‘Don’t be late!’ Assessing the cost of missing the prologue in the gospel of Mark

This essay addresses the role of the prologue in the Gospel of Mark and seeks to assess the impact the prologue has on the whole of the gospel. It begins with discussion regarding the original audience of Mark’s gospel and an exploration into the manner in which the gospel would have been received in its first setting. An analysis of the content of the prologue is then followed by a summary of the gospel from the perspective of the disciples. By looking at the difference between a disciple receiving the whole of the gospel, and one receiving the gospel without the prologue, the import of the prologue to the whole of the gospel is explored. The essay concludes with an analysis of the cost involved in missing the opening of Mark’s gospel.