PURPOSE: Mark’s reason for writing this gospel was to present Jesus as God incarnate, our Messiah, who entered history as a servant. This gospel reveals Jesus, the person ... his ministry and his teachings.
AUTHOR: John Mark, who was an associate of Peter and Paul, was not one of the 12 disciples hand-picked by Jesus. His lasting impact on the Christian church came from his writing rather than his life.
GOSPEL defined: The word itself can mean “good news” or “good tidings”. A gospel is more than a biography intended to provide information about a historical character. It’s the presentation of the life of Jesus to show His saving significance for all people and to call them to faith in Him.
SETTING: The Roman Empire under Tiberius Caesar, with its common language, excellent transportation, and communication system, was ripe to hear Jesus’ message, which was spreading quickly from nation to nation.
ABOUT THIS GOSPEL: Mark was probably the first Gospel written. The other Gospels quote all but 31 verses from Mark. Mark records more miracles than does any of the other Gospels.
THE BLUEPRINT:
A) The birth & preparation of Jesus, the servant
The OT prophets clearly and concisely predicted the coming of a savior ... a Messiah. Because of this Jesus birth was not unannounced or unexpected. Just as people back then rejected this prophetic proclamation, so they do even today. The bible is the main witness of his coming. You either believe and accept as fact its’ message or you ignore it.
B) The message & ministry of Jesus, the servant
Jesus had all the power of God: He raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, restored deformed bodies, and quieted stormy seas, but with all this power, Jesus came to humanity as a servant. We can use his life as a pattern for how to live today. As Jesus served God and others, so should we.
C) The death & resurrection of Jesus, the servant
Jesus came not as a warrior king, but as a servant. As a result, man didn’t recognize or acknowledge him as the Messiah. Neither did the religious leaders of the day. Their presumption that God would send a Warrior King like David caused them to be blinded by the fact that in reality, the Messiah came as a baby. Hardly fit to defeat the Roman Empire, yet God had different ideas. We must be careful that we also don’t reject God or his will because he doesn’t quite fit our image of what God should be.
Up next are the Mega-Themes from Mark. Until then walk with the King and be a blessing.
In His name & for His glory,
Richard Keller
Bread of Life Ministries
Resource: The New Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The Life Application Study Bible.
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