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Bible Dictionaries
Gospel of Saint Mark
1910 New Catholic Dictionary
or
The second book of the New Testament, and the second Gospel to be written. Its author is Saint Mark, a disciple and companion of Saint Peter. He wrote an account of the life and teachings of Jesus as he heard these truths from the Prince of the Apostles. The Gospel was written in Greek between the years 50,60, and was addressed to Roman converts to Christianity. Writing for the Gentiles, Saint Mark's purpose was to show that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. To this end he demonstrates the power of Jesus which extended over all nature and which was manifested in His many miracles. The Gospel is characterized by its vivid descriptions of Our Lord's miracles, which occupy so prominent a place in the narrative that it is often called the "Gospel of Miracles." The sixteen chapters are written in the chronological order, with some exceptions, and follow these general divisions:
- preparation through the preaching of Saint John, the baptism, and temptation (1,2-13)
- the preaching and miracles of Jesus in Galilee (1,14, to 9,50)
- the journey to Jerusalem for the feast of the Pasch, and the last days of Our Lord's teaching (10-13)
- the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension (14-16)
The Biblical Commission, June 26, 1912, declared that all reasonable doubt that Saint Mark is the author of the second Gospel as now contained in our Bibles, and that the Gospel was written before the year 70 and according to the preaching of Saint Peter, has been removed by the clear evidence of tradition from the earliest ages, as found in the testimony of the Fathers, in the use of the Gospel by early Christians, and its place in ancient codices and versions. Chapters specially commendable for reading:
- 2, the paralytic, the call of Saint Matthew
- 3, call of the Apostles, refutation of the Pharisees
- 14-16, Passion and Glory of Jesus
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Entry for 'Gospel of Saint Mark'. 1910 New Catholic Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ncd/g/gospel-of-saint-mark.html. 1910.
