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THAT the Second Gospel was written by Mark is universally agreed, though by what Mark, not so. The great majority of critics take the writer to be "John whose surname was Mark," of whom we read in the Acts, and who was "sister's son to Barnabas" (Col 4:10). But no reason whatever is assigned for this opinion, for which the tradition, though ancient, is not uniform; and one cannot but wonder how it is so easily taken for granted by WETSTEIN, HUG, MEYER, EBRARD, LANGE, ELLICOTT, DAVIDSON, TREGELLES, &c. ALFORD goes the length of saying it "has been universally believed that he was the same person with the John Mark of the Gospels. But GROTIUS thought differently, and so did SCHLEIERMACHER, CAMPBELL, BURTON, and DA COSTA; and the grounds on which it is concluded that they were two different persons appear to us quite unanswerable. "Of John, surnamed Mark," says CAMPBELL, in his Preface to this Gospel, "one of the first things we learn is, that he attended Paul and Barnabas in their apostolical journeys, when these two travelled together (Ac 12:25 13:5). And when afterwards there arose a dispute between them concerning him, insomuch that they separated, Mark accompanied his uncle Barnabas, and Silas attended Paul. When Paul was reconciled to Mark, which was probably soon after, we find Paul again employing Mark's assistance, recommending him, and giving him a very honorable testimony (Col 4:10 2Ti 4:11 Phm 1:24). But we hear not a syllable of his attending Peter as his minister, or assisting him in any capacity. And yet, as we shall presently see, no tradition is more ancient, more uniform, and better sustained by internal evidence, than that Mark, in his Gospel, was but "the interpreter of Peter," who, at the close of his first Epistle speaks of him as "Marcus my son" (1Pe 5:13), that is, without doubt, his son in the Gospel--converted to Christ through his instrumentality. And when we consider how little the Apostles Peter and Paul were together--how seldom they even met--how different were their tendencies, and how separate their spheres of labor, is there not, in the absence of all evidence of the fact, something approaching to violence in the supposition that the same Mark was the intimate associate of both? "In brief," adds CAMPBELL, "the accounts given of Paul's attendant, and those of Peter's interpreter, concur in nothing but the name, Mark or Marcus; too slight a circumstance to conclude the sameness of the person from, especially when we consider how common the name was at Rome, and how customary it was for the Jews in that age to assume some Roman name when they went thither."

Regarding the Evangelist Mark, then, as another person from Paul's companion in travel, all we know of his personal history is that he was a convert, as we have seen, of the Apostle Peter. But as to his Gospel, the tradition regarding Peter's hand in it is so ancient, so uniform, and so remarkably confirmed by internal evidence, that we must regard it as an established fact. "Mark," says PAPIAS (according to the testimony of EUSEBIUS, ["Ecclesiastical History, 3.39]), "becoming the interpreter of Peter, wrote accurately, though not in order, whatever he remembered of what was either said or done by Christ; for he was neither a hearer of the Lord nor a follower of Him, but afterwards, as I said, [he was a follower] of Peter, who arranged the discourses for use, but not according to the order in which they were uttered by the Lord." To the same effect IRENÆUS ["Against Heresies, 3,1]: "Matthew published a Gospel while Peter and Paul were preaching and founding the Church at Rome; and after their departure (or decease), Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, he also gave forth to us in writing the things which were preached by Peter." And CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA is still more specific, in a passage preserved to us by EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 6.14]: "Peter having publicly preached the word at Rome, and spoken forth the Gospel by the Spirit, many of those present exhorted Mark, as having long been a follower of his, and remembering what he had said, to write what had been spoken; and that having prepared the Gospel, he delivered it to those who had asked him for it; which, when Peter came to the knowledge of, he neither decidedly forbade nor encouraged him." EUSEBIUS' own testimony, however, from other accounts, is rather different: that Peter's hearers were so penetrated by his preaching that they gave Mark, as being a follower of Peter, no rest till he consented to write his Gospel, as a memorial of his oral teaching; and "that the apostle, when he knew by the revelation of the Spirit what had been done, was delighted with the zeal of those men, and sanctioned the reading of the writing (that is, of this Gospel of Mark) in the churches" [Ecclesiastical History, 2.15]. And giving in another of his works a similar statement, he says that "Peter, from excess of humility, did not think himself qualified to write the Gospel; but Mark, his acquaintance and pupil, is said to have recorded his relations of the actings of Jesus. And Peter testifies these things of himself; for all things that are recorded by Mark are said to be memoirs of Peter's discourses." It is needless to go farther--to ORIGEN, who says Mark composed his Gospel "as Peter guided" or "directed him, who, in his Catholic Epistle, calls him his son," &c.; and to JEROME, who but echoes EUSEBIUS.

