Mark did indeed write the Gospel that is attributed to him, and as far as we know, he never met the Lord Jesus personally.  Let’s look a little at the history we have of this man and see if that will help answer your question.  Mark was an important person in the New Testament.  He is known as Mark, John Mark, John, and Marcus.  I think we will be able to determine when the Bible is speaking of this man.

In Acts 12:1-19, we have the account of Herod imprisoning James (the brother of the Apostle John) and Peter.  Herod had James killed but delayed in killing Peter, waiting until after the Passover.  However, there were many prayers being made on Peter’s behalf and the Lord sent an angel to rescue him from prison.  Now, let’s read Acts 12:12, “And when he (Peter) had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of JOHN, WHOSE SURNAME WAS MARK; where many were gathered together praying.”  This is the first mention of Mark, whose complete name was John Mark.  We learn in Colossians 4:10 that Mark was Barnabas’ nephew.  That says, “Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and MARCUS, SISTER’S SON TO BARNABAS, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;).”  Although the word ‘Marcus’ is used here, it is the same Greek word and same person as Mark, who wrote the Gospel. 

Barnabas and Paul traveled and ministered the Word together early in Paul’s career.  At one point, they determined to take young Mark with them in their travels as we read in Acts 12:25, “And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them JOHN, WHOSE SURNAME WAS MARK.”  Perhaps it was because of the difficulty of the journey, or being a young man who missed his home, Mark decided to stop working with Barnabas and Paul and return home.  Acts 13:13 tells us, “Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.”  Later, when Barnabas and Paul decided to revisit some of the places they had been to, Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them once again, but Paul objected.  Acts 15:37-38 says, “And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.”  I encourage you to read Acts 15:36-40 to read of the tragic parting of these two Godly men over their disagreement about taking Mark with them. 

The Apostle Peter appears to have been well known to Mark, and over the course of time, Mark became even closer to Peter as he ministered throughout Asia Minor and Rome.  Perhaps they met the night that Peter was rescued from prison and went to his mother’s house. By the time Peter wrote his first epistle, Mark had become like a son to him as we read in 1 Peter 5:13, “She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does MY SON MARK.”  Most scholars believe that the things Mark wrote in his Gospel were learned at the feet of Peter. 

Fortunately, Paul and Mark were eventually reconciled.  Paul referred to Mark as his fellow laborer in Philemon 24.  Towards the end of Paul’s last letter, he spoke highly of Mark in 2 Timothy 4:11 saying, “Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.”  It is so nice to see brethren in the Lord being reconciled to each other.  We are taught in Psalm 133:1, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

Mark did write the Gospel of Mark without ever meeting the Lord personally.  However, the Gospel of Luke was also written by a man who also did not meet the Lord in person.  Luke certainly knew Mark, for they are both mentioned together in several verses.  As Mark was brought up under the tutelage of Peter, Luke was brought up as a companion and student of the Apostle Paul.  Luke also wrote the book of Acts.  Here is how he began the Gospel of Luke, “Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.” (Luke 1:1-4).  Although the Lord surely led Luke to write his account of the life of Christ, he did acknowledge that he got some of his information from others, even as Mark got some of his information from Peter and others.  (CC)  (615.2)