Yet To Be #111

iconography in art history

Day 22 Gospel of Mark continued…

Breakdown of the Gospel of Mark

  1. Jesus begins his public ministry, 1:1 – 1:20
  2. Jesus’ public ministry, 1:21 – 10:52
  3. Jesus’ last week, 11:1 – 15:47
  4. Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, 16: 1 – 16:20

General fact

In western art the four evangelists were represented by symbols originate from the four living creatures in the Book of Ezekiel chapter 1 and the book of Revelation.  This is called in Christian art iconography.  Iconography studies the identification, description and interpretation of the content of images. The four are symbolically embodied by the four Seraphims commonly found in Romanesque Art. 

Yet To Be #109 & 110

The gospels are called synoptic gospels

Day 20 and 21 Part 11 and 12

What’s in a title…

Looking at a few facts on the Gospel of Mark.

  

  1. Jesus is represented as the Servant.
  2. Mark is the shortest of the four gospels. John Mark uses concise and active language to tell his story of the life of Jesus.
  3. This book is considered the oldest of the four synoptic gospels written between 60 and 80 CE ( current era).
  4. The Gospels are called Synoptic Gospels because they tell something in a similar way.
  5. It is believed that the audience he wrote to was for the Gentiles.
  6. Written by John Mark who was a follower of Peter and what scholars call an apostolic man.
  7. The gospel writers are called “evangelists” as people who proclaim the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
  8. Most chapters or sentences begin with the word “and” but the Greek word “euthus” is translated as “immediately” or “then” is used 46 times.

The book jumps right into Jesus’ acts by omitting his birth and leaping straight to his baptism and ministry.  He is the Servant of God, doing the work the Father sent him here to do meanwhile, he is also the lowly man performing deeds for his people.  He brought himself down, making “himself of no reputation and took upon himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man” to understand us, to feel and be a part of us. – post #96

Yet To Be #96

He is touched by the feelings of our infirmitie

Day 7 Who Can Declare God but God…

There are the other two gospels, Mark and Luke not mentioned in the last post but still hold great importance declaring his character in a name.


The gospel of Mark was written between the mid-50s to 60s AD by John Mark. The same John Mark in the book of Acts deserted Paul and Barnabas but came back to work with Barnabas on mission work. Peter later called him his “son”.


Mark presents Jesus as the Servant, a person who performs duties for others. In this book, the Son of God is a lowly man walking this pathway on earth in perfect obedience to the Father. Verse one introduces the entire book by stating this is the good news of Jesus Christ, the gospel, the Son of God. Here too the author calls him Jesus, his earthly name in conjunction with the title Christ, the Messiah, the promised King, the anointed one, and then solidifies the truth that by calling Jesus as the Son of God, his divine person.


The book jumps right into his acts by omitting his birth and leaping straight to his baptism and ministry. He is the Servant of God, doing the work the Father sent him here to do meanwhile, he is also the lowly man performing deeds for his people. He brought himself down, making “himself of no reputation and took upon himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man” to understand us, to feel and be a part of us.


He is touched by the feelings of our infirmities (our weakness)but in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin, meaning he is God and therefore holy. And though, he is the Son of God, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.
(reference: Mark 1 verse 1, Hebrews 4 verse 15, Philippians 2 verse 7, and Hebrews 5 verse 8)