Features of Mark's Gospel

1. The shortest and “least literary” gospel

2.Begins abruptly and ends abruptly

3.The least-read, least-quoted gospel

4.Probably written by a non-Jewish Christian community living outside Israel

5.Little knowledge of Judean geography, Aramaic, or Jewish scriptures

6.Structure is the basis for both Matthew and Luke

Questions Answered by Mark's Gospel

What was important about Jesus’s life?
Why did Jesus die?
Why is the End delayed? When will it arrive?
Why have Jews abandoned the movement?
What was the source of Jesus’s power?
If he was so powerful, why wasn’t he recognized during his lifetime?
Who belongs to the New Covenant?