
8:18 Isa. 6:9,10; Jer. 5:21; Ezek. 12:2
8:38 Ps. 62:12; Prov. 24:12
9:7 Deut. 8:15; Isa. 42:1; Psa. 2:7
9:12 Mal. 4:5
9:13 1 Kings 10:2,10
9:48 Isa. 66:24
9:49 Lev. 2:13
10:4 Deut. 24:1
10:6 Gen. 1:27; 5:12
10:7,8 Gen. 2:24
10:19 Ex. 20:12-17; Deut. 5:16-21
10:27 Gen. 18:14; Job 42:2
11:9 Ps. 118:26; 11:17; Isa. 5:17; Jer. 7:11
12:2 Isa. 5:1-7
12:10,11 Ps. 118:22ff
12:19 Gen. 38:8; Deut. 25:5,6
12:26 Ex. 3:6
12:29 Deut. 6:4,6
12:31 Lev. 19:18
12:33 1 Sam. 15:22
12:36 Ps. 8:7; 110:1
13:12 Micah 7:6
13:14 Dan. 9:27
13:19 Dan. 12:1
13:24 Dan. 8:10; Eccl. 12:2
13:26 Dan. 7:13
14:12 Ex. 12:18-20
14:18 Ps. 41:9
14:24 Ex. 24:8; Lev. 4:18-20; Jer. 31:31
14:27 Zech. 13:7
14:34 Ps. 42:6
14:62 Ps. 110:1; Dan. 7:13
14:64 Lev. 24:16
15:24 Ps. 22:18
15:34 Ps. 22:1
-- Roger D. Campbell
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