In our last visit we began a “3C” biographical study of the life of Mark. Barnabas, who was an older cousin to Mark, took him under his wing and groomed him for Christian service.
There are few details about this happening, but it’s clear Peter knew him because of spending time in the home of Mary, Mark’s mother, where the believers in Jerusalem often gathered. In fact, when Peter was miraculously delivered from prison he instinctively went to that home and found believers gathered there praying for him (Acts 12:12). No doubt Mark was present that night.
Peter mentions Mark in his 1st letter, passing on greetings from him and referring to him as “my son” (1st Peter 5:13). This suggests he led Mark to the Lord and later made him a member of his team. It is generally agreed that as they traveled together and he heard Peter preach and recount stories about his time with Jesus, Mark took notes and eventually wrote the Gospel of Mark based on what Peter had shared.
In a couple of places in his letters Paul passes on greetings from Mark and lists him as a Jewish fellow worker ((Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24). Finally, while in prison in Rome Paul writes to Timothy and encourages him to “get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry” (2nd Timothy 4:11). The one Paul once called a deserter was now considered profitable.
On one occasion he wrote the church in Colosse, if Mark “comes to you, welcome him” for he is a fellow worker for the kingdom of God, and has “proved a comfort to me” (Colossians 4:10-11).
