While in Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas enlisted Mark to go with them when they made their first missionary journey. Mark went with them to Antioch then to Cyprus. When they got to Perga on the south coast of today's Turkey, Mark left them and went back to Jerusalem. It seemed, for some reason, he was not happy with Paul which was evident by Paul not wanting Mark to go with them on their second missionary journey. Whatever issue existed, it led to Paul and Barnabas each going their own way. Following that, Barnabas and Mark went on a missionary journey together to Cyprus. Paul ended up taking Silas to Cilicia with him.
Mark had a relationship with Peter to the point that Peter called him, "my son." Papias was the one who proposed that Mark write a gospel now called Mark. Papias was the bishop of Hieropolis in Phyrgia. Papias knew many of the New Testament people and was even a student of John. Papias wrote 5 works called, "An exposition of the Lord's Oracles."
Mark joined Peter in Rome where he wrote of the activities of Peter. Mark was sometimes mentioned as "the young man" who was with Jesus when He was arrested. Mark barely escaped his own capture that night losing his garment and running off unclothed. This story is somewhat disputed because Papias had written that Mark had never been with theLord or even heard Him speak for that matter. (From "Who's Who in the Bible by Readers Digest.)
Mark begins his gospel speaking of "The one who prepared the way" for Jesus. He speaks of the crowds that followed John, confessed their sin and were baptized with water. He describes John the Baptist as long haired in scraggly clothing eating locusts and wild honey. John announced the coming of Jesus declaring himself to not even be worthy enough to untie Christ's sandals. John declared that while he baptized with water, Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
Mark describes John's encounter with Jesus baptizing Jesus with water and then describes Jesus' baptism of the Spirit. The Spirit's descent on Jesus was followed by God's voice from heaven declaring Jesus to be His dearly loved Son who brings Him great joy. (NLT). The Spirit compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness alone where He would be tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus was in the wilderness with wild animals but cared for by angels. As we know, He did not fall for the lies, promises, and temptations of the devil.
A time after that, John the Baptist was arrested and Jesus went into Galilee preaching the Good News of Salvation through the Messiah (which He was and is). He told the people the Kingdom of God is near and they should repent and believe in the Good News.
Mark then tells the story of Jesus' call of Simon and his brother Andrew, telling them He will show them how to be fishers of men. Farther along the shore Jesus then calls the brothers James and John who were the sons of Zebedee. Simon - later named Peter by Jesus, Andrew, James and John later became part of the original 12 Apostles. Jesus nicknamed James and John "the sons of thunder." There is no scriptural explanation of the nickname but I have read two thoughts. One is that their father spoke with a deep thunderous voice filled with authority and another more common suggestion is that James and John acted in a thunderous way, filled with passion. When Jesus and the disciples were on their way to Jerusalem, some of the villagers opposed them to which James and John responded by offering to call a rain of fire down on the villagers and destroy them.
Mark writes of Jesus' encounter with the man possessed by an evil spirit and that Jesus silenced the spirit and cast him out of the man and how news of Jesus' healing spread. Mark goes on to tell of the many healings and casting out of evil spirits that Jesus performed and how those coming to Him for healing grew and grew in numbers.
Jesus was so surrounded by people wanting His help that He went off to pray in an isolated area. He then went on to preach because as Jesus said of himself, "That is why I came."
Mark closes chapter 1 with Jesus healing a leper and how that healing just led to more and more people coming to Jesus to be healed.