Into the Gospels with Mark Lecture 6 Outline

Into the Gospels with Mark! Lecture 6

Outline �Background �Origin �Building a Gospel �Gospel Focus

Background �We are not absolutely certain about the identity of the author of Marks Gospel. Tradition holds that the author of this Gospel was John Mark, a traveling companion of Paul and Peter. �An early bishop and writer, Papias, called Mark Peter’s interpreter and claimed that his Gospel is based on Peter’s stories about Jesus.

Background 2 �Today, most scholars do not hold that Mark is based solely on Peter’s testimonies, but on a number of oral and perhaps even written collections of Jesus’ saying and deeds. For these scholars, the author of this Gospel is anonymous. �What can be stated is that the author of Mark’s Gospel was most likely a Christian who came out of a Jewish Background.

Origin �The Gospel was likely written sometime between 65 -70 CE. �Since the Gospel was aimed at Gentile Christians who were suffering persecution for their belief in Jesus, it could be that the Gospel was written in Rome sometime shortly after Nero’s persecution of the Christians there in 64 -65 CE. ◦ Fun Fact: It was during this persecution that Peter was likely martyred.

Origin 2 �Another Theory holds that the author of Mark was writing for Christians in Syria or even Palestine to bolster the suffering Christians during the First Jewish Revolt against Rome (66 -70 CE). �If this theory is correct, then the Gospel could have been written shortly before or after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE.

Building a Gospel �In writing the Gospel, the author of Mark drew on oral traditions (perhaps Peter’s own testimony), written collections of the parables, miracle stories, and other sayings of Jesus, and an outline of Jesus’ Passion story to masterfully weave his materials into the new literary form known as the Gospel.

Building a Gospel 2 �A predominant theme in Mark’s Gospel is for the readers to remain faithful to Jesus the Lord, who himself suffered and died for them. �He is the Son of God and the Messiah. But he is also the Son of Man who suffers. �The Winged Lion is the symbol of Mark.

Gospel Focus �Throughout the Gospel, Mark continually asks his readers two questions about Jesus. 1. ◦ With the first question, “Who is this person? ” Mark shows how many of Jesus’ contemporaries were not clear on Jesus’ identity. Some saw Jesus as a threat/enemy; even an agent of the Devil. Other’s saw him as God’s agent to overthrow the Romans.

Gospel Focus 2 �Mark engages with the reader on the following questions: 1. “Who is this person? ” 2. Mark also asks the all of us, “Will you follow Jesus? ” ◦ Mark presents Jesus as the model of faith. All people are called to follow in his footsteps.