GOSPEL OF MARK
I have begun to study the Gospel of Mark in order to begin to write some of the things that I have learned from it and to put them onto my blog. I am not exactly sure how this will work as far as how much I will get done each day, but as soon as I get enough material to post on the blog then I will do so. I have been listening to sermons on the Gospel of Mark by John MacArthur and I also have been studying Dr. Warren Wiersbe commentary on the Gospel of Mark. This will not be like the Spiritual Diaries that I post on the blog most every day in that I will not be writing what the section from Mark means to me in a specific area, but will be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit to make comments on what the section means to me, but not in any special place on the blog.
I have been thinking about taking a specific book of the NT and begin to study it and then to write something about it for some time and so at the beginning of December of this year I began to listen to the sermons on certain days while walking on my treadmill and then reading a chapter from Mark in the evening before going to bed. I have learned many things already that I did not know were there, and that is very exciting to me.
Let us begin this study of Mark by giving a little background on it and then in the next writing I will begin to tell who Mark is and some of the places in Scripture where he can be found.
I have learned from my study that the Gospels were most certainly written in the order that they appear in the Bible, making Mark the second Gospel written. The earliest book written is believed to be the Galatians and then James. This makes sense when one thinks about it for there were many people still alive who had seen the Lord Jesus Christ while He was on earth and therefore there was not a great need to have someone write an account of His life so soon after His ascending into heaven, while there was more need to have letters written to the new churches that were beginning to make sure that there was no error begin taught and also to combat those who were giving the early church members trouble like the Judaizers who taught that in order for someone to be saved they had to keep the Law of Moses, including circumcision.
As far as the year that this Gospel was written I have stated that it was the second Gospel to be written, and that is what the people that I have studied have stated, but there is always going to be a disagreement as to when the different books of the Bible were written. The book was probably written sometime in the 50’s and there are surely some who will disagree with that date.
Who was the book written to? The book was written to Gentiles and the Romans is probably the main audience that Mark intended for it to go to. “When employing Aramaic terms, Mark translated them for his readers (3:17); 5:41; 7:11,34; 10:46; 14:36; 15:22,34). On the other hand, in some places he used Latin expressions instead of their Greek equivalents (5:9; 6:27; 12:15, 42; 15:16, 39). He also reckoned time according to the Romans system (6:48; 13:35) and carefully explained Jewish customs (7:3,4; 14:12; 15:42). Mark omitted Jewish elements, such as the genealogies found in Matthew and Luke. This gospel also makes fewer references to the OT, and includes less material that would be of particular interest to Jewish readers—such as that which is critical of the Pharisees and Sadducees….All of this supports the traditional view that Mark was written for a Gentile audience initially at Rome.” (John MacArthur Study Bible introduction to Mark)
The main theme of the book of Mark is “Christ, the tireless Servant of God, and Man.” This theme comes from the fact that the Gospel of Mark is very fast moving as the word “straightway or immediately” is used some forty-one times. Many of the people of Rome did not know how to read and so this had to be read to them and therefore it gets right to the point, and reads something like an article from a newspaper.
Mark records nineteen miracles in the book:
Eight, which prove His power over disease;
Five, showing His power over nature;
Four, demonstrating His authority over demons; and
Two, show his conquest over death. (The last two sections come from the Thompson Chain Reference Bible).
I have chosen to use the outline that is found in Dr. Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on the Gospel of Mark, “Be Diligent.”
“Key Theme: Jesus Christ the servant.
“Key Verse: Mark 10:45, “"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.’”
I. The presentation of the Servant—1:1-13
II. The Servant’s Ministry in Galilee—1:14-9:50
A. Period of popularity—1:14-6:29
B. Period of withdrawal 6:30—9:32
C. Period of completion—9:33-50
III. The Servant’s Journey to Jerusalem—Chapter 10
IV. The Servant’s Ministry in Jerusalem—chapters 11-16
A. Public teaching and controversy—11:1-12:44
B. Private teaching and ministry—13:1-14:31
C. Arrest, trial, and crucifixion—14:32-15:47
D. Resurrection and ascension—16
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