Characters Appearing or Mentioned in Mark:
- Biblical Figures from Ancient Israel:
- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (12:26; cf. Exod 3:6, 15-16)
- Moses, the Lawgiver (1:44; 7:10; 9:4-5; 10:3-4; 12:19, 26)
- David, the King (2:25; 11:10; 12:35-37; cf. "Son of David" in 10:47-48)
- Abiathar, a High Priest (2:26; cf. Ahimelek in 1 Sam 21:2-7)
- Elijah, the Prophet (6:15; 8:28; 9:4-5; 9:11-13; 15:35-36)
- Isaiah, the Prophet (1:2; 7:6)
- Names for Demonic Forces:
- Satan (1:13; 3:23, 26; 4:15; 8:33)
- unclean spirits (1:21-28; 3:11; 5:2; 6:7; etc.)
- demons & demoniacs (1:32-34, 39; 3:15; 6:13; :26; etc.)
- Beelzebul, the "prince of demons" (3:20-30)
- "Legion" - inhabiting the Gerasene demoniac (5:1-20)
- Religious and/or Political Leaders in First-Century Palestine:
- John the Baptist (1:4-9, 14; 2:18; 6:14-29; 8:28; 11:30-32)
- Herod [Antipas], Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea (6:14-28; 8:15)
- [Herod] Philip, Tetrarch of Northeastern Regions (6:17)
- Herodias (Philip's wife) and her daughter (6:17, 19, 22)
- High Priest (14:53-66, but not named in Mark)
- [Pontius] Pilate, the Roman Governor (15:1-45)
- Barabbas, a rebel (15:7, 11, 15)
- Jesus' Family:
- Mary, his mother (named only in 6:3; “mother” also mentioned in 3:31-35)
- Jesus’ “brothers”: James, Joses, Judas, Simon (6:3; cf. 3:21, 31-35)
- Jesus’ “sisters” (mentioned, but never named; 3:32; 6:3; cf. 10:29-30)
- Mary, mother of James the younger and of Joses (15:40, 47; 16:1)
- Note: “Joseph” is never mentioned in Mark!
- Twelve Apostles:
- The word “apostles” is used only twice (3:14; 6:30)
- The group as a whole is also referred to as “the Twelve”
(3:14, 16; 4:10; 6:7; 9:35; 10:32; 11:11; 14:10, 17, 20, 43)
- Individual Apostles mentioned only once (3:16-19):
- Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas,
James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananaean
- Individual Apostles also mentioned elsewhere in Mark:
- Simon & Andrew, James & John (1:16-20; 1:29; 3:16-18; 13:3)
- Simon Peter alone (called “Simon” in 1:29, 30, 36;
called “Simon Peter” in 3:16; 14:37;
called “Peter” in
8:29, 32-33; 9:5; 10:28; 11:21; 14:29, 54, 66-72; 16:7, [9])
- Peter, James, and John together (5:37; 9:2; 10:35, 41; 14:33)
- James and John, the sons of Zebedee, together (1:19-20; 10:35-41);
also called Boanerges = “sons of thunder” (3:17 only)
- John (son of Zebedee) alone (9:38)
- Judas Iscariot (3:19; 14:10-11, 43-45)
- "The eleven" (twelve minus Judas) are mentioned only in 16:14,
in the later ending of Mark (cf. Matt 28:16; Luke 24:9, 33; Acts 1:26; 2:14)
- Other Named Disciples:
- Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, a blind beggar (10:46-52 only)
- Jairus, a synagogue ruler, & his daughter & wife (5:21-43 only)
- Joseph of Arimathea (15:43-46 only)
- Levi, son of Alphaeus, a tax collector (2:14 only; cf. Matt 9:9)
- Mary Magdalene (15:40-47; 16:1-8; [16:9])
- Salome, woman at the tomb (15:40; 16:1)
- Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus (15:21 only)
