The False Christs of Mark 13: The Θεος ἀνήρ (‘Divine Man’) Contention. Can it be that in Refutation of Such a Heresy Mark Wrote His Gospel? If Not, What Then?

This article reflects on the purpose of Mark. It takes it departure from the ‘false Christs’ of Mark 13: the θεος ἀνήρ (‘divine man’) contention for the refutation of which as purported by Weeden (1968), and others (RP Martin, N Perrin, L Schenke, E Schweizer) Mark wrote his gospel. It rejects the argument of Weedon, and others, that Mark wrote his gospel to refute a θεος ἀνήρ (‘divine man’) heresy. It then proceeds to present what the author himself believes the most tenable reason for the writing of Mark. It concludes with the observation of Vorster, WS (1985) touching the purpose of Mark, and a final word from the author.