Starting to read Mark's Gospel...

I have started a short study of Marks Gospel recently and I have been looking at how Mark's Gospel differs from the other three.

I am sure that most believers will appreciate that Matthew presents to us Christ as the King, Mark presents to us the Perfect Servant, Luke the Perfect Man, and John of course presents him as the Son of God.

Apart from these traditional comparisons there are stylist cues in the way these gospels are written that have led me to also compare the gospels in the following way which I present for your consideration:

• Matthew - is written as a book, it has a very definite beginning which starts with the birth of the Lord Jesus, a middle where his life's work is recorded, and an end which concludes with his death, burial and resurrection. The book begins; "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ"


• Mark - I like to think of as a newspaper, full of fast-paced action and events. This gospel focuses on the miracles (17 miracles recorded) and actions of the Saviour as opposed to his teaching or parables (only 3 recorded). The book begins "the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God" and gospel of course means good news!


• Luke - Is written more of a letter, as it is written as a personal account written for a friend as the beginning of the gospel will testify: "to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed"


• John - Is written as a record. It records the earthly ministry and work of the Son of God, as the end of the book shows: "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God... this is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true."

There are many interesting ways of looking at the gospel records, I hope these simple thoughts stimulate your further study of the gospels and looking for your own comparisons of these four lovely accounts of the life and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Please add your comments and suggestions for this post!

Yours in Christ,

Mark