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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.

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]].  Only Mark quotes the demotion of the [[Sabbath]] as being made for man.  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, 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.

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]].  Only Mark quotes the demotion of the [[Sabbath]] as being made for man.  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"/>

==Audience==

==Audience==

The audience is for Gentiles, and Mark may have been a Gentile himself as only he quotes Jesus for directly downplaying the [[Sabbath]]:  Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.”<ref>Mark 2:27 ([[NASB]]).</ref>  That is not found in any other Gospel.<ref>https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-17-no-2-2016/marks-unique-contribution</ref>  Mark describes Aramaic words and Jewish customs that would not be necessary for a Jewish audience.  Mark was probably not Jewish himself, as he overstates the hand-washing ritual by saying that "all the Jews" performed the ritual,<ref>http://www.logicandlight.org/busted-14-marks-error-regarding-jewish-handwashing-rituals/</ref> and his use of "the" suggests he did view himself as part of the group.

The audience is for Gentiles, and Mark may have been a Gentile himself as only he quotes Jesus for directly downplaying the [[Sabbath]]:  Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.”<ref>Mark 2:27 ([[NASB]]).</ref>  That is not found in any other Gospel.<ref>https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-17-no-2-2016/marks-unique-contribution</ref>  Mark describes Aramaic words and Jewish customs that would not be necessary for a Jewish audience.  Mark was probably not Jewish himself, as he overstates the hand-washing ritual at Mark 7:3<ref>https://biblehub.com/mark/7-3.htm</ref> by saying that "all the Jews" performed the ritual,<ref>http://www.logicandlight.org/busted-14-marks-error-regarding-jewish-handwashing-rituals/</ref> and his use of "the" suggests he did view himself as part of the group.

==Style==

==Style==