Intro | Good, Good News
Overflow Church
Overflow Church

Overflow Church

The Gospel Of Mark Overview

Mark appears to be the earliest of the four Gospels. It could have been written before Peter’s martyrdom in the mid-60s ad (roughly 30 years after Jesus’ ministry) or shortly after the destruction of the temple in ad 70. The author is thought to be John Mark (Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5), and church tradition considers Peter’s testimony to be a source for the Gospel.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus announced the Kingdom of God, healed the sick, and died as a ransom for sinners. In addition to Jesus, Mark features three main groups of people: the disciples, the crowds, and the religious leaders, none of whom understood Jesus. When the time came for Jesus to go to the cross, the religious leaders arrested him, the disciples abandoned him, and the crowds jeered him. Only when he died alone on the cross did a Roman centurion recognize that he was the Son of God. Though the book is anonymous, tradition identifies John Mark (Acts 12:12) as the author. He may have based his Gospel on Peter’s preaching, writing sometime in the 50s or 60s a.d.

(c) Fathlife ESV Review