People, Places, Terms and Titles

in the Gospel according to Mark

by Prof. Felix Just, S.J. - Loyola Marymount University

Characters Appearing or Mentioned Place Names and Locations in Mark:

Judea and Environs:
in Mark:

Figures from the History of

Ancient Israel:
o Isaiah, the Prophet (1:2; 7:6)
o Moses, the Lawgiver (1:44;
7:10; 9:4-5; 10:3-4; 12:19,
26)
o David, the King (2:25; 11:10;
12:35-37; cf. 10:47-48)
o Abiathar, the High Priest
(2:26)
o Elijah, the Prophet (6:15;
8:28; 9:4-5; 9:11-13; 15:3536)

Religious and/or Political Leaders

in First-Century Palestine:
o John the Baptist (1:4-9, 14;
2:18; 6:14-29; 8:28; 11:3032)
o Herod [Antipas], Tetrarch of
Galilee and Perea (6:14-28;
8:15)
o [Herod] Philip, Tetrarch of
Northeastern Regions (6:17)
o Herodias (Philip's wife) and
her daughter (6:17, 19, 22)
o High Priest (14:53-66, but
not named in Mark)
o [Pontius] Pilate, the Roman
Governor (15:1-45)
o Barabbas, the rebel (15:7, 11,
15)

Jewish Groups in First-Century

Palestine:
o Pharisees (2:16, 18, 24; 3:6;
7:1-5; 8:11, 15; 10:2; 12:13)

wilderness [of Judea] (1:3-4,

12-13)
o Jordan [river] (1:5, 9)
o Idumea = region south of Judea
(3:8)
o Perea = region "beyond the
Jordan" (3:8; 10:1)
o Judea, as a region (3:8; 10:1;
13:4)
o Jericho (10:46)
Galilee:
o Nazareth, Jesus' hometown
(1:9, 24; 10:47; 14:67; 16:6),
and its synagogue (6:1-6)
o Galilee, as a region (1:14, 39;
9:30; 14:28; 16:7; etc.)
o Sea of Galilee and its shores
(1:16; 2:13; 3:7; 4:1, 35; etc.)
o Capernaum (1:21; 2:1; 9:33),
including:
the synagogue (1:21),
the house of Simon &
Andrew (1:29),
a tax booth (2:14),
and Jesus' own home?
(2:1; 3:19; 9:33)
o Galilean towns (1:38, 45; etc.),
grainfields (2:2:23), a mountain
(3:9), villages (6:6), isolated
rural spots (6:31)
o Bethsaida (6:45; 8:22)
o Gennesaret (6:53)
o Dalmanutha [or Magdala?]
(8:10)
o Caesarea Philippi (8:27)
o "high mountain" (9:2, 9)
Outside of Israel:
o

o
o
o

Herodians (3:6; 12:13)

Sadducees (12:18 )
chief priests, scribes &
elders (10:33; 11:27; 14:43;
15:1; etc.)

Tyre & Sidon (3:8; 7:24, 31)

"the other side" [of the Sea of
Galilee] (4:35; 5:1, 21; 6:45;
8:13)
o Gerasene [or Gadarene] region
(5:1)
o Decapolis, league of "ten
cities" (5:20; 7:31)
Near and In Jerusalem:
o Jerusalem (3:8; 7:1; 10:32;
most of ch. 11--16), including:
the temple (11:11, 15,
27; 12:35)
the treasury (12:41)
the "upper room"
(14:13-15)
the High Priest's house
(14:53)
the praetorium
[Roman Governor's
palace] (15:1-20)
o Bethphage (11:1), and a nearby
village (11:2)
o Bethany (11:1-12; 14:3), incl.
the house of Simon the Leper
(11:3)
o Mount of Olives (11:1; 13:3;
14:26)
o Gethsemane (14:32)
o Golgotha = "Place of the
Skull" (15:22)
o Tomb, where Jesus was buried
(15:46-47; 16:1-8)
See also the NT Geography Webpage
o
o

Disciples and Followers of Jesus:

o crowds (2:4, 13; 3:7, 9, 20,

32; 4:1, 36; etc.)

o disciples (2:15-16, 18, 23;
3:7-9; 4:34; etc.)
o apostles (3:14; 6:30 only)
o the twelve (3:14-19; 4:10;
6:7; 9:35; 10:32; 11:11;
14:10, 17, 20, 43)
o Simon [Peter] (1:16, 29-30,
36; 3:16; 8:29-33; 9:2-8;
10:28; 11:21; 13:3; 14:29-42;
14:54, 66-71; 16:7; [16:9])
o Andrew, the brother of
Simon Peter (1:16, 29; 3:18;
13:3)
o James & John, the sons of
Zebedee (1:19, 29; 3:17called "Boanerges"; 5:37; 9:2;
9:38-John only; 10:35, 41;
13:3; 14:33)
o Levi, the tax collector (2:1417; cf. Matt 9:9-13)
o Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the
son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus,
Simon the Cananaean (3:18)
o Judas Iscariot (3:19; 14:10,

