Gospels Part 031

The author is most likely the “John Mark” mentioned in Acts 12:12 and 25. He is more often called “Mark” which is a shorter form of the Roman name Marcus. At that time, it was common for Jews to have both a Hebrew and Greek name, such as Simon Peter and Paul, whose Hebrew name was Saul. “John” is a shortened form of the Hebrew name Jochanon, which means “God is a gracious giver.” This was a fairly common name, also shared by the apostle John and John the Baptizer.  

Mark is likely the unnamed person referred to when Jesus is being arrested in Mark 14:51-52, which describes a young man who sprints away when someone grabs his outer garment, leaving him naked.  He might have purposely left himself unnamed.  

Mark was a companion of the apostle Peter. Early extra-biblical writers like Papias (c. 130 A.D.) described Mark as recording Peter’s memories and teachings about Jesus, which fits with the content of this Gospel. This Gospel’s structure and wording could indicate that it was not given to Mark as a completed account of Jesus’ life but instead consisted of stories related by Peter that Mark shaped into a structured narrative of Christ’s life. Due to this connection to Peter, Mark’s Gospel is at times referred to as “Peter’s story” or “Peter’s Gospel.” Mark also appears in the book of Acts and in Paul’s letters as an associate of Paul and Barnabas.  

Purpose and Intended Audience  

Mark likely wrote his Gospel in Rome, or another area heavily influenced by Roman culture, based on: 

• His explanations of Jewish customs (Mark 7:2–4; 15:42)
• Translations of Aramaic words (Mark 3:17; 5:41; 7:11, 34; 15:22, 34) 
• His occasional use of Latin terms (Mark 5:9; 6:27, 37; 12:15, 42; 15:15, 16, 39, 44-45) that would have been unfamiliar to a Jewish or Greek-speaking audience.  

His writing reflects an educational approach to a Gentile audience in the context of suffering and persecution, which would reflect conditions around the time of Emperor Nero’s brutal crackdown on Christians following the Great Fire of Rome (A.D. 64). This background helps explain the Gospel’s emphasis on suffering and endurance (Mark 8:34–38; 13:9–13). His emphasis on action and power are themes that would resonate with Roman sensibilities. The audience may have been facing persecution or hardship, which makes Mark’s focus on the suffering of Jesus and the call to faithful discipleship especially relevant.  

Mark’s primary purpose is to present Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God who came not as a conquering king, but as the suffering servant foretold by the prophet Isaiah. Through his narrative, Mark invites his audience to see Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection as the true path to understanding His messianic identity.