This quarter's lessons are taken from the Gospel as written by John Mark.

Who was John Mark?

John Mark was a young man living during the the time of Christ.
His father was most likely, a Gentile, (so we see John Mark having a Roman name, Mark}
His mother was Jewish (Thus John Mark was considered Jewish as well)

Colossians 4:10 says that Mark was a cousin to Barnabas.

It is suggested that his mother Mary, a aunt to Barnabas, married a Gentile and was not in Jerusalem during the earlier ministry of Jesus, and when her husband died, she, with her son, moved back to her families estate in Jerusalem. She was a fairly wealthy woman, and appears rather suddenly as a strong supporter of the early Christian church.
John Mark was not a follower of Jesus in his early ministry, probably because he, with his mother were not in Judea during those earlier years.
Another tradition, maintains that the Last Supper (Mark 14) was held in the home of Mary. This is based on the text that the church also gathered in her home to pray for Peter when he was in prison. (Acts 12:12)
The tradition points to Mark 14:51-52, suggesting the young man that lost his garment while fleeing from Christ's captors, was John Mark, who, being intrigued by Jesus, and wanting to know more about Him, had secretly followed Jesus and His disciples as they left the upper room of the house and went to Gethsemane. He was hiding in the bushes watching as the mob came to arrest Jesus, a temple servant spied John Mark in the bushes and tried to catch him.

Next we see John Mark with his cousin Barnabas joining Paul (Saul) on his first mission trip.
John Mark is not used to the rigors of missionary life, and probably complained some and was reprimanded, and finally left on the first ship he could find that took him back home to Jerusalem. (Acts 13:5)

Time passes and Barnabas and Paul come home. Barnabas probably spent time with his aunt and nephew and told them all about the mission trip and the churches they raised. John Mark expresses interest in trying to be a missionary again.

But when Paul and Barnabas make plans for a second journey, and Barnabas mentions John Mark would like to come with them, Paul is adamant, NO WAY! He is not taking that deserter with them again. The dispute becomes so sharp that Paul and Barnabas separate and Barnabas takes John Mark on a separate mission trip with him to Cyprus.

We don't hear too much more, but according to the letters of Paul and Peter, John Mark did become a reliable and good missionary and helper.
Paul refers to him as a ?fellow worker? (Philemon 24) and ?very useful to my ministry? (2 Timothy 4:11)

The early church unanimously claimed the Gospel of Mark was written by Mark the Evangelist, and that he was closely associated with Peter, basing the gospel on Peter?s account.