Mark Themes

Themes By Chapter

Book Summary

Mark emphases Jesus as the servant – “for even the Son of Man did not come to be served ,but to serve , and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) Mark shows what Jesus did – there is no reference to His birth, the wise men, no sermon on the mount – this is because Mark is emphasizing Christ as the servant. It is irrelevant to record where a servant is born, or wise men offering gifts – Mark wants to keep the focus on the way He is portraying Jesus – as the servant of all.

It is only in the gospel of Mark that we are told Jesus is a carpenter – or otherwise translated ‘master craftsman’ – for Jesus is indeed the master craftsman, He is the potter and we are the clay and the master craftsman is molding us into His image. How we need to consecrate ourselves to His work and not keep jumping of the potters wheel but come in submission to His handiwork, come in submission to the altar, come in submission to His love, to follow Him wherever He might lead us.

Mark 3:13-21 tells us why Jesus chose who He did – “that they might be with Him” – the only way for us to be changed is for us to stay close to Jesus and He wants us to be close to Him. We are in fact created for His good pleasure but still He asks us to “come to Him,” because then love becomes meaningful, it is then that we gain life, it is then that He is glorified, it is then that we find peace , it is then that He gets service, it is then that we get joy and fellowship and God gets obedience and worship.

Structure: 

1. The Servant Prepared (1 - 1:13)

2. The Servant Working (1:14 - 8:30)

3. The Servant Rejected (8:31 - 15:47)

4. The Servant Exhalted (16)

Key Verse: 

Mark 10:45 - "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Christ Portrayed as: The Servant of God

Author: Mark