MARK

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The Gospel according to Mark is the second in the order of the New Testament. At its content does not indicate who is the author.

Who was Mark? According with the written in Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18, and Luke 6:15, Mark was not one of the 12 disciples of the Lord. His name means “a defense”.

His original name was John, surnamed Mark (“And thinking about it, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose last name was Mark; where many had gathered together to prayActs 12:12). He was cousin of Joses, surnamed Barnabas, a Levite, a Cypriot by race (“Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (regarding whom you received commandments; if he comes to you, receive him)Colossians 4:10; “And Joses, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (which is, being translated, The son of consolation), a Levite, a Cypriot by raceActs 4:36). This means that Mark was a Jewish man who lived in Jerusalem (“And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled the ministry, having taken with them John, whose last name was MarkActs 12:25). When Barnabas and Paul went out of Jerusalem, they took Mark to involve him in the evangelistic work.

But Mark did not continue with Paul and Barnabas, but in Pamphylia he had withdrawn from them; for this reason Paul was disgusted to the extent that long after there was a discussion between them because Barnabas wanted to take Mark again. This discussion caused their separation. (“And some days afterward, Paul said to Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brothers in every city where we have announced the Word of the Lord, how they are doing. And Barnabas determined to take with them John, he being called Mark. But Paul thought it well not to take that one with them, he having withdrawn from them from Pamphylia, and did not go with them to the work. Then there was sharp feeling, as to separate them from each other. And taking Mark, Barnabas sailed to Cyprus. But choosing Silas, Paul went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of GodActs 15:36-40). Mark abandoned the evangelistic work, we do not know why, which was considered unpleasant to Paul.

But this difference did not last long, because after, Mark became a faithful collaborator in the ministry of Paul (“Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (regarding whom you received commandments; if he comes to you, receive him)Colossians 4:10; “Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is profitable to me for the ministry2 Timothy 4:11; “and also Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-laborersPhilemon 1:24)

But Mark was not only a collaborator of Paul, but for a time shared with the Apostle Peter, who appreciated him as his son (“The fellow-elected in Babylon greet you; also Mark my son1 Peter 5:13). Mark was in Babylon accompanying Peter. Hence we can understand that Mark wrote like Peter taught him and for that reason we should not have doubts about the authenticity of that Gospel.

Mark’s personal knowledge about what happened to Jesus and his relationship with Peter, are recorded in Acts 12:11-12: “And having come to himself, Peter said, Now I know surely that the Lord has sent His angel and has delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. And thinking about it, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose last name was Mark; where many had gathered together to pray.” Note that Mark knew Peter and many Christians, since many of them were gathered at the house of his mother to pray.

If we consider that Mark lived in Jerusalem, we should not discard that he witnessed some events that wrote in his Gospel. Another relevant data to establish that Mark witnessed part of what happened to Jesus Christ, is located in what was written in Mark 15:21: “And they made one who was passing by, Simon a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear His cross.” The writer changed the usual form of identification to Simon, since he did not mention his father but the name of his children, which indicates that he was aware of the environment in Jerusalem.

When did Mark write? The year is unknown, but it is assumed that Paul died in the year 65, Peter in 67 and Mark in the year 68. If we consider that Mark received from Peter the written in the Gospel, that he was a collaborator of Paul during his missionary beginning and also in one of the last years of his ministry, then Mark could have written his Gospel around the year 60.

Why Marcos was chosen by God to write one of the four Gospels? It is not known. But we can see that although he erred when abandoned the missionary work in his beginning, he later became a faithful propagator of the gospel. In how many mistakes have you incurred dear reader? Have you ever abandoned the spiritual one? Or, do you never wanted to have compromises with the Lord? It is not important what is your response; the important thing is that you can change to follow Jesus and hand over him your heart.

If you are already a Christian believer, then consider also that you are a person of great importance to the work of God, so what we need for evangelism, to serve others and in every good work that God has commanded us to perform.

Let’s seek the LORD, because we do not know if there will be other opportunity (“Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is nearIsaiah 55:6).

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