Gospel of Mark Series
A couple of years ago, I started studying the Gospel of Mark. Instead of simply keeping a journal, I thought it might be good to record my journey through the Gospel as part of my blog. This is a collection of thoughts, rather than a ‘commentary’ on the Gospel. Links to each reflection are below (scroll down to see the list).
Along the way, I make reference to a number of real commentaries which I have been using. You can see details of these sources here.
I’m not interested in stats, but I have been encouraged by the number of people who have visited the posts on Mark, and especially to those who have offered me comments and feedback along the way. If you find anything which interests you, do leave a comment or get in touch.
Richard Jackson: Horsham,West Sussex

Gospel of Mark
Mark 1
- Introduction – Mark: The Authentic Voice
- Introduction – 400 Years of Silence
- Mark 1: 1-3 The Story Begins
- Mark 1:4 John Appeared
- Mark 1:5-8 John the Baptist – The Influencer
- Mark 1: 9-11 Christ – Baptised
- Mark 1:12 Wilderness
- Mark 1:12-13 Temptation
- Mark 1:13 Animals and Angels
- Mark 1:14 After John was Arrested
- Mark 1: 14-15 The Time has Come
- Mark 1:15 Repentance
- Mark 1:16-20 Follow Me
- Mark 1: 21-22 Amazed at His Teaching
- Mark 1: 23 – 28 Amazed at His Power
- Mark 1: 29-31 The Man with the Power of God
- Mark 1: 35 – 39 Prayer, Passion and Preaching
- Mark 1: 40-45A Touching the Untouchable
- Mark 1: 45B Fame, Celebrity and the Son of Man
Mark 2
- Mark 2:1-2 Capernaum
- Mark 2: 3-12 (Part 1) Forgiven – even for Trashing the Roof!
- Mark 2:3-12 (Part 2) Decision Time!
- Mark 2:13-14 The Tax Collector
- Mark 2:15-18 Dinner with the Bad Boys
- Mark 2:18-20 Fast or Feast
- Mark2:21-22 Matchless Distinctiveness of the Gospel
- Mark 2:23-18 Lord of the Sabbath
Mark 3
- Mark 3:1-6 Healing on the Sabbath
- Mark 3: 7-12 Pursued by the Crowd
- Mark 3:13-19 Twelve Men who Changed the World
- Mark 3:13-19 (Part 2) Why Twelve?
- Mark 3:17 James and John – Boanerges
- Mark 3:20-21 and 31-35: ‘He must be mad!’
- Mark 3:22-27: Divided Kingdom
- Mark 3:28-29: The Unforgivable Sin
- Mark 3:20-31-35: ‘He must be mad!’
Mark 4
- Mark 4:1-2 ‘The perfect place to preach’
- Mark 4:2-9 ‘Parables – The Sower’
- Mark 4:10-12 ‘Parables’
- Mark 4:11-22 ‘Pointing out the Obvious?’
- Mark 4:21-29 ‘Three Proverbial Sayings’
- Mark 4:21-23 ‘Lamp on the Stand’
- Mark 4:24-25 ‘Consider Carefully What You Hear’
- Mark 4:26-29 ‘The Growing Seed’
- Mark 4:30-32 ‘Parable of the Mustard Seed’
- Mark 4:33-34 ‘Parables – Timeless Stories’
- Mark 4:35-41 ‘Calming the Storm’
Mark 5
- Mark 5:1-2: ‘After the Storm’
- Mark 5: 1-20: ‘My name is Legion’
- Mark 5:21: ‘How big was that crowd?’
- Mark 5:21-24: Jairus – Part 1
- Mark 5: 24-34: ‘Who touched my clothes?’
