Identity Of Mark The Gospel Writer
The author of the Gospel of Mark is traditionally identified as John Mark, also known simply as Mark or Marcus [1, 2]. This individual is mentioned in the New Testament with various names: "John Mark" in Acts 12:12, 25 and 15:37, and "John" in Acts 13:5, 13 [1, 2]. Later, he is referred to simply as "Mark" in Acts 15:39, Colossians 4:10, Philemon 1:24, and 2 Timothy 4:11 [2, 3]. His Latin surname, Marcus, eventually became his prevalent name within the early church [2, 4].
Mark was the son of a woman named Mary, who was a Jewish matron of some standing in Jerusalem, where she resided [2, 4]. It was in Mary's house that many believers gathered for prayer when Peter was miraculously released from prison (Acts 12:12) [4]. Mark was also a cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10) [4, 5]. He accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey but departed from them in Pamphylia, a point of contention that later led to a dispute between Paul and Barnabas [7]. Despite this earlier separation, Paul later requested Timothy to bring Mark to him, noting that Mark was "useful to me for ministry" (2 Timothy 4:11) [7].
Early church tradition, as noted by Irenaeus, suggests that the Gospel of Mark was written after the deaths of the apostles Peter and Paul, placing its composition no earlier than A.D. 63 [1]. Augustine of Hippo, in his writings on the Gospels, recognized Mark as one of the four evangelists whose works gained widespread circulation [6, 8]. While the Gospel itself does not explicitly state its author or date of composition, scholarly consensus generally attributes it to John Mark, drawing on both internal clues and external historical testimony [1].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Mark, Gospel Of — + By whom written.--The author of this Gospel has been universally believed to be Mark or Marcus, designated in (Acts 12:12,25; 15:37) as John Mark, and in ch. 5,13 as John. + When is was written.--Upon this point nothing absolutely certain can be affirmed, and the Gospel itself affords us no information. The most direct testimony is that of Irenaeus, who says it was after the death of the apostles Peter and Paul. We may conclude, therefore, that this Gospel was not written before A.D. 63. Again we may as certainly conclude that it was not written af”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Mark — one of the evangelists, and probable author of the Gospel bearing his name. (Marcus was his Latin surname. His Jewish name was John, which is the same as Johanan (the grace of God). We can almost trace the steps whereby the former became his prevalent name in the Church. "John, whose surname was Mark" in (Acts 12:12,25; 15:37) becomes "John" alone in (Acts 13:5,13) "Mark" in (Acts 15:39) and thenceforward there is no change. (Colossians 4:10); Phlm 1:24; 2Tim 4:11 The evangelist was the son of a certain Mary, a Jewish matron of some position who dwelt in Jerusa”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Marcus — the evangelist Mark. (Colossians 4:10); Phle 1:24; 1Pet 5:13 [[844]Mark]”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: 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 ”
- Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 4:10: Aristarchus my fellow prisoner saluteth you,.... This man was a man of Macedonia, and a Thessalonian; Act 19:29 which hinders not but that he might be of the circumcision, or a Jew, as is suggested in the following verse; for he might be born at Thessalonica, and yet be of Jewish parents; nor is his Greek name any objection to it, for the Jews themselves say, that the greatest part of the Israelites that were out of the land, their names are as the names of strangers (l): he was a constant companion of the apostle, and one of his fellow labourers, as in Plm 1:24 a”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. X.--OF THE EVANGELIST JOHN, AND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN HIM AND THE OTHER THREE. (part 1): 11. John remains, between whom and others there is left no comparison to be instituted. For, however the evangelists may each have reported some matters which are not recorded by the others, it will be hard to prove that any question involving real discrepancy arises out of these. Thus, too, it is a clearly admitted position that the first three--namely, Matthew, Mark, and Luke--have occupied themselves chiefly with the humanity of our Lord Jesus C”
- 2 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Timothy 4:10: Only Luke is with me,.... The beloved physician, who wrote the Gospel that bears his name, and "the Acts of the Apostles", and was a constant companion of Paul's in his travels and sufferings: take Mark, and bring him with thee; who might be at Ephesus, or somewhere in Timothy's way as he came to Rome. This seems to be the same with John Mark of Jerusalem, the son of Mary, the sister of Barnabas, and who was with Paul and Barnabas in their travels, and who parted from them at Pamphylia; on whose account, and for that reason, there was so great a difference betwee”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. II.--ON THE ORDER OF THE EVANGELISTS, AND THE PRINCIPLES ON WHICH THEY WROTE. (part 1): 3. Now, those four evangelists whose names have gained the most remarkable circulation(2) over the whole world, and whose number has been fixed as four,--it may be for the simple reason that there are four divisions of that world through the universal length of which they, by their number as by a kind of mystical sign, indicated the advancing extension of the Church of Christ,--are believed to have written in the order which follows: first Matthew, th”