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The '''Gospel of Mark''' is an easy-to-understand account of the teachings, miracles and Passion of Jesus which emphasizes how suffering and loss enhances one's [[faith]] and [[salvation]].<ref>''See, e.g.'', Mark 8:35.</ref>  This Gospel was written by [[Mark]], who later became an apostle of Peter and a missionary companion of Paul, and ultimately founded Christianity in Egypt.

The '''Gospel of Mark''' is an easy-to-understand account of the teachings, miracles and Passion of Jesus which emphasizes how suffering and loss enhances one's [[faith]] and [[salvation]].<ref>''See, e.g.'', Mark 8:35.</ref>  This Gospel was written by [[Mark]], who later became an apostle of Peter and a missionary companion of Paul, and ultimately founded Christianity in Egypt.

Scientific testing confirmed that a recently discovered transcript from the Gospel of Mark dates from before A.D. 90, when Mark may have still been living.<ref>https://earliestchristianity.wordpress.com/category/textual-criticism/</ref>

Scientific testing confirmed that a recently discovered transcript from the Gospel of Mark dates from before A.D. 90, when Mark may have still been living.<ref>https://earliestchristianity.wordpress.com/category/textual-criticism/</ref>  Indeed, the earliest manuscripts of the Gospel of Mark (and the Gospel of Matthew) are estimated to be from A.D. 60s.<ref name="McCall">http://www.levitt.com/essays/language</ref>  Those oldest manuscripts are in Greek, and no ancient manuscript of the Gospel of Mark or the Gospel of Matthew has ever been discovered in [[Aramaic]].<ref name="McCall"/>

There are several indications that this Gospel was written by a very young eyewitness.  Unlike the [[Gospel of Matthew]] and the [[Gospel of Luke]], the Gospel of Mark has very few economic parables that mean more to adults than to children.  The accounts that Mark does include are those making a bigger impression on a child, such as the multiplication of the loaves (which Mark references ''twice'').  Mark's mother was a follower of Jesus, and Mark's account of the Resurrection was based on the account of the women disciples.

There are several indications that this Gospel was written by a very young eyewitness.  Unlike the [[Gospel of Matthew]] and the [[Gospel of Luke]], the Gospel of Mark has very few economic parables that mean more to adults than to children.  The accounts that Mark does include are those making a bigger impression on a child, such as the multiplication of the loaves (which Mark references ''twice'').  Mark's mother was a follower of Jesus, and Mark's account of the Resurrection was based on the account of the women disciples.

The Gospel of Mark is simpler and briefer than the other gospels, and more focused on suffering and loss.  Mark does not describe appearances by Jesus after the Resurrection, which again suggests authorship by a child who was not present with the older Apostles when Jesus appeared at their meetings.  Mark's writing style is vivid and non-intellectual, containing repetition that one expects from a child.<ref>For example, Mark uses the Greek word meaning "immediately", "soon" or "at once" more than 40 times!</ref>  Peter referred to Mark as his son (1 Peter 5:13), and once Paul became disillusioned at Mark's impulsive return back to Jerusalem.

The Gospel of Mark is simpler and briefer than the other gospels, and more focused on suffering and loss.  Mark does not describe appearances by Jesus after the Resurrection, which again suggests authorship by a child who was not present with the older Apostles when Jesus appeared at their meetings.  Mark's writing style is vivid and non-intellectual, containing repetition that one expects from a child.<ref>For example, Mark uses the Greek word meaning "immediately", "soon" or "at once" more than 40 times!</ref>  Peter referred to Mark as his son (1 Peter 5:13), and once Paul became disillusioned at Mark's impulsive return back to Jerusalem.

The Gospel of Mark was the first to circulate, which again suggests it was written without authorization by an Apostle, and was penned by a young, less discretionary author rather than a cautious adult.  

The Gospel of Mark was the first to circulate, which again suggests it was written without authorization by the Apostles (although [[Peter]] may have encouraged it), and the Gospel of Mark was penned by a young, less discretionary author rather than a cautious adult.  

The passages that appear ''only'' in the Gospel of Mark and not in the other Gospels tend to be parables or events that would impress a child more than an adult:

The passages that appear ''only'' in the Gospel of Mark and not in the other Gospels tend to be parables or events that would impress a child more than an adult: