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The '''Gospel of Mark''' is the outsider's eyewitness account: a direct, easy-to-understand explanation of the teachings, miracles and [[Passion]] of [[Jesus]].  This Gospel 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 probably saw the events as an impressionable, open-minded young boy, who subsequently was the first to publish his eyewitness account as an outsider.  The Gospel of Mark begins and ends abruptly, makes no mention of [[St. Joseph|Joseph]], and is much shorter than the other Gospels -- all of which may have been reasons to rank it second, rather than its first place chronologically.

The '''Gospel of Mark''' is the outsider's eyewitness account: a direct, easy-to-understand explanation of the teachings, miracles and [[Passion]] of [[Jesus]].  This Gospel 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 probably saw the events as an impressionable, open-minded young boy, who subsequently was the first to publish his eyewitness account as an outsider.  The Gospel of Mark begins and ends abruptly, makes no mention of [[St. Joseph|Joseph]], and is much shorter than the other Gospels -- all of which may have been reasons to rank it second, rather than its first place chronologically.

Due to his young age or background, Mark was never fully accepted by [[the Apostles]] and his Gospel of Mark is [[Trump]]-like in its blunt, down-to-earth style critical of them and the [[Establishment]] in [[Rome]].  This Gospel is written from the perspective of a non-Apostle outsider.  Only Mark quotes the demotion of the [[Sabbath]] as being made for man, not vice-versa.  Perhaps in response to his critics, '''''only''''' Mark pointedly endorses the value of unauthorized [[free speech]]:  “But [[Jesus]] said, 'Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.'”<ref>Mark 9:39 ([[ESV]].  ''See also'' [https://biblehub.com/mark/9-39.htm Biblehub].</ref>  Mark's discussion of the Apostles is more critical than in other Gospels, as in explaining Jesus's rebuke of [[Peter]] (Mark 8:32) and in describing how the Apostles did not understand what Jesus was telling them, and were too afraid to ask him (Mark 9:32).  The Apostles did not invite Mark to their post-[[Resurrection]] gatherings.

Due to his young age or background, Mark was never fully accepted by [[the Apostles]] and his Gospel of Mark is [[Trump]]-like in its blunt, down-to-earth style critical of them and the [[Establishment]] in [[Rome]].  This Gospel is written from the perspective of a non-Apostle outsider.  Only Mark quotes the demotion of the [[Sabbath]] as being made for man, not vice-versa.  Perhaps in response to his critics, '''''only''''' Mark pointedly endorses the value of unauthorized [[free speech]]:  “But [[Jesus]] said, 'Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.'”<ref>Mark 9:39 ([[ESV]]).  ''See also'' [https://biblehub.com/mark/9-39.htm Biblehub].</ref>  Mark's discussion of the Apostles is more critical than in other Gospels, as in explaining Jesus's rebuke of [[Peter]] (Mark 8:32) and in describing how the Apostles did not understand what Jesus was telling them, and were too afraid to ask him (Mark 9:32).  The Apostles did not invite Mark to their post-[[Resurrection]] gatherings.

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://web.archive.org/web/20150325223910/https://earliestchristianity.wordpress.com/category/textual-criticism/ First-Century Mark Manuscript: More News?] (web.archive.org)</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"/>

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://web.archive.org/web/20150325223910/https://earliestchristianity.wordpress.com/category/textual-criticism/ First-Century Mark Manuscript: More News?] (web.archive.org)</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"/>