Concise Bible Dictionary:
Each Gospel has its peculiar characteristics, as may be seen under the heading GOSPELS. In Mark the Lord Jesus is more particularly in view as the Servant-Prophet, and “the gospel” or “glad tidings” has a prominent place. As with some of the prophets in the Old Testament we have no information as to their genealogy, so here we have no human genealogy of the Lord, as is given in Matthew and Luke. The narrative abruptly introduces “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” John the Baptist’s ministry is shortly described to pave the way for that of Christ, which He entered on after being baptized. There are no details here of the temptation: simply the fact stated that Jesus was tempted of Satan forty days, and was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered unto Him. As soon as John was cast into prison the Lord began His unceasing work, taking up the testimony that the kingdom of God was at hand.
Mark 1-2. In the first two chapters are presented the various proofs which the Lord gave of His mission, which were as a testimony to the leaders in Israel.
In Mark 3 we see the break with the existing unbelieving generation, the calling of the apostles, and the consequent disowning of His kindred in the flesh.
Mark 4-5 give an epitome of His personal service, carrying us on to the raising up of Israel in the future, figuratively presented in the ruler’s daughter. This closes that view of the Lord’s personal service.
In Mark 6 the service of the apostles comes into view: the Lord begins to send them forth two and two. For Himself (Mark 7) He retired to the north-west into the district of Tyre and Sidon, and healed the daughter of the Syrophenician woman—His grace thus going out to the Gentiles. After returning through Decapolis, and (Mark 8) feeding the four thousand at Gennesaret, He went to the north-east, and (Mark 9) was transfigured before His three disciples; it was probably on Mount Hermon. From this time we find the Lord repeatedly bringing before His disciples the truth of His approaching death and resurrection, and the consequences flowing therefrom.
The visit of the Lord to Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles, and His discourses there, are not given in this gospel: nor the mission of the seventy: nor His visit to Jerusalem at the Feast of Dedication: nor the death and raising of Lazarus.
Mark 10 opens with the Lord on the other side of Jordan on His last visit to Jerusalem. On the way He tells His disciples again of the ill-treatment and death that awaited Him there; but James and John seek a grant from Him, that they might sit on His right hand and on His left in the glory. Sight is restored to blind Bartimaeus (who called Him “Son of David”) at Jericho, the city of the curse.
Mark 11. There followed the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The exclamations here do not speak of Him as king, but as of their “father David”; “Hosanna; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.” Thus the Lord’s connection with Israel as Son of David is proclaimed in this gospel, which has been mostly occupied with His labors in Galilee of the Gentiles.
Of the discourses that followed the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem, the parables of the Two Sons and the Marriage of the King’s Son are not found in this gospel; nor the parables of the Ten Virgins, the Talents, and the Sheep and the Goats.
For the prophecies given in Mark 13 refer to MATTHEW 24.
The solemn events of the Lord’s agony in the garden, the trial, condemnation and crucifixion follow. Of the Lord’s utterances on the cross, His asking forgiveness for His murderers; His promise to the repentant thief; His commending His mother to John; His saying, “I thirst”; “It is finished”; and His commending His Spirit unto the Father, are not recorded here. His commission to the eleven was “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned.” Signs should follow them that believe. After the ascension, they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Thus the narrative closes with a commission, which is viewed as having been carried out by the apostles. Briefly the gospel may be said to present to us the personal service of Christ and of His apostles.
It is believed that in Mark’s gospel chronological order has been preserved more than in any other. What is peculiar to this gospel are the many details and personal touches. We see too how immediately that one thing was done the Lord was occupied with another, as a diligent and devoted servant. All praise to His holy name! For a list of the principal events in the gospel history see NEW TESTAMENT.
Bible Handbook:
In this gospel our Lord is presented as the Prophet, or Servant of God. It is not especially for Jews nor for Gentiles, but for all.
It traces in historical order the unceasing activities of the Lord. Though it is the shortest of the gospels, and not written by one of the apostles, yet it gives often more precise details than the other gospels. The frequent occurrence of the word εὐθέως, rendered ‘immediately, anon, straightway,’ etc. is characteristic of this gospel: immediately when one work was finished another was engaged in. {See The Four Gospels}
Mark, the penman used by the Holy Spirit to describe the service of the perfect Servant, had been himself a faulty one, if he is the ‘John’ of Acts 15:37-38, as is commonly supposed.
Having gone through the gospel by Matthew somewhat in detail, many of the same events in Mark are touched upon more cursorily, and references are given to both Matthew and Luke, and to the few corresponding places in John.
Chapter 1
Notice the omission of the birth and genealogy of the Lord, in perfect keeping with God’s design in this gospel. It is not the birth and pedigree of the divine Servant, but His faithful service and that in blessing, so that we have not here the baptism of fire. The service of the Lord is immediately entered on.