43)
o Bartimaeus, the blind man
(10:46-52)
Key Events in Mark's Gospel:
o Young Man wearing a linen
Gospel Introduction (1:1-13, or 1:1cloth (14:51-52)
15):
o Mary Magdalene (15:40-47;
o Baptism of Jesus (1:9-11; cf.
16:1-8; [16:9])
10:38-39)
o Salome, and other women
o Temptation in the Wilderness
who followed Jesus (15:40(1:12-13)
41; 16:1)
Public Ministry in and near Galilee
o Joseph of Arimathea (15:43(1:14--8:21):

46)
[two anonymous disciples] ([16:12-13]; cf. Luke 24:1335)
[the eleven] - ([16:14]; cf.
Matt 28:16; Luke 24:9, 33;
Acts 1:26; 2:14)

The Family of Jesus:

o Mary, his mother (6:3)
o James, Joses, Judas, Simon,
his "brothers" (6:3)
o Mary, the mother of James
and Joses (15:40, 47; 16:1)

Anonymous and Minor Characters

in Mark's Gospel:
o demoniacs & unclean spirits
(1:21-28; etc.)
o Satan (1:13; 3:23, 26; 4:15;
8:33)
o lepers (1:40-45; 14:3)
o tax collectors, sinners (2:1417; 12:14)
o Beelzebul (3:20-30)
o Gerasene demoniac (5:1-20)
o Jairus, the synagogue ruler,
and his daughter (5:21-43)
o Syro-Phoenician Woman
(7:24-30)
o Simon the Leper (14:3)
o Simon of Cyrene, the father
of Alexander and Rufus
(15:21)

Main Titles for Jesus used in Mark:

Christ [= Messiah] (1:1; 8:29; 9:41;

12:35; 13:21; 14:61; 15:32)
Son of God (1:1; 3:11; 5:7),
equivalent to:
o My Son, the Beloved (1:11;
9:7)
o Holy One of God (1:24)
o Son of the Blessed One

Call of the First Disciples

(1:16-20)
o Inaugural Event [first
exorcism] (1:21-28)
o Exorcisms (1:21-28, 34, 39;
3:15; etc.)
o Healing Miracles (1:32-34;
etc.)
o Controversy Dialogues (2:1-3:6; 11:27--12:44)
o Beelzebul Controversy (3:2030)
o Parables (3:23; 4:1-34; 7:17;
12:1, 12)
o Nature Miracles (4:35-41;
6:45-52)
o Restoration Miracle (5:35-43)
o Rejection at Nazareth (6:1-6)
o Feeding of the 5000 (6:30-44)
o Feeding of the 4000 (8:1-10)
The Central Section (8:22--10:52):
o Confession of Peter (8:27-30)
o Passion Predictions (8:31;
9:31; 10:33-34)
o Transfiguration (9:2-8)
o Journey to Jerusalem (10:152)
The Final Week in Jerusalem:
o Triumphal Entry into
Jerusalem (11:1-11)
o Cleansing of the Temple
(11:15-19)
o Cursing of the Fig Tree
(12:12-14, 20-24)
o Apocalyptic Discourse (13:137)
The Passion Narrative (14:1--15:47)
o Passover [festival] (14:1, 1225)
o Anointing at Bethany (14:3-9)
o Last Supper (14:12-25)
o Judas Betrayal (14:10-11, 4250; cf. 3:19; 9:31)
o vs. Peters Denial (14:26-31,
66-72)
o

(14:61)
Son of Man (2:10, 28; 8:31, 38; 9:9;
etc.)
Teacher (4:38; 5:35; 9:17, 38; etc.) =
Rabbi (9:5; 11:21; 14:45)
Prophet (6:4; 8:28)
Lord = Master = Sir (7:28; 11:3;
12:35-37)
Son of David (10:47-48; 12:35)
King of the Jews (15:2-26) = King
of Israel (15:32)
See also the Christological Titles
Webpage

Other Important Terms in Mark:

Gospel vs. gospel (1:1, 14-15; 8:35;

10:29; 13:10; 14:9; [16:15])
Kingdom (Reign) of God (1:15;
4:11, 26, 30; 9:1, 47; 10:14-15, 2325; 11:10; 12:34; 14:25; 15:43 )
sabbath (1:21; 2:23-28; 3:2, 4; 6:2;
16:1, 2; [16:9])
commandments of Moses/ of God
(1:44; 7:8-13; 10:2-9, 19-20; 12:2834)
traditions of the Pharisees (7:1-23)

Crucifixion & Burial (15:2147)

Jesus' Resurrection & Gospel
Conclusion:
o Empty Tomb story (16:1-8)
o vs. Resurrection Appearances
([16:9-20] from Mt & Lk)
o Original Ending (16:8)
o vs. Later Additions / Longer
Ending [16:9-20]
o

See also the Synoptic Outlines

Webpag