Mark’s Perspective

For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. – Mark 10:45

Mark (John Mark) was a nephew to Barnabas (Col. 4:10). He was a young man when we find him in the book of Acts chapter 12. He grew up in the church in Jerusalem, it actually met in his mother’s house (Acts 12:12). James, the half brother of Jesus, was his pastor. He heard James and Peter preach on a regular basis. He travels with Paul and Barnabas and was actually a point of contention between these two when he wanted to return home sick. In 2nd Timothy 4:11, Paul tells Timothy to bring Mark with him because he is profitable. They had obviously reconciled and Mark had become a beneficial minister of the gospel.

Mark may be the young slipping away from capture in Mark 14:51-52. Other than this instance, we have no inspired record of Mark during the ministry of Jesus. Most historians attribute his gospel account as a record of the things that Peter preached concerning Jesus. Peter refers to him as his son (in the ministry) in 1st Peter 5:13. We may never know for certain the human connection, but the Spiritual inspiration in The Gospel according to Mark is quite evident.

Mark’s initial audience was generally Gentile. His lack of genealogy and other things important to the Jews bears this out. Mark also explains some Jewish customs and defines some Aramaic words for the benefit of his Greek audience. He traveled with Paul on several occasions, and met a lot of Gentiles. He records more miracles than the other authors showing the servant ethic. Mark’s general picture of Jesus is as the suffering servant.

This is the view of Jesus that Paul had in mind when he taught us to imitate Christ.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. – Philippians 2:5-8