This coming Monday, we begin to read the Book of Mark together as a congregation. Each weekday you will receive in your inbox at 6am, an email with the scripture for the day, a commentary written by one of the pastors or a group leader of St. Andrew’s, plus a play list of both Traditional and Contemporary Christian music you can enjoy this Lenten season.
If you have never read Mark before, you might be surprised to find it begins with the baptism of Jesus as an adult. There is no birth narrative in this gospel. It also ends differently than the other gospels which you will learn more about on Easter Morning. Of the four gospels, this is the shortest and most concise book. It is also the oldest of the gospels, written around A.D. 65-70. Most scholars believe Mark was written first because Matthew and Luke both contain Mark’s material, almost word for word. It is as if they both had a copy of Mark in front of them as they sat down to write their experiences of Jesus.
The Book of Mark is written at a time when there is strong skepticism by both Jews and Gentiles about Jesus and the message of the gospel. This was also a critical time in society as the Christian community was facing the threat of persecution for their beliefs. You can almost feel the author’s urgency to share the life of Jesus and the life a disciple of Jesus can expect. We are hoping you will read through the Book of Mark along with your St. Andrew’s family as both an opportunity to be discipled by the Word of God and to be challenged in this Lenten Season.