Volume IV
The Gospel According to Saint Mark.
With John Brown’s marginal references, notes and reflections · Vol. IV, p. 110
Mark, the writer of the following Gospel, is generally supposed to be the person called John, surnamed Mark, who was nephew to Barnabas, Col. 4. 10, and the son of that Mary at whose house many were assembled praying when Peter was delivered from prison, Ac. 12. 12. Peter calls him 'Marcus my son,' 1 Pe. 5. 13, most probably as Paul calls Timothy 'my son in the gospel,' both being spiritual children of their respective fathers in Christ. He accompanied Paul in his travels, Ac. 12. 25; 13. 5-13; 15. 36-41; 2 Ti. 4. 11; Phile. 24; and he is said to have been amanuensis to Peter, and to have prepared his gospel narrative under Peter's inspection, and chiefly for the use of the Gentile converts. The internal evidence of this Gospel seems to favour this statement, for many things particularly honourable to Peter are omitted, while his weaknesses and faults are minutely detailed; given, as it were, con amore, not with the vain ostentation of a proud humility, but with the inward desire to humble the sinner and exalt the Saviour. Some learned commentators have represented it as an abridgment of the larger narrative of Matthew. But though there is doubtless a considerable agreement, yet Mark omits many important particulars mentioned by Matthew, and adds others, dilating upon some things only cursorily noticed by Matthew, and differs from him considerably in the order of time. So that, these things considered, there can appear no
reason for supposing one Gospel an abridgment of the other, but that each is an independent narrative of the same events, derived from the same sources, and varying only as it pleased the Holy Spirit that the one should form a supplement or exposition to the other. That the Gospel of Mark was originally written in Greek, is the uniform voice of antiquity; though some, on the ground of a few Latin words, have supposed it originally written in Latin. But the use of a few Latin words in a Greek discourse may be easily accounted for by the residence of Mark at Rome, and the fact of his writing for a people who generally spoke Latin, yet as generally read and understood Greek, and considered it the most efficient vehicle for public instruction. Mark, as writing more immediately for the Gentiles, omits the genealogy of our Lord, so specially recorded by Matthew and Luke; but though omitting his record as 'Son of man,' he opens his history with asserting him to have been 'the Son of God.' C.
One or two other characteristics of Mark's Gospel are worthy of note:—(1) It contains fewer quotations from the Old Testament than the other Gospels. The reason is obvious; such quotations would not have been received as authoritative by those to whom the Gospel was immediately addressed. (2) It contains explanations of Jewish rites.' (3) It gives interpretations of Aramaic words: (4) Passages abound in which hopes are held out to the heathen of admission to the kingdom of heaven even without the Jews, ch. 12. 9, and in which the religion of the heart is placed far above mere formality, ch. 2. 18; 3. 1-5; 7. 5-23. (5) It describes with greater minuteness and graphic power some of the events of our Lord's life than the other Gospels. It dwells more on the acts and history of Christ than on his sayings:—His displays of divine power; his war with and victory over Satan; his universal benevolence; his defence and development of all that is noble, good, and pure. In a word, Mark exhibits Jesus as the founder of a religion divine in its origin, pure in its principles, and ennobling in its results. P.