Mark In The Gospel Of Mark

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One of the main characteristics of the gospel of Mark is it’s length. Mark is much shorter than Matthew and Luke, but what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. The author of Mark does not slow down the gospel story and makes sure that only important and relevant details are included. When Mark is compared with Matthew and Luke, it becomes obvious to see what Mark has eliminated. The author’s omission of Jesus’ birth, lineage, resurrection, and ascension denote careful planning and purpose in the gospel of Mark.
In the beginning of Mark, the author does not include Jesus’ genealogy or his birth story like Matthew and Luke do. Instead, the gospel begins with John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus. Interestingly, unlike Matthew and Luke, Mark’s author also does not mention or allude to Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph. An example of the intentional omission of Joseph is when Jesus is rejected at Nazareth. In Matthew, Joseph is alluded to when people ask, “Is not this the carpenter’s son?” (English Standard Version, Matt. 13.55a). In contrast, in Mark people ask, “Is not this the carpenter…”(Mark 6.3a). When compared with Matthew, it’s…show more content…
The author of Mark gives the basic outline or the “essentials” of Jesus’ biography. Considering this and the fact that Mark was the first gospel written, it should come as no surprise that the gospels of Matthew and Luke borrow from and expand on Mark. However, this does not mean that one should only read Mark because the “essentials” are all that’s needed in order to be a follower of Christ. Matthew and Luke have important material that Mark does not include. They also narrate from different perspective and with a different purpose. On the other hand, it also does not mean that reading Luke and Matthew will reveal everything you need to know about Mark, Mark merely includes details and wording that Matthew and Luke do
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