Book of Mark

The author of the book of Mark is Mark himself. Mark was also know as John Mark. Mark’s Hebrew name is John. The book of Mark was written to a Gentile, Roman audience. One of the main reasons why it is believed the book of Mark is written to a Gentile Roman audience is because there was little emphasis on Jewish law and customs. If the Jewish law and customs were to be mentioned, Mark would interpret their meaning for the reader. The purpose of the book of Mark is to show beyond a doubt that Jesus, even though He looks just like a man, is also God Himself. The theme of the book of Mark is that Jesus proved He is the Son of God through His ministry such as, casting out demons (Mark 1:21-28; 5:1-20; 9:14-29), healing many sick people (Mark 1:29-34), cleansing a leper (Mark 1:40-44), and completely restored men with (Mark 2:1-12; 3:1-6). The theme of Mark also highlights the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The verse that has ministered to me is Mark 14:36, when Jesus said, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” It reminds me that even though Jesus is God, He was still human also. He was asking God to take this burden off of Him. However, Jesus was in total submission to what God wanted to be done. This is a reminder to me as a son on God that I too must always be in complete submission to the will of the Father.

Mark 11:23 says, “I assure you: if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. I love that this verse reminds me that because of my faith in God, I can speak to the obstacles and circumstances in my life and they will be removed, overcome, and cast out of my life.

I believe the overall lesson Jesus is trying to teach in the Parable of the Sower is that people must be aware of the condition of their heart. The lesson points out the various types of hearts among people. Whether it be someone who hears the Word and disregards it upon hearing, someone who hears the Word gladly but later forgets what the Word says, someone who has received the Word but because of their want for wealth and other worldly and fleshy desires they toss the Word aside for their own gain, or someone who has gladly received the Word and has kept it in their heart and followed it.

There are five ways in which Satan will attack people. Satan attacks people by placing problems and obstacles in their life or by bringing persecution for believing God’s Word. Some of those people who have poor and weak faith will abandon God’s Word because of the problems, obstacles and/or persecution they face in their life. Satan also attacks people with the worries of life, seduction of wealth, and desires for other things. The worries of life causes some people to become distracted by whirling circumstances in their life. They remove their focus from seeking after God’s face to being blinded by the worries of life. Some people begin to seek what money and wealth can do for them instead of trusting in the wealth of God’s Word. Desires for other things would equal to be any other thing that would keep someone from adhering to the Word of God.

In Mark 1:40 Jesus cleanses a leper. In Mark 1:30 Peter’s mother-in-law is healed.
In Mark 1:32 Jesus heals the sick in the evening. In Mark 4:35 Jesus calms a storm. In Mark 5:1 Demons enter a herd of pigs. In Mark 2:3 a paralytic is healed. In Mark 5:22, 35 the ruler’s daughter is raised from the dead. In Mark 5:25 the hemorrhaging woman is healed. In Mark 3:1 a man’s withered hand is healed. In Mark 6:30 Jesus feeds 5,000 people. In Mark 6:48 Jesus walks on the water. In Mark 7:24 a Gentile woman’s daughter is healed. In Mark 8:1 Jesus feeds 4,000 people. In Mark 9:17 an epileptic boy is healed. In Mark 10:46 two blind men were healed. In Mark 11:12 Jesus causes the fig tree to wither away. In Mark 1:23 Jesus casts out an unclean spirit. In Mark 7:31 Jesus heals a deaf mute. In Mark 8:22 Jesus heals a blind paralytic at Bethsaida.

I believe the reason we do not see the signs that are to follow believers in the Church today is because of the lack of faith, knowledge, and experience. Many people are skeptical because of the fact of being human. I think the lack of faith stems from the lack of knowledge and experience. Many believers in the Church have not experienced other believers living out the complete Word in their lives. In my case, I was taught that the gift of healing was not available for us today. So, learning that I could pray for someone in the name of Jesus and they be healed was a new and eye opening concept for me one year ago. Many people do not really know and understand what the Word says shall follow those who believe.