Mark’s gospel account starts with an impressive momentum and doesn’t let up.

There’s a sense of urgency and action that pervades the entire account. Matthew, Luke, and John all begin with backstory or genealogies to set the stage, but Mark’s account comes blazing out the gates. The very first verse sets the bar—this is “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). That’s who we’re talking about: the prophesied Messiah, the incarnate Son of God.

In the first eight verses, Mark covers events that take Matthew and Luke three chapters to get to, and that’s his general pace. We see John the Baptist. Jesus is baptized. Satan tempts Him. Christ’s ministry begins. The disciples are called. Demons are cast out, people are healed, the news begins to spread. And that’s just chapter one.

Mark uses something called the historical present tense 151 times in his gospel—”a Greek construction that uses present tense verbs in narrative to describe past actions” (Mark L. Strauss, Mark, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, p. 46). He also uses the Greek word euthys (usually translated “immediately”) 41 times.

The result is something that creates “a vivid style, like an on-the-spot report” (ibid.). For example—the NKJV translates Mark 1:12 as, “Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness,” but Mark’s use of the historical present tense means he wrote something closer to, “Immediately the Spirit is driving Him into the wilderness.”

It’s happening fast, and it’s happening right now. When you read Mark’s account, you’re in the thick of the action. Gears are turning, balances are shifting—the great pivotal moment in the plan of God is unfolding all around you at a breakneck speed.

Extrabiblical tradition credits John Mark as the author of this gospel, who compiled the account from the preaching of the apostle Peter. If that’s true (and the evidence for it seems to be pretty strong), then what we have in the gospel of Mark is an energetic account from the disciple who was always on the move—always ready to take the next step.

To me, the reason for all Mark’s hurriedness and immediacy is because the most important part of the story is what it’s building toward. Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God, came for a purpose. A reason. And every step along the way—every conversation, every miracle, every teaching, every confrontation—was all building toward the sacrifice and resurrection that would move the plan of God one step closer to its inevitable and glorious fulfillment. I think Mark’s account sprints from the baptism to the cross because the story is so important—because he knew how important it was for people to hear it and spread it—and so he runs there just like Peter ran to the tomb (John 20:3-8).

With Passover rushing toward us, now seems like a great time to run alongside Mark and Peter in reading through this shortest gospel account. On Monday, we’re wrapping up our month in the book of Proverbs over at Read & Reflect, and on Tuesday, we’ll start trekking through Mark’s words. We’ll finish up in the middle of the Days of Unleavened Bread—I hope you’ll join us!