In our sermon today, as another introduction to The Gospel of Mark, I want to ask and answer two questions…
#1 What is a “Gospel?”
#2 Who is Mark?
First, what is a “Gospel?”
A gospel is a form of a written document inspired by GOD (as are the other sixty-five books of The Christian Bible) but they are both typical and unique in several important ways:
A gospel is the very Word of the One True and Living GOD breathed into human authors in human languages common at the time of their writing. This process is called “Revelation” whereby GOD reveals HIMSELF, HIS will, “HIS Word, HIS way of salvation, and HIS plan and purpose through the ages.”
Once GOD had revealed HIS Word to the human authors, HE led and enabled them to perfectly write HIS Word through the process known as “Inspiration.”
After the writing of HIS Word was complete, HE superintended the copying, preserving, and accurately translating HIS Word through the process known as “Preservation.”
After the processes of Revelation, Inspiration, and Preservation were complete, HE enables born-again people to understand HIS Word through the process of “Illumination.”
In the process of giving the world HIS Word, HE gave HIS Word through ten forms of normal grammatical syntax in the languages in which HIS Word was given:
History. Biography. Law. Prophecy. Poetry. Wisdom. Gospel. Epistle. Parable. Apocryphal.
Therefore, The Christian Bible must be interpreted using the normal meaning of words and the normal rules of grammar!
Many of the Books of the Christian Bible include many, if not all, of these genre’ of literature withing their text.
The subject of our coming study, The Gospel of Mark falls into the category of “gospel” literature.
A gospel is a form of biography, but it is not a traditional biography either in form of purpose.
While including many of the ten forms of literary genre’, a gospel is primarily a mixture of biography and historical narrative.
Second: “Who is Mark?”
He is the son of a woman named Mary. Acts 12:12
He was a companion of Paul and Barnabas. Acts 12:25
He was a cousin of Barnabas. Colossians 4:10
He deserted Paul and Barnabas on their first Missionary Journey. Acts 15:38
He later went on another Missionary Journey with Barnabas after Barnabas and Paul parted ways. Acts 15:39-41
Years later, Paul described Mark as a “fellow worker.” Philemon 1:24
Paul later sent for him to join him in his ministry. 2nd Timothy 4:11
Years later, Mark was working with the Apostle Peter. 1st Peter 5:13
“She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son.”
Since John Mark is the human author of this Gospel and he was not an Apostle; and since he was a fellow minister and protégé of Simon Peter, it is the consensus of Bible-believing scholars that John Mark is serving as Peter’s amanuensis which gives this Gospel Apostolic imprimatur and authority!
Extrabiblical history and church tradition suggest that John Mark served as an interpreter for Peter. He is credited with writing the Gospel of Mark based on Peter’s teachings and eventually founding the church in Alexandria, Egypt.
So, what are the key lessons from this introduction to John Mark and his Gospel?
LESSON ONE: The Christian Bible is the very Word and Voice of the One True and Living GOD and since The Gospel of Mark is part of The Christian Bible, the Words in The Gospel of Mark are the very Words and Voice of the One True and Living GOD!
LESSON TWO: The very best of young Christian men can make really serious mistakes!
LESSON THREE: Young men from the very best of Christian families can make really serious mistakes!
LESSON FOUR: Failure is only final if you quit!
AMEN!
UNDERSTANDING THE GOSPEL OF MARK – CHAPTER BY CHAPTER – SERMON ONE “INTRODUCTION PART 2”
In our sermon today, as another introduction to The Gospel of Mark, I want to ask and answer two questions…
#1 What is a “Gospel?”
#2 Who is Mark?
First, what is a “Gospel?”
A gospel is a form of a written document inspired by GOD (as are the other sixty-five books of The Christian Bible) but they are both typical and unique in several important ways:
A gospel is the very Word of the One True and Living GOD breathed into human authors in human languages common at the time of their writing. This process is called “Revelation” whereby GOD reveals HIMSELF, HIS will, “HIS Word, HIS way of salvation, and HIS plan and purpose through the ages.”
Once GOD had revealed HIS Word to the human authors, HE led and enabled them to perfectly write HIS Word through the process known as “Inspiration.”
After the writing of HIS Word was complete, HE superintended the copying, preserving, and accurately translating HIS Word through the process known as “Preservation.”
After the processes of Revelation, Inspiration, and Preservation were complete, HE enables born-again people to understand HIS Word through the process of “Illumination.”
In the process of giving the world HIS Word, HE gave HIS Word through ten forms of normal grammatical syntax in the languages in which HIS Word was given:
History. Biography. Law. Prophecy. Poetry. Wisdom. Gospel. Epistle. Parable. Apocryphal.
Therefore, The Christian Bible must be interpreted using the normal meaning of words and the normal rules of grammar!
Many of the Books of the Christian Bible include many, if not all, of these genre’ of literature withing their text.
The subject of our coming study, The Gospel of Mark falls into the category of “gospel” literature.
A gospel is a form of biography, but it is not a traditional biography either in form of purpose.
While including many of the ten forms of literary genre’, a gospel is primarily a mixture of biography and historical narrative.
Second: “Who is Mark?”
He is the son of a woman named Mary. Acts 12:12
He was a companion of Paul and Barnabas. Acts 12:25
He was a cousin of Barnabas. Colossians 4:10
He deserted Paul and Barnabas on their first Missionary Journey. Acts 15:38
He later went on another Missionary Journey with Barnabas after Barnabas and Paul parted ways. Acts 15:39-41
Years later, Paul described Mark as a “fellow worker.” Philemon 1:24
Paul later sent for him to join him in his ministry. 2nd Timothy 4:11
Years later, Mark was working with the Apostle Peter. 1st Peter 5:13
“She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son.”
Since John Mark is the human author of this Gospel and he was not an Apostle; and since he was a fellow minister and protégé of Simon Peter, it is the consensus of Bible-believing scholars that John Mark is serving as Peter’s amanuensis which gives this Gospel Apostolic imprimatur and authority!
Extrabiblical history and church tradition suggest that John Mark served as an interpreter for Peter. He is credited with writing the Gospel of Mark based on Peter’s teachings and eventually founding the church in Alexandria, Egypt.
So, what are the key lessons from this introduction to John Mark and his Gospel?
LESSON ONE: The Christian Bible is the very Word and Voice of the One True and Living GOD and since The Gospel of Mark is part of The Christian Bible, the Words in The Gospel of Mark are the very Words and Voice of the One True and Living GOD!
LESSON TWO: The very best of young Christian men can make really serious mistakes!
LESSON THREE: Young men from the very best of Christian families can make really serious mistakes!
LESSON FOUR: Failure is only final if you quit!
AMEN!
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