Who Was the Original Audience for the Gospel of Mark?

Mark seems to have written the second gospel for a Gentile audience, and in particular he may have had Romans in view. Several factors point to this conclusion.

1. The second gospel has the fewest quotes and allusions (63) to the OT of all the gospels. A Gentile reader would not have been interested in or familiar with its contents.
2. Mark interprets the Aramaic words found in the gospel. For example the cry of Jesus from the cross, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” is translated “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” (cf. 15:34).
3. Mark explains geographical locations in connection with his stories. The location of the Mount of Olives “opposite the temple” is spelled out in 13:3.
4. There are no references in Mark to the Jewish law. There were so many items of importance to Jewish people that related to the law, yet Mark never mentions them.
5. Mark explains Jewish customs. “Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands” (cf. 7:3). Such a custom would have been known and practiced by Jews (cf. 14:12 and 15:42).
6. Mark presents Jesus as the mighty worker, a man who conquers by doing. Romans were concerned with a person’s production, not his words. The effective service of Jesus was of greater significance than His lineage or claims.

Although there is no direct reference to a city in the gospel, tradition says Mark wrote this book from Rome. Several lines of evidence support this contention.

1. Mark used a number of Latin words, even though there were Greek equivalents: cf. two lepta (12:42), “modius” for bushel (4:21), “speculator” for executioner (6:27), “census” for tribute (12:14), the “Praetorium” for the palace (15:16), and “centurion” for centurion (15:39, 44, 45).
2. Roman divisions of time are used in this gospel, four “watches” in the night, whereas in Jewish reckoning there were only three.
3. Mark referred to Alexander and Rufus (15:21), sons of Simon of Cyrene, the one who carried Jesus’ cross. They were personal acquaintances of the author and his readers. Paul referred to a “Rufus” and called him “a choice man in the Lord” (cf. Rm. 16:13). That these two men named Rufus are the same individual may have some warrant.