- Simon the Leper (14:3 only)
- Anonymous Individuals:
- Simon’s mother-in-law (1:29-30)
- Gerasene demoniac (5:1-20)
- a woman with a flow of blood (5:25-34)
- the mother of Herodias (6:24, 28)
- a soldier of Herod’s guard (6:27)
- a Syro-Phoenician Woman (7:24-30)
- two of Jesus’ disciples (11:1-7; 14:13-16)
- a “good” scribe (12:28-34)
- one of Jesus’ disciples (13:1)
- woman who anoints Jesus' head (14:3-9)
- a slave of the high priest (14:47)
- a young man who runs away from Gethsemane naked (14:51-52)
- a servant-girl of the high priest (14:66-69)
- [two anonymous disciples] - ([only 16:12-13]; cf. Luke 24:13-35)
- Jewish Groups of First-Century Palestine:
- Pharisees (2:18, 24; 3:6; 7:1-13; 8:11, 15; 10:2; 12:13)
- Herodians (3:6; 12:13 only)
- Sadducees (12:18 only)
- disciples of Jesus (2:15-16, 23; 3:7, 9; 4:34; 6:1; etc. often)
- disciples of John the Baptist (2:18; 6:29 only)
- disciples of the Pharisees (2:18 only)
- scribes of the Pharisees (2:16 only)
- scribes and Pharisees (7:1, 5)
- scribes alone (1:22; 2:6; 3:22; 9:11, 14; 12:35, 38)
- chief priests, scribes and elders together (8:31; 11:27; 14:43, 53; 15:1)
- chief priests and scribes together (10:33; 11:18; 14:1; 15:31)
- chief priests alone (14:10; 15:3, 10-11)
- priests alone (1:44; 2:26)
- elders alone (7:5)
- the council (14:55; 15:1, 43)
- Jews (7:3 only; cf. 15:2-26)
- Generic Groups of Characters:
- lepers (1:40-45; 14:3)
- crowds (2:4, 13; 3:9, 20, 32; 4:1, 36; 5:21; etc. often)
- tax collectors (2:14-17; cf. 12:14)
- sinners (2:15-17; 14:41)
- bystanders who challenge Jesus' disciples (11:5)
- guards (14:54, 65)
- witnesses at Jesus’ trial (14:57-59)
- bystanders in the court of the high priest (14:69-70)
- bystanders at the crucifixion (15:35)
- Characters mentioned in the other Gospels, but not in Mark:
- OT characters: Sarah; Hagar; Judah; Joseph
- NT characters:
- Zechariah & Elizabeth (parents of John the Baptist)
- Joseph (husband of Mary)
- Simeon & Anna (prophets in the temple)
- Nathanael
- Martha & Mary & Lazarus of Bethany
- Zacchaeus
- Annas & Caiaphas (high priests)
- Nicodemus
- Malchus
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Place Names and Locations in Mark:
- Judea and Environs:
- wilderness [of Judea] (1:3-4, 12-13)
- Jordan [river] (1:5, 9)
- Idumea = region south of Judea (3:8)
- Perea = region "beyond the Jordan" (3:8; 10:1)
- Judea, as a region (3:8; 10:1; 13:4)
- Jericho (10:46)
- Galilee:
- Nazareth, Jesus' hometown (1:9, 24; 10:47; 14:67; 16:6), and its synagogue (6:1-6)
- Galilee, as a region (1:14, 39; 9:30; 14:28; 16:7; etc.)
- Sea of Galilee and its shores (1:16; 2:13; 3:7; 4:1, 35; etc.)
- Capernaum (1:21; 2:1; 9:33), including:
- the synagogue (1:21),
- the house of Simon & Andrew (1:29),
- a tax booth (2:14),
- and Jesus' own home? (2:1; 3:19; 9:33)
- Galilean towns (1:38, 45; etc.), grainfields (2:23), a mountain (3:9),
villages (6:6), isolated rural spots (6:31)
- Gennesaret (6:53)
- Dalmanutha [or Magdala?] (8:10)
- "high mountain" (9:2, 9; not named; maybe Mt. Tabor? or Mt. Hermon?)
