The Canonical Column, Book 41: Mark

We now continue our journey through the Canonical Column with the forty-first book of the biblical canon—the Gospel according to Mark. For those unfamiliar with this mystery, the Canonical Column is the name I have given to a framework embedded within the Bible that bears dual witness to the divinely sanctioned biblical canon through an organized network of witnessing chapters in three key books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Leviticus, and Isaiah.¹ For a fuller understanding of this framework, I recommend reading the introductory article linked above, which lays the foundational context for the insights explored in this post.²

Suffice it to say that the Canonical Column refers to a divinely designed structural framework and prophetic network embedded within the Bible which bears witness to the final form of the biblical canon—testifying to its 39–27 book division, identifying all 66 books within it, and even delineating the exact order in which they would appear. In this sense, it may be likened to an internal measuring line that God deliberately placed within his Word, allowing us to determine objectively which canon of Scripture is the correct one.

As established in previous installments, every book of the Bible is confirmed by two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column—one drawn from the Law (Genesis 12–50 or Leviticus) and the other from the Prophets (Isaiah).³ In the case of Mark, its two witnesses are Leviticus 2 and Isaiah 41. Both of these chapters function within their respective branches of the Canonical Column as figurative types of the Gospel of Mark. To this end, each has been divinely embedded with textual allusions to specific passages within the Gospel of Mark and intentionally sequenced as the second chapter in its branch of the framework, and forty-first of its branch-pair, reflecting Mark’s ordinal position as both the second book of the New Testament and the forty-first book of the Bible. As we will see, it is by the mouth of these two witnesses that the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordained placement of Mark are firmly established.

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The Gospel according to Mark

The book of Mark stands as the second book of the New Testament and the forty-first book of the biblical canon. Traditionally attributed to John Mark, a close companion of Peter, this Gospel is widely regarded as the earliest written account of Jesus’ life and ministry, likely composed in the mid-first century AD. Its narrative is marked by vivid detail, fast-paced movement, and a sense of urgency, portraying Jesus as the authoritative Son of God whose words and deeds demand an immediate response.

From the opening proclamation of John the Baptist to the baptism and temptation of Jesus, Mark launches directly into the action of Christ’s ministry. The Gospel emphasizes Jesus’ miracles, exorcisms, and confrontations with the powers of darkness, underscoring His divine authority and compassion toward the suffering. Through frequent use of the word “immediately,” Mark conveys the pressing momentum of the kingdom of God breaking into the world through Christ.

The Gospel climaxes with the passion narrative—Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection—presented with stark realism and theological weight. In highlighting both the frailty of the disciples and the faithfulness of Christ, Mark underscores the cost of true discipleship and the triumph of the Son of Man through suffering. As the second book of the New Testament canon, Mark builds upon Matthew’s witness, complementing it with a dynamic portrait of Jesus that emphasizes action, authority, and sacrifice—setting the stage for the continued unfolding of the apostolic testimony throughout the New Testament.

Authorship & Dating

The Gospel of Mark is traditionally attributed to John Mark, a close associate of both Peter and Paul. Early church fathers such as Papias (c. AD 120), Irenaeus, and Clement of Alexandria unanimously identify Mark as the author, noting that he wrote down Peter’s eyewitness accounts and sermons, preserving them as the earliest written testimony to Jesus’ ministry. From a conservative standpoint, this external evidence, coupled with the Gospel’s vivid detail and Semitic style, supports the conclusion that Mark himself wrote the Gospel under the influence and authority of Peter.

Modern-critical scholarship, however, often views the authorship more cautiously. While most accept the title “According to Mark” as early, many argue that the Gospel was composed anonymously and only later attributed to John Mark by church tradition. Critics see the work as reflecting a Greek-speaking Christian community, shaped by oral traditions rather than a single apostolic source. Nevertheless, even within this perspective, Mark is often acknowledged as having close ties to Petrine preaching, whether or not he personally authored the text.

