The gospel of Mark is the action gospel of the New Testament. It is fast moving gospel filled with the doings of Jesus. Four key ideas permeate this gospel. The ideas are housed in the words, Ministry, Miracles, Opposition and Passion.  The following is an outline of the gospel using these four words.

• Ministry: John the Baptist setups Jesus – Mark 1:1-13
• Ministry: Jesus begins His ministry – Mark 1:14-15
• Ministry: Jesus picks disciples. – Mark 1:16-20
• Miracles: Man with an Unclean Spirit Healed – Mark 1:21-28
• Miracles: Peter’s Mother-in-Law Healed – Mark 1:29-31
• Miracles: Multitudes healed – Mark 1:32-39
• Miracles: Leper Healed – Mark 1:40-45
• Miracles: Paralytic Healed – Mark 2:1-12
• Opposition: Pharisees Interrogate Jesus – Mark 2:13-28
• Miracles: Man with the Withered Hand Mark – 3:1-6
• Miracles: Many Healed – Mark 3:7-12
• Ministry: Disciples Empowered – Mark 3:13-19
• Opposition: Jesus Family – Mark 3:20-21
• Opposition: Pharisees Smear Jesus – Mark 3:22-30
• Opposition: Jesus Family on the Outside – Mark 3:31-35
• Ministry: Parable of the Sower – Mark 4:1-20
• Ministry: Parable of the Seed – Mark 4:21-29
• Ministry: Parable of the Mustard Seed – Mark 4:30-34
• Miracles: Jesus Calms the Storm – Mark 4:35-41
• Miracles: Jesus Heals the Demoniac – Mark 5:1-20
• Miracles: Jesus Heals Jairus Daughter – Mark 5:21-24, 35-43
• Miracles: Jesus Heals the Woman with the Issue of Blood – Mark 5:25-34
• Opposition: From Jesus Hometown – Mark 6:1-6
• Ministry: Jesus Sends the Disciples Out in Pairs – Mark 6:7-13
• Opposition: John the Baptist Beheaded – Mark 6:14-29
• Ministry: Jesus Feeds Five Thousand – Mark 6:30-44
• Miracles: Jesus Walks on Water – Mark 6:45-52
• Miracles: Jesus Heals As Many As Touch Him – Mark 6:53-56
• Opposition: Pharisees and the Tradition of the Elders – Mark 7:1-23
• Miracles: Jesus Heals the Syrophoenician Woman’s Daughter – Mark 7:24-30
• Miracles: Jesus Heals a Deaf Man with a Speech Impediement – Mark 7:31-37
• Miracles: Jesus Feeds Four Thousand – Mark 8:1-9
• Opposition: Pharisees Seek a Sign – Mark 8:10-13
• Ministry: Jesus Teaches on Leaven – Mark 8:14-21
• Miracles: Jesus Heals a Blind Man – Mark 8:22-26
• Ministry: Jesus Asks ‘Who Do You Say I Am?’ – Mark 8:27-30
• Passion: Jesus Speaks on His Coming Suffering – Mark 8:31-9:1
• Miracles: The Transfiguration – Mark 9:2-13
• Miracles: Jesus Heals a Boy with a Mute Spirit – Mark 9:14-29
• Passion: Jesus Reiterates His Coming Death – Mark 9:30-32
• Ministry: Jesus Teaches on Who is the Greatest – Mark 9:33-37
• Ministry: Jesus Teaches on the Danger of Offending Little Ones – Mark 9:38-50
• Opposition: Pharisees Test Jesus Using Divorce – Mark 10:1-12
• Ministry: Jesus Teaches about Children – Mark 10:13-16
• Ministry: Jesus Teaches a Man on Inheriting Eternal Life – Mark 10:17-31
• Passion: Jesus Speaks the Third Time about His Death – Mark 10:32-34
• Ministry: Jesus Teaches on Positions in the Kingdom – Mark 35-45
• Miracles: Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus – Mark 10:46-52
• Passion: The Crowd Cries Hosanna – Mark 11:1-11
• Ministry: Jesus Uses Figs to Teach on Faith and Forgiveness – Mark 11:12-14, 20-26
• Opposition: Jesus Opposes the Temple Scam – Mark 11:15-19
• Opposition: The Religious Cartel Questions Jesus Authority – Mark 11:27-33
• Ministry: Parable of the Vineyard – Mark 12:1-12
• Opposition: Pharisees and Herodian’s Try to Trap Jesus on Taxes – Mark 12:13-17
• Opposition: The Sadducees Question the Resurrection – Mark 12:18-27
• Ministry: Jesus Teaches on the Greatest Commandment – Mark 12:28-34
• Ministry: Jesus Teaches on Christ as the Son of David – Mark 12:35-37
• Opposition: Jesus Opposes the Religious Mafia – Mark 12:38-40
• Ministry: Jesus Teaches on Giving – Mark 12:41-44
• Ministry: Jesus Teaches on End Times – Mark 13:1-37
• Passion: Marks Version of the Narrative – Mark 14:1-15:47
• Passion: The Resurrection of Jesus – Mark 16:1-13
• Ministry: The Go into All the World Directive – Mark 16:14-20

Question: How do you see the gospel of Mark? What words would you use to describe what you see in this book?