- Regions North and/or East of Galilee:
- Bethsaida (6:45; 8:22)
- Caesarea Philippi (8:27)
- Gentile Areas, outside of Israel:
- Tyre & Sidon (3:8; 7:24, 31)
- "the other side" [of the Sea of Galilee] (4:35; 5:1, 21; 6:45; 8:13)
- Gerasene [or Gadarene] region (5:1)
- Decapolis, a league of "ten cities" (5:20; 7:31)
- Near and In Jerusalem:
- Jerusalem (3:8; 7:1; 10:32; most of ch. 11--16), including:
- the temple (11:11, 15, 27; 12:35)
- the treasury (12:41)
- the "upper room" (14:13-15)
- the High Priest's house (14:53)
- the praetorium [Roman Governor's palace] (15:1-20)
- Bethphage (11:1), and a nearby village (11:2)
- Bethany (11:1-12; 14:3), incl. the house of Simon the Leper (11:3)
- Mount of Olives (11:1; 13:3; 14:26)
- Gethsemane (14:32)
- Golgotha = "Place of the Skull" (15:22)
- Tomb, where Jesus was buried (15:46-47; 16:1-8)
- See also the NT Geography Webpage
Key Events in Mark's Gospel:
- Gospel Introduction (1:1-15):
- Baptism of Jesus (1:9-11; cf. 10:38-39)
- Temptation in the Wilderness (1:12-13)
- Jesus' Initial Public Preaching (1:14-15)
- Public Ministry in and near Galilee (1:16—8:21):
- Central Section: Journey to Jerusalem (8:22—10:52):
- Confession of Peter (8:27-30)
- Passion Predictions (8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34)
- Transfiguration (9:2-8)
- Journey to Jerusalem (10:1-52)
- The Final Week in Jerusalem (11:1—13:37):
- Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (11:1-11)
- Incident in the Temple (11:15-19)
- Cursing of the Fig Tree (12:12-14, 20-24)
- Apocalyptic Discourse (13:1-37)
- The Passion Narrative (14:1—15:47):
- Passover [festival] (14:1, 12-25)
- Anointing at Bethany (14:3-9)
- Last Supper (14:12-25)
- Judas' Betrayal (14:10-11, 42-50; cf. 3:19; 9:31)
- Peter's Denial (14:26-31, 66-72)
- Crucifixion & Burial (15:21-47)
- Jesus' Resurrection & Gospel Conclusion (16:1-8):
- Empty Tomb story (16:1-8); Original Ending at 16:8
- Later Additions:
- Shorter Ending (not numbered)
- Longer Ending [16:9-20, mentioning Resurrection Appearances,
mostly summaries of material from Mt & Lk & Jn]
- See also the Synoptic Outlines Webpage
Main Titles for Jesus used in Mark:
- Christ [= Messiah] (1:1; 8:29; 9:41; 12:35; 13:21; 14:61; 15:32)
- Son of God (1:1; 3:11), equivalent to:
- Son of the Most High God (5:7)
- My Son, the Beloved (1:11; 9:7)
- Holy One of God (1:24)
- Son of the Blessed One (14:61)
- Son of Man (2:10, 28; 8:31, 38; 9:9; etc.)
- Teacher (4:38; 5:35; 9:17, 38; etc.) = Rabbi (9:5; 11:21; 14:45)
- Prophet (6:4; 8:28)
- Lord = Master = Sir (7:28; 11:3; 12:35-37)
- Son of David (10:47-48; 12:35)
- King of the Jews (15:2-26) = King of Israel (15:32)
- See also the Christological Titles Webpage
Other Important Terms in Mark:
- Gospel vs. gospel (1:1, 14-15; 8:35; 10:29; 13:10; 14:9; [16:15])
- immediately (42 times in Mk; 12 times already in chap. 1)
- Kingdom/Reign of God (1:15; 4:11, 26, 30; 9:1, 47; 10:14-15, 23-25; 11:10; 12:34; 14:25; 15:43)
- sabbath (1:21; 2:23-28; 3:2, 4; 6:2; 16:1, 2; [16:9])
- commandments of Moses / of God (1:44; 7:8-13; 10:2-9, 19-20; 12:28-34)
- traditions of the Pharisees (7:1-23)
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