The Gospel of Mark by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Sep 23, 1913

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 37.

The Gospel of Mark

By Editor

Schedule for the Week Ending September 27, 1913

Sunday	September 21	Mark 1
Monday	" 22	" 2
Tuesday	" 23	" 3
Wednesday	" 24	" 4
Thursday	" 25	" 5
Friday	" 26	" 6
Sabbath	" 27	" 7

We pass, this week, to the New Testament, going back to the Old only in the reading of the Psalms. Our lesson of this week lies wholly within the Gospel of Mark. Mark was not an apostle, as some suppose. His full name was John Mark. (See Acts 12:12, 25; 15:37.) He was the son of Mary, at whose house in Jerusalem the early Christians seem to have frequently met. He was a cousin of Barnabas (Col. 4:10, A.R.V.), and the attendant of Paul and Barnabas when they first started out on their missionary journey. This seems to have been harder for Mark than he supposed it would be, and he left them at Perga. Because of his lack of zeal, a sharp contention arose over him between Paul and Barnabas. Acts 15:39. It is good to know, however, that in later days he and Paul were reconciled (Col. 4:10; Philemon 24). Paul wished that Mark should come to him, because he was "profitable" to him for the ministry. 2 Tim. 4:11.

Mark is said to be the interpreter of Peter, learning the facts of his Gospel from him, which were written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. His Gospel is very direct. One of the words that we find repeated over and over again is "immediately," or "forthwith." It is felt to be the orderly Gospel. That is, it has the events of Christ's life in more direct chronological order than the others.