Earliest Catacomb representation of Jesus, Peter, Paul, and Andrew. in Rome
MarkMark 12:29
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one."
Mark 1:1
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah
Mark 1:14
Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.
Mark 1:17
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."
Mark 1:22
The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
Mark 16:15
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."
Mark 1:15
"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"
Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
Mark 1:1-3
1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”—
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
The slaves of Egypt founded Israel and everyone had terrace gardens to tend and sell from. The view of David's palace overlooked the straight path gardens the children of Israel had made of the wilderness.
Isaiah 7 says the garden of Israel will be trampled during the time of Jesus as grace upon grace. Trade will be as big as the honey King Hezekiah was sending to be bought up by Egypt. The vineyards of Israel would face disdain - the wealth of the Roman Empire would be bringing vastly expensive wines from their ships.
Jesus is found discussing vineyards 26 times. The vines grow in straight paths. God was telling us - in making life -
Bloom where you are planted. Enjoy the fruit, given by God, of your life in your hand. Be a light in the Garden of Life.
Who was Mark? This is difficult to say. Timothy was Paul's Spiritual Son. Peter claims Mark.
1 Peter 5:13
She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.
Paul loved Mark.
2 Timothy 4:11
Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.
Paul argued with Barnabas over Mark
Colossians 4:10
My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas.
Acts 12:11-13
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”
12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door.
Perhaps, due to early Church wranglings - Mark was Peter's literal son. (If Mary was [historically, wealthy] Peter's wife and he was dazed. In the Roman Empire, women held on to Roman Inheritance.)
And Barnabas's cousin.
And Paul's co-minister.
Then Mark would represent - Christian forgiveness.
He was for a time only the first co-worker with Barnabas and Paul - who had declared John Mark wasn't really devoted to Jesus and the call - enough to continue.And the true believer's humility to exalt Jesus.
1 Corinthians 12:11-14
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Mark 12:29
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one."
The Gospel of Mark has a few very stunning thoughts - these were the miracles the Roman people who wanted to know why the Emperor would be worried about Jesus. These are the miracles the 1st Century Roman Empire spoke of as true and valid and most discussed in the 1st Century. This is the burning interest of the early Church.
The idea is Peter was so busy speaking, Mark was given the trust of the Gospel - to record what Peter had seen so closely.
St Mark wrote his Gospel for busy people of the Roman Empire. Historical references - a concise record a busy person could refer to, the references to the Miracles of Jesus most often spoken of. Only 16 chapters. The words and deeds of the Savior which reveal His divine Power.
The account of Jesus people asked about the most, explained by Mark's closeness to the disciples. The obvious goal being to experience the Author of Life - Jesus Christ. The question the Gospel of Mark is answering - tell us of the awe and wonder of Jesus. Living Jesus.
The proclamation of Jesus in Mark 1:14 and the following verses, for example, mixes the terms Jesus would have used as a 1st century Jew ("Kingdom of God") and those of the early church ("believe", "gospel"). Counter belief against those who saw Jesus in a Greek way, as wonder-worker (the Greek term is "divine man").
Fascinating - Many ancient historians record the Gospel of Mark is a concise record of St Peter's preaching.
Mark saw the suffering of the Messiah as essential, so that the Son of God title (the Hellenistic "divine man") had to be corrected and amplified with the "Son of Man" title, which conveyed Christ's suffering unto victory over death.
Savior of the world.
Mark 16:15
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."
This we know Mark did. Knowing more clearly of his work for Jesus than his parentage. We know Mark was the first Bishop in Africa and died in Alexandria in 68 A.D.
Mark's concern in presenting the life of Jesus was that the most widely spoken of miracles in the 1st century A.D. were recording expressing Jesus as the Messiah bringing us Good News of God's unity over all of creation.
Mark brought Jesus to the millenniums.
Abba, Father God,
3 Millenniums later, we are blessed to know the good heart You loved in Abraham.
Increase Your Holy Spirit within us. That each day as we do Your Will, we will have the Love and Joy Abraham displays in most of his ways. We would ask You for Your mercy and grace each day as the Beloved of Jesus.
Lifting up good health and improvement.
Giving You, Father God our heart, sorrows and delights.
Trusting You with the lives, path and future of the one's we Love.
Rejoicing in the Goodness of Your Creation, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Asking for more of Your Holy Spirit not just in our lives, but encouraging Your nations to Trust You. And in Your Great Love and Delight in us, knowing the Goodness of Your Future You will Willingly bless us with.
Being Covered in the Name of Jesus, We ask Your Blessing. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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