The Gospel of Mark

1. The Foundation of the Gospel

The Source: Historically attributed to John Mark, acting as the "interpreter" for the Apostle Peter.

The Audience: : Roman Christians (Gentiles) facing persecution (explaining Jewish customs and using Latin terms).

Date: c. 55–65 AD (The earliest written Gospel).

Key Verse: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." — Mark 10:45 (CSB)

Key Word: Euthys ("Immediately") — used over 40 times to create a sense of urgency.

Earliest Evidence:

Earliest Fragment:P137 (c. 150–250 AD), containing parts of Chapter 1.

Discovery: Found at Oxyrhynchus, Egypt.

Details: This is currently the earliest known fragment of the Gospel of Mark. It is a small piece of papyrus containing parts of Mark 1:7–9 and 1:16–18.

Significance: It confirms that the opening of Mark’s Gospel (the beginning of Jesus' ministry) was being copied and read in Egypt within roughly a century of its composition.

Earliest Collection: P45 (c. 200–250 AD), the first "Four-Gospel" book.

Details: This is a much larger find, part of the Chester Beatty Papyri. It was originally a single-volume "Four Gospel" codex (book).

Significance: While fragmented, it contains substantial portions of Mark 4–9 and 11–12. It is the earliest undeniable evidence of Mark being bound together with Matthew, Luke, and John as a collection.

The Earliest Complete Versions

Codex Vaticanus (c. 300–325 AD): The oldest nearly complete Greek Bible. It contains all of Mark but, as noted before, ends at 16:8.

Codex Sinaiticus (c. 330–360 AD): The oldest totally complete New Testament. Like Vaticanus, it also ends Mark at 16:8.

Early Church "Quotes" (Patristic Evidence)

If we lost every single manuscript of the Bible, we could reconstruct almost the entire New Testament just from the letters of the Early Church Fathers. However, historically, Mark was quoted less often than Matthew or John in the first three centuries.

The Statistics of Quotation

In the Ante-Nicene Fathers (writings before 325 AD), the frequency of Gospel citations usually follows this order: Matthew (most), John, Luke, and then Mark.

Total Citations: Scholars estimate there are roughly 1,200 to 1,500 direct citations or clear allusions to Mark in the writings of the Fathers prior to the Council of Nicaea.

Irenaeus (c. 180 AD): One of our most important witnesses. In his work Against Heresies, he quotes Mark over 100 times. Significantly, he is the first to explicitly quote the "Long Ending" (Mark 16:19), proving those verses were already in circulation by the late 2nd century.

Clement of Alexandria (c. 150–215 AD): He wrote an entire commentary on the "Rich Young Ruler" (Mark 10:17–31) titled Who is the Rich Man that shall be Saved? This is one of the earliest focused studies on a specific Markan passage.

Why was Mark quoted less?

Historically, many in the early church viewed Mark as a "summary" of Peter's preaching. Since about 90% of Mark’s content is also found in Matthew (often with more detail), the Church Fathers frequently quoted Matthew instead. This makes the quotes we do have from Mark even more valuable, as they show the unique "Markan" voice was still being heard and preserved.

The "Voice of Peter" (Historical Tradition)

The earliest external "quote" about Mark comes from Papias (c. 110 AD), who was a student of the Apostle John. He wrote:

"Mark, having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately everything that he remembered... He made it his one care not to omit anything that he heard, and not to set down any false statement therein."

P137 2nd Century Proves Mark 1 was circulating early.

P 45 3rd Century Earliest "Four-Gospel" book containing Mark.

Papiasc. 110 AD Connects Mark’s writing to Peter’s eyewitness account.

Irenaeusc. 180 AD Confirms the 2nd-century use of the Long Ending.

2. STRUCTURE & MAJOR THEMES

Major Themes & Misconceptions

The Messianic Secret: Jesus hides His identity to ensure He reaches the Cross before a political uprising can stop Him.

Discipleship = Failure & Grace: The disciples are often seen failing, sleeping, or arguing. Mark shows that following Jesus isn't about human strength, but about God’s power.

Common Misconception: People think Mark is just a "short Matthew."

Correction: Mark is the primary source. It provides the most vivid, "eyewitness" details (like Jesus sleeping on a "cushion" in the boat).

Application: Reading with a "Historical Lens"

Look for the Roman Context: Notice how Mark explains Jewish hand-washing or the value of coins for a Roman reader.

