Mark

LeRoy Eims

Mark is the shortest of the four gospels. It is a story of dynamic movement and action. The words "straightway" and "immediately" are used more than 40 times. It emphasizes the acts of Jesus, not His words. It is slanted toward the Roman world, presenting Jesus as the powerful Son of God who had power in the natural as well as the supernatural world.

Here is an exciting thing to notice as you study the Book of Mark: the strong Son of God is the servant of man, the savior and redeemer of the world. "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)

Jesus lived in a Roman world. This gospel that would present the claims of Christ to the Roman must do so with reference to the characteristics of that race of people. The Roman represented the idea of power embodied in the state which was carried to the point of world wide domination. He was the man of action, of law, and of the universal empire.

He practically worshipped the state. He had the awareness of being born to rule the world. In the vision of the prophet Daniel, Rome is represented as the legs of iron. It was this iron kingdom which crushed nations in its wake of conquest.

The Roman would care very little about the fulfillment of prophecy. And, he did not have the philosophical appreciation of the Greek either. To this man, Jesus must be presented from the Roman point of view answering the idea of divine authority, action, law, and universal dominion. Jesus must appear to him as the Man of power, the doer, the conqueror. And that's what you'll find in the Book of Mark.

It is the gospel of power, of action and of conquest over nature, disease, death, and the demons of hell. As you study the book of Mark, you will find yourself crying out in your heart time and time again, "What manner of man is this?" What manner of man indeed!

There is a great deal of encouragement that comes to our own hearts when we reflect upon the life of the author of this Book. Mark was the son of a lady named Mary who lived in Jerusalem. The early Christians met in their home on occasion. “And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying." (Acts 12:12).

Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey: "And when they were ac Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they had also John as their helper." (Acts 13:5) However, for some reason he left them when they got to Perga (Acts 13:13). We do not know why he went back and did not continue with them in the work, but we do know that the Apostle Paul was not pleased with his actions. In fact, when they were planning their second journey, and Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them, Paul flatly refused. "But Paul thought it not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work" (Acts 15:38). Apparently Paul felt that Mark had failed them, had let them down.

There are two great lessons in this: here was a man who had proved unfaithful in his responsibilities, and yet some years later it was this very person whom God chose to write the gospel of Jesus Christ, the faithful servant of God.

This gospel shows the mercy and grace of God in giving one who failed a second chance. Mark the unfaithful servant, wrote the gospel of Christ, and was used of the Holy Spirit to reveal Christ as the ever‑faithful one. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." (II Corinthians 4:7).

Later on in his life he was reconciled to Paul. So if you have something in your past that you feel is keeping you from your full usefulness in the service of Christ, take heart. God forgives and forgets. Find this place of repentance and confession, and trust the Lord for cleansing. Then move ahead in your service and fellowship in the Lord.