Mark Writes the First Gospel

68 CE (approximate)

Sometime in the mid-to-late 60s CE, as the apostolic generation faced martyrdom and the church needed a written record of Jesus’s life, John Mark—companion of Peter and Paul—composed the first Gospel. Writing in straightforward Greek for a Roman audience, Mark created a fast-paced narrative emphasizing Jesus’s actions over his teachings, his suffering over his glory. This groundbreaking work established the “Gospel” as a literary genre and preserved eyewitness testimony for future generations.

The author:

John Mark (Hebrew name Yohanan, Roman name Marcus) appears throughout Acts and the epistles:

His mother Mary hosted the early Jerusalem church in her home (Acts 12:12)
He accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey but turned back (Acts 13:13)
Paul’s disappointment over this led to his split with Barnabas (Acts 15:36-40)
Later, Paul called Mark “useful to me” and requested his presence (2 Timothy 4:11)
Peter called him “my son Mark” (1 Peter 5:13), suggesting close relationship

Early church tradition (Papias, writing around 110 CE) identifies Mark as Peter’s interpreter who recorded Peter’s preaching: “Mark, having become Peter’s interpreter, wrote down accurately, though not in order, all that he remembered of the things said or done by the Lord.”

The circumstances:

By the mid-60s CE, Christianity faced crisis:

Nero’s persecution (64 CE): Christians blamed for Rome’s fire, tortured publicly
Apostolic martyrdoms: Peter and Paul both died in Rome (64-68 CE)
Eyewitnesses aging: Those who walked with Jesus were dying
Need for written record: As the church expanded geographically, written accounts became essential

Dating Mark’s Gospel is debated, but most scholars place it between 65-70 CE, likely in Rome. Evidence for a Roman audience:

Explains Jewish customs (7:3-4, 15:42)
Translates Aramaic phrases (5:41, 7:34, 15:34)
Uses Latin loan-words (centurion, legion, denarius)
Emphasizes suffering—relevant to Roman Christians facing persecution

Some scholars suggest Mark wrote shortly after Peter’s death, preserving his mentor’s testimony. Others propose he wrote just before Jerusalem’s destruction (70 CE), with Jesus’s predictions of the temple’s fall (chapter 13) taking on urgent relevance.

The content and structure:

Mark’s Gospel is the shortest (16 chapters) and most action-oriented. Its structure:

Opening (1:1-13): John the Baptist, Jesus’s baptism and temptation

Galilean ministry (1:14-8:26): Miracles, teachings, growing opposition

Calling disciples
Healings and exorcisms
Controversies with religious leaders
Feeding 5,000 and 4,000
Peter’s confession: “You are the Messiah”

Journey to Jerusalem (8:27-10:52): Three passion predictions, teaching on discipleship

Transfiguration
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross”

Jerusalem ministry (11:1-13:37): Temple cleansing, final teachings, apocalyptic discourse

Passion and resurrection (14:1-16:8): Last Supper, arrest, trials, crucifixion, empty tomb

Literary features:

Fast-paced: Mark uses “immediately” (euthys) 42 times—the narrative moves quickly from scene to scene

Showing, not telling: Emphasizes Jesus’s actions more than lengthy teachings (contrast Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount)

The Messianic Secret: Jesus repeatedly tells people not to reveal his identity (1:34, 3:12, 8:30)—he must suffer before being proclaimed as Messiah

Suffering emphasis: More space devoted to passion week (chapters 11-16) than to three years of ministry

Unpolished portrait: Jesus shows emotion—compassion (1:41), anger (3:5), distress (14:33-34). Disciples appear confused and fearful.

Abrupt ending: The earliest manuscripts end at 16:8 with women fleeing the empty tomb in fear—though verses 9-20 were added later by scribes who felt the ending was too abrupt

Purpose and theology:

Mark answers the question: Who is Jesus?

The suffering Messiah: Not a political liberator but one who “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (10:45)

The Son of God: Opening verse declares this; centurion at the cross confirms it (15:39)

The powerful yet rejected one: Jesus has authority over demons, disease, death, and nature—yet religious leaders plot to kill him

Call to discipleship: Following Jesus means taking up your cross (8:34)—relevant to Roman Christians facing persecution

Theological paradox: The powerful one is powerless on the cross; the King dies as a criminal; victory comes through defeat

Peter’s influence:

Papias’s testimony that Mark recorded Peter’s preaching is supported by:

Vivid, eyewitness details (1:29-31, 14:51-52)
Peter’s prominence in the narrative
Honest portrayal of Peter’s failures (8:33, 14:66-72)—Peter likely didn’t hide his denials
Geographical and chronological looseness (as in oral preaching)

Mark preserved Peter’s testimony: the fisherman’s memories of walking with Jesus, now available to believers worldwide.

Impact on other Gospels:

Mark’s Gospel became the template:

Matthew (written 80-90 CE) used Mark as a source, adding extensive teaching material and genealogy
Luke (written 80-90 CE) also used Mark, adding birth narrative and resurrection appearances
Mark, Matthew, and Luke are called “Synoptic” Gospels for their similar perspective
John (written 90-100 CE) took a different approach, with theological reflections and different event selection

Mark pioneered the “Gospel” genre—not biography or history in the Greco-Roman sense, but “good news” proclamation with historical narrative.

Canonical status:

Mark was recognized as authoritative from the earliest days. By the late second century (Muratorian Canon, Irenaeus), it was accepted as one of the four Gospels. Its connection to Peter’s testimony gave it apostolic authority.

Despite being the shortest Gospel, Mark was valued for its immediacy and eyewitness character. Church father Augustine called it Matthew’s “abbreviator,” but modern scholarship recognizes Mark as the earliest and most foundational Gospel.

Historical reliability:

Mark’s Gospel is generally considered the most historically reliable Gospel by scholars:

Earliest written: Closest to events (30-35 years after Jesus)
Unembellished: Lacks birth narrative, extensive teaching blocks, post-resurrection appearances
Honest portrait: Shows disciples’ failures, Jesus’s emotions, challenging sayings
Palestinian context: Accurate geography, customs, Aramaic phrases

Non-Christian historians acknowledge Mark preserves early tradition about Jesus, even if they dispute theological claims.

Significance:

Preserved eyewitness testimony: Mark captured Peter’s memories before the apostolic generation died

Established Gospel genre: Created template for telling Jesus’s story as “good news”

Emphasized the cross: Made clear that Jesus’s mission centered on suffering and death, not political triumph

Encouraged persecuted believers: Roman Christians facing torture could see that their Messiah walked the same path

Foundational document: Became the source for Matthew and Luke, shaping Christian understanding of Jesus

Mission focus: Mark’s portrait of Jesus in action inspired Christian missionary expansion—a Savior who came “to seek and to save the lost”

Legacy:

Mark’s Gospel has been called the most “preachable” Gospel—straightforward, powerful, action-oriented. Its emphasis on Jesus’s authority and suffering has resonated with persecuted Christians throughout history.

The abrupt ending (16:8) with women fleeing in fear invites readers into the story: What will you do with the news of the empty tomb? Will you, like the first witnesses, struggle with fear? Or will you proclaim the risen Lord?

Mark’s achievement was transforming oral tradition into written Gospel, Peter’s preaching into permanent testimony, and memories of Jesus into a book that has been translated into thousands of languages and read by billions.

The young man who once abandoned Paul on a missionary journey redeemed himself by creating a literary masterpiece that launched the Gospel genre and preserved the apostolic witness for all time. Through Mark’s pen, Peter’s voice still speaks: “You are the Messiah”—and the Messiah is the crucified and risen Jesus.