- Mark 5:35-43: Jairus – Part 2
Mark 6
- Mark 6:30-34 Come Away with Me
- Mark 6:35-44 Five loaves and two fishes
- Mark 6:45 – 46 Ambition, Temptation and the Presence of God
- Mark 6:47-52: Walking on Water
- Mark 6:53-56 Celebrity
Mark 7
- Mark 7:1-8 Laws, Traditions and Misunderstandings (1)
- Mark 7: 9-13: Laws, Traditions and Misunderstandings (2)
- Mark 7:9 Follow Closely
- Mark 7: 14-23: You are Not What You Eat
- Mark 7:24-30: Humility and Faith in Unexpected Places
- Mark 7: 31-37: Ephphatha (Healing of the deaf and mute man)
Mark 8
- Mark 8:1-13 Feeding the 4000
- Mark 8:11-13 Pharisees Demand a Sign:
- Mark 8:14-21: Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod
- Mark 8: 22-26: The Blind Man at Bethsaida
- Mark 8:27-30: Peter’s Confession of Christ
- Mark 8:31-33: Jesus Predicts His Death (First Time)
- Mark 8:34-37: The Way of the Cross
- Mark 8:38: When Jesus comes into His Father’s Glory
Mark 9
- Mark 9:1: Truly I Tell You
- Mark 9:2-12 Transfiguration
- Mark 9:14-18 Coming Down from the Mountain
- Mark 9:14-29: Only Believe
- Mark 9: 30-32 Jesus Predicts His Death (Second Time)
- Mark 9:33-36: Who is the Greatest?
- Mark 9:37-40 Whoever is not against us
- Mark 9:41 A Cup of Water
- Mark 9:42 The Stumbling Block
Mark 10
- Mark 10:2-12: Divorce
- Mark 10:12-16: Little Children
- Mark 10:17-31: Rich Young Ruler – Part 1
- Mark 10:17-31: Rich Young Ruler – Part 2
- Mark 10:32-34: Jesus Predicts His Death (Third Time)
- Mark 10:35-45: Request of James and John
- Mark 10:46-52: Blind Bartimaeus
Mark 11
- Mark 11:1-3 Triumphal Entry (1) Preparation
- Mark 11:1-11 Triumphal Entry (2): About this donkey
- Mark 11:1-11 Triumphal Entry (3) Symbolism
- Zechariah 9:9 Triumphal Entry 4 ‘That Prophecy’
- Mark 11:12-25 Fig Tree and the Temple 1: The Markan Sandwich
- Mark 11:12-14 and 19-21 Fig Tree and the Temple 2: The Fig Tree
- Mark 11:15-18 Fig Tree and the Temple: Clearing the Temple
- Mark 11:22-25: Have Faith in God
- Mark 11:27-33: Jesus Authority Questioned
Mark 12
- Mark 12:1-12: Parable of the Tenants
- Mark 12:13-17 Give to Caesar What Belongs to Caesar
- Mark 12:18-27: Whose wife is she anyway
- Mark 12:28-34: The Greatest Commandment
- Mark 12:35-37: Whose Son is the Messiah
- Mark 12:38-40: Watch Out for Teachers of the Law
- Mark 12:41-44: The Widow’s Offering
Mark 13
- Mark 13:1-2: Temple Destroyed!
- Mark 13:1-8: Olivet Discourse 1
- Mark 13:9-13: Olivet Discourse 2 – ‘Stand Firm’
- Mark 13:14-25: Olivet Discourse 3 ‘The Abomination’
- Mark 13:14-23 Olivet Discourse 4: ‘Destruction of the Temple’
- Mark 13:14-27: Olivet Discourse 5: ‘The Second Coming’
- Mark 13:28-34: Olivet Discourse 6: Be on your guard
Mark 14
- Mark 14:1-2: The Final Countdown
- Mark 14:3-9: Jesus Anointed
- Mark14:10-11: Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
- Mark 14:13-16: Preparations for the Passover
- Mark 14: 17-21: Last Supper (1)
- Mark 14:22-26: Last Supper (2)
- Mark 14:27-31: You will all fall away
- Mark 14:32-51:Christ arrested
- Mark 14:53-65: Christ Before the High Priest
- Mark 14:66-72: Peter Disowns Jesus
Mark 15
- Mark 15:1-5: Jesus before Pilate
- Mark 15:6-15: ‘Release Barabbas’
- Mark 15:15: Scourging of Jesus
- Mark 15:16-20: Beaten. Mocked. Abused.
- Mark 15:21: Simon of Cyrene
- Mark 15:21-28: Crucified
- Mark 15:21-32: Insults, Laughter and Tears
- Mark 15:33-41: Death of Jesus – The end?
- Mark 15:42-47: Burial of Jesus
Mark 16