Isaiah 52:7–10
2 Timothy 4:5–18
Mark 16:14–20
St. Mark, Evangelist
The Lord sends His messengers out “as lambs in the midst of wolves” bearing the message, “Peace be to this house” (Luke 10:3–5). St. Mark does “the work of an evangelist” (2 Tim. 4:5) and “publishes peace” (Is. 52:7). He is remembered as the lion-hearted evangelist, depicted with his fellow evangelists as the four living creatures of Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 4. The evangelist is often identified with John-Mark of Acts and the cousin of Barnabas, with whom he worked in Cyprus to “proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). Despite their earlier differences, Mark was reconciled with St. Paul, who considered him “very useful...for ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11). Later he worked in Rome (1 Peter 5:13), where tradition has it that he wrote his Gospel from St. Peter’s sermons before founding the church in Alexandria and facing a martyr’s death.
Luther's Seal copyright Ed Riojas, Higher Things
Lectionary Summary copyright LCMS commission on worship
