Our scripture today is Mark 1:1 (ESV).
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The Gospel of Mark is known for being brief and to the point. He opens with a firm declarative statement – Jesus is the Son of God. Most scholars agree that Mark is the oldest Gospel, dating it between 65 – 75 AD, ten to twenty years before the other Gospels. Realize these are all “guestimates” based on other references. Why does this matter? It isn’t as important as anything Jesus taught us, but knowing a little background about when it was written can help us better understand the way people would have seen it, and then better apply the lessons to our lives. Mark can sometimes sound like the condensed version of other Gospels, even though it was written first. Look for examples of “immediately” or similar wording in your Bible version. He points us to urgent action. Mark is all about God’s will being done right now!
Loving Lord, help us when we seem slow in our discipleship. Spur us to use Your gifts in the world that all Your children may know Your love. Amen.
