The best way to find out is, of course, to read the Gospel of Mark! With only 16 chapters, it is easy to read and moves quickly from one episode in the life of Jesus to another.
The aim of the gospel of Mark
Like all the other gospels, Mark’s aim was to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and the freedom He has won for us from our sin through His death and resurrection. When Mark wrote this Gospel around AD 55 – 59, his readers were mostly Gentiles (not Jews). He shared with them the life of Jesus focusing on the fact that Jesus is the Servant of God and the Savior of the world. He wrote his gospel to strengthen the faith of his readers and to teach them what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.
Some key verses in the gospel of Mark
Mark begins by introducing Jesus at His baptism and this is followed by the record of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. While God inspired Mark to write the whole gospel, the following are some of the key verses that define what is important for our faith:
- “And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11).
- “Come, follow Me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).
- “He said to them: Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:14-15).
- “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).
- “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:33).
- “Don’t be alarmed, he said. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him” (Mark 16:6).
According to Mark, Jesus is God and man
Right from the start, Mark declares the divinity of Jesus – He is Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:1). He also makes it clear that Jesus is human by telling us about Jesus’ emotions – He was moved with compassion (Mark 6:34), He sighed (Mark 7:34; 8:12), He got tired and went to sleep on a cushion (Mark 4:38). Because He was both divine and human He was the only acceptable sacrifice for us (Mark 10:45). In spite of His divinity, Jesus says He came not to be served but to serve.
We need to follow Jesus
We too should be inspired to do the same as we share the gospel to those God leads us to. We are to minister as Jesus did, with humility and devotion to the service of others. To be great in God’s kingdom, we must be the servant of all (Mark 10:44). Recognition or reward should not be our goal. Rather we should look to Jesus who was willing to lay down His life for His sheep.
The gospel of Mark is God’s word
Please read the whole Gospel of Mark for a better understanding of the gospel. God inspired Mark to write it not only for his original readers, but it is also God’s word for us today. It is a living word that has the power to change, transform, bring freedom and healing to those who accept it as God’s word.