Not much is known about the person of Saint Mark. Nevertheless, if we truly want to know who Mark is, his life experience and his inner life, we must read his Gospel.
Who Is Mark
For Saint Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, he is John, surnamed Mark, whom the Acts of the Apostles mention; his mother Mary hosted the Christian community of Jerusalem. After leaving prison, Peter went precisely Β«to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where a considerable number of people had gathered in prayerΒ» (Acts 12:12). The double name attests both to his Jewish origin (John, in Hebrew, means Β«God shows graceΒ») and to a certain familiarity with the Roman world (Mark, in Latin, means Β«the hammerΒ»).
The Book of the Acts of the Apostles tells us about a certain John Mark, a collaborator of his cousin Barnabas and Paulβs companion in Antioch (Acts 12:25). He accompanied them on their first missionary journeys (cf. Acts 12:25; 13:13), until the βbreakβ between them caused - according to Lukeβs account - precisely by Markβs presence (Acts 15:37-39). The name βMarkβ also appears among Paulβs collaborators in the Letter to Philemon (v. 24) and the Pastoral Letters (cf. 2 Tim 4:11), as well as in Peterβs final greetings, where he calls him Β«my sonΒ» (1 Pet 5:13), an affectionate term reserved for his collaborators. Papias of Hierapolis indeed recalls that Β«Mark, having become Peterβs interpreter, wrote down carefully the things he remembered.Β»
These brief details tell us something about the evangelistβs life; nevertheless, if we truly want to know who Mark is, his life experience and his inner life, we must read his Gospel.Β
The Gospel of Mark. A Guide to Reading
For Mark, the Gospel is not simply the account of the life of a historical figure, nor a biography with more or less apologetic aims, and not even a hagiographic narrative; for him, it is essentially an encounter with the Son of God and his proclamation. It is our task to accept his invitation to enter into a relationship of friendship and trust with Him.
It is true that, in our experience, it is not always easy to approach the pages of the Gospel. Therefore, even for those without any particular preparation, the book βThe Gospel of Mark. A Guide to Readingβ can be very useful. Written by Monsignor Nazzareno Marconi, an eminent biblical scholar and pastor, in deliberately simple language, it aims precisely to help readers read the Gospel according to Mark.Β
To make readers even more attentive to the Word, he offers a translation different from the one read in church every Sunday, but very close to the Greek text, in order to convey the original vividness of Markβs text while respecting its conversational, familiar, spoken tone, just as his contemporaries heard it. If it loses something in elegance, it certainly gains in clarity and simplicity. Thus a Gospel emerges that speaks to everyone.
In the same way, the explanations that follow the Gospel text help guide reading and reflection correctly. Although they certainly do not exhaust the message of the Gospel, they always place what matters most at the center: knowing, loving, and bearing witness to Christ.
The result is an unusual βMark,β very close to the Greek text and rich in valuable insights.
Mark and Jesus
The Gospel according to Mark presents Jesus' humanity to us better than any other Gospel: it makes us feel the power of His gaze, His compassion for the crowd, His sadness at the incomprehension of the Pharisees and His family members, and His disappointment with the apostles and disciples. What emerges is an intensely human image. Jesus appears, at different times, tender, determined, brotherly, close, and suddenly mysterious, asking each person a question that challenges us personally: Who am I to you? What meaning do I have in your life?
What do we answer?
The Gospel of Mark, therefore, should be read and meditated on with the awareness that its pages help us understand who Jesus is and how we can respond to Him as He calls us to be His disciples. Β«As you gradually enter into the fascinating story of Jesus of Nazareth, you will discover that He is not a figure from the past. His words are the word of God, which can still illuminate the path of your life today; His actions are a sign of God's strong and patient love for you. Thus you will come to believe and profess, with ever clearer and more joyful awareness, that God loves you, Christ came for you. For you, Christ is the way, the truth and the lifeΒ» (John Paul II).
Verse by verse, you will realize that, even on your own, you will increasingly be able to discover the message that Jesus and Saint Mark intended to convey: this is the true purpose of the book.
With this help, it should become easier to pick up the biblical text, read it calmly and carefully, pause to reflect on what Jesus is saying or doing, draw some inspiration for our personal and social lives, make commitments or change our way of living, but also and above all understand how He is still present and active in our lives, where we can recognize the signs of His presence and love, and how we in turn can meet and love Him.
One final piece of advice: let the text speak, following the explanations of Monsignor Marconi, and above all ask the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to listening, allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed by the love of Jesus, the Β«Son of GodΒ» and Β«Son of ManΒ».
