Gospel According to Mark in Fausset's Bible Dictionary

frontACTS, THE BOOK OF; BARNABAS; GOSPELS.) "John (his Hebrew name) whose surname was Mark" (his Roman name): Mark 12:12; Mark 12:25; Mark 13:5; Mark 13:13; Mark 15:39; Colossians 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 1:24. The Roman supplanted the Jewish name, as Paul did Saul. The change marks his entrance on a new and worldwide ministry. The fathers unanimously testify that Mark was "interpreter" (hermeneutees, Papias in Eusebius, H. E. iii. 39; Irenaeus, Haer. iii. 1,10, sec. 6) to Peter; meaning one who expresses and clothes in words the testimony of another. Papias, or John Presbyter (in Eusebius, H. E. iii. 39), states that Mark wrote "not in order," i.e. he wrote "some" leading facts, not a complete history. He attests Mark's accuracy, saying "he committed no error," but made it his aim "to omit nought of what he heard and to state nothing untrue." Peter's name and presence are mentioned on occasions where apparently there is no reason for it; Mark herein wished to bring the apostle forward as his authority (see Mark 1:36; Mark 5:37; Mark 11:20-26; Mark 13:3). There are indications of the author having been a Galilean, which Peter was. Thus, Herod the tetrarch is styled "king"; the "lake' (as Luke 8:22 calls it, for he knew larger sects) is called "the sea of Galilee" (Mark 5:1). Only in Mark 6:30 the term of dignity, "apostle," is found; in Luke, as writing later, it frequently occurs. Things to their discredit are ingenuously stated by Matthew and Mark (Peter), as we might expect from apostles writing about themselves; but are sparingly introduced by Luke (Matthew 16:9; Mark 7:18; Mark 10:41; Mark 14:31; Mark 6:52; Mark 9:10; Mark 10:32, the last three not in Matthew)...