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== Mark's Identity ==

== Mark's Identity ==

Mark may have been of Jewish descent, born to a Jewish family in Cyrene, North Africa (modern-day Libya). It is argued that his parents were of the tribe of Levi. While he is known for writing the Gospel of Mark, which is thought to have been directed towards a Gentile (non-Jewish) audience, this does not mean he himself was not Jewish.  

Mark may have been of Jewish descent, born to a Jewish family in Cyrene, North Africa (modern-day Libya).<ref>[https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/saints/mark-686 St. Mark], EWTN</ref> It is argued that his parents were of the tribe of Levi. While he is known for writing the Gospel of Mark, which is thought to have been directed towards a Gentile (non-Jewish) audience, this does not mean he himself was not Jewish.  

Mark may have been a [[Gentile]], as he describes without precision Jewish customs in his Gospel.  Also, his bold opening sentence would have been blasphemy punishable by death under [[Jewish]] law, proclaiming (unlike the other [[the Gospels|Gospels]]) that his work is "the gospel of [[Jesus Christ]], the Son of [[God]]."<ref>Mark 1:1 ([[ESV]]).</ref> In addition, Mark was always an outsider with respect to [[the Apostles]], and was not invited into their group after the [[Resurrection]] or when a new 12th Apostle was chosen.  Furthermore, Mark was more critical of the [[Sabbath]], the Apostles themselves, and even Jesus's family who rejected him, in his Gospel than other Gospel writers were.  ''See'' Mark 3:21 (And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”<ref>[[ESV]].</ref>).

Mark may have been a [[Gentile]], as he describes without precision Jewish customs in his Gospel.  Also, his bold opening sentence would have been blasphemy punishable by death under [[Jewish]] law, proclaiming (unlike the other [[the Gospels|Gospels]]) that his work is "the gospel of [[Jesus Christ]], the Son of [[God]]."<ref>Mark 1:1 ([[ESV]]).</ref> In addition, Mark was always an outsider with respect to [[the Apostles]], and was not invited into their group after the [[Resurrection]] or when a new 12th Apostle was chosen.  Furthermore, Mark was more critical of the [[Sabbath]], the Apostles themselves, and even Jesus's family who rejected him, in his Gospel than other Gospel writers were.  ''See'' Mark 3:21 (And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”<ref>[[ESV]].</ref>).