• Bible Book Number 41—Mark
    “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial”

    • 1. What is known concerning Mark and his family?

      WHEN Jesus was arrested at Gethsemane and the apostles fled, he was followed by “a certain young man wearing a fine linen garment over his naked body.” When the crowd tried to seize him too, “he left his linen garment behind and got away naked.” This young man is generally believed to be Mark. He is described in Acts as “John who was surnamed Mark” and may have come from a comfortably situated family in Jerusalem, for they had their own house and servants. His mother, Mary, was also a Christian, and the early congregation used her home as a meeting place. On the occasion when he was delivered by the angel from prison, Peter went to this house and found the brothers assembled there.​—Mark 14:51, 52; Acts 12:12, 13.

      2, 3. (a) What no doubt stirred Mark to enter missionary service? (b) What association did he have with other missionaries, particularly with Peter and Paul?

      2 The missionary Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus, was the cousin of Mark. (Acts 4:36; Col. 4:10) When Barnabas came with Paul to Jerusalem in connection with famine relief, Mark also got to know Paul. These associations in the congregation and with zealous visiting ministers no doubt instilled in Mark the desire to enter missionary service. So we find him as companion and attendant to Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. For some reason, however, Mark left them in Perga, Pamphylia, and returned to Jerusalem. (Acts 11:29, 30; 12:25; 13:5, 13) Because of this, Paul refused to take Mark along on the second missionary tour, and this resulted in a break between Paul and Barnabas. Paul took Silas, while Barnabas took his cousin Mark and sailed with him to Cyprus.​—Acts 15:36-41.

      3 Mark proved himself in the ministry and became a valuable help not only to Barnabas but later also to the apostles Peter and Paul. Mark was with Paul (c. 60-61 C.E.) during his first imprisonment in Rome. (Philem. 1, 24) Then we find Mark with Peter in Babylon between the years 62 and 64 C.E. (1 Pet. 5:13) Paul is again a prisoner in Rome probably in the year 65 C.E., and in a letter he asks Timothy to bring Mark with him, saying, “for he is useful to me for ministering.” (2 Tim. 1:8; 4:11) This is the latest mention of Mark in the Bible record.

      4-6. (a) How was Mark able to get the intimate details for his Gospel? (b) What indicates his close association with Peter? (c) Give examples of Peter’s characteristics in the Gospel.

      4 The composition of this shortest of the Gospels is credited to this Mark. He was a coworker with Jesus’ apostles and one who placed his own life in the service of the good news. But Mark was not one of the 12 apostles, and he was not an immediate companion of Jesus.