Emperor Nero was a depraved, wicked individual; yet, amazingly enough, he was not the most morally corrupt emperor to have ever ruled Rome. Over the hundreds of years of world dominance by the Roman Empire, the Empire was led by many able and talented individuals, some of whom displayed character, moral fiber and strength. Unfortunately, Nero was not one of them. The young emperor followed instead in the footsteps of more tyrannical and self-indulgent rulers. Rising to power as a teenager, initially Nero followed the advice of wise counselors, and his reign got off to a good start. Soon, however, he sought to rule without oversight and rid himself of troublesome advisors, including his own mother whom he eventually murdered. Contemporary sources identify Nero as compulsive, cruel, corrupt, debauched and tyrannical.
Significantly, this was the emperor who was ruling in Rome when the Apostle Peter arrived to share the Gospel and strengthen the fledgling church. Accompanied, tradition informs us, by the younger disciple, Mark, who served as his translator, Peter faithfully witnessed to Christ’s salvation, preaching and teaching both in private and in public. The Apostle recounted the message of Jesus, relating his own experiences with the Savior, and echoing his Pentecost sermon—“repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins!” (Acts 2:38). These events and stories Mark heard from Peter, faithfully translated to the Romans, and eventually, wrote them down.
Drastically, a devastating fire broke out in the poorer sections of the city. Given the lack of coordinated urban planning, flammable construction material, the absence of an adequate water supply, and the general neglect of the city’s administration, the fire burned for days wildly throughout the city. The Emperor Nero, who fancied himself a poet, reportedly went to a high vantage point and composed poetry and music while the city was consumed—Nero “fiddled while Rome burned.”
Eventually, the fire burned out, but the public’s anger over the negligence and inadequate response of the government threatened rebellion. The emperor, seeking to divert the public’s wrath, sought out a scapegoat, and settled on an obscure branch of the Jewish people, the “Christian sect.” Seizing low-born and prominent Christians, Nero instituted the first politically-sanctioned persecution of the Church. Soon, both the Apostles Peter and Paul were swept up in Nero’s tyranny—Paul, as a Roman citizen, executed by beheading, and Peter, crucified upside down. Most ordinary believers, however, caught up in Nero’s persecution were burned alive, an ironic reflection of the city’s fiery experience.
It is this persecution that serves as the immediate backdrop of the Gospel According to Mark. In recounting the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news of our salvation from sin, Mark was witnessing firsthand the rejection, abuse and oppression brought about by the enemies of the Gospel. Mark is no rose-colored optimist. He knows exactly how Satan will respond to a full-hearted pursuit of the Gospel message. The powers raised in opposition to the message of Christ should never be underestimated— the wickedness of Nero dwells far too close to the surface for anyone to ignore.
Reading Mark’s account of the Gospel is no slight thing—it is a recognition that you are reading something that has turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6), and there will be opposition to God’s healing—even violent opposition at times. Are you ready for this kind of Gospel?
Join us this week as we explore the Gospel According to Mark. Read Mark 1:16-20.
1. This text comes immediately after Jesus’ proclamation of the Gospel in verse 15: “The Kingdom of God is at hand!” How might this influence where Mark sought to include this story?
2. Why do you think Mark tells us what Peter and Andrew were doing when Jesus called them? How might that shape how you think of your every-day tasks?
3. Jesus’ call to the first disciples was in two parts: “follow me” and “I will make you…” (vs. 17). What is distinctive about each? Why are both “necessary” to understand the Gospel?
4. Both groups of disciples—Peter/Andrew and James/John—respond to Jesus “immediately.” Why do you think Mark notes this? What might it look like in your own discipleship?
5. Following Jesus entails also a leaving. Where is this noted by Mark? What does this mean for your life as a believer?
