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'''Mark''' was the eyewitness author of the [[Gospel of Mark]], and outsider to the group of [[the Apostles]].  Though placed second in the [[New Testament]] due to its incompleteness,<ref>The original Gospel of Mark lacks any account of Jesus's background or the [[Resurrection]], neither of which the non-Apostle Mark would have known anything about.</ref> the Gospel of Mark was probably the first Gospel written, probably without authorization by the [[Apostles]].  It was written in [[Greek]] in a simple, forceful style.  As a young boy, Mark was almost certainly an eyewitness to the arrest of [[Jesus]], as described in Mark 14:51-52.  Mark was probably also the boy mentioned at John 6:8-9 ("One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are these for so many people?”).<ref>[[NASB]] version.</ref>

'''Mark''' was the eyewitness author of the [[Gospel of Mark]], and outsider to the group of [[the Apostles]].  Though placed second in the [[New Testament]] due to its incompleteness,<ref>The original Gospel of Mark lacks any account of Jesus's background or the [[Resurrection]], neither of which the non-Apostle Mark would have known anything about.</ref> the Gospel of Mark was probably the first Gospel written, probably without authorization by the [[Apostles]].  It was written in [[Greek]] in a simple, forceful style.  As a young boy, Mark was almost certainly an eyewitness to the arrest of [[Jesus]], as described in Mark 14:51-52.  Mark was probably also the boy mentioned at John 6:8-9 ("One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are these for so many people?”).<ref>[[NASB]] version.</ref>

Mark was likely too young to be an [[Apostle]] of Jesus, and probably simply accompanied his mother (likely [[Salome]] as uniquely mentioned at {{bible ref|Mark|15|40}} and {{bible ref|Mark|16|1}}) when she followed Jesus.  See the [[Gospel of Mark]] for a discussion of how young Mark was.  Mark's description of [[Jesus]] walking on water is from the perspective of watching it from the shore, where someone too young to be with the [[Apostle]]s in the boat would have been.<ref>Mark 6:45-49.</ref>  Mark's description thereby contrasts with that by the Apostles Matthew and John.<ref>https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/30437/why-is-it-only-matthew-who-records-peter-walking-on-water-in-matthew-1426-31</ref>

Mark was likely too young to be an [[Apostle]] of Jesus, and probably simply accompanied his mother (likely [[Salome]] as uniquely mentioned at {{bible ref|Mark|15|40}} and {{bible ref|Mark|16|1}}) when she followed Jesus.  See the ''[[Gospel of Mark]]'' for a discussion of how young Mark was.  Mark's description of [[Jesus]] walking on water is from the perspective of watching it from the shore, where someone too young to be with the [[Apostle]]s in the boat would have been.<ref>Mark 6:45-49.</ref>  Mark's description thereby contrasts with that by the Apostles Matthew and John.<ref>https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/30437/why-is-it-only-matthew-who-records-peter-walking-on-water-in-matthew-1426-31</ref> By a tradition in the [[Coptic Church]], Mark was an attendant at the wedding in [[Cana]].<ref>https://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/saints/mark.html</ref>

As a boy, Mark was able to be an eyewitness to the [[Passion]] until he was detected and nearly caught (which he describes without identifying himself).  Most [[Apostles]] presumably could not attend the Passion.  Roughly one-third of his [[Gospel of Mark]] is devoted to describing the Passion, and some have even called his Gospel "a passion narrative with an extended introduction."<ref>https://www.stjames.net.nz/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2021/01/The-Significance-of-the-Passion-Narrative-in-Mark.pdf</ref>

As a boy, Mark was able to be an eyewitness to the [[Passion]] until he was detected and nearly caught (which he describes without identifying himself).  Most [[Apostles]] presumably could not attend the Passion.  Roughly one-third of his [[Gospel of Mark]] is devoted to describing the Passion, and some have even called his Gospel "a passion narrative with an extended introduction."<ref>https://www.stjames.net.nz/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2021/01/The-Significance-of-the-Passion-Narrative-in-Mark.pdf</ref>