Gloriographs by Rick Reynolds

Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. 2 Timothy 4:11

If you’re like me, you see yourself in the Bible, not so much in its theology, but in its character studies. That’s probably on purpose. We learn better with examples. Am I the prodigal son or his jealous brother? Am I Philip questioning Jesus about where they’ll find or pay for enough food for 5,000 people at this hour, or sadly wagging my head like Andrew with just five barley loaves and two fishes in hand? Am I the thief on the cross hurling abuse at Jesus or the one asking for a pardon? Am I Peter pronouncing Jesus as “the Christ,” or the cowardly cloaked man in the courtyard denying him with an “oath.” From these examples, you know there are more than enough real characters in the Bible to go around!

At this stage of my life, having been there, done that in many respects, having been in church early enough to turn on the lights and late enough to turn them off, having sat at the table with great men of the faith, and then losing my place, I can’t help but to align myself with John Mark, or Mark for short. Most know him as the author of the second gospel, but he’s perhaps best known for abandoning Paul and cousin Barnabas on the first official missionary journey of the fledgling Christian church.

Mark is somewhat of an enigma. Astute enough to pen part of God’s word and also humble enough, at least for a while, to carry scrolls for Paul as he evangelized the lost. To manage the first task, he’d have to thoroughly investigate the life and ministry of Christ, but he was, like Luke, on the periphery of Jesus’ ministry, nowhere near the inner circle like Matthew and John. Somehow, the Lord had to manage his life in such a way that he’d rub shoulders with the right people.

It all seemed to start with his mother, who was influential enough to use her home as a gathering place for the early church, as Peter made his way there after being released from jail by an angel (Acts 12). Mark also seemed tight with his cousin Barnabas, a highly regarded encourager in the early church, so much so Barnabas put him up for the position of “helper” on the first missionary tour, and ultimately fought for his inclusion on Paul’s team for a later mission.

“Thus Barnabas and Saul began their mission in the synagogues of the city, and John Mark was with them as their helper (hypēretēs). Jewish grave inscriptions and various papyri use the word hypēretēs in the sense of a synagogue attendant, as does Luke also in his Gospel (4:20). This has caused many to view John Mark’s responsibilities within the missionary party as related to caring for the scrolls (the Scriptures, together with a possible “Sayings of Jesus” collection) and serving as a catechist for new converts.”¹

Despite his upside, Mark had to live with his decision to abandon the team in Pamphylia (Acts 13:13) for the rest of his life. The words said about him when he left the first time and likely what was overheard when Paul and Barnabas had their heated discussion about him rejoining the team (Acts 15:36-41) were indelible marks on his psyche. You can go a long way on a good compliment from a respected mentor but be scarred for life by the “honest” assessment of the church janitor. But there was some solace in Barnabas’ undying commitment to his cousin, and no doubt in his trademark encouraging words. Nevertheless, the fact that Paul found him untrustworthy or unreliable no doubt bounced around in his brain until the day he died, even after he reassumed a role in that great missionary’s life.

There is much conjecture regarding why Mark left, but it had to be much more than homesickness or an inability to withstand the rigors of life on the road. He did leave Pamphylia for Jerusalem on his own. Given a full-orbed view of the young man, his upbringing, and family ties, there is a possibility that he and Paul did not see eye to eye on the implications of the conversion of Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul (Acts 13:7,12). It was at this time Saul assumed the name Paul and became the team’s leader. While Barnabas might have chalked it up to “that’s just Paul” and deferred to the firebrand, Mark may have verbally contended with him or began to actively or passively resist his leadership. We’ve all been at a point where we are conflicted, and perhaps Paul was oblivious to the signs. Whatever the case, all conjecture aside, Mark abandoned the mission.

Gradually, Paul must have warmed back up to Mark, issuing positive instructions to the churches about him (Colossians 4:10, Philemon 23), and then desiring his presence in his final days because he was “useful to him for service.” (2 Timothy 4:11) Since Timothy was summoned as well, it is likely that Mark brought something different to the table. In what way would he be “useful” to Paul? What service would he render? In that cold damp dungeon, perhaps Paul wanted and needed more than a physician (Luke) or a pastor (Timothy) at his side, but a preacher, someone who could inspire him from the very scriptures that he carried on his back!

As to Peter, there is some mystery regarding Mark’s relationship with him. We only know that he returned to Jerusalem after leaving Paul and Barnabas, and because of his mother’s early connections with Peter, he perhaps sought him out to enjoy his personality type in contrast to that of Paul. What we know is that Mark’s gospel and theology had to be well informed by eyewitnesses like Peter (who better?). Center to his future work were the words and works of Jesus learned from this sanguine man of action. Perhaps this is why Mark uses the word “immediately” 40 times in his gospel!

12 Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark. 1 Peter 5:12–13

In the end, Peter considers Mark to be his “son,” an endearing term for someone who’d become “flesh and blood.” More importantly, Peter had a particular understanding of failure. While Mark’s relationship with Paul was intimidating in many respects throughout his life, he probably received a soft and understanding shoulder from Peter, who knew firsthand the emotions and self-doubt created by his denial of Christ around that campfire

Finally, I can’t help but think cinematically about Timothy finally getting Paul’s letter in his hand and the urgency required at that point to get moving. He needed to get the cloak at Troas and pick Mark up somewhere along the way. He must have wondered if Mark would be a “hard sell” given his spotty history with the Apostle. Time was of the essence. There was a long journey ahead of them by land and sea to arrive before the executioner’s blade swiftly fell. But Mark likely responded with the same urgency upon hearing and reading the words, “he is useful to me for service.” These were music to his ears and the salve he so desperately needed before Paul would abandon him!

So we could have Mark with Paul in Nero’s Rome before he was beheaded, inferred from his request of Timothy and Mark to come, and Mark in Rome with Peter as well, thought to have been crucified upside down a little later. Whether or not Mark was present at the deaths of these great men, his close associations with both would be motivation enough to tell a well-researched and compelling story of the suffering and humanity of Christ (from MacArthur’s Commentary) but perhaps more strongly influenced by Peter.

One last cinematic thought. Paul had broken the surly bonds of this earth. With sadness, Timothy is left with the cloak in one hand and the parchments in the other, standing with Mark at a fork of a cobblestone road. They would go their separate ways. Mark was eager to find Peter. Timothy would return to Asia. The sun is rising in the east. Timothy says to Mark as he hands him the scrolls, “It’s only fitting.”

¹Longenecker, R. N. (1981). The Acts of the Apostles. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: John and Acts (Vol. 9, p. 419). Zondervan Publishing House.