Bible Word Study
Μάρκος
markos · Mark
Μάρκος
Mark
Definition
Μάρκος refers to John Mark, a significant early Christian figure. He is identified as the son of Mary, in whose house believers gathered (Acts 12:12), and the cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). He is best known as a companion and co-worker of key apostles: he initially traveled with Barnabas and Paul (Acts 12:25; 15:37-39), and later was specifically requested by Paul during his imprisonment (2 Timothy 4:11). The final reference shows his close association with Peter, who calls him 'my son' (1 Peter 5:13), and early church tradition identifies him as the author of the Gospel of Mark.
Biblical Usage
The name Μάρκος appears exclusively in the New Testament to refer to the individual John Mark. It is used in narrative contexts in Acts (Acts 12:12, 25; 15:37, 39) and in personal greetings within the epistles (Colossians 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 24; 1 Peter 5:13). The usage patterns show his relationships evolving from a young helper (Acts 13:13) to a valued and trusted companion of both Paul and Peter by the end of their ministries.
Etymology
Μάρκος (Markos) is a common Greek personal name of Latin origin (Marcus). It was widely used in the Roman world and does not have a specific meaning in Greek. It was adopted as the Greek form for the Latin praenomen Marcus.
Semantic Range
John Mark's story is theologically significant as a case study in restoration, grace, and discipleship. His early failure (Acts 13:13) and the subsequent sharp disagreement over him (Acts 15:37-39) were not the end of his ministry. His eventual reconciliation with Paul (2 Timothy 4:11) and close partnership with Peter demonstrate God's redemption of human weakness for fruitful service. His traditional association with the Gospel of Mark links him to the preservation of Peter's eyewitness testimony about Jesus. As a Jew with both a Hebrew name (John) and a Latin name (Mark), he embodied the cultural intersection of the early church. His mother owned a house large enough for the church to meet (Acts 12:12), indicating a family of some means in Jerusalem. His dual identity made him a useful bridge figure in the mission to both Jewish and Gentile communities. Ἰωάννης (Iōannēs, G2491) — His Hebrew name, John, used in conjunction with Mark in Acts (e.g., Acts 12:12, 25).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). Concordance and morphology data are derived from the interlinear Bible.
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]