The Gospel of Mark was written around A.D. 70 earlier than other Gospel Books. This Gospel reflected the cultural and historical contexts in which Mark the author of the Gospel lived. Mark did not merely write about the life and work of Jesus Christ, but also contextualized His life and ministry theologically for his community of faith. This paper focuses on how Mark's view and his understanding of Jesus' mission can be interpreted and applied to modern cross-cultural missions. According to this study, the Gospel of Mark is significantly missional and therefore his community of faith was mission-oriented. The center of the Gospel is Jesus Christ who died on the cross and rose again among the dead three days after his death. When He died, the curtain of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Then a Roman centurion confessed, "Surely this man was the Son of God" (Mk15:39). When He rose on the first day of the week, the sun shone brightly. The power of darkness disappeared. Jesus' disciples were called and trained by their Master to become fishers of men (Mk1:17). For about three years they were always together with their Lord. However, they were scattered when their Lord Jesus Christ was arrested and persecuted by Jewish leaders under Pilate. Some women from Galilee followed Him to Golgotha, where He was crucified. Judas betrayed Him. Peter confessed that he would never leave Him alone. However, he denied Him three times before the rooster crowed twice (Mk14:30). The disciples were rebuked by their Lord because they did not understand God's salvific will, that is, Jesus' death and His resurrection for the whole mankind (Mk10:45). The Gospel of Mark reveals that the primary purpose of His incarnation was to proclaim the Kingdom of God, the core of the Gospel (Mk1:38). The Kingdom of God was already initiated through His ministry among the people who were physically sick, economically poor, and socially isolated. It can be established and expanded through His presence and the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ was forsaken completely by His Father, the God Almighty, for our sins. The Gospel of Mark denies any forms of imperialism in which Christendom, rather than Christianity is expanded through weapons under the name of Jesus Christ. The Gospel does not show the easy or successful ways of mission. Rather, to follow Jesus Christ the Gospel points to the cross which every Christian should bear. Jesus Christ will come again in clouds with great power and glory (Mk13:26). Whoever follows Him to die with Him will rise with Him on the Day of His coming. The Lord will gather His people from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens (Mk13:27). The work of God enables the Gospel to meet receptive hearts and the Kingdom of God will be accomplished.

• 홍기영(나사렛대)