John Mark

by Toms, A. F. | Category: Some Of Peter's Companions | May 1986

There was a young man in the Church of God in Jerusalem called John Mark. Peter refers to him at the close of his first epistle as Mark, my son, from which I conclude he'd had the privilege of leading him to Christ. He was therefore his son in the faith.

When Peter was released from prison, you remember, after Herod had threatened to take his life, the angel guided him to the open street and then left him. When it dawned on him that he was actually free, he decided to make for the home of Mary, John Mark's mother, and when he got there he found a Prayer Meeting in progress. So John Mark lived in a home where the Lord Jesus was loved and honoured. It's riot surprising therefore that early in life he decided to give himself to the Lord's service. And when Barnabas and Paul went on one of their missionary journeys they took Mark with them. He was their helper in the work. Whether he found the going too hard for a young man, I don't know, but after a while he turned back and went home to Jerusalem This fact later became the subject of contention between Barnabas and Paul. When they were about to set out on another journey Barnabas wanted to give Mark another chance and take him with them, but Paul disagreed and so they parted company.

There are differing views as to who was right and it doesn't greatly matter. Suffice it to say that John Mark made good in the service of the Lord and this the apostle Paul acknowledged. In fact, at the end of his epistle to the Colossians he refers to Mark, among others, as a man who'd been a comfort to him, one of his fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God. And in his last epistle he wrote to Timothy from the Roman prison an4 said "Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is useful to me for ministering" (4:11).

We learn in our brief meditation that a person who temporarily turns back from some task is not necessarily disqualified from further service. Not at all. There's forgiveness with the Lord that He may be feared. Any one of us can seek His forgiveness and rise up again and follow. Peter did that himself, you remember - Before he denied the Lord Jesus He said to him, "when once thou hast turned again, stablish thy brethren" (Luke 22:32). And he did, and so did John Mark, and so can you, if you've denied the Lord in one way or another. Get down on your knees and ask His forgiveness and then rise up and give yourself wholly to Him. And there will be useful days ahead of you in His happy service.

Toms, A. F. | May 1986
Some Of Peter's Companions