Verses 1-11. The beginning of the glad tidings of Jesus Christ, Son of God, is seen in the preaching of John the Baptist, and the baptism of Jesus (Matt. 3:1; Luke 3:3; John 1:15).
Verses 12-13. The temptation is named, but not in detail. Jesus was with the wild beasts, and angels ministered to Him (Matt. 4:1; Luke 4:1).
Verses 14-15. After John’s imprisonment (for he must retire) Jesus preaches in Galilee the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 4:23; Luke 4:14).
Verses 16-20. Call of Simon and Andrew, and of James and John (Matt. 4:18; Luke 5:1).
Verses 21-28. Jesus teaches at Capernaum. He finds the power of the devil in the very synagogue of God’s people, and He casts out the unclean spirit. His word was with authority, and His works were in power (Luke 4:31).
Verses 29-39. Peter’s wife’s mother cured of a fever (type of the excitableness of sin). Many are cured of diseases, and demons are cast out. After a day of activity, Jesus retires to be alone with God. All were seeking Him, but He proceeds with His ministry in other parts (Matt. 8:14; Luke 4:38).
Verses 40-45. A leper is cured. Jehovah is there cleansing from this loathsome, incurable disease, type of the defilement of sin (Matt. 8:2; Luke 5:12).
Chapter 2
Verses 1-12. A man is cured of the palsy (expressive of the powerlessness of the sinner). The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins (Matt. 9:1; Luke 5:18; Psa. 103).
Verses 13-22. Call of Matthew (Levi): Jesus eats with tax-gatherers and sinners, the true subjects of grace. His disciples, children of the bridechamber, do not fast while the Bridegroom is with them. The new order of things requires new vessels (Matt. 9:9; Luke 5:27).
Verses 23-28. The plucking of the ears of corn on the Sabbath manifests the opposition of the Pharisees. Christ, like David, was now in rejection, everything had become common and profane (Matt. 12:1-18; Luke 6:1).
Chapter 3
Verses 1-5. Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, for God cannot be hindered by an ordinance from doing good (Matt. 12:10; Luke 6:6).
Verses 6-12. The hatred of the Pharisees now reaches the point that they will unite with their adversaries, the Herodians, to plot against Christ: whereupon Jesus withdraws Himself from the hatred of the rulers. The multitude thronging Him, He asks for the use of a small boat. The unclean spirits cried out, Thou art the Son of God.
Verses 13-20. Jesus appoints His twelve apostles to participate in His ministry (Matt. 10:1; Luke 6:13). Like very busy servants, they could not so much as eat bread.
Verse 21. His relatives seek to lay hold of Him, saying He was beside Himself.
Verses 22-30. The scribes from Jerusalem (center of opposition) said that He had Beelzebub, which was blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:24; Luke 11:15).
Verses 31-35. His mother and His brethren, who represent His connection with the nation after the flesh, come forward, but Jesus will now only own association with the faithful remnant, that is, the doers of God’s will. He turns from the nation, and commences a new work as a Sower (Matt. 12:46; Luke 8:19).
Chapter 4
Verses 1-20. The parable of the sower. The word, where received, produced fruit (Matt. 13:1; Luke 8:4). Testimony will be the result, namely:
Verses 21-25. The light not to be hidden. To him that hath shall more be given.
Verses 26-29. The kingdom is like seed sown, which grows and spreads in secret, and produces fruit ready for the harvest. The Lord is seen active at the beginning in sowing, and at the close in harvesting, that is, at His coming again.
Verses 30-34. The parable of the mustard seed. The kingdom would become a great worldly power in the earth during the Lord’s absence (Matt. 13:31; Luke 13:18).
Verses 35-41. His true disciples would be exposed to danger and difficulties; nevertheless, Jesus stills the tempest, and they will pass through all safely. He has power over creation (Matt. 8:23; Luke 8:22).
Chapter 5
Verses 1-20. The possessed man of the Gadarenes delivered from Satan’s power, and becomes himself an instrument of testimony to his friends (Matt. 8:28; Luke 8:26).
Verses 21-43. The daughter of Jairus, figuratively the ‘daughter of my people,’ is raised from death; and the woman with an issue of blood obtains healing by the touch of faith, while Jesus is still on His way to bless and restore His earthly people (Matt. 9:18; Luke 8:41).
Chapter 6
Verses 1-6. Jesus is contemned by His countrymen. He will not exhibit His power amongst them because of their unbelief (Matt. 13:54).
Verses 7-13. The twelve sent out by two and two; they preached that men should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed many with oil (type of the Holy Spirit by whom the cures were effected, Matt. 12:28) and healed them (Matt. 10:1; Luke 9:1).
