Where does the gospel of Mark end?

So, have you ever read the Gospel of Mark? If you have you may have noticed that when you get to chapter 16 there is a note following verse 8 that states "The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9-20." and then it goes on to include verses 9 through 20. These verses include certain things that line up with the Gospels such as Jesus commanded his followers to take the gospel into the whole world, but  then it also includes v.16-18 which I personally find a little odd.

"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and the will get well." (NIV)

I don't know about you, but I can honestly say that I have never driven out a demon, spoke in a tongue [other than a little Spanish and ancient Greek], drank poison, or healed a person, which if I were to take the previous statement seriously I would have only one conclusion, I am not saved. And while, I suppose, that may be true, I tend to believe differently. So where does Mark actually end? I propose that it in fact ends in verse 8 and here is why.

Matthew and Luke are a little more historical narrative in their approach, they include stories of Jesus birth, his life, death and resurrection.

John is more universal in scope, it starts with a preamble that places Jesus at the very beginning of time, and it ends with v.20 "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." (NIV)

Mark on the other hand finds little importance with how Jesus entered the world, starting the gospel with an introduction of John the Baptizer preparing the way, Jesus shows up to be baptized. And if we pick v.8 as an ending Mark also only finds it important that Jesus is risen, not what happened following that resurrection.

I believe that Mark boils down Jesus to the bare essentials, here is the Messiah, this is what he taught and how he lived, it led to his death, but that wasn't the end his enemies thought it would be. The end.

I have been preaching through Mark for 16 weeks now, I have had the opportunity to read his words, let them soak into me, at times lifting me up, at times laying me low, in my mind, the Mark that I know ends his gospel in verse 8.

What do you think?

Peace and Love,
Pastor K