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THE KING’S BUSINESS
its sincerity and „simplicity immediately received a fixed form. Certain passages bear the marks o f an eye-witness (5:15, ff; 5:32; 6 : 6 , 14, if; 7:17; 9:36; 10:17, 21; 12:41). B. TO WHOM WRITTEN -For the Romans (cf. Matthew, for the Jews; Luke, for the Greeks). Words unfa miliar to Gentile readers are explained (cf. 3:17; 5:41; 7:11, 34; 9:43; 10:46; 14:36; 15:34); Jewish customs (7:3, 4; 13:3; 14:12; 15:42) and forms o f belief. (1 2 :18) are. explained. The use o f Latin words and forms occurs in this gospel which do not occur in other gospels (cf. 6 :26, “ speculator,” meaning a soldier of his guard; 7:4, a pot; 12:42 “quadrantes,” a farthing; 15:39, 44, 45, a “centurion.” There is little reference to Old Testament prophecy, for those to whom Mark was writing were not acquainted with these Scriptures. The Jewish parables, as recorded by Matthew, are omitted. Most o f Christ’s ministry is in “ Galilee o f the Gentiles.” C. THE PURPOSE OF WRITING To set forth Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as “ the Servant o f the Lord” (Isaiah cc. 13-53; Zechariah 3 : 8 ), the Mighty Worker, accomplishing the will of God. The “key-verses’* 10:45—“ For the-Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many,” and 16:20—“ The Lord work ing with them,” (cf. Acts 10:38—“Who went about doing.good” ; Hebrews 10:9— “ Lo, I come to do thy will, O God” ) are characteristic o f the whole Gospel o f Mark. The activity father than the teaching o f Jesus is here emphasized. There are no long discourses such as Matthew 5-7, 24:25; John 14-17. The business o f the “ Servant o f the Lord” is to fulfill the divine tasks. Only unbelief (in Mark) drives' Christ to leave off working, and go to teaching (6:5, 6 ). Jesus said, “ I am among you as he that serveth” (Luke 22:27) ; Paul speaks o f the Son o f God emptying Himself of the divine prerogatives, and taking on Him the form o f a servant (Philippians 2:5-7).
In Mark we see the words o f Paul and Jesus fulfilled. It is not as “Lord,” but as “ Servant,” that Jesus is here presented. The title “Lord” is not given to Jesus in Mark until after the resurrection (9:24 does not contradict this statement; see R. V .). Consequently everything in Mark bustles with activity. W e have to do with the deeds o f Jesus rather than His words. Note the prominence o f the words “ straightway,” “ immediately,” and their equivalents ; they occur 40 times, whereas in Matthew, 15 times; Luke, 7 times; John, 4 times; only 80 times in the entire New Testament. Every bit o f service moves with despatch. Mark knew the duty o f a servant, for he himself was one. (Acts 13:5). ^ - . „ ’ Mark presents the life, o f Jesus in a series o f climaxes calling particular atten tion to the impressions and effects made by Christ’s ministry, e. g., events that lead to such crises as popularity, opposition, death, resurrection, kingship (cf. 1 :27, 28, 37, 45; 2:2, 12; 4:41, 42; 5:17; opposition, 2:6, 16, 24; 3:2, 6 , 11, etc.) D. CHARACTERISTICS OF MARK’S GOSPEL Mark was written for the purpose o f presenting Christ to the Romans. For this reason Jesus is set forth in this Gospel as the mighty worker, the faithful “ Ser vant o f the Lord” (Isaiah 42:1-9),- thè One Who does the will o f God perfectly. The key verse o f this gospel may be set forth as “the Lord working” (16:20), for it begins with activity (1 :9) and ends with “working” (16:20). There is a noticeable absence in the introduction to this gospel-of Christ’s gene alogical table. „The reason for this lies in the fact that Mark’s purpose is to pre sent Jesus Christ as the mighty worker, and for this reason the record starts with the presentation o f Christ as a full grown man. One is not usually interested in the genealogy o f a servant. There is a noticeable omission o f references to Christ’s birth, childhood, flight into Egypt, visit to Nazareth and early life
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