As for dating, conservative scholars frequently place Mark’s Gospel in the early-to-mid 60s AD, prior to Peter’s martyrdom in Rome and before the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in AD 70. This view highlights the immediacy of its testimony and explains its raw, urgent character. Modern-critical consensus, by contrast, generally dates Mark to the late 60s or early 70s AD, with many situating it shortly after the fall of Jerusalem. This later dating is usually inferred from Mark 13, where Jesus foretells the Temple’s destruction—interpreted by critics as evidence that the author was writing in light of, rather than before, that event.

Mark’s witnessing chapters in the Canonical Column

As previously stated, the two witnessing chapters of Romans within the Canonical Column are Leviticus 2 and Isaiah 41. Both of these chapters have been deliberately composed and structured to reflect the content of the Gospel of Mark. Within each, one can discern divinely embedded allusions to the scenes, imagery, and language of Mark’s Gospel—through which they together affirm its divine authorship, canonicity, and its ordained position as both the second book of the New Testament (within An Holy Priesthood) and the forty-first book of the divinely sanctioned biblical canon overall (within Second Isaiah).⁴

Context of Leviticus 2

Leviticus 2 records the ordinances concerning the grain offering (minchah), which accompanied the burnt offering described in the previous chapter. Unlike the burnt offering, which involved the complete consumption of an animal by fire, the grain offering consisted of fine flour, oil, and frankincense. Part of the offering was burned on the altar as a memorial portion to the Lord, while the remainder was given to the priests as “a most holy part of the Lord’s offerings” (Lev. 2:3).

The chapter highlights several key stipulations: the grain was to be prepared without leaven or honey, both of which symbolized corruption or fermentation, but was always to be seasoned with salt—an emblem of purity, preservation, and covenant fidelity. Offerings could take various forms (uncooked flour, baked loaves, or cakes fried in a pan), but in every case they were to be presented with oil and incense, signifying consecration and devotion.

Thematically, the grain offering underscored thanksgiving, dedication, and fellowship with God, complementing the burnt offering’s focus on atonement. Its provision for priestly sustenance also emphasized Israel’s obligation to support the mediators of God’s covenant. Within the broader logic of Leviticus, this chapter reflects God’s concern not only for sacrifice through blood but also for the sanctification of daily bread—the produce of human labor offered back to Him in holiness.

Leviticus 2 -> Mark

As the second chapter of An Holy Priesthood—which functions within the Canonical Column as a figurative type of the New Testament canon—as well as the forty-first chapter of the Law pair of branches (The Circumcision and An Holy Priesthood), Leviticus 2 has been deliberately designed by God to serve as a figurative type of the Gospel of Mark—ordained before the foundation of the world to become the second book of the New Testament and the forty-first book of the Bible. Accordingly, this chapter has been divinely embedded with allusions and echoes of various kinds to specific scenes and passages that God, in his perfect foreknowledge, knew would be found within the Gospel of Mark. The comparative table below documents a selection of the most notable of these allusions, with explanations provided in the accompanying footnotes.

Leviticus 2	Mark
And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.5 (Leviticus 2:4-5; cf. 2:7; 2:12-13)	But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. (Mark 7:11)
Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meat offering.6 (Leviticus 2:6)	And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. . . . And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. (Mark 14:3; 14:22)
No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire.7 (Leviticus 2:11; cf. 2:4-5)	And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. (Mark 8:15)
And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.8 (Leviticus 2:13)	For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. (Mark 9:49-50)

Context of Isaiah 41

Isaiah 41 unfolds as a divine courtroom scene in which the nations are summoned to present their case before the Lord. God contrasts His sovereign power with the impotence of idols, demonstrating His supremacy over history and His ability to foretell and accomplish future events. The chapter emphasizes God’s control over the rise of rulers—particularly “one from the east” (often interpreted as Cyrus of Persia)—whom He raises up to accomplish His purposes of judgment and deliverance.

