Trading Places

Being somewhat of a history buff, I often catch myself wondering if I would like to trade places with the character I am reading about. In some cases, it would be pleasant and exciting. In other cases, it would be frightening. I often do that with Biblical characters. The thrill of being with the Lord, on almost any recorded occasion, would be hard to grasp, especially at the tomb of Lazarus, in John 11. Or seeing Jesus heal the man born blind (John 9), and the comedic circus that followed.

One character that I think I would like to trade places with is John Mark. I wouldn’t even have to trade places with him, if I could have just been with him. His life would have allowed me to brush shoulders with many great Christians, whose names are captured in the books of the New Testament.

Consider some of these references to Mark in the New Testament. First, although not mentioned by name in the Gospel bearing his name, Mark is almost universally credited with penning the second gospel of Jesus Christ. Interestingly, secular tradition points to Mark scribing Simon Peter’s account of the life of Christ, based on Mark’s having heard Peter speak of his time with our Lord, or writing as Peter dictated his story. When Peter miraculously escaped from prison in Jerusalem, in Acts 12, he immediately went to the home of Mark’s mother, where the Christians in Jerusalem had gathered for prayer. The connection between Mark and Peter is again stated at the end of 1 Peter 5, when Simon Peter refers to him as “my son”, and likely companion in Babylon (Rome). He appears to have been “exposed” as being with Jesus and His disciples in the garden, on the night of Jesus’ arrest, in Mark 14:51f. This reference also provides a basis for Mark’s authorship of the second Gospel account. Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, at least as far as Perga in Pamphylia. When the prospects of a second missionary journey arose, Barnabas insisted on taking Mark along, much to Paul’s dislike. When the argument was settled, Paul and Barnabas separated, with Paul taking Silas, and Barnabas took Mark and left for Cyprus. That’s understandable, because Mark and Barnabas were cousins, Colossians 4:10. Ultimately, Paul put aside his past differences with Mark, as referenced in Paul’s statement, in Colossians 4:11, “these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision”. Mark is included in “these”. And in Paul’s last will and testament, 2 Timothy, he asks Timothy to “pick up Mark and bring him with you, he is useful to me.” When Paul faced the end of his life, he asked for Timothy, his books, his coat, and John Mark, all “necessities” at that time for Paul.

Peter? The twelve? Jesus? Paul? Barnabas? Silas? Perhaps Luke? That’s quite a list of associates for one lifetime. Would you trade places with John Mark? Wouldn’t it be nice to have Paul describe us as “fellow workers for the kingdom of God”? Hopefully, he can. Or, how would we feel if Peter called us his “son”?

Don’t you wish Mark had a blog?