Background to Mark’s Gospel

Who, what, why, where and when?

 

 

 

RE GCSE

What is a Gospel?

 

Gospel means ‘Good News’

The Good News is about Jesus’ Death and Resurrection

The Gospel was originally spoken, not written

Why were Gospels written?

    1. When the first Christians died, it was necessary to write things down so the teaching was not lost
    2. New Church members needed to be taught about Jesus - they might get their facts wrong!
    3. Christians were being persecuted, so the Gospels
showed Christianity wasn’t dangerous
encouraged Church members.

Gospels - not biographies

Gospels tell Jesus life, but aren’t biographies

There’s no information on Jesus’ appearance, childhood for instance.

They are written

to explain the Christian message
to explain the meaning of Jesus life
to give God’s word to believers

Who was Mark?

Tradition says he is ‘John Mark’

often mentioned in the New Testament (but not in the Gospel)
from Jerusalem
Mother called Mary
travelled with Saint Paul
fell out with him - later made up

Mark and Peter

According to Papias, who wrote about AD 130

Mark wasn’t an original follower of Jesus
Mark was close to Saint Peter
He wrote down the stories Peter told

We do know

Peter called Mark ‘my son’ (1 Peter 5:13)
Many of the stories are told from Peter’s point of view

So, Mark = ‘John Mark’?

IN FAVOUR

Gospel seems close to Peter
Old tradition

 

AGAINST

Mark was a common name
Mark makes some mistakes about places

When and where?

Probably about AD 64 in Rome:

In AD64 Nero killed many Christians in Rome, including Peter
Stories in Mark often seem to encourage people who are persecuted
Mark often explains Jewish customs
Mark sometimes uses Latin words in Greek letters.

The Importance of Mark

Mark’s Gospel has special importance because

it is probably the first Gospel
it is the oldest source for the life of Jesus
other Gospel writers, Matthew and Luke, used it in writing their own Gospels
it comes from the faith of the first Christians
it proclaims the Gospel: the preaching of the apostles.

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