He Gave His Life
On Sunday, April 27th, we will begin a new sermon series through the Gospel of Mark. Commonly viewed as the earliest, Mark’s gospel was the likely written closest to the actual events of Jesus. This has made Mark the topic of intense study in the so-called “quest for the historic Jesus.” Many scholars believe that in Mark’s Gospel we have the least enhanced and most historical portrayal of Jesus.
The Gospel of Mark
For the first few centuries of the church, Mark’s Gospel was regarded as the least important. This is perhaps not surprising, since Mark is the shortest and about ninety percent of the content is found in either Matthew or Luke.
He Gave His Life
Mark has many unique qualities. Most significantly, in the earliest manuscripts, the Gospel of Mark ends in a strange and abrupt way, with the fear and silence of the women who discover the empty tomb, and with no resurrection appearances. Yet his writing is the most dramatic of all the Gospels. Mark is a fantastic storyteller, with a rapid, lively style and a multitude of vivid details. And most importantly, Mark highlights the life of Jesus, the Son of Man.
The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Mark 10:45