What is the Gospel of Mark about in the Bible? Watch as we explain its major themes and gain a deeper understanding of its place in the biblical story.
At the beginning of Mark’s Gospel account, he writes that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of God.” Then he designs the rest of the book to help readers understand Jesus as the messianic King by showing the amazing things Jesus said and did as well as how people responded to him. Some reject Jesus’ true identity, others doubt, and some believe he is who he says he is.
In chapter 8, Mark shows Peter, a disciple, affirming Jesus’ identity as the Messiah. But what does it really mean for Jesus to be the messianic King? Is it all glory, peace, and power? Peter is humbled when he discovers that Jesus’ path to the throne would require suffering and that all those who follow him would suffer too. Let’s reflect more on this.
Read: Mark 8:27-36
Mark’s account doesn’t shy away from the unexpected nature of Jesus’ arrival on Earth, but he also makes clear that Jesus is who he says he is: the Jewish Messiah and the son of God.
Many of the Jewish people hoped that the Messiah would come to overthrow the Romans and rule as king, but that wasn’t what Jesus did. He came to serve and to usher in God’s Kingdom on Earth. And he didn’t come in royal authority and power—he came to humbly sacrifice his life in order to save his people.
The Gospel of Mark is a carefully crafted story that asks the reader: is Jesus the Jewish Messiah? Mark includes specific details and story to show Jesus’ messianic authority and identity as God’s son. He’s making a case for who Jesus is, and he leaves the answer up to the reader to ponder. What will you choose to believe?