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Easton's Bible Dictionary

 

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Mark, Gospel according to
        It is the current and apparently well-founded tradition that
        Mark derived his information mainly from the discourses of
        Peter. In his mother's house he would have abundant
        opportunities of obtaining information from the other apostles
        and their coadjutors, yet he was "the disciple and interpreter
        of Peter" specially.
        As to the time when it was written, the Gospel furnishes us
        with no definite information. Mark makes no mention of the
        destruction of Jerusalem, hence it must have been written before
        that event, and probably about A.D. 63.
        The place where it was written was probably Rome. Some have
        supposed Antioch (comp. Mark 15:21 with Acts 11:20).
        It was intended primarily for Romans. This appears probable
        when it is considered that it makes no reference to the Jewish
        law, and that the writer takes care to interpret words which a
        Gentile would be likely to misunderstand, such as, "Boanerges"
        (3:17); "Talitha cumi" (5:41); "Corban" (7:11); "Bartimaeus"
        (10:46); "Abba" (14:36); "Eloi," etc. (15:34). Jewish usages are
        also explained (7:3; 14:3; 14:12; 15:42). Mark also uses certain
        Latin words not found in any of the other Gospels, as
        "speculator" (6:27, rendered, A.V., "executioner;" R.V.,
        "soldier of his guard"), "xestes" (a corruption of sextarius,
        rendered "pots," 7:4, 8), "quadrans" (12:42, rendered "a
        farthing"), "centurion" (15:39, 44, 45). He only twice quotes
        from the Old Testament (1:2; 15:28).
        The characteristics of this Gospel are, (1) the absence of the
        genealogy of our Lord, (2) whom he represents as clothed with
        power, the "lion of the tribe of Judah." (3.) Mark also records
        with wonderful minuteness the very words (3:17; 5:41; 7:11, 34;
        14:36) as well as the position (9:35) and gestures (3:5, 34;
        5:32; 9:36; 10:16) of our Lord. (4.) He is also careful to
        record particulars of person (1:29, 36; 3:6, 22, etc.), number
        (5:13; 6:7, etc.), place (2:13; 4:1; 7:31, etc.), and time
        (1:35; 2:1; 4:35, etc.), which the other evangelists omit. (5.)
        The phrase "and straightway" occurs nearly forty times in this
        Gospel; while in Luke's Gospel, which is much longer, it is used
        only seven times, and in John only four times.
        "The Gospel of Mark," says Westcott, "is essentially a
        transcript from life. The course and issue of facts are imaged
        in it with the clearest outline." "In Mark we have no attempt to
        draw up a continuous narrative. His Gospel is a rapid succession
        of vivid pictures loosely strung together without much attempt
        to bind them into a whole or give the events in their natural
        sequence. This pictorial power is that which specially
        characterizes this evangelist, so that 'if any one desires to
        know an evangelical fact, not only in its main features and
        grand results, but also in its most minute and so to speak more
        graphic delineation, he must betake himself to Mark.'" The
        leading principle running through this Gospel may be expressed
        in the motto: "Jesus came...preaching the gospel of the kingdom"
        (Mark 1:14).
        "Out of a total of 662 verses, Mark has 406 in common with
        Matthew and Luke, 145 with Matthew, 60 with Luke, and at most 51
        peculiar to itself." (See MATTHEW ¯T0002442.)
Bibliography Information
Easton, Matthew George. M.A., D.D., "Biblical Meaning for 'Mark, Gospel according to' Eastons Bible Dictionary".
bible-history.com - Eastons; 1897.

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