Mark

Mark, the traditional author of the 2nd Gospel. The name occurs in the Acts of the Apostles (xii. 12) as "John, whose surname was Mark,"to whose mother's house Peter went when released from prison. John Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, but left them at Perga, and returned to Jerusalem (Acts xii. 25; xiii. 13). Mark afterwards sailed with Barnabas to Cyprus (ib. xv. 38). St. Paul appears to have been afterwards reconciled to him, according to passages in Colossians, Philemon, and second Epistle to Timothy. In 1 Peter v. 13 "Mark, my son," is spoken of; this has been taken literally by some, metaphorically by other authorities. Whether the Pauline, the Petrine, and the Synoptic author were identical has been much disputed. [Gospels.]