St Mark’s Gospel

St Mark’s Gopsel

Dear Friends,

I hoped the series of reflections over the last two weeks helping us think about the New Year has been useful.  Now we turn to St Mark’s Gospel.

The Gospel of Mark is the second of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament though many, but not all, scholars think it was the first to be written and used as a source by Matthew and Luke. It tells of the ministry of Jesus from his baptism by John the Baptist to his death, the burial of his body, and the discovery of his empty tomb. It portrays Jesus as a teacher, an exorcist, a healer, and a miracle worker, though it does not mention a miraculous birth or divine pre-existence.  Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man – an Old Testament title from the Book of Daniel. He is called the Son of God but keeps his messianic nature secret; even his disciples fail to understand him.  All this is in keeping with Mark’s  interpretation of prophecy, which is believed to foretell the fate of the messiah as suffering servant.  Most scholars reject the early Church tradition linking the gospel to John Mark, who was a companion of St Peter, and it is now generally agreed that it was written anonymously for a gentile audience, probably in Rome, sometime shortly before or after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD.  It is the Gospel that is set in the Lectionary for this year, is fast paced and we read through it together from early January until Easter.

I hope that as we read this Gospel afresh it is rewarding and interesting.

With every good wish

Andy

The Rev’d Andy Braunston
Minister for Digital Worship