This second book in the New Testament was written by Mark, also called John Mark, who is the cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). Mark travelled with the Apostle Paul and Barnabas on their evangelistic journeys and then, for reasons not mentioned in Scripture, abandoned them to return home to Jerusalem. Because of this act Paul was adamant that he would not accompany them on any future trips. Perhaps it was the family tie, or his compassionate heart, but Barnabas vehemently disagreed with Paul on the matter and the two men decided to part ways in their evangelistic ministry (Acts 15:39). Although he never mentioned the matter in his text, we can learn much from Mark's situation.
The Gospel of Mark was likely written around 70 A.D. which, from a historical perspective, is almost immediately after Jesus' resurrection. Mark purposefully leaves out details of Jesus' birth and His genealogy, as his intended audience were likely Romans instead of Jews, and instead he jumps right in to Jesus' ministry. Of the four Gospels, Mark is the shortest and has been called The Gospel on steroids for Mark's use of the word, "immediately" (37 times in the Easy to Understand, Read Bible), in describing the acts Jesus performed.
Reading the Bible is different than reading any other book. It is more than a narrative about God, it is more than a story of broken individuals and the trials they faced. It is more than a set of rules and regulations. It is even more than a love letter. It is the very essence of Jesus. It is about Him, but there is more than that. It is God's conversation with us. It is alive. It is active. It is a 2-way conversation.
