Dabar Bethlehem Cathedral Bible School

Synoptic Gospel Course 106

Spring Semester 2024

Instructor: Rev. Bernard Forte, Elder

Topic: The Gospel of Mark

Corgena Robertson

Date: June 29th, 2024

 Mark is one of the writers of the three synoptic Gospels. Synoptic meaning seen together.

It’s a term to refer to a type of written document in the New Testament. The primary use of

which is “Good News” to be proclaimed. It focuses on the good news of Jesus Christ. The three

gospels reveal both striking similarities and sharp differences. There is a direct literary

dependance among them that is they tell the same story in the same order in the same way, using

the same words. They shared many of the sayings and stories often in similar sequence. Each has

his own theological interests and insights. Mark’s account is one of the first to be written it has

no account of Jesus’ birth. His story begins by describing Jesus’ adult life. Introducing it with the

words “The beginning of the good news” of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mark 1:1). The

central message is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God has come to Earth and that the kingdom of

God is at hand.

The Gospel of Mark was traditionally written by John Mark, between 60-70 CE while in

Rome or Syria. He was a companion of Paul and Barnabas, on Paul’s first missionary journey.

He was also an associate of Peter from whom he drew ninety percent of his information for

writing his gospel. It is the gospel that establishes the life of Jesus in a story form. For example,

miracle story form, something that Jesus did. He was also called Mark the Evangelist because he

was known for speaking out and teaching about Jesus and working to convert others to

Christianity. His gospel was held in high regards by other writers such as Matthew and Luke.

The primary purpose in writing Mark’s gospel was to strengthen his community’s faith in Jesus

Christ, the resurrected “Son of God”. It provides a brief narrative context for important or

significant sayings of Jesus. It provides a brief narrative context for an important saying of Jesus.

It creates a framework to concentrate attention in the significant sayings of Jesus.

 Mark 2:15 connects his story and his narrative with the word “and” which indicates a

vague and indefinite connection.

His gospel emphasized the miraculous deeds of Jesus. It contains the most miracles

performed by Jesus. His miracles were more organized, sayings of Jesus were grouped together

as in the miracles were more put together, and the sayings of Jesus were grouped together and it

was the shortest of the synoptic gospels. He uses messianic titles throughout his gospel to narrate

the gospel of Jesus Christ, the “Son of God” because it was being misunderstood by some in his

community. It addresses the ministry of Jesus from his baptism by John the Baptist to his death,

burial, and resurrection.

Mark’s focus was on Jesus’ teachings and discipleship. One of his main themes of the

Gospel of Mark is the identification of Jesus as the “Son of God” found in Mark 1:1. He was

more concerned with the identity of Jesus which played an important role in his gospel. He

emphasized the use of the “Son of God” at the beginning of and the end of his gospel. The title

emphasized Jesus’ unique relationship with God.

Mark’s gospel suggested that Jesus’ identity as the Messiah is fully revealed through his

suffering and crucifixion. The key point is the death of Jesus. He argued how much those

confronted with the “good news” that is his own community aught to acknowledge Jesus as the

Son of God, the accepted messiah. He emphasized that Jesus came as the slaughtered lamb,

whose identity was kept a secret. The messianic secret is a motif in Mark’s gospel that depicts

Jesus’ intentionally concealing his identity as the Messiah.

Mark was writing for a Gentile Christian community. He composed his Gospel as a single

literary work. He collected stories from those that are already in his community, example of this
would be Jesus’ disciples who he portrayed as faithful followers of Jesus, one of whom was Peter

who had been with Jesus since the beginning of his ministry. Whom he assumed already knew

the stories and teachings of Jesus. Stories were being passed on by word of mouth or orally. He

supplemented his stories with other stories that were already being told, and also from

collections of Jesus’ tradition. An example being his daily habits such as time spent in prayer and

fasting, celebration of Jewish holidays such as Passover, and oral teachings in the culture that

were predominantly oral. (Mark 7:1-13)

He also collected and used many of Jesus’ miracles in his gospel. He used selected stories

about Jesus from the oral tradition and supplemented them with stories from other written

collections. Collections of brief compositions of Jesus’ story was used in worship, teaching,

missionary and preaching. No one before Mark tried to compose a continuous account of the

entire career of Jesus.

