It is interesting to consider who God used to write the books in His Bible. It is intriguing that He would use a converted tax collector (a highly despised class of people) to write the first book of the New Testament. But such is the nature of God. To see that nature even deeper, consider who God used to write the second book of the New Testament.
What do you know about Mark? Matthew is easily identified, as he was an apostle. The same is true for John. Luke is the only Greek author in the New Testament (of Luke and Acts), mentioned by name only three times (Col. 4:14; 2 Tim. 4:11; Phile. 24), but known to be a regular travel companion of Paul in the book of Acts. But who is Mark?
Mark is first mentioned in Acts 12:12 and almost just in passing. It’s as if the author of the book of Acts (i.e., Luke, the physician) assumed that everyone knew who Mark was. In Acts 12, Peter was imprisoned by Herod Agrippa I, who no doubt had plans to kill him, like he did James (12:1-4). The church was gathered together to pray for Peter, and they were gathered in “the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark” (12:12). So we find that his mother was a prominent member of the Jerusalem congregation, and he was also “the cousin of Barnabas” (Col. 4:10).
Perhaps what Mark (a.k.a. John Mark) is most remembered for is traveling with Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey, but then he “departed from them in Pamphylia,” “returned to Jerusalem,” “and had not gone with them to the work” (Acts 15:38; 13:13). John Mark turned back! This was not an insignificant matter, as it caused a “sharp contention” between Paul and Barnabas, when they prepared for the second journey, as Paul “insisted that they should not take” Mark with them (15:38).
Mark is known as “the guy who turned back”—not a great reputation to have. But, God still had use for him. He did go on another missionary journey (Acts 15:39). He visited with Paul, while he was in prison in Rome (Col. 4:10; Phile. 24). Paul wanted to see him before his death, stating that Mark “is useful to me for ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11). Peter described Mark as “my son” (1 Pet. 5:13), indicating a close, spiritual relationship between those two men.
What’s the point? Mark made a poor decision when he turned back from “the work,” and while that poor decision defined him for a period of time, there is more to his story. He was not a total failure! He learned, he grew, he matured, and he returned “to the work” of the Lord! And God took that man to write a book in His Bible! God can use us, too, even if we have failed! No matter what we have done, let’s return “to the work”! Let’s help others to learn of Jesus, as Mark did!