In the following article you will find a brief commentary on Mark 1 that goes along with our Riverside Church Two Year Bible Reading Plan (Volume 1 & Volume 2). This plan will allow you to read the New Testament and Psalms once every year and the Old Testament once every two years.
Mark 1
Follow Me
The Gospel of Mark is probably the earliest of the Synoptic Gospels (see Blog for January 12, 2014 on Matthew 12-14). John Mark writes from the perspective of the Apostle Peter, recording what Peter passed on to him.
Mark’s gospel is concise and action packed. We gain a powerful overview of the ministry of our Lord as the narrative moves quickly from verse to verse. There is no birth account as we begin with only a brief summary of the forerunner, John the Baptist, and of Jesus’ baptism and temptation experience.
Here in chapter 1 the first disciples are called. Jesus motivates his followers with two things: First, with Himself (“Follow me!”). Secondly, he invites the new disciples to come with him to change the world (“… and I will make you become fishers of men”).
The invitation is to know Jesus, to follow his life and example, to be a disciple and to make disciples – this is Mark’s theme. May you encounter the risen Lord Jesus as you meditate on God’s word and follow Him!