This, certainly, is a remarkable chain of testimony; which, confirmed as it is by such striking internal evidence, may be regarded as establishing the fact that the Second Gospel was drawn up mostly from materials furnished by Peter. In DA COSTA'S'S Four Witnesses the reader will find this internal evidence detailed at length, though all the examples are not equally convincing. But if the reader will refer to our remarks on Mr 16:7, and Joh 18:27, he will have convincing evidence of a Petrine hand in this Gospel.

It remains only to advert, in a word or two, to the readers for whom this Gospel was, in the first instance, designed, and the date of it. That it was not for Jews but Gentiles, is evident from the great number of explanations of Jewish usages, opinions, and places, which to a Jew would at that time have been superfluous, but were highly needful to a Gentile. We can here but refer to Mr 2:18 7:3,4 12:18 13:3 14:12 15:42, for examples of these.

 I. The beginning of the Gospel,
   a. John prepares the way..................................... Chap. i, 1-8
   b. Baptizes Jesus, who is proclaimed the Son of God.................  9-11
   c. Tempted of Satan, served by angels............................... 12,13
 II. The Gospel itself,
  A. In Galilee: where we may observe three periods,
     a. After John was cast into prison,
       In general,
       1. The place and matter of his preaching,....................... 14,15
       2. The calling of several of the apostles....................... 16-20
       In particular,
     1. Actions not censured by his adversaries
       1. He teaches with authority................................... 21, 22
       2. Cures the demoniac........................................... 23-28
       3. Heals many sick.............................................. 29-34
       4. Prays........................................................... 35
       5. Teaches every where.......................................... 36-39
       6. Cleanses the leper........................................... 40-45
     2. Actions censured by them,
       Here occur,
       1. The paralytic forgiven and healed......................... ii, 1-12
       2. The call of Levi, and eating with publicans and sinners...... 13-17
       3. The question concerning fasting answered..................... 18-22
       4. The ears of corn plucked..................................... 23-28
       5. The withered hand restored: Snares laid................... iii, 1-6
     3. Our Lord's retirement,
       1. At the sea.................................................... 7-12
       2. In the mountain, where the apostles are called............... 13-19
       3. In the house, where after refuting the blasphemy of the
            Pharisees, he shows who are his mother and his brethren.... 20-35
       4. In the ship; various parables............................. iv, 1-34
       5. On the sea, and beyond it.................................... 35-41
                                                                      v, 1-20
       6. On this side the sea: Again: Jairus, and the woman with
            the flux of blood.......................................... 21-43
       7. At Nazareth: His countrymen offended....................... vi, 1-6
       8. The apostles sent forth....................................... 7-13
     b. After John was put to death,
       1. Herod's hearing of Jesus, and judgment of him................ 14-29
       2. Christ's retiring with his apostles, now returned............ 30-32
       3. The earnestness of the people; Christ's compassion;
            five thousand fed.......................................... 33-44
       4. His walking on the sea....................................... 45-52
       5. He heals many in the land of Gennesaret.....................  53-56
       6. And teaches what defiles a man........................... vii, 1-23
       7. A devil cast out in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon............. 24-30
       8. At the sea of Galilee, the deaf and dumb healed;
            four thousand fed.......................................... 31-37
                                                                    viii, 1-9
       9. He comes into the parts of Dalmanutha, and answers concerning
            the sign from heaven........................... Chap. viii, 10-13
       10. In the ship, he warns them of evil leaven................... 14-21
       11. At Bethsaida, heals the sick................................ 22-26
     c. After he was acknowledged to be the Son of God,
       1. Peter confessing him, he enjoins his disciples silence; foretells
            his passion; reproves Peter; exhorts to follow him............ 21
                                                                        ix, 1
       2. Is transfigured: casts out a devil; foretells his  passion.... 2-32
       3. Reproves and instructs his disciples......................... 33-50
  B. In Judea,
     a. In the borders................................................... x,1
       1.  He treats of divorce......................................... 2-12
       2.  Of little children.......................................... 13-16
       3.  Of entering into life, and of the danger of riches.......... 17-31
     b. In his way to the city,
       1.  He foretells his passion a third time....................... 32-34
       2.  Answers James and John, and instructs them all.............. 35-45
       3.  At Jericho, gives sight to Bartimeus........................ 46-52
       4.  At Jerusalem................................................. xi,1
     a. His royal entry'................................................ 2-11
     b. The day after, the fig tree cursed............................. 12-14
            the temple purged.......................................... 15-19
     c. The day after that,
     1. Near the fig tree, he shows the power of faith................. 20-26
     2. In the temple,
       1. His authority vindicated..................................... 27-33
       2. The parable of the wicked husbandmen..................... xii, 1-12
       3. Of paying tribute to Cesar................................... 13-17
       4. Of the resurrection.......................................... 18-27
       5. Of the great commandment..................................... 28-34
       6. Of David's Lord.............................................. 35-37
       7. He warns the people of the scribes........................... 38-40
       8. Commends the poor widow...................................... 41-44
     3. On Mount Olivet, he foretells the destruction of the city and
            temple, and the end of the world...................... xiii, 1-37
     d. Two days before the passover; his enemies bargain with Judas.xiv,1-11
     e. On the first day of unleavened bread,
       1. The passover prepared........................................ 12-16
       2. The Lord's Supper instituted................................. 17-25
       3. After the hymn, the offence of the disciples and Peter's
            denial foretold............................................ 26-31
       4. In Gethsemane,
            Jesus prays; wakes his disciples........................... 32-42
            Is betrayed; taken; forsaken of all........................ 43-52
       5. In the high priest's palace,
            He is condemned to death................................... 53-65
            Denied by Peter............................................ 66-72
     f. Friday,
          What was done,
        1.In Pilate's palace........................................ xv, 1-20
        2. In the way..................................................... 21
        3. At Golgotha.................................................... 22
          1. The wine and myrrh offered................................... 23
          2. The crucifixion; his garments parted...................... 24,25
          3. The title.................................................... 26
          4. The two malefactors....................................... 27,28
          5. Revilings................................................. 29-32
          6. The darkness; the cry of Jesus; the scoff; the vinegar;
               his death; the veil rent................................ 33-38
          7. The saying of the centurion; the women looking on......... 39-41
        4. In the evening, the burial.................................. 42-47
     g. Sunday,
          Our Lord's resurrection declared,
        1. By an angel........................................ Chap. xvi, 1-8
        2. By himself,
            To Mary Magdalene........................................... 9-11
            To two going into the country.............................. 12,13
            To the eleven sitting at meat................................. 14
 III. The Gospel,
        1. Committed by Christ to his apostles after his resurrection...15-18
        2. Confirmed after his ascension............................... 19,20