Watch the Verbs: Jesus is a man of action. Follow His feet as much as His words.

The Final Question: Mark leaves the reader at the empty tomb. The ending asks: Will you follow Him, or will you remain afraid?

Outline of the Gospel of Mark

Mark follows a geographic structure that moves Jesus relentlessly toward the cross in Jerusalem.

Part 1: The Authority of the Servant (Galilee)

The Preparation (1:1–13): John the Baptist and Jesus’ baptism.

Ministry in Galilee (1:14–6:6): Miracles, calling disciples, and healings.

Expanding Ministry (6:7–8:21): Feeding the 5,000 and walking on water.

Part 2: The Way of the Cross (On the Road)

The Turning Point (8:22–9:1): Peter’s confession: "You are the Messiah" (CSB). Jesus immediately begins predicting His death.

The Journey to Jerusalem (9:2–10:52): Lessons on discipleship and sacrifice.

Part 3: The Passion of the Servant (Jerusalem)

Holy Week (11:1–13:37): The Triumphal Entry and the Olivet Discourse.

The Trial and Death (14:1–15:47): The Last Supper, Gethsemane, and the Crucifixion.

The Resurrection (16:1–20): The empty tomb

This reading guide is designed to help you navigate the Gospel of Mark using a Historical-Grammatical approach. By focusing on the historical context and the specific way Mark uses language, you can see how he proves Jesus is the Son of God through action.

The "Action & Identity" Reading Guide

Phase 1: The Authority of the Servant (Chapters 1–8)

Focus: Who is this man?

Look for the Word "Immediately": As you read, notice how often the CSB uses the word "immediately" (e.g., Mark 1:12, 1:18, 1:21). Mark wants you to feel the urgency of Jesus' mission.

The Markan "Sandwich": When you get to Mark 5:21–43, notice how the story of Jairus’ daughter starts, is interrupted by the woman with the flow of blood, and then finishes.

Study Tip: Ask yourself, "How does the faith of the woman in the middle help explain the faith needed by Jairus at the end?"

The Messianic Secret: Observe how Jesus tells the leper (1:44) and the demons (3:12) to be quiet. He is avoiding the "King" label until he can define it by the Cross.

Phase 2: The Way of the Cross (Chapters 8:22–10)

Focus: What did He come to do?

The Hinge Point: Read Mark 8:27–31. This is the center of the book. Once Peter confesses Jesus is the Messiah, the "Secret" ends, and Jesus immediately begins to speak plainly about His death.

The Disciples' Failure: Notice that every time Jesus predicts His death (8:31, 9:31, 10:33), the disciples respond with pride or confusion. Mark includes this to show that human logic cannot grasp the Gospel without divine help.

Phase 3: The Passion of the Servant (Chapters 11–16)

Focus: How will you respond?

The Roman Context: Read Mark 15. Notice how the Roman Centurion is the one to finally realize Jesus’ identity: "Truly this man was the Son of God!" (Mark 15:39). Mark (writing to Romans) highlights that a Roman soldier "got it" before the religious leaders did.

The Manuscript Challenge: When you reach Mark 16:8, stop. Imagine the book ended there: "Then they went out and ran from the tomb... they said nothing to anyone, since they were afraid."

Study Tip: Read the bracketed section (16:9–20) separately. Compare the tone. Does the abrupt ending at verse 8 make you feel the weight of the Resurrection more intensely?

In Mark’s Gospel, a "Markan Sandwich" (technically called intercalation) is a literary device where Mark starts a story (A1), interrupts it with a second story (B), and then concludes the first story (A2).1

The key to a Historical-Grammatical reading is to understand that the "meat" in the middle (Story B) is actually the lens through which you must interpret the "bread" (Story A).2

The Signature Sandwich: The Fig Tree and the Temple

This is the most famous example in Mark 11. It shows that Jesus wasn't just "hangry" at a tree; He was performing a prophetic act against the religious establishment.3

The Structure (Mark 11:12–25)

A1: The Curse (11:12–14): Jesus looks for fruit on a fig tree.4 Finding none, He curses it: "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" (CSB).5+1

B: The Cleansing (11:15–19): Jesus enters the Temple, flips tables, and drives out the merchants.6 He calls it a "den of robbers" (CSB).7+1

A2: The Withered Tree (11:20–25): The next morning, the disciples see the fig tree is withered "from the roots up."8

