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The Book of Mark

• The message of Mark’s gospel is captured in a single verse: “For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”(10:45)
• Mark portrays Jesus as a servant on the move, “immediately” responsive to the will of the Father, even unto death. 
• It appears as though Mark was addressing a mostly Roman audience indicated by his omission of a number of different items which were not meaningful to the Gentiles. Some these items include:
  • The genealogy of Christ
  • Fulfilled prophecies of Christ
  • Certain Jewish customs
• The purpose of this Gospel is to express Christ’s service and sacrifice. 

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Keys to the Text

• Key Word: Immediately
• Key Verses:
  • Mark 8:34-37 “When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
  • Mark 10:43-45 “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

• Key Chapter: Mark 8
  • The pivotal event which takes place here is Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Son of the Living God (8:29). Before this confession took place Jesus spent time establishing by way of miracles His divine Nature. After this confession He turns once again to His disciples, to build them up for what is to come.

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Christ of Mark

• The Lord is presented as an active, compassionate, and obedient Servant who constantly ministers to physical and spiritual needs of others.
• Throughout Mark’s gospel one thing can be made certain that Jesus Christ is in fact the… “Son of God” (1:1, 11; 3:11; 5:7; 9:7; 13:32; 14:61; 15:39)

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Survey of Mark

There are two major division in this gospel…

1. Chapters 1-10: To Serve
2. Chapters 11-16: To Scacrifice

• Part One: The Presentation of the Servant (1:1-2:12)
• Part Two: The Opposition to the Servant (2:13-8:26)
• Part Three: The Instruction by the Servant (8:27-10:52)
• Part Four: The Rejection of the Servant (11:1-15:47)
• Part Five: The Resurrection of the Servant (16:1-20)