The Gospel of Mark has several unique characteristics. It reports nothing concerning Jesus' birth, his childhood, or his activities prior to the time when he was baptized by John. This absence is remarkable in view of the beliefs that many early Christians held concerning the manner of Jesus' birth and the way in which his birth was announced in advance. If these beliefs were fairly common among Christians at the time when Mark wrote, he evidently did not think of them as having sufficient importance to be included in his gospel. For him, the real significance of Jesus' career began at the time of Jesus' baptism and his decision to devote his life to the work of God's kingdom. Throughout the gospel, Mark particularly emphasizes Jesus' humanity. For example, when Jesus becomes weary from his many activities, some people question whether he is behaving in a normal manner. At one point during the early ministry in Galilee, his friends are greatly disturbed because of the way he attracts attention, and even the members of his own family suspect that he is ill. However, Jesus never claims any greatness for himself over that of other people. When an ardent admirer calls him "Good teacher," Jesus promptly rebukes him, saying that no one should call him good since that quality belongs only to God.
Jesus never claimed to have any special power that was not available to others. The miracles that he performed were not meant to display any power of his own but rather to show how the power of God could be used in and through human lives. Jesus instructed his disciples that the works that he performed they would do also. He even told them they would perform greater works than he had done. Further evidence that his miraculous works were not done in order to attract attention to himself can be seen in the fact that after he healed someone, he would caution that person to say nothing about the healing. For example, a leper once came to Jesus pleading for help. Jesus, after healing the leper, said to him, "See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest," according to the Law of Moses. In the synagogue at Capernaum, Jesus healed a man with an unclean spirit. When the man cried out that Jesus was the "Holy One of God," Jesus told the man to keep silent.
