Mark
the evangelist whose name is prefixed to the second Gospel. He was almost certainly the same as the "John whose surname was Mark," mentioned in Acts xii: 12, 25. The name John was Jewish; Mark (Marcus) was Roman.
John Mark's mother lived at Jerusalem, her house being a resort of Christians (Acts xii: 12). He was nephew, cousin, or other relative of Barnabas (Col. iv: 10). On the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas, he went as their minister, but, while they were at Perga, left them, and returned to Jerusalem (Acts xii: 25; xiii: 13). Paul considered him fickle, but ultimately Mark gained anew the good opinion of the apostle, and attended on him during his final imprisonment (Col. iv: 10; Phil. 24). We read of him as being with Peter "at Babylon" (I Pet. v: 13). Afterward Paul desired his return to Rome (II Tim. iv: 11). Tradition is scanty and contradictory as to his subsequent career.
The Gospel according to St. Mark: The second of the Gospels, almost universally attributed to the John Mark of this article. The writer was evidently a Jew, or at least familiar with Judea; but his Gospel was specially designed for the Gentiles. Except in recording the discourses of Jesus, he nowhere shows that any incident narrated fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, and the term "law," in the sense of the Mosaic law, nowhere occurs. Statements likely to give offense to the Gentiles are also omitted (see Matt. x: 5, 6, and Mark vi: 7-11). His Gospel seems to have been written at Rome, though there are a few suffrages in favor of Alexandria. If addressed especially to any Gentile nationality, it was to the Romans. Mark records the miracles more than the discourses of Jesus. His style is more precise and graphic than that of the other evangelists. The language approaches more closely to that of Matthew than to that of Luke. The last MARL