Verses 14-16. At the report of the Lord’s works, Herod’s guilty conscience is stirred: he fears that John is risen from the dead (Matt. 14:1; Luke 9:7).
Verses 17-29. Imprisonment and death of John the Baptist (narrated parenthetically). (Matt. 14:3; Luke 3:19).
Verses 30-44. The apostles return and relate what they had done and what they had taught. Jesus retires with them for rest into a desert place, and there feeds the five thousand (Matt. 14:13; Luke 9:10; John 6:1).
Verses 45-52. The disciples sent in a ship to Bethsaida on the other side of the lake, and Jesus retires to pray. He walks on the water and joins them in the midst of their toil (Matt. 14:22; John 6:16).
Verses 53-56. In Gennesaret many are cured by touching the border of His garment (Matt. 14:36).
Chapter 7
Verses 1-23. The traditions of the Jews exposed. They rejected the commandment of God that they might keep their own traditions, which made the Word of God of none effect (Matt. 15:1). (In contrast to such human religion the Lord shows the activity of grace.)
Verses 24-30. He leaves Galilee and goes away into Phoenice, where the Syrophenician woman, a Gentile ‘dog,’ gets blessing from Him (Matt. 15:21).
Verses 31-37. Jesus goes through Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee, and cures one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech. The people acknowledge that Jesus did all things well (Matt. 15:21).
Chapter 8
Verses 1-9. Jesus feeds the four thousand. Though rejected, He had compassion on the multitude, and was ever ready to meet the need of the people (Matt. 15:32).
Verses 10-21. Jesus proceeds by ship into the parts of Dalmanutha. The Pharisees ask for a sign, but Jesus refuses, and leaves them, again crossing the lake. He warns His disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees (Matt. 16:1).
Verses 22-26. A blind man is led out of the town, and is healed by a double application of the Lord’s hands (type of the believing remnant, subjects of the Lord’s sympathy, whom He separates from the nation, and connects with heaven).
Verses 27-33. Various opinions of the people as to Jesus; but Peter confesses Him as the Christ. He then tells His disciples that He must be killed, but would rise again. Peter began to rebuke Him, but is denounced as Satan. They were no longer to witness that He was the Messiah: as such He would be “cut off and have nothing” here on earth (Matt. 16:13; Luke 9:18).
Verses 34-38. Self and natural ambition must be relinquished by all who would have part with Christ (Matt. 16:24; Luke 9:23).
Chapter 9
Verses 1-10. The transfiguration (which shows that the kingdom is only deferred, and will in due time be set up in power) (Matt. 17:1; Luke 9:28).
Verses 11-13. John the Baptist would have been Elias (if Jesus had been received as the Christ) (Matt. 17:10).
Verses 14-29. Jesus casts out a dumb spirit which the disciples could not, although so privileged and empowered by Christ: lacking in faith, prayer, and fasting they had no power in service against Satan (Matt. 17:14; Luke 9:37).
Verses 30-32. Jesus again teaches His disciples that He will be killed and will rise again (Matt. 17:22; Luke 9:44). Immediately after —
Verses 33-37, the disciples dispute who shall be the greatest. (Matt. 18:1; Luke 9:46) and —
Verses 38-40, they would hinder one casting out demons, because he followed not with them (showing how little they entered into what the Lord had been teaching them, and how much they were thinking of themselves) (Luke 9:49).
Verse 41. A cup of cold water shall not lose its reward.
Verses 42-48. The little ones must not be stumbled. What would be a snare, or the cause of falling, must be avoided (Matt. 18:6).
Verses 49-50. Every one shall be salted with fire (in the Christian only the flesh can be consumed; but for the wicked it will be eternal punishment); and every sacrifice (see Rom. 12:1) must be salted with salt (the power of holy grace in the Christian). Salt is good; but if it loses its savour it is worthless. Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
Chapter 10
Verses 1-12. Jesus instructs as to divorce, and restores the relationships of nature to their original status at the creation (Matt. 19:3).
Verses 13-16. Little children brought to be blessed (Matt. 19:13; Luke 18:15).
Verses 17-27. The rich young man (an example of what is admirable and lovable in creation, and the Lord acknowledges it; but the heart is manifested to be far from God; he cannot count all loss for Christ). The difficulty of the rich being saved (Matt. 19:16; Luke 18:18).
Verses 28-31. None lose by giving up for Christ, and taking the way to eternal life (Matt. 19:27; Luke 18:28).
Verses 32-34. Jesus goes up to Jerusalem to be condemned. The disciples are amazed and follow in the way with fear (Matt. 20:17; Luke 18:31).
(Notice in this chapter the way of discipleship through the cross to the glory, and compare Philippians 3, where we get the Christian in the same way, but in the power of the Holy Spirit, which the disciples here had not received.)
