,Background to Mark’s Gospel
The writing of the gospel
Traditional view of Mark in Rome:
Mark’s mother Mary owned the house where Jesus held the last supper. Mark wouldn’t have
been in the room as an eye witness but could have been in the house.
After Jesus’ death the last supper room was used as a meeting place for the early Christian
community.
There is a story only in Mark’s gospel about a mysterious man in Gethsemane, who witnessed
Jesus’ arrest. Who when the guards tried to seize him ran off naked. Some people believe that
this was Mark.
Mark is also mentioned in the acts of the apostles when he accompanied Barnabus and Paul to
Cyrus
Possible sources behind Mark’s Gospel:
Secondary Sources:
Primary Sources:
1. Oral tradition
1. 12 disciples
2. Ur Markus
2. Peter
3. Barnabus and Paul
3. Eye witnesses
4. The passion
4. Divine Inspiration
5. Mark’s written sources
5. Personal Experience
6. Collections of teachings
7. Matthew’s Gospel
Possible reasons why Mark’s Gospel was written
1. Eye witnesses of Jesus were dying
2. Delay of the second coming
3. Threat of heresy (false belief)
4. Persecution of Christians
Its nature and purpose
The word ‘Gospel’ means Good News of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:1 this is the good news about
Jesus Christ)
How was / is Mark’s Gospel good news for Christians?
1st Century Christians
Christians who were being prosecuted must have been terrified and felt like they were
abandoning their faith
Mark’s Gospel was ‘Good News’ because many of its stories and teachings were intended to bring
encouragement, hope and the assurance of God’s understanding and forgiveness
For Christians today
It is similar today; Christians find it sometimes difficult to admit their faith. At times like these
and other situations, stories and teachings in Mark’s gospel can help us.
Unfortunately not all Christians do this.
Calming of the Storm:
, On the evening of that same day, Jesus said to his disciples “Let us go across to the other side
of the lake.”
So they left the crowd; the disciples got into the boat in which Jesus was already sitting, and they
took him with them
Other boats were there too
Suddenly a strong wind blew up and the waves began to spill over the sides of the boat, so it
was about to fill with water
Jesus was at the back of the boat sleeping, with his head on a pillow.
The disciples woke him and said “teacher aren’t you afraid that we are about to die?”
Jesus stood up and commanded the wind, “Be Quiet!” and he said to the waves “Be Still!”
The wind died down, and there was a great calm
Then Jesus said to his disciples “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
But they were terribly frightened and said to one another, “Who is this man? Even the wind and the
waves obey him!”
, Jesus’ Ministry
The Baptism of Jesus
The writing of the gospel
Traditional view of Mark in Rome:
Mark’s mother Mary owned the house where Jesus held the last supper. Mark wouldn’t have
been in the room as an eye witness but could have been in the house.
After Jesus’ death the last supper room was used as a meeting place for the early Christian
community.
There is a story only in Mark’s gospel about a mysterious man in Gethsemane, who witnessed
Jesus’ arrest. Who when the guards tried to seize him ran off naked. Some people believe that
this was Mark.
Mark is also mentioned in the acts of the apostles when he accompanied Barnabus and Paul to
Cyrus
Possible sources behind Mark’s Gospel:
Secondary Sources:
Primary Sources:
1. Oral tradition
1. 12 disciples
2. Ur Markus
2. Peter
3. Barnabus and Paul
3. Eye witnesses
4. The passion
4. Divine Inspiration
5. Mark’s written sources
5. Personal Experience
6. Collections of teachings
7. Matthew’s Gospel
Possible reasons why Mark’s Gospel was written
1. Eye witnesses of Jesus were dying
2. Delay of the second coming
3. Threat of heresy (false belief)
4. Persecution of Christians
Its nature and purpose
The word ‘Gospel’ means Good News of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:1 this is the good news about
Jesus Christ)
How was / is Mark’s Gospel good news for Christians?
1st Century Christians
Christians who were being prosecuted must have been terrified and felt like they were
abandoning their faith
Mark’s Gospel was ‘Good News’ because many of its stories and teachings were intended to bring
encouragement, hope and the assurance of God’s understanding and forgiveness
For Christians today
It is similar today; Christians find it sometimes difficult to admit their faith. At times like these
and other situations, stories and teachings in Mark’s gospel can help us.
Unfortunately not all Christians do this.
Calming of the Storm:
, On the evening of that same day, Jesus said to his disciples “Let us go across to the other side
of the lake.”
So they left the crowd; the disciples got into the boat in which Jesus was already sitting, and they
took him with them
Other boats were there too
Suddenly a strong wind blew up and the waves began to spill over the sides of the boat, so it
was about to fill with water
Jesus was at the back of the boat sleeping, with his head on a pillow.
The disciples woke him and said “teacher aren’t you afraid that we are about to die?”
Jesus stood up and commanded the wind, “Be Quiet!” and he said to the waves “Be Still!”
The wind died down, and there was a great calm
Then Jesus said to his disciples “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
But they were terribly frightened and said to one another, “Who is this man? Even the wind and the
waves obey him!”
, Jesus’ Ministry
The Baptism of Jesus
