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The '''Gospel of Mark''' is a simple, direct, and easy-to-understand account 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 a simple, direct, and easy-to-understand account 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.

This Gospel is written from the perspective of a non-Apostle, who was never fully accepted by the [[Apostles]].  Perhaps in response to his critics, 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]].</ref>  Mark's discussion of the Apostles is more critical than in other Gospels.  The Apostles did not invite Mark to their post-[[Resurrection]] gatherings.

In its direct, down-to-earth style critical of the [[Establishment]] in [[Rome]] and even of [[the Apostles]], the Gospel of Mark is [[Trump]]-like in its [[conservative populism]].  This Gospel is written from the perspective of a non-Apostle, who was never fully accepted by the [[Apostles]].  Perhaps in response to his critics, 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]].</ref>  Mark's discussion of the Apostles is more critical than in other Gospels.  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"/>