Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

New series

ESV Journals

Challenge of starting a new book: do an introduction?

Hard not to encyclopedia entry

Worth it, for one main reason: we were not the original recipients

Who Wrote this Book?

Text doesn’t say

Church history does.

Papias, BIshop of Hierapolis, AD 140:

This is what the Elder used to say: Mark became Peter’s interpreter and wrote accurately, though not in order (τάξει), all that he remembered of the things said or done by the Lord.

For he had not himself heard the Lord or been his follower, but later, as I said, he followed Peter.

Peter delivered teachings as occasion required, rather than compiling a sort of orderly presentation (σύνταξιν) of the traditions about the Lord.

So Mark was not wrong in recording in this way the individual items as he remembered them.

His one concern was to leave out nothing of what he had heard and to make no false statements in reporting them.

Quoting “the Elder”—John?

Note a couple of things:

Based on Peter’s preaching

Not in order (Papias almost apologizes: “wrote accurately, though not in order”)

Justin Martyr, writing about A.D. 150, referred to the Gospel of Mark as “the memoirs of Peter,” and suggested that Mark committed his gospel to writing while in Italy.

Irenaeus, writing about A.D. 185, called Mark “the disciple and interpreter of Peter,” and recorded that the second gospel consisted of what Peter preached about Christ.

Mark = author assumed since earliest days of church history, consensus, no reason to doubt it

So who was Mark?

Fascinating biography; summary

Peter broken out of prison by an angel.

Figures out not a vision:

First mention of this man John, nickname Mark—John Mark

Mother apparently wealthy (space for disciples to gather)

Learned from Colossians:

cousin of Barnabas

In fact, joined Paul and Barnabas on mission trip to Antioch:

Later went with Paul and Barnabas to Cyprus:

So far, so good.

Very connected to ministry and mission of early church.

Then disaster struck:

Luke spares us the details, but apparently JM bailed

Paul disgusted enough not to take him on 2nd missionary journey:

Paul: don’t need a quitter.

Barnabas stuck up for his cousin, Paul refused, they split ways

Don’t hear any more about him until Paul’s in prison in Rome:

Buried in the greetings @ end of Colossians is this little gem: JM with Paul, Col instructed to welcome him

To Philemon Paul writes:

Calls Mark his “fellow worker”

Near end of his life, Paul says something remarkable to Timothy.

Years ago, “we’re not taking that quitter.”

Now:

What a turnaround.

JM such an encouragement: not just a redemption story, but started well, stalled out, finished well

Love to hear more of his story.

But JM doesn’t want to tell us about JM—wants to tell us about Jesus, so wrote “Gospel According to Mark”

Who Was the Audience?

So we’re pretty confident JM wrote.

To whom?

Answer by way of contrast.

To whom was Matthew writing his gospel?

Begins w/ genealogy.

Major feature Jesus’ interactions w/ Jewish leaders, Pharisees and Sadducees.

Mark has none of that

What Is its Genre?

Appears to be earliest of 4 gospels, probably 50s

As earliest, JM essentially inventing a new genre

Biographies, but this is different—not just recording the events of a great man’s life—gospel

Mark tells us, right up front: he’s not just recounting history, he’s making the case for Jesus as the Son of God:

More than biography.

Something greater

The style and content of the story arouse a feeling of otherness, a feeling that this is not a history like other histories, not a biography like other biographies,

but a development of the actions, sayings, and suffering of a higher being on his way through this anxious world of human beings and demons.

So true, historically accurate record, but about the life of someone greater, and about more than the things of this world

Arrangement — as Papias said, not a clear order/structure to this book

Can be generally sorted geographically:

Prologue: wilderness (1:1–13)

Galilee and surrounding area (1:14–7:23)

Gentile regions (7:24–9:50)

Road to Jerusalem (10)

In Jerusalem (11–16)

Why not a lot of structure? 1) record of what Peter preached about Christ.

2) Designed to be read aloud

What Is its Purpose?

Remember what he says at the outset: good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God

That’s what the whole book is

Theme verse:

Why study Mark?

When considering what to preach next, kept thinking of the words of the Greeks in John’s gospel:

Christianity is following a person

I don’t want us to sin.

Not b/c we’re afraid of punishment, but because we love God as our Father and want to please Him

You’re never going to love and fear God like that by merely thinking of Him as the Creator

You need to know Him as Father through His Son

Reformer Phillipp Melancthon:

“When Philip begged that the Father be shown to them, the Lord earnestly rebuked him and said, ‘He who has seen Me has seen the Father.’

He did not wish God to be sought by idle and vagrant speculations, but He wills that our eyes be fixed on the Son who has been manifested to us, that our prayers be directed to the eternal Father who has revealed himself in the Son whom he has sent.”

God doesn’t want us to know Him by speculation/philosophy

He wants us to know Him, love Him, by knowing His Son

Hebrews 1:1–2 (ESV)

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son...

At the Transfiguration:

That’s our goal.

May not go home each week with a to-do list

That’s okay.

Make those Greeks’ request your request: Sir, we wish to see Jesus.