Mark - the evangelist; "John whose surname was Mark" (Acts 12:12, 25). Mark (Marcus, Col. 4:10, etc.) was his Roman name, which gradually came to supersede his Jewish name John. He is called John in Acts 13:5, 13, and Mark in 15:39, 2 Tim. 4:11, etc.

He was the son of Mary, a woman apparently of some means and influence, and was probably born in Jerusalem, where his mother resided (Acts 12:12). Of his father we know nothing. He was cousin of Barnabas (Col. 4:10). It was in his mother's house that Peter found "many gathered together praying" when he was released from prison; and it is probable that it was here that he was converted by Peter, who calls him his "son" (1 Pet. 5:13). It is probable that the "young man" spoken of in Mark 14:51, 52 was Mark himself. He is first mentioned in Acts 12:25. He went with Paul and Barnabas on their first journey (about A.D. 47) as their "minister," but from some cause turned back when they reached Perga in Pamphylia (Acts 12:25; 13:13). Three years afterwards a "sharp contention" arose between Paul and Barnabas (15:36-40), because Paul would not take Mark with him. He, however, was evidently at length reconciled to the apostle, for he was with him in his first imprisonment at Rome (Col. 4:10; Philemon 1:24). At a later period he was with Peter in Babylon (1 Pet. 5:13), then, and for some centuries afterwards, one of the chief seats of Jewish learning; and he was with Timothy in Ephesus when Paul wrote him during his second imprisonment (2 Tim. 4:11). He then disappears from view.

"Out of a total of 662 verses, Mark has 406 in common with Matthew and Luke, 145 with Matthew, 60 with Luke, and at most 51 peculiar to itself."