Circumstances were changing in early Christianity that caused Christians to begin writing

down the traditions of Jesus. Those circumstances encouraged Mark and other Evangelists to

compose their gospels.

Collection of the Jesus traditions serves as resource for educating the community. He put

the stories he collected from a variety of sources into one narrative. The use of connectives is

seen in his healing miracles such as; healing of Simon’s mother-in-law who was sick with a

severe fever. Jesus went to the home, took her by the hand and helped her up. The fever left her

body immediately and she began to serve them and that is found in (Mark 1:29 & 31). Also, a

paralytic who was lowered from a hole in the temple. Jesus commanded him to get up, take up

his bed and walk. He was healed and made to walk again and that was in (Mark 2:1-12).
 The structure of the miracle story form in Mark’s gospel includes:

1.) The description of the need.

2.) The miraculous act.

3.) The result of the miracle.

He used terms to connect different stories such as “and”, “again”, “then” and

“immediately” his favorite is “immediately” which was used to build a sense of urgency for his

readers to read and to understand. His connectives were usually nonspecific and vague.

Mark portrayed Jesus as the agent of God to restore order in creation, defeat Satan, and

the forces of evil. The stories of Jesus were adapted in early Christianity to fit the needs of the

Christian community. He wrote about Jesus’ tradition to update, adapt, and apply them to the

needs of his community rather than just passing on information. He wanted his leaders to

understand and participate in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Jesus

Christ was an important event in Mark’s gospel. He wanted them to have a complete picture of

what Jesus went through. Also to throw some of the issues and needs confronting his community

into sharper focus. He used the literary term “hinged” to connect stories from the first half of

Jesus’ ministry to the second half.

The first half deals with the powerful deeds of Jesus. Example; his miracles during his

ministry in Galilee. The second half deals with the mission of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:1) and (Mark

8:31). That is ie: the Son of God must suffer, and must be rejected, martyred and rise again. It

emphasized his passion and its implications for discipleship. The disciples grasp who Jesus is

and what God is accomplishing through him. The gospel is the gospel of Christ unto salvation.
 Mark’s community was living in times of turmoil, he was concerned to teach that the

theological meaning of the cross can be best understood by one who has humbly prepared

himself for a renunciation of self, life service, and if needs be of suffering and death. There are

major features of Mark’s gospel;

1.) It is a gospel of action emphasizing what Jesus did instead of what he said. Example;

in (Mark 1-12) Healing of the paralytic.

2.) He records the most healing miracles than any of the other synoptic gospel writers that

is Matthew and Luke. Ie; Matthew and Luke. These miracles have divine power over diseases,

nature, spirits of the world, material things and death.

3.) It is a gospel of vividness describing the events of Jesus’ life.

4.) It portrays Jesus as active and dynamic.

Mark’s gospel stresses the deeds, strengths, and determination of Jesus in overcoming evil

forces. Example his healing of people that are demon possessed. Mark 5:1-21 (demons cast out

into the herds of pigs). It also emphasized the passion predicting it as early as in chapter eight,

and devoting the final third of his gospel to the last week of his life.

His account of the gospel reveals his theological nature and interests. Some of his ideas

are understanding of who Jesus was reflected in the titles that he used to refer to Jesus in his

gospel. Example “Rabbi”, “Christ”, “Son of Man”, “Son of God”, and also “Master” (Mark

4:38). These titles were used to address learned people of the Jewish law. Example; “Rabbi”,

meaning great teacher.

 They appeared as a form of respect addressing the oral story about the teachings of Jesus.

Although Mark has great respect for the teaching traditions, he preferred to emphasize through

stories which describe Jesus’ miraculous deeds. Jesus responded with sayings referring to the

“Son of Man”. He understands the title “Son of Man” to be perfectly appropriate when applied to

Jesus (Mark 1:1). He seemed to be used to others calling him by that name (Mark 9:41). He

believed that Jesus was the Messiah promised in Jewish scriptures. He used the messianic title

“Christ” because it was being misunderstood in his community. The Son of Man used in Old

Testament scripture played a prominent role in Mark’s gospel.

The Jewish heritage looked at it as more than a human figure who will come in power

and glory at the end of the ages (Mark 13:26). At the great commission declaring that believers

that have been baptized will be saved while nonbelievers were to be condemned (Mark 28:20).

Jesus used the end time glory not to portray end time glory but to predict his faith (Mark 8:31).

