Gospels and Acts
The book of Mark
A fast-moving Gospel of Jesus as the suffering servant and Son of God.
The early church said Mark wrote down Peter’s preaching in Rome. Mark is the shortest Gospel and was probably the first written. It was used by Matthew and Luke, in the view of most scholars.
Kinds of writing
- Narrative 90%
- Prophecy 5%
- Discourse 5%
Key verses
The beginning of the Good News. The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Mark 1:1 (World English Bible)
To serve, and to give his life as a ransom. For the Son of Man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Mark 10:45 (World English Bible)
People
JohnJesusPeterJamesJohnPilateMary Magdalene
Places
GalileeCapernaumSea of GalileeCaesarea PhilippiJerusalemBethanyMount of Olives
On the timeline
Jesus is baptized by John“Fishers for men”: Peter, Andrew, James, and John leave their netsJesus calms the stormJesus feeds the five thousandPeter confesses Jesus as the ChristThe TransfigurationThe crucifixionJesus rises from the dead
Mark quotes or alludes to the Old Testament 31 times (counted in the site’s Old in the New).
Dating notes
This timeline plots AD 58. Irenaeus placed it after Peter’s death; Clement of Alexandria during his life. The span is an estimate; Scripture doesn’t say when the book was written.