Mark the Cousin of Barnabas
Encyclopedia
Mark the Cousin of Barnabas is a character in the New Testament
. He is usually identified with John Mark
(and thus with Mark the Evangelist
), although Hippolytus of Rome thought them to be separate people. According to him, in his work On the Seventy Apostles, Mark the Cousin of Barnabas (Col 4:10; Phlm 24) is distinct from John Mark
(Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5, 13; 15: 37) and Mark the Evangelist
(2 Tim 4:11). They all belonged to the Seventy Apostles of Christ
(ranked #56, #65, and #14, respectively), who were sent out by Jesus to saturate Judea with the gospel not long before his crucifixion (Luke 10:1ff.). Hippolytus says that Mark the cousin of Barnabas was a leader of the apostolic church and the bishop of Apollonia
. (There are three possible sites for this place: one in Greece, one in Thrace, and one in Cyrenaica.)
Paul mentioned Mark the Cousin of Barnabas explicitly in Colossians 4:10 (Bible Quotation from New American Standard Bible 1995 Update [NAU]):
Apparently Mark the Cousin of Barnabas was with Paul during his First Imprisonment in Rome, during which he wrote the four Prison Epistles (Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon
, and Philippians).
Paul mentioned the same Mark in Philemon 24, which was written at the same time, and carried by the same letter carrier (Tychicus, Col 4:7), to the receivers in the city of Colosse:
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. He is usually identified with John Mark
John Mark
John Mark is a character in the New Testament. According to William Lane, an "unbroken tradition" identifies him with Mark the Evangelist. John Mark is mentioned several times in the Acts of the Apostles...
(and thus with Mark the Evangelist
Mark the Evangelist
Mark the Evangelist is the traditional author of the Gospel of Mark. He is one of the Seventy Disciples of Christ, and the founder of the Church of Alexandria, one of the original four main sees of Christianity....
), although Hippolytus of Rome thought them to be separate people. According to him, in his work On the Seventy Apostles, Mark the Cousin of Barnabas (Col 4:10; Phlm 24) is distinct from John Mark
John Mark
John Mark is a character in the New Testament. According to William Lane, an "unbroken tradition" identifies him with Mark the Evangelist. John Mark is mentioned several times in the Acts of the Apostles...
(Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5, 13; 15: 37) and Mark the Evangelist
Mark the Evangelist
Mark the Evangelist is the traditional author of the Gospel of Mark. He is one of the Seventy Disciples of Christ, and the founder of the Church of Alexandria, one of the original four main sees of Christianity....
(2 Tim 4:11). They all belonged to the Seventy Apostles of Christ
Seventy Disciples
The seventy disciples or seventy-two disciples were early followers of Jesus mentioned in the Gospel of Luke . According to Luke, the only gospel in which they appear, Jesus appointed them and sent them out in pairs on a specific mission which is detailed in the text...
(ranked #56, #65, and #14, respectively), who were sent out by Jesus to saturate Judea with the gospel not long before his crucifixion (Luke 10:1ff.). Hippolytus says that Mark the cousin of Barnabas was a leader of the apostolic church and the bishop of Apollonia
Mark of Apollonias
Mark of Apollonias was a figure in early Christianity. Tradition holds that he was bishop of Apollonia, and he is sometimes numbered among the Seventy Disciples. Little else is known about him....
. (There are three possible sites for this place: one in Greece, one in Thrace, and one in Cyrenaica.)
Paul mentioned Mark the Cousin of Barnabas explicitly in Colossians 4:10 (Bible Quotation from New American Standard Bible 1995 Update [NAU]):
Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas's cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him) (Col 4:10 NAU)
Apparently Mark the Cousin of Barnabas was with Paul during his First Imprisonment in Rome, during which he wrote the four Prison Epistles (Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon
Epistle to Philemon
Paul's Epistle to Philemon, usually referred to simply as Philemon, is a prison letter to Philemon from Paul of Tarsus. Philemon was a leader in the Colossian church. This letter, which is one of the books of the New Testament, deals with forgiveness.Philemon was a wealthy Christian of the house...
, and Philippians).
Paul mentioned the same Mark in Philemon 24, which was written at the same time, and carried by the same letter carrier (Tychicus, Col 4:7), to the receivers in the city of Colosse:
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers. (Phm 1:23-24 NAU)