The New Unger's Bible Handbook by Merrill F. Unger

Author:Merrill F. Unger [Unger, Merrill F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781575676340
Google: Zpl1060FCcQC
Amazon: B004GUSDA4
Barnesnoble: B004GUSDA4
Publisher: Moody Publishers
Published: 2005-03-31T22:00:00+00:00

MARK

The gospel of the Servant of the Lord

Author. The early church ascribed the second gospel to John Mark, the son of a certain Mary of Jerusalem (Acts 12:12). He accompanied Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary tour (Acts 13:5), but for some reason left them at Perga (Acts 13:13). Later Paul and Barnabas separated because Paul refused to have Mark on the second tour. Mark accordingly went with Barnabas. Later Paul and Mark were reconciled (Col. 4:10-11). That Mark is the author of this gospel is mentioned by Papias about A.D. 135, Justin Martyr, about A.D. 150, as well as by Clement of Alexandria and Irenaeus somewhat later. Like Luke, Mark was not an apostle, as were Matthew and John.

Nature and purpose of Mark’s gospel. This is the briefest of the four gospels. It is a narrative of dynamic movement and action, ‘straightway’ and ‘immediately’ being used more that 40 times in the KJV. It presents Jesus acting rather than speaking. It is directed not to the Jew as is Matthew, but to the Roman world, giving a portrait of Jesus as the powerful Son of God whose word was law in the natural as well as the supernatural realm. The paradox is that this strong Son of God is Servant of man, Savior, and Ransomer (Mk 10:45).

Place and date. Early church writers declare that Mark wrote his gospel while in Rome, as a disciple of Peter. It is to be dated, therefore, between A.D. 64 and 68. It is critically regarded as the earliest of the gospels. It has been calculated that it contains about 93 percent of the material the three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) have in common. But dependence of the other synoptic gospels upon Mark is not a necessary conclusion. The Spirit of God inspired each writer independently, so that Matthew gospel may actually be earlier (c. A.D. 50) than Mark’s, as well as Luke’s (c. A.D. 58). See ‘Synoptic gospels,’ introduction to Luke.

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