Mark

Read this book by chapter and explore its background.

Purpose To relay the good news about Jesus, who is the Messiah (God's anointed one) and the Son of God
Author John Mark, who according to early tradition wrote the memories of the apostle Peter
Date Likely written sometime during the late 60s AD
Setting Written at a time in which Christians in the Roman world were facing persecution, which made it necessary for the gospel traditions be written down, and when Jerusalem’s destruction was about to happen

Overview Article

In his opening verse, Mark gives his audience the main key to understanding his gospel. We can learn about the disciples and other characters. What matters most is what Mark teaches about "Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mark 1:1).

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Key People, Places, and Terms

Themes

Following Jesus 33 The Gospels (books about Jesus's life) were written to help people understand and accept Jesus' invitation to follow him by "taking up their cross." This invitation is not just for Jesus' closest followers, called apo... The Son of God 29 Jesus' healings, exorcisms (casting out demons), raising the dead, and teachings resulted in wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (for example, Mark 1:22 , 27 ; 4:41 ; 5:15 , 20 , 33 ; 7:37 ; 9:15 ; 10:24 , 26 , 32 ; 12:1... The Coming of God’s Kingdom 27 A key part of Jesus' message was that God's kingdom had come. The people of Israel eagerly awaited this reality. It would fulfill God's many promises that had not yet become a reality: The Holy Spirit would return, as... The Secret of the Messiah 20 In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus often tells people not to reveal his true identity as the Messiah (God's chosen one). This includes: those Jesus healed or raised from the dead, The Day Is Coming 12 Jesus prophesied three future events in the Synoptic Gospels: One event was his own death and resurrection ( Mark 8:31 ; 9:31 ; 10:33–34 ). This had already happened before the Gospels were written. Jesus’ Final Night 9 When Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Passover, he knew it was his last night before death. He came to Jerusalem to "suffer many things and … be killed" ( Mark 8:31 ). His disciples prepared the meal,... Baptism 4 Baptism has been a key part of Christianity since it began ( Acts 2:38 ). In Judaism, "baptism" and "baptize" referred to a religious cleansing ceremony. The law of Moses required water to cleanse people from ceremoni... The Son of Man 4 "Son of Man" was Jesus' favorite way to refer to himself. The phrase is unusual in both Greek and English. It translates the Hebrew phrase ben ’adam , which means "human being" or "person" (see, for example, Ezekiel 2...
See all (20)
Miracles 4 Miracles often happened in the Bible. They were especially common during the time of Moses and the ministries of Elijah, Elisha, Jesus, and his apostles. The Bible does not try to prove miracles. It just reports them.... Persecution 4 Persecution refers to systematic mistreatment, harassment, or oppression of an individual or group because of their identity, beliefs, or practices. In religious contexts specifically, persecution involves the targeti... “Belief” in the Gospel of John 3 The theme of "belief" is central in John’s Gospel. John does not use the noun faith found often in the New Testament (for example, see Matthew 8:8–10 ; Mark 11:22 ; Acts 20:21 ; Romans 1:17 ; 3:27 – 31 ; 4:3–5 ; Hebre... Paul’s Role as an Apostle 3 To understand Paul's role as an apostle of Jesus Christ, a good place to read is the description in the second letter to the Corinthians. In this letter, Paul shares the core of his ministry. Paul was God's special me... Fishing in Galilee 3 Jesus' knowledge of fishing is obvious in the four Gospels. He used fishing in his stories to teach people ( Matthew 7:10 ; 13:47–51 ). When Jesus called his first followers, he told them, "I will make you fishers of... Basic Laws 3 In Scripture, the one true God is the highest authority. God's laws include both positive and negative commands. Two main laws summarize the positive commands: “ You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart an... The Servant-Leader 3 A servant-leader is a person who has a strong desire to achieve a goal by helping and serving others. This type of leader desires to take on the role of a servant rather than focusing on their own authority or status.... Angels 2 In the Bible, angels are God's messengers who carry out his plans and tell his will to humans ( Genesis 16:7–12 ; Numbers 22:22–34 ; Judges 13:3–21 ; 2 Kings 1:3 , 15 ; Zechariah 1:4–12 ). The Hebrew Old Testament and... Belonging to Christ 2 To many people today, the New Testament seems to present an extreme view of the Christian life. God calls Christians to give up their rights, endure suffering, and even face death for Jesus ( Mark 8:34–36 ). They must... Concern for the Poor 2 God instructed Israel to care for its people's well-being. Israel's covenant (special agreement) with God and its view of itself as a large family helped prevent claims to privilege. A family should support members in... Material Reward 2 Some people in the Old Testament period believed that righteous people would usually prosper in material ways. They treated the wisdom sayings found in books like Proverbs as general rules for life. Other biblical boo... Prophetic Sign Acts 2 The prophets of Israel sometimes used sign acts to share their messages. Sign acts were dramatic actions performed in public to make their message stronger. These visual demonstrations helped people not only hear the...

