Mark 1: Mark Is a Speed Freak

Last updated on: February 10, 2011 at 12:51 pm by Dillon Burroughs

Mark 1: Mark Is a Speed Freak 2011-02-10T12:51:58-05:00 Dillon Burroughs

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

After handwriting 28 chapters of Matthew’s Gospel, Mark is a speed freak. He writes in 16 chapters what it takes the other three Gospel writers at least 20 chapters to say. Plus, he uses words like “immediately” (euthus) several times a chapter. Maybe he was impatient, in a hurry, or actually expanding some kind of shorthand notes he had taken from the Apostle Peter, but for whatever reason, Mark is by far the fastest of the Gospel writers.

In some ways, this is great (especially for Twitter-like Americans who want everything solved in a text message). We get the baptism of Jesus in a couple of verses. On the negative side, Mark skips the entire childhood of Jesus, meaning if Luke and Matthew hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t even know about that cool nativity scene I put up last Christmas.

Each Gospel writer has their emphasis, and Mark’s is clearly to get to the point that Jesus is Messiah, Son of God, and he did a bunch of cool stuff while on earth.

On a side note, this same John Mark was the one traditionally also with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey who abandoned them and returned home early. Paul was so mad that he wouldn’t take him on the next trip, even though he as the cousin of Barnabas. So maybe Mark really was impatient, but God even used his personality, flaws and all, to create what is likely the earliest Gospel and one that continues to change lives today.

May God use us, flaws and all, as we seek to serve him today.

+++

Dillon Burroughs has written, co-written, or edited over 60 books, including the upcoming devotional work Thirst No More (October 2011). He served as an associate editor for The Apologetics Study Bible for Students and is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. Find out more at DillonBurroughs.org.

Handwritten copies of the Bible

Dillon Burroughs

handwritten copies of the Bible

mark

Previous Post

February 9, 2011

Matthew 28: The Last Words of Jesus

Next Post

February 11, 2011 Mark 2: Jesus Loves Sinners

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category handwrite the entire bible handwritten bible Handwritten copies of the Bible transcribe the bible

Select a Month July 2018 April 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which city was destroyed by fire and brimstone along with Gomorrah?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Babylon Sodom Jericho Nineveh