At the heart of the passage lies God’s reassuring word to Israel: “Fear not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God” (Isa. 41:10). In sharp contrast to the trembling nations and lifeless idols, Israel is promised divine protection, strength, and ultimate victory. God describes His people as a “worm Jacob” whom He Himself will transform into a threshing instrument capable of overcoming mighty obstacles.

The chapter closes by ridiculing the idols, exposing them as “nothing” and their works as “of nought.” This polemic reinforces the central theme of God’s unique sovereignty—He alone directs history, sustains His people, and brings His word to pass. Within the larger flow of Isaiah, chapter 41 belongs to the section often called “Second Isaiah” (chs. 40–55) by modern-critical scholars (not to be confused with the Canonical Column’s use of the term ‘Second Isaiah’ to designate chs. 40–66),⁹ where themes of comfort, restoration, and God’s unrivaled greatness are placed in stark relief against the vanity of false gods.

Isaiah 41 -> Mark

As the second chapter of Second Isaiah—which functions within the Canonical Column as a figurative type of the New Testament canon—and the forty-first chapter of the Prophets pair of branches (First Isaiah and Second Isaiah), Isaiah 41 has been deliberately designed by God to serve as a figurative type of the Gospel of Mark—ordained before the foundation of the world to become both the second book of the New Testament and the forty-first book of the Bible. Accordingly, this chapter has been divinely embedded with allusions and echoes of various kinds to specific scenes and passages that God, in his perfect foreknowledge, knew would be found within the Gospel of Mark. The comparative table below documents a selection of the most notable of these allusions, with explanations provided in the accompanying footnotes.

Isaiah 41	Mark
Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.10 (Isaiah 41:1)	And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. (Mark 1:43-44; cf. 5:43, 7:24, 7:36, 8:30, 9:9, 9:30)
Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.11 (Isaiah 41:2)	And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. (Mark 16:6)
The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.12 (Isaiah 41:5)	And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. (Mark 5:15)
They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.13 (Isaiah 41:6)	And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. (Mark 10:49)
For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.14 (Isaiah 41:13)	And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. (Mark 1:31; cf. 5:41, 8:23, 9:27)
Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.15 (Isaiah 41:21)	And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. (Mark 15:26)
Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous?16 . . . (Isaiah 41:26)	But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. (Mark 13:23)
The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.17 (Isaiah 41:27)	Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. (Mark 1:14-15)
For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.18 (Isaiah 41:28)	And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. (Mark 11:27-33)

Conclusion: The Canonical Column affirms the canonicity and ordinal position of Mark as the forty-first book of the biblical canon.

The canonicity of the Gospel of Mark is affirmed by its two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column: Leviticus 2 and Isaiah 41. These chapters were not placed arbitrarily, but have been meticulously embedded with deliberate textual allusions to their corresponding biblical book, and arranged within their respective branches of the framework in order to bear witness of that book and its ordained position within the canon. As previously stated, each witnessing chapter reflects a different aspect of Mark’s canonical placement—Leviticus 2 signifying its role as the second book of the New Testament, and Isaiah 41 signifying its position as the forty-first book of the Bible overall. Both chapters have been divinely embedded with direct allusions to specific passages and content that God, in his perfect foreknowledge, knew would be contained within the Gospel of Mark, which was ordained before the foundation of the world to serve as both the second book of the New Testament and the forty-first book of the biblical canon. Accordingly, by the testimony of these two witnesses within the Canonical Column, the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement of the Gospel of Mark are established—being witnessed by both the Law and the Prophets.

