Today, April 25, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of St. Mark, Apostle, and Evangelist. He is the second of the four writers of the Gospels (Matthew, Luke and John) and associated with the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew and Luke). Most of what we know about St. Mark we learn from Scripture generally and his Gospel in particular.
There is general agreement that the Mark of the second Gospel is the John Mark of Acts 12:12. He was part of the early missionary efforts of Apostles. He left his home in Jerusalem to accompany Barnabas and Paul as a helper on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:5) but returned to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). At the start of the second journey, Barnabas proposed that Mark go along, but Paul objected (Acts 15:37).
From Colossians 4:10, we learn that Mark was a cousin of Barnabas. And later a companion of Paul as well (Philemon 24). The deepening relationship with Paul is referenced in II Timothy 4:11, where Paul desires his presence during Paul’s last days in prison. Mark’s traditional association with Peter is found in I Peter 5:13 where Peter uses the affectionate term “my son” to refer to Mark. This may indicate that Peter’s expectation is for Mark to carry on his work in some measure as Paul expected that Timothy would do the same for Paul.
There are certain allusions in the Church Fathers which some scholars believe refer to Mark. The church father Eusebius suggests that Mark was the first bishop of Alexandria but neither Clement of Alexandria nor Origen mentions it. However, Eusebius also references Papias who says that “Mark became Peter’s interpreter and wrote accurately all that he remembered, not indeed, in order, of the things said or done by the Lord. Another witness is Irenaeus. “After the death of these (Peter and Paul in Rome) Mark also, the disciple and interpreter of Peter himself handed down to us in writing the things which were preached by Peter.” Hence the association of the Gospel of Mark as coming from Peter via Mark.
The classical proclamation of the Gospel is recorded in the Pentecost address of Peter (especially Acts 2: 36-38). It is not surprising, therefore, that his secretary Mark should begin his own account with the ministry of repentance of John the Baptist (Mk. 1:4) and this succinct proclamation, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:4, 14-15).
The Gospel according to Mark is considered the first gospel written, sometime between 65 and 70 A.D. during the persecution of Nero. The Gospel of Mark has no birth narrative, but begins with John the Baptist, the baptism of Jesus and temptation. The rest of the Gospel is a prelude to Jesus’ passion.
We celebrate St. Mark because he was an early evangelist, faithful witness to the Gospel and provides for us a faithful account of our Lord’s life and passion. May his life inspire us to such faith and witness.
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