On Your Mark
For the past couple of years, in the month of April, Heralds of Hope has sponsored a 5-kilometer race as a fundraiser for the ministry. My wife and I aren’t runners, but we joined in to show our support. We’ve served as the “sweepers” a couple of times now; we make sure that all the runners have cleared the course and we pick up any trash that’s left behind. That means we always finish last, but that’s ok, we still get some exercise, and we get to encourage the runners.
Like most races, this one begins with the familiar words, “On your mark, get set, GO!” This sentence has been used to start races since the 1800s. The mark is the starting line. All runners start from the same place. This prevents any runner from having an unfair advantage. Getting set means being prepared because the beginning of the race is imminent. The command to “Go” is usually signaled by a shout, a shot from a starting pistol, a whistle, or some other loud noise.
As I promised you last week, on this episode of The Voice of Hope we’re beginning a study of the Gospel of Mark. That’s why I’ve titled today’s teaching, “On Your Mark.”
If you’re a regular listener, then you know by now how much I stress the importance of understanding the background and context of the Scripture. Many errors and much false teachings result from a careless handling of the Bible. One of the challenges we face in our understanding is that the Bible was written in a culture that’s significantly different from our own.
That doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant because the Bible is universal. It just means we need to work harder to understand what the writer meant to communicate to his original audience. Once we understand the message, then, we can make applications to our time and place. So, this episode will explore some of the background material that will help to enhance our understanding of Mark’s Gospel.
If you’re a Bible reader, you know that Mark’s version of the gospel story is very different from the accounts of Matthew and Luke. These three are referred to as the Synoptic Gospels. In the word, synoptic, syn, means together, and optic means seeing. Seeing the gospels together. Laying these different accounts side-by-side and comparing them highlights their differences, but it also shows many points of agreement. It’s like interviewing witnesses to the same event; depending on their perspective or vantage point, they highlight different observations.
Aside from the apostle John, we know more about Mark than any other of the gospel writers. We know that he was sometimes referred to as John Mark or just John, as in Acts 13:5. He was the son of Mary, a woman who must’ve had significant wealth because she hosted the budding Jerusalem church in her house. Some scholars believe this was the location of the Last Supper. You may recall that when Peter was miraculously released from prison by an angel he went to Mary’s house (Acts 12). The church was gathered there praying for Peter’s deliverance.
We learn from that same account that one of the servants recognized Peter’s voice in the darkness when he showed up at the gate. Evidently, Peter was well known in Mark’s house and it’s very possible that Mark was converted under Peter’s preaching. Later, in his first epistle, Peter refers to Mark as “my son.” This close connection suggests that Peter was the source of much of what Mark wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It also seems like Mark was present at the arr...