1. I received the knowledge of this great mystery by the light of divine revelation way back in 2009 (1 Chron. 28:19; Num. 8:4; cf. 1 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 1:12). ↩︎
2. Alternatively, if that article is too long, you can read a summarized version here. ↩︎
3. Every book of the Bible has two chapters which correspond to it within the Canonical Column–one in Genesis 12-50 or Leviticus (the Law), and one in Isaiah (the Prophets). Genesis 12-50 (known in the Canonical Column as “The Circumcision”) and Isaiah 1-39 (known in the Canonical Column as “First Isaiah”) are both figurative types of the Old Testament canon–each containing 39 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 39 books of the Old Testament canon. Similarly, Leviticus (known in the Canonical Column as “An Holy Priesthood”) and Isaiah 40-66 (known in the Canonical Column as “Second Isaiah”) function as figurative types of the New Testament canon–each containing 27 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 27 books of the New Testament canon. The individual chapters within these four scaffolding branches of the Canonical Column are known as witnessing chapters, so called because they have been divinely embedded with textual allusions of various kinds to the content of the specific biblical book which occupies the same numerical position within the canonical sequence. Thus the witnessing chapters function as divinely designed figurative types of whatever biblical book they numerically correspond to within their specific branch of the framework–testifying to their divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement within the completed biblical canon. ↩︎
4. The Canonical Column testifies that the Protestant biblical canon is the divinely sanctioned form of the Christian Bible that is stamped with the Lamb’s seal of messianic approval. ↩︎
5. In Leviticus 2, the Hebrew word qorban (“oblation,” “offering”) is repeatedly used to describe the grain offering presented to the Lord (cf. Lev. 2:4–5, 7, 12–13). Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Mark 7:11, where Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their misuse of the very same term: “But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift… he shall be free.” Mark’s Gospel alone preserves Jesus’ use of qorban, thereby establishing a direct verbal link between Leviticus 2 and the second Gospel. ↩︎
6. In Leviticus 2:6, the grain offering is to be “parted in pieces” and oil “poured thereon” before being presented to the Lord. Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this finds a clear allusion in Mark’s Gospel, where both actions recur in climactic moments of Jesus’ passion narrative. At Bethany, the woman broke the alabaster box and poured its costly ointment upon His head (14:3). At the Last Supper, Jesus likewise broke the bread and declared it to be His body, given for His disciples (14:22). The ritual actions prescribed for the grain offering thus foreshadow the offering up of Christ Himself. ↩︎
7. Leviticus 2:11 forbids the use of leaven in the grain offering, associating it with corruption and impurity unfit for the altar of the Lord. Within the Canonical Column, this corresponds to Mark 8:15, where Jesus warns His disciples: “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.” Just as leaven rendered the sacrificial offering unacceptable in Leviticus, so Jesus employs the same imagery to expose the corrupting influence of the religious and political leaders of His day. ↩︎
8. Leviticus 2:13 commands that every offering be seasoned with salt, calling it “the salt of the covenant of thy God.” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a direct allusion to Mark 9:49–50, where Jesus declares that “every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.” The nearly verbatim echo demonstrates deliberate continuity, with Jesus reapplying the sacrificial language of Leviticus 2 to His disciples—calling them to embody covenant fidelity and holiness in their own lives. ↩︎
9. Many critical scholars divide Isaiah into three parts: “First Isaiah” (chs. 1–39), “Second Isaiah” (chs. 40–55), and “Third Isaiah” (chs. 56–66). Within the Canonical Column, however, I use the terms “First Isaiah” and “Second Isaiah” in a different way, following the older recognition that Isaiah naturally falls into two large sections: chapters 1–39 and chapters 40–66. Commentators through the centuries have highlighted not only the tonal contrast—judgment in the first section, comfort and restoration in the second—but also differences in subject matter, imagery, and historical outlook. A notable example is Martin Luther, who treated them as two distinct volumes, publishing his commentaries on Isaiah as the “First book of Isaiah” (1–39) and the “Second book of Isaiah” (40–66). It is from this historic precedent, rather than the modern critical three-part scheme, that the Canonical Column framework derives its terminology. ↩︎
