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Objective

In this lesson we’ll see that Mark shows us Christ as the faithful servant who came to suffer and die for our salvation.

Key Verse

Mark 10:45: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Introduction

Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels and was probably the first to be written. Early church tradition tells us that Mark wrote his Gospel based on the eyewitness testimony of the apostle Peter. This gives Mark’s account a special immediacy and power, as if we’re hearing the stories directly from one of Jesus’ closest disciples.

Who was Mark? The New Testament gives us quite a bit of information about this remarkable man. Mark’s mother owned a home in Jerusalem where the early church regularly gathered for prayer and fellowship. Mark was also a cousin of Barnabas and traveled with Paul on his first missionary journey. Though Mark left Paul’s team early in that journey (causing a later disagreement between Paul and Barnabas), he was eventually reconciled with the great apostle. Years later, Paul specifically requested Mark’s presence, calling him “helpful to me in my ministry.” Mark was also with Peter in Rome when the apostle wrote his first letter, which may have been the time when the Gospel of Mark was actually written.

Each of the four Gospels was written for a different audience with unique needs and backgrounds. Mark was probably written in Rome for Roman Christians who were predominantly Gentiles rather than Jews. This explains why Mark often explains Jewish customs and translates Aramaic words for his readers. He writes for people who needed to understand that Jesus wasn’t just a Jewish teacher, but the universal Savior who came to serve all people.

Mark tells his story with remarkable speed and urgency. He uses the word “immediately” frequently throughout his Gospel (Mark 1:12, 1:20, 1:21, 1:42), creating a sense that we’re witnessing events unfold in real time. Mark is in a hurry to tell us the good news about Christ, and his enthusiasm is contagious.

In this lesson, we’ll explore three important questions that will help us understand Mark’s unique contribution to our knowledge of Jesus:

• How does the Gospel of Mark begin?
• What is the style and structure of the book?
• How does Mark show us Christ?

How Does the Gospel of Mark Begin?

Unlike Matthew and Luke, Mark doesn’t give us any account of Jesus’ birth or childhood. Instead, Mark starts immediately with the adult ministry of Christ, wasting no time in getting to the heart of his message. This urgent beginning reflects the character of the entire Gospel.

Mark 1:1: The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.

Right from the very first verse, Mark gives us crucial information about who Jesus really is. He calls Jesus both “the Messiah” (the promised deliverer that Israel had been waiting for) and “the Son of God” (revealing His divine nature). Mark also tells us that what follows is “good news”—the Greek word “gospel” that means the best possible announcement.

Mark immediately connects Jesus to the Old Testament prophecies that had prepared God’s people for the Messiah’s coming:

Mark 1:2-3: It is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”—”a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'”

Both the divine nature and human nature of Jesus are clearly shown in Mark’s opening chapter. We see Jesus’ deity demonstrated at His baptism, when the heavens open and God the Father declares, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” We see His genuine humanity when He is tempted by Satan in the wilderness for forty days, experiencing the same kinds of spiritual battles that we face.

Mark 1:9-11: At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Mark 1:12-13: At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Mark’s first chapter also introduces us to the essential elements of Jesus’ ministry. We learn that He announced the kingdom of God and called people to repentance and faith. (Notebook Moment: What do you think it means that “the kingdom of God has come near”? How should this truth change the way we live each day?)

Mark 1:14-15: After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Jesus’ disciples are introduced early, showing us that much of His ministry would focus on training these men who would carry on His work after His death and resurrection:

Mark 1:16-20: As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

We also learn about Jesus’ extraordinary authority to teach and cast out demons, demonstrating His power over both human hearts and spiritual forces:

Mark 1:21-28: They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

Finally, we see that Jesus demonstrated the love and compassion of God by healing the sick, showing that His kingdom brings restoration to broken lives:

Mark 1:29-45: As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

This opening chapter gives us a perfect introduction to everything Mark wants us to understand about Jesus. The book moves quickly because Mark has urgent news to share with us.

What Is the Style and Structure of Mark?

Mark writes with a distinctive style that sets his Gospel apart from the others. As we’ve already seen, Mark is a fast-moving book that creates a sense of urgency and excitement. The word “immediately” appears about forty times throughout the Gospel, with four occurrences in the first chapter alone. Mark is in a hurry to tell us the good news about Christ, and this urgency reflects the excitement that every believer should feel about sharing the gospel.

