The Gospel of MarkSample

Today let’s look at the possibility of Mark intending to end his gospel at verse 8, this means the last words are:

“And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” (v8)

This seems like a very strange point to end on! It raises questions like why isn’t there a happy ending? Why didn’t the women say anything to anyone?

But perhaps these are the wrong questions to ask. Rather than focusing on what isn’t there, let’s focus on what Mark has included. We know two important things:

1. The “very large” stone had been rolled away (v4).
2. The angel tells them that Jesus had risen and the tomb was empty (v6).

Try reading the passage imagining the ending being at verse 8 today and write down your thoughts. A bit worried by your reflections? Don’t worry, we will offer more thoughts on this potential ending tomorrow!