Final answer:
Mark wrote his gospel in a time of significant unrest and change following the Jewish uprising against the Romans. His account, along with the other Gospels, provided guidance and laid the foundation for early Christian doctrine and helped unify believers during a period of debate and interpretation of Jesus's teachings.
Step-by-step explanation:
The likely historical situation that caused Mark to write his gospel involves the contentious and transformative period following Jesus of Nazareth's death, particularly the Jewish uprising against the Romans in 66 CE. The turmoil and the need for spiritual guidance and consolidation of Jesus's teachings probably motivated Mark and the other evangelists – Matthew, Luke, and John – to document their accounts. These texts were essential in defining the early doctrine of Christianity and provided a framework for the Christian faith, especially in times of persecution and political upheaval.
Mark's Gospel, like the others, may have offered an interpretation of Jesus's life, framing his death as part of a divine plan for human salvation, a notion popularized by St. Paul. Several decades after Jesus's death, amid ongoing debates among early Christians regarding the interpretation of Jesus's messages and teachings, the Gospels were written to guide and unite the community.
The urgency and solemnity of crafting such texts are reflected in various forms of early Christian art, such as the illustration of St. Mark in the Godescalc Gospel Lectionary. Here, the historical and cultural context in which the Gospels were created is made visually manifest, demonstrating the importance of these texts in early Christian society and devotion.