One of the main characteristics of the Gospel of Mark is its length. Mark is much smaller than Matthew and Luke, but what he lacks in quantity he makes up for in quality. The author of Mark does not slow down the gospel narrative and ensures that only important and relevant details are included. When Mark is compared to Matthew and Luke, it becomes clear what Mark has eliminated. The author's omission of Jesus' birth, lineage, resurrection, and ascension denotes careful planning and purpose in Mark's gospel. At the beginning of Mark, the author does not include Jesus' genealogy or birth story as Matthew and Luke do. Instead, the Gospel begins with John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus. Interestingly, unlike Matthew and Luke, the author of Mark does not mention or allude to Jesus' earthly father, Joseph. An example of Joseph's intentional omission is when Jesus is rejected at Nazareth. In Matthew, Joseph is referred to when people ask, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” (English Standard Version, Matthew 13.55a). In contrast, in Mark, the people ask, “Isn’t this the carpenter…” (Mark 6:3a). Compared to Matthew, it is the author of Mark who gives the broad outlines or “essentials” of the biography of Jesus. Given this and the fact that Mark was the first gospel written, it is not surprising that the gospels of Matthew and Luke borrow and expand on Mark. However, this does not mean that one should read Mark only, for the “essentials” are all that is necessary to be a follower of Christ. Matthew and Luke contain important elements that Mark does not include. They also tell from a different angle and for a different purpose. On the other hand, this also doesn't mean that reading Luke and Matthew will reveal everything you need to know about Mark, Mark simply includes details and wording that Matthew and Luke do.