The “Son of Man” must be rejected, delivered up, suffer, be killed, and rise again. Mark wanted

it to be known that no view of Christ is complete without glory and authority. Another title that

Mark emphasized was the “Son of God”. He used this title both at the beginning of his gospel

(Mark 1:1) and at the end of his gospel (Mark 15:39). To Mark, Jesus a “Son of God” was

incontestable. The demons cast out by him recognized him.

Mark 3:11 says unclean spirits when they saw him fell down before him and cried “Thou

art the son of God!” God acclaimed Jesus as “Son of God” at his baptism (Mark 1:1) and at his

transfiguration (Mark 9:2-13). Which is considered one of the most dramatic events in Mark’s

gospel. It is recorded in all three of the synoptic gospels (Mark 9:2-13), (Matthew 17:1-13), and

(Luke 9:28-36).
Mark placed great emphasis on the miracle stories of Jesus. He presented Jesus as the special

agent of God, endowed with supernatural power and authority. It was common knowledge to

early Christians and others that God and Satan were locked in a struggle before the forces of

good and evil. God’s mission was to win back control of creation that is asserting his right to rule

over the whole creation. He was restoring life force where there was the potential for death or

death itself. Example casting out of demons so once again God may rule in human hearts (Mark

1: 23-28). Satan caused those he ruled over to kill Jesus, but God vindicated Jesus as his agent by

raising him from the dead. Because of Jesus’ deeds and faith God was seen to be the life giver.

The gospel of Mark ended at chapter 16:8, scholars have different theories about their

abrupt ending with some suggesting that the original conclusion was lost due to manuscript

manipulation, while others argue that the abrupt ending was intentional and fitting for the

community that was facing persecution. However, they generally agree that Mark’s gospel

actually ends at Mark 16:8. The impact of Mark’s gospel is that it was the first gospel written and

it was the first to establish the life of Jesus as a story form. It develops a narrative of his early

career through the main points of his life and culminates in his death. It sets the pattern for all of

the later gospel traditions. The “Son of Man” did not come to be served but to serve. His death

and resurrection paid for all of our sins. It offers life eternal to mankind. Mark’s gospel sees

everyone as a soul to be saved. We all need salvation.

In summary Mark’s writing was to introduce Jesus to his audience to let them know who

Jesus was. What he did and said, and the effectiveness of his ministry. It is unique because it

emphasizes his actions more than his teachings. His gospel is a narrative that proclaims Jesus as

the Messiah and Son of God whose death and resurrection paid the penalty for our sins and

achieved victory over Satan, sin, and death, and that there will be a kingdom in heaven for those
who believe in him and follow him. His emphasis that Jesus come as a slaughtered lamb whose

identity was kept as a secret, the messianic secret which is a motive in Mark’s gospel. In which

Jesus is portrayed as purposefully hid his identity as the Messiah during his lifetime. He

performs miracles, but admonishes demons, his disciples and other weaknesses, not to tell

anyone about them. He wanted to keep his identity as the divine Son of God, the Messiah.

My understanding of Mark’s gospel is that it gives hope to Christians, in that it teaches

that there is life after death and that Jesus the Son of God, has come to Earth to let us be aware

that the kingdom of God is at hand or near, and that we all should repent and believe in the

gospel, the “good news” of Jesus Christ.

In as much as Jesus suffered, we too will suffer we are to take up our cross and follow

Jesus daily. We are called to be citizens of the kingdom of God. We have to be able to recognize

the temporary persecution that we face in our lives, we are expected to be active participants in

our relationship with God. Jesus fulfilled his mission through suffering so we are supported and

strengthened by his example. The suffering “Son of Man” set the model, for suffering

discipleship (Mark 8:31).

As Christians we are to commit ourselves and allow Jesus to guide us. We can learn from

Mark’s gospel, who Jesus is. What he did, and what his ministry is all about. Example healing,

cleansing, miracles, restore, teaching and educating. Christians must remain faithful and alert

because no one knows when the Son of Man will come. It presents a savior who is truly divine,

truly man, and one who gives his life uniquely as a substitutionary atonement for the sins of his

people. We benefit from his death by faith. We learn that the way of glory is the way of suffering.

We are commissioned to share the word of God with the whole world. The gospel calls believers
to have faith and to follow Jesus as disciples. We have to be ready to follow Jesus in baptism and

reign with him.