7.7 Distinctive Characteristics of Mark’s Gospel

A. Mark’s Gospel is sparse and brief compared to the others.

B. Mark’s Gospel ends abruptly.

“So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid” (16:8).

C. The linguistic style of Mark’s Gospel tends to be unrefined.

Verbs in the “historical present” (present-tense used for past action) are used often.
Pronouns frequently lack clear antecedents.

D. Mark’s Gospel displays a special knack for the art of storytelling.

“have a boat ready” (3:9) (to prepare for 4:1)

“That evening, at sunset” (1:32)

disciples mission/death of John the Baptist (6:7–30)

cursing the fig tree/expulsion of money changers (11:12–20)

E. Mark emphasizes Jesus’s deeds over his words (as compared to the other Gospels).

Miracle stories take up a greater part of the total book and are told in greater detail.
Jesus’s teaching takes up a lesser part of the total book and is told in less detail.

F. Mark’s story is dominated by Jesus’s passion.

G. Mark’s Gospel is marked by a sense of eschatological urgency.

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near” (1:15).
“This generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (13:30; cf. 9:1).
Note also the “historical presents” and the repeated use of “immediately” throughout the narrative.

H. Mark seems to have a special interest in Galilee.

The first half of this Gospel is devoted to Jesus’s ministry in Galilee.
Jesus predicts a postresurrection reunion with his disciples in Galilee (14:28; 16:7).

(Cf. this to Luke’s emphasis on Jerusalem.)

>I. Mark frequently explains Jewish matters, but not Roman ones.

Compare 7:3–4, where Jewish custom of purification is explained, with 10:12, where knowledge of Roman divorce law is assumed.
Defines Aramaic words: Boanerges (3:17), talitha cum (5:41), corban (7:11), ephphatha (7:34), Bartimaeus (10:46), Abba (14:36), Golgotha (15:22), Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani (15:34).
Does not define Latin words: legion (5:9, 15), denarius (12:15), praetorium (15:16), centurion (15:39).

J. Mark assumes his readers already have a basic knowledge of Christian tradition.

He assumes that they know what he means by the term “gospel” (1:1, 14–15; 10:29; 13:10; 14:9).
He assumes that they regard the Scriptures of Israel as the word of God (7:8).
He assumes that they will understand what it means to say that Jesus is the Messiah (8:29) and that he gives his life as a ransom (10:45).
He expects them to recognize otherwise unidentified characters such as John the Baptist (1:4) and Simon and Andrew (1:16).

K. Mark’s Gospel is imbued with a motif of secrecy.

Jesus’s own disciples do not understand who he is (4:41; 6:51–52).
Jesus commands others to keep his identity or miraculous deeds a secret (1:23–25, 43–44; 3:11–12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:30; 9:9).
Jesus speaks in parables so that people won’t understand what he says (4:10–12).

L. Mark’s Gospel offers the most human portrait of Jesus.

Jesus becomes hungry (11:12) and tired (6:31).
He exhibits a full range of human emotions, including pity (1:41), anger (3:5), sadness (3:5), wonder (6:6), compassion (6:34), indignation (10:14), love (10:21), and anguish (14:34).
Jesus does not know everything (13:32), and his power is limited (6:5).

M. Mark highlights the failures of Jesus’s disciples.

unperceptive (4:41; 6:51–52; 8:14–21)
self-interest (8:32; 9:32–34; 10:35–41)
betray, deny, and forsake Jesus (14:10–11, 17–21, 26–31, 37–38, 44–45, 50, 66–72)
Mark’s Gospel ends without recording any redress of the disciples’ faithlessness, such as the remorse of Judas (Matt. 27:3–10), the recovery of Peter (John 21:15–19), or the postresurrection reconciliation of the eleven with Jesus (Matt. 28:18–20; Luke 24:36–53; John 20:19–21:14).