10. Isaiah 41:1 opens with a summons to silence before the Lord: “Keep silence before me, O islands.” Within the Canonical Column, this clearly alludes to Mark’s distinctive motif often termed the “Messianic Secret.” Again and again, Jesus issues strict commands for silence after performing miracles or receiving confessions of His identity (cf. 1:43–44; 5:43; 7:36; 8:30; 9:9). Just as Isaiah depicts the nations hushed before God’s judgment seat, so Mark portrays Jesus commanding silence before the decisive revelation of His Messiahship. ↩︎
11. In Isaiah 41:2 God declares that He has “raised up the righteous man from the east” and given him dominion over kings. Historically, many commentators identify this figure with Cyrus of Persia, who is later explicitly called God’s meshiach (“anointed”) in Isaiah 45:1—the only Gentile ruler to bear this title in Scripture. Within the Canonical Column, Cyrus functions as a typological foreshadowing of Christ: God’s chosen servant raised up to accomplish deliverance. This finds its ultimate fulfillment in Mark 16:6, where the angel proclaims of Jesus, “he is risen; he is not here.” The “righteous one” raised up in Isaiah thus anticipates the greater Anointed One, Christ, whom God raised from the dead in victory. ↩︎
12. Isaiah 41:5 describes the nations trembling in fear as they behold the work of the Lord’s raised-up servant: “The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid.” Within the Canonical Column, this alludes to Mark 5:15, where the people of the Gerasenes are likewise struck with fear after witnessing the miraculous deliverance of the demoniac. In both cases, the manifestation of divine authority provokes awe and dread in those who behold it. ↩︎
13. Isaiah 41:6 portrays the nations rallying one another with words of encouragement: “every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.” Within the Canonical Column, this corresponds to Mark 10:49, where the crowd exhorts the blind man of Jericho: “Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.” In both instances, mutual encouragement is voiced in response to God’s saving action, reinforcing the verbal and structural link between Isaiah 41 and Mark’s Gospel. ↩︎
14. Isaiah 41:13 records God’s promise to His people: “I… will hold thy right hand… Fear not; I will help thee.” Within the Canonical Column, this finds vivid fulfillment in Mark’s Gospel, where Jesus repeatedly takes individuals by the hand and raises them up in healing. He grasped Peter’s mother-in-law by the hand, restoring her from fever (1:31); He took Jairus’ daughter by the hand and raised her from death (5:41); He led the blind man of Bethsaida by the hand (8:23); and He lifted the possessed boy to his feet by the hand (9:27). In each case, Jesus enacts the divine promise of Isaiah 41, demonstrating Himself to be the very LORD who upholds and delivers His people. ↩︎
15. Isaiah 41:21 portrays the Lord summoning the nations into His courtroom, identifying Himself as the “King of Jacob” who judges their idols. Within the Canonical Column, this aligns with Mark 15:26, where Jesus is crucified under the charge: “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Both passages foreground God’s covenantal kingship over Israel in a context of judgment—Isaiah in a trial scene exposing the futility of the nations’ idols, and Mark in the Passion narrative where Christ’s true kingship is proclaimed, albeit in mockery, before the rulers of the earth. ↩︎
16. Isaiah 41:26 emphasizes God’s unique prerogative to declare future events: “Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know?” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an obvious allusion to Mark 13:23, where Jesus asserts that very divine authority: “But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.” Just as Isaiah depicts the Lord’s ability to foretell the future as the mark of His righteousness in contrast to powerless idols, so Mark presents Christ Himself as the one who declares what is to come, thereby embodying Isaiah’s description of the true God. ↩︎
17. Isaiah 41:27 closes with the promise of “one that bringeth good tidings” to Jerusalem. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a direct allusion to the opening of Mark’s Gospel, where Jesus begins His ministry “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God” and calling men to repent and believe (1:14–15). The bringer of good news anticipated in Isaiah finds its fulfillment in Christ, whose proclamation of the kingdom inaugurates the gospel itself. ↩︎
18. Isaiah 41:28 depicts the nations’ counsellors standing silent when confronted by God: “there was no counsellor, that… could answer a word.” Within the Canonical Column, this corresponds to Mark 11:27–33, where Israel’s leaders—chief priests, scribes, and elders—find themselves unable to answer Jesus’ question concerning John’s baptism. Just as Isaiah portrays the futility of the nations’ counsellors when questioned by the Lord, so Mark presents the religious authorities of Israel silenced before Christ’s authority in the Temple. ↩︎

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