How the Sandwich Unlocks the Meaning

The Connection: In the Old Testament, the fig tree was a common symbol for the nation of Israel.9

The Interpretation: By placing the Temple cleansing inside the fig tree story, Mark is telling us that the Temple is like that tree. It has the "leaves" of religion (ceremonies, noise, crowds), but it has no "fruit" of true worship or justice.10

The Verdict: Just as the fig tree withered, the old Temple system was being "cursed" and would soon pass away, to be replaced by a house of prayer for all nations.11

Other Major Markan Sandwiches

Mark uses this technique at least nine times. Here are two others that help you read the text with more depth:

1. The "Faith" Sandwich (Mark 5:21–43)12

A1: Jairus (a synagogue leader) begs Jesus to heal his dying daughter.13

B: A marginalized woman with a blood disorder touches Jesus’ robe and is healed by her faith.14

A2: Jesus continues to Jairus’ house and raises the girl from the dead.15

The Lesson: The woman in the middle is the "model" of faith for Jairus.16 Even though Jairus is an important man and she is an outcast, they both need the same thing: desperate faith in Jesus.17+1

2. The "Rejection" Sandwich (Mark 3:20–35)18

A1: Jesus’ physical family arrives to take Him home because they think He is "out of his mind" (CSB).

B: The religious leaders claim Jesus is possessed by Beelzebul (Satan).19

A2: Jesus’ family is still outside, and He redefines family as those who do God’s will.

The Lesson: Mark is grouping Jesus' "insider" family with the "outsider" enemies. Both groups are failing to see who Jesus truly is, which highlights that the only way to be a true "insider" is through obedience.

Summary of the Technique

PartNarrative RoleInterpretive Function

A1: Top Bread The Setup Establishes the physical scene or problem.

B: The Meat The InterruptionProvides the theological key or a contrasting example.

A2: Bottom BreadThe ConclusionShows the result, often mirrored by the lesson in Part B

3.THE MANUSCRIPT MYSTERY

The Manuscript Mystery: The Ending of Mark

The "Abrupt" Ending (16:1–8): Found in our oldest Greek Bibles, Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus. It ends with the women fleeing the tomb in "trembling and astonishment."

The "Long" Ending (16:9–20): Found in Codex Alexandrinus and later manuscripts. It summarizes Jesus' appearances and the Great Commission.

Teaching Point: Whether the original ending was lost or Mark ended it at verse 8 for dramatic effect, the resurrection is the undisputed fact of the text. Use the CSB brackets to explain how we handle manuscript differences with transparency and trust.

The Manuscript Mystery: The Ending of Mark

The Manuscript Mystery: The Ending of Mark

The "Abrupt" Ending (16:1–8): Found in our oldest Greek Bibles, Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus. It ends with the women fleeing the tomb in "trembling and astonishment."

The "Long" Ending (16:9–20): Found in Codex Alexandrinus and later manuscripts. It summarizes Jesus' appearances and the Great Commission.

Teaching Point: Whether the original ending was lost or Mark ended it at verse 8 for dramatic effect, the resurrection is the undisputed fact of the text. Use the CSB brackets to explain how we handle manuscript differences with transparency and trust.

The most significant textual issue in the NT occurs at 16:9–20.

Comparison of Manuscript Endings

Ending Type Coverage Evidence Vocabulary/Notes Abrupt Ending

16:1–8 Sinaiticus, Vaticanus Ends with gar ("for"). Focuses on awe and fear.

Short Ending 1 ParagraphCodex Bobiensis Adds a brief report of the women telling Peter.

Long Ending 16:9–20 Alexandrinus, Irenaeus Summarizes appearances; Great Commission.

Freer Logion After v. 14 Washingtonianus Adds a dialogue about the "age of lawlessness."

Critical Analysis

Non-Markan Vocabulary: The Long Ending contains 15–20 words never used elsewhere by Mark.

Narrative Shift: Verse 9 re-introduces Mary Magdalene as if for the first time.

Theological Purpose: It harmonizes Mark with Matthew, Luke, and John.

The CSB Approach

The CSB places 16:9–20 in brackets with a footnote. This maintains the traditional text while remaining transparent about the oldest manuscripts.

The Debate: Did Mark end at 16:8 to challenge the reader ("The tomb is empty—what will you do?"), or was the final leaf of the original scroll lost?