Verses 35-45. James and John seek for themselves the nearest places in the glory; but the Lord speaks of His sufferings (Matt. 20:20).
(The Lord’s service as a prophet was now concluded, and it remained for Him to present Himself at Jerusalem, to be rejected as the One come in the name of Jehovah, and suffer on the cross: accordingly He approaches Jerusalem through Jericho.)
Verses 46-52. At Jericho blind Bartimaeus owns Him as Son of David, is cured, and follows Jesus in the way (Matt. 20:29; Luke 18:35).
Chapter 11
Verses 1-11. Jesus enters in triumph into Jerusalem. (Notice how, in keeping with the object of this gospel to describe the Servant character, the salutations as Son of David and the King are omitted.) The Lord inspects everything (Verse 11, see also Gen. 11:5; 18:21, etc.). God has the right to review man’s doings (Matt. 21:1; Luke 19:29; John 12:12).
Verses 12-14. The barren fig-tree cursed, type of Israel (Matt. 21:17).
Verses 15-19. The temple cleared of the merchants (Matt. 21:12; Luke 19:45).
Verses 20-26. The fig tree withered. ‘Have faith in God’ (then would this mountain — the Jewish polity — be removed, and be merged amongst the Gentiles) (Matt. 21:20).
Verses 27-33. The authority of Jesus demanded by the leaders, who are convicted of moral incompetency (Matt. 21:23; Luke 20:1).
Chapter 12
Verses 1-12. The parable of the husbandmen, shewing the sinful course of the nation (Matt. 21:33; Luke 20:9).
Verses 13-17. The rulers send spies to ask as to paying tribute to Caesar (Matt. 22:15; Luke 20:20).
Verses 18-27. The Sadducees and the resurrection (Matt. 22:23; Luke 20:27).
Verses 28-34. Which is the first commandment (Matt. 22:34)?
Verses 35-37. Jesus, David’s Son and David’s Lord, is to be seated in the heavens at the right hand of God (Matt. 22:41; Luke 20:41).
Verses 38-40. The scribes exposed (Matt. 23:1; Luke 20:45).
Verses 41-44. The poor widow casts into the treasury more than they all.
Chapter 13
Future events foretold in a way that gives more prominence to the service and testimony of the faithful remnant than do the parallel passages in Matthew 24; Luke 21; see also Matthew 10.
Chapter 14
Verses 1-2. Two days before the feast the priests plot to destroy the Lord (Notice how in every detail man and Satan carry out what God had willed.) (Matt. 26:3; Luke 22:1).
Verses 3-9. Jesus anointed with costly ointment by one who loved Him, thus anticipating His burial (Matt. 26:6; John 12:1).
Verses 10-11. Judas covenants to betray the Lord (Matt. 26:14; Luke 22:3).
Verses 12-25. The Passover and the Lord’s Supper (Henceforth the disciples were to remember Him the true Passover, and not the deliverance out of Egypt.) (Matt. 26:17; Luke 22:7).
Verses 26-31. The boastful confidence of Peter: it induces the others to boast also (Matt. 26:33; Luke 22:31).
Verses 32-42. The garden of Gethsemane. Jesus accepts the cup from His Father’s hand, and does His will to the end (Matt. 26:36; Luke 22:39).
Verses 43-72. The arrest of Jesus: religious trial before the high priest: denial of Peter (Matt. 26:47; Luke 22:47; John 18:3).
Chapter 15
Verses 1-41. The civil trial of Jesus; His condemnation by Pilate, and His crucifixion. Having fulfilled the Scriptures, Jesus completes His service and obedience by laying down His life (Phil. 2:8). Judaism is ended; the veil is torn; and a Gentile acknowledges Him as Son of God (Matt. 27:1; Luke 23:1; John 18:28).
Verse 42-47. The burial of Jesus. Two women to whom Jesus was dear beheld where He was laid (Matt. 27:57; Luke 23:50; John 19:38).
Chapter 16
Verses 1-8. The women at the sepulchre find He is risen, and receive a message for the disciples. The Lord would meet them in Galilee (where He had first ministered, and where according to the prophet Isaiah, the Messiah would be found. He would there renew association with them as the remnant of Israel) (Matt. 28:1; Luke 24:1; John 20:1).
Verses 9-11. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene: the disciples would not believe that He was risen and had appeared unto her (John 20:14).
Verses 12-13. Jesus appeared to two of the disciples, but the others would not believe their testimony (Luke 24:13).
Verses 14-18. Jesus appears to the eleven, and upbraids them for their unbelief (Luke 24:36; John 20:19). He sends them to preach the gospel to every creature: signs should follow them that believe (Matt. 28:19).
Verses 19-20. The Lord’s ascension. From heaven He is still serving, working with those whom He sends to preach the word (Luke 24:50).