Mark's Jesus: God and Guide

Welcome to my blog on the gospel of Mark. Over the next year, I intend to dive into Mark’s 
gospel, what it meant to its original audience and what it means today. I thought I would 
write some of my thoughts down for others who might be interesting in studying alongside 
me.

Every week I hope to post a short page of thoughts and questions as we journey together 
through this gospel. It is not meant to be laborious. Rather it is simply an invitation to grow 
deeper in our relationship with Jesus while admitting that in some weeks, we might have 
more questions than answers. I look forward to your thoughts and responses as together, in 
dialogue, we journey together.

This week is a little long but introduces us to gospel of Mark.

Mark is a story of Jesus. Jesus’ first words in the book are “Follow me” (1:17). Like the first 
disciples and original audience, we are invited to follow Jesus. But we should be warned, 
the journey of following Jesus will not be easy. As we will learn over the coming year, 
walking with Jesus will lead to misunderstanding, opposition, abandonment, suffering, and 
death. And yet, it will also lead to vindication and resurrection, to new life and hope.

But before we dive too deep into this story, it is often helpful to pause and look at Mark’s 
story as a whole. Despite what you might believe, we know surprisingly little about the 
gospel. For example, we don’t know who wrote it. Church tradition says John Mark, but the
actual name “Mark” is not found anywhere in the gospel and the  title of the book “Mark” 
was not added for decades, if not a century, after it was written. The audience of the gospel
is debated as well as theories from Galilee to Rome have been suggested. In short, we 
don’t know who it was written to, but we think it was a community who was being harassed 
for their faith. Almost all NT scholars suggest Mark was written just prior to, during, or just
after theJewish revolt and destruction of the Jerusalem temple in 70 CE. Thus, even though it is considered by many scholars to be the first gospel written, it was not composed until 
30-40 years after Jesus’ death. Mark was not an eyewitness or disciple of Jesus. Rather 
he based his story upon oral traditions of Jesus that had been passed down through the 
decades.

But what a story it is! Mark’s Jesus is not so much of a teacher but a “doer.” Jesus is the 

subject of most of the verbs in Mark. He is constantly on the move, performing miracles, 
teaching, and guiding his disciples even while he faces growing opposition from the Jewish
authorities.

Mark’s gospel is set up geographically. Chapters 1:1-8:29 take place in Galilee. Here Jesus calls his disciples, teaches in parables, and faces growing opposition form Jewish

leadership. Chapters 8:29-16:8 shifts the focus from the Galilean teacher to Son of Man who
journeys to Jerusalem, Jesus predicts his suffering, and experiences his trial, crucifixion, 
burial, and resurrection. Mark’s “Passion Narrative” is the longest continuous story in Mark.
Passion comes from the Latin passio which means, to suffer. The suffering of Jesus, his 
opposition, betrayal, arrest, and trial are told in detail. His crucifixion and burial are told 
quickly.

This is on purpose as Mark focuses his portrayal of Jesus around two main points. First, 

Jesus is the Son of God who has power and authority over evil in all of its forms. Belief in 
him assures Mark’s readers of their eventual vindication; for they too appear to be suffering.
Christ has been raised from the dead. Second, Jesus serves as an example of a faithful life to
God, even in the midst of suffering. If Mark’s audience, like Jesus, is being misunderstood and 
opposed for their faith, Mark shows them what faithful followers of God look like through the
person of Jesus. In short, in Mark’s story Jesus is both God and guide.

As we journey together through Mark’s story of Jesus over the next year, my hope that we 

too can take confidence and hope that in the midst of suffering, we worship a God who has
already conquered, who has already been vindicated, who has already been raised. But I 
also pray that we can look to Jesus as a model for how we are to live in a world that, at least in 
certain areas, views being a follower of Christ with skepticism, misunderstanding, and in 
some cases hostility. My hope is that Mark’s Jesus becomes our Jesus: that we too, even 
2000 years later, can become participant’s in Mark’s story.

Dig Deeper: As you may have noticed, I referred to Mark as a story and described Mark’s 

audience and hearers rather than readers. Mark was originally meant to be read or heard in one sitting.

So, this week, read the gospel of Mark sometime in one sitting.  Yes, I mean the whole 

thing. It will not take as long as you think.  Read it out loud or listen to it via audiobooks if 
you can.

Gospel of Mark - Audio

I would love to see you post your comments as to what your thoughts were as you read or 
heard it from beginning to end.

Here are some questions to guide your reading, listening, and discussion:

1) Did anything strike you as you read/heard the entire gospel in one sitting?
2) What character trait of Jesus came through to you in this reading/hearing of the gospel?
3) What do you hope to learn or experience engaging Jesus through the gospel of Mark?