The structure of Mark follows the same basic pattern as the other Gospels, dividing naturally into two major sections. In the first half of the book (chapters 1-10), we see the public ministry of Jesus. His fame spreads throughout the region as crowds follow Him everywhere He goes. During this public phase of His ministry, Jesus primarily taught the people and healed the sick, demonstrating both His authority as a teacher and His compassion as a healer.

Mark 1:28: News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

The second part of Mark (chapters 11-16) focuses on Jesus’ private ministry with His disciples as He prepares them for His coming death and resurrection. The crowds begin to leave as opposition mounts and Jesus heads steadily toward Jerusalem and the cross. This second section begins when Jesus makes His crucial declaration about why He came to earth:

Mark 10:45: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

This verse serves as the theological center of Mark’s Gospel and helps us understand everything that follows. (Notebook Moment: How does knowing that Jesus came specifically to serve and die for us change your understanding of what it means to follow Him?)

Mark’s writing style is also characterized by vivid details that suggest eyewitness testimony. He often includes specific numbers, names, and descriptive touches that make the stories come alive. For example, when Jesus feeds the five thousand, Mark tells us that the people sat down in groups “like flower beds” on the green grass. When Jesus calms the storm, Mark mentions that Jesus was sleeping “on a cushion.” These kinds of details suggest that Mark was recording the memories of someone who was actually there—most likely the apostle Peter.

How Does Mark Show Us Christ?

Mark presents Jesus to us primarily as the faithful servant who came to suffer for our salvation. This emphasis on Christ’s servant heart runs throughout the entire Gospel and reaches its climax in the key verse we’ve already examined.

The attitude of Jesus was completely different from that of His disciples, who were constantly arguing about who would be the greatest in God’s kingdom. When James and John asked for the best seats in His kingdom, Jesus used their request as a teaching opportunity:

Mark 10:35-44: Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.

Jesus rebuked their selfish ambition and taught them that the true heart of ministry is a heart that serves others rather than seeking to be served. This servant attitude wasn’t something new that Jesus invented—it was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah.

The prophet Isaiah had foretold that the Messiah would be a servant:

Isaiah 42:1: Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.

But Isaiah went even further, revealing that this Messiah would suffer and die for the sins of others:

Isaiah 53:4-6: Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

This is exactly what Jesus was referring to in Mark 10:45 when He declared that He came “to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus didn’t come to earth primarily to be a great teacher or miracle worker, though He certainly was both. He came specifically to die in our place, paying the price for our sins that we could never pay ourselves.

Throughout Mark’s Gospel, we see this servant heart demonstrated in everything Jesus does. He serves by teaching God’s truth to people who were spiritually hungry. He serves by healing those who were sick and suffering. He serves by training His disciples to carry on His work. And ultimately, He serves by giving His life on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins.

(Notebook Moment: In what practical ways can you follow Jesus’ example of servanthood in your daily life? How might your relationships change if you approached them with a genuine desire to serve rather than be served?)

Conclusion

Mark tells us a fast-moving, exciting story of the Son of God who came to serve humanity by suffering and dying for our sins. Mark doesn’t waste time with unnecessary details because he has urgent news to share—the best news anyone could ever hear.

The Gospel of Mark reveals that greatness in God’s kingdom is measured not by how many people serve us, but by how many people we serve. Jesus, who deserved to be served by everyone, instead chose to serve everyone, even to the point of death on a cross.

How does the Gospel of Mark end? Mark tells us that the risen Jesus sent out His disciples to bring this good news to all the world:

Mark 16:15: He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

This commission applies to us as well. Just as Mark was eager to share the story of Jesus with his Roman readers, we should be equally eager to share this same good news with people in our own time and place. Mark shows us that the gospel is too important and too urgent to keep to ourselves.

The servant-King who gave His life as a ransom for many is calling us to follow His example of humble, sacrificial service. When we truly understand who Jesus is and what He has done for us, our natural response should be to serve Him by serving others, sharing the incredible news that God’s kingdom has come near through Christ.

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[revision notes: Add a substantive section on the passion narrative; at least one of the Gospel lessons needs to cover this in detail, and Mark is the logical place. I should restructure the lesson to focus on the broadly bipartite nature of the Gospel (unless this is repetitive from the introductory lesson on the Gospels.]