This study of Mark, the apostolic associate to whom Christians have traditionally attributed authorship of the second gospel, views him from a variety of angles: historical, literary and theological. It shows how images of Mark helped shape the identity of the Early Church.

Introduction - the quest for the historical mark. Part 1 Glimpses of Mark in the New Testament: the wayward attache -Mark in the Acts of the Apostles; a beloved junior partner -Mark in New Testament letters. Part 2 Portraits of Mark in Patristic Christianity: lineaments of an Apostolic author -the figure of Mark in the second century; sketches of an Apostolic evangelist (1); sketches of an Apostolic evangelist (2); gathering the threads - a Patristic Conspectus. Part 3 The second gospel and its evangelist: the second gospel and the traditions about Mark (1); the second gospel and the traditions about Mark (2); conclusion - Mark the Evangelist - some reflections.