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Outline

Use of the Old Testament in Mark

39 quotations from 9 Old Testament books

Total quotations 39
Connected books 9
Most-connected book Deuteronomy 12

All References

Mark OT Passage Compare
Mark 1:2 Malachi 3:1
Compare
OT Text
  • “Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts.
NT Text
  • As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way
Mark 1:3 Isaiah 40:3
Compare
OT Text
  • A voice of one calling: “Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.
NT Text
  • A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him
Mark 4:12 Isaiah 6:9–10
Compare
OT Text
  • And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
NT Text
  • so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven
Mark 7:6–7 Isaiah 29:13
Compare
OT Text
  • Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.
NT Text
  • These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men
Mark 7:10 Exodus 20:12
Compare
OT Text
  • Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
NT Text
  • Honor your father and your mother
Mark 7:10 Deuteronomy 5:16
Compare
OT Text
  • Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
NT Text
  • Honor your father and your mother
Mark 9:48 Isaiah 66:24
Compare
OT Text
  • “As they go forth, they will see the corpses of the men who have rebelled against Me; for their worm will never die, their fire will never be quenched, and they will be a horror to all mankind.”
NT Text
  • their worm never dies, and the fire is never
Mark 10:4 Deuteronomy 24:1
Compare
OT Text
  • If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds some indecency in her, he may write her a certificate of divorce, hand it to her, and send her away from his house.
NT Text
  • a man to write his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away
Mark 10:6 Genesis 1:27
Compare
OT Text
  • So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
NT Text
  • from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female
Mark 10:6 Genesis 5:2
Compare
OT Text
  • Male and female He created them, and He blessed them. And in the day they were created, He called them “man.”
NT Text
  • from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female
Mark 10:7–8 Genesis 2:24
Compare
OT Text
  • For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
NT Text
  • For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh
Mark 10:19 Exodus 20:12
Compare
OT Text
  • Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
NT Text
  • honor your father and mother
Mark 10:19 Exodus 20:13
Compare
OT Text
  • You shall not murder.
NT Text
  • Do not murder
Mark 10:19 Exodus 20:14
Compare
OT Text
  • You shall not commit adultery.
NT Text
  • do not commit adultery
Mark 10:19 Exodus 20:15
Compare
OT Text
  • You shall not steal.
NT Text
  • do not steal
Mark 10:19 Exodus 20:16
Compare
OT Text
  • You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
NT Text
  • do not bear false witness
Mark 10:19 Deuteronomy 5:16
Compare
OT Text
  • Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
NT Text
  • honor your father and mother
Mark 10:19 Deuteronomy 5:17
Compare
OT Text
  • You shall not murder.
NT Text
  • Do not murder
Mark 10:19 Deuteronomy 5:18
Compare
OT Text
  • You shall not commit adultery.
NT Text
  • do not commit adultery
Mark 10:19 Deuteronomy 5:19
Compare
OT Text
  • You shall not steal.
NT Text
  • do not steal
Mark 10:19 Deuteronomy 5:20
Compare
OT Text
  • You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
NT Text
  • do not bear false witness
Mark 11:9 Psalm 118:26
Compare
OT Text
  • Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.
NT Text
  • Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord
Mark 11:17 Isaiah 56:7
Compare
OT Text
  • I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”
NT Text
  • My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations
Mark 12:10–11 Psalm 118:22–23
Compare
OT Text
  • The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the LORD, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
NT Text
  • The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes
Mark 12:18–19 Deuteronomy 25:5
Compare
OT Text
  • When brothers dwell together and one of them dies without a son, the widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother is to take her as his wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law for her.
NT Text
  • the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him
Mark 12:26 Exodus 3:6
Compare
OT Text
  • Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
NT Text
  • how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob
Mark 12:26 Exodus 3:15
Compare
OT Text
  • God also told Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.
NT Text
  • how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob
Mark 12:29–30 Deuteronomy 6:4–5
Compare
OT Text
  • Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
NT Text
  • Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength
Mark 12:30 Deuteronomy 6:5
Compare
OT Text
  • And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
NT Text
  • Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength
Mark 12:31 Leviticus 19:18
Compare
OT Text
  • Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
NT Text
  • Love your neighbor as yourself
Mark 12:32 Deuteronomy 6:4
Compare
OT Text
  • Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One.
NT Text
  • Right, Teacher,” the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One
Mark 12:33 Leviticus 19:18
Compare
OT Text
  • Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
NT Text
  • to love your neighbor as yourself
Mark 12:33 Deuteronomy 6:5
Compare
OT Text
  • And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
NT Text
  • and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and
Mark 12:36 Psalm 110:1
Compare
OT Text
  • The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
NT Text
  • Speaking by the Holy Spirit, David himself declared: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet
Mark 13:26 Daniel 7:13
Compare
OT Text
  • In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.
NT Text
  • At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds
Mark 14:27 Zechariah 13:7
Compare
OT Text
  • Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the man who is My Companion, declares the LORD of Hosts. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against the little ones.
NT Text
  • I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered
Mark 14:62 Psalm 110:1
Compare
OT Text
  • The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
NT Text
  • sitting at the right hand of Power
Mark 14:62 Daniel 7:13
Compare
OT Text
  • In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.
NT Text
  • I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven
Mark 15:34 Psalm 22:1
Compare
OT Text
  • My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning?
NT Text
  • At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me