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"Follow Me," Jesus told them, "and I will make you into fishers of men!" Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. --Mark 1:17-18The Gospel of Mark is a book of action and passion. Events happen one after another, with a vivid sense of immediacy and urgency. Jesus' emotions come through strongly--at times he is angry and distressed, other times filled with compassion. In this volume, Michael Card provides a lively tour of the Gospel of Mark. As a friend and interpreter of Simon Peter, Mark gives firsthand glimpses of the life and ministry of Jesus in vibrant and energetic narration. The first Gospel to be written, Mark is a "pamphlet for hard times," encouraging Christians that all their sufferings were already endured by Jesus.Accompany Mark on his journey with Jesus. The more clearly you see Jesus here, the greater your passion will be for him.… (more)
User reviews
The author states his goal for the book as:
"It is an attempt to model this approach of 'engaging with the Scriptures at the level of the informed imagination.' It is not an academic commentary, although I make use of the best academic commentaries. Neither is it a devotional commentary, though I hope it leads to a deeper devotion in those who read it. I intend to take seriously the author of each of the Gospels insofar as their individual backgrounds shape the text."
He provides context - historical context, geographical context, the personal context of individuals' lives as known from the Bible - any factors that he thinks can lead to greater understanding.
When the author indulges in imagining additional details, he is clear about that. For example, he writes, "I imagine him [Peter] looking up from the parchment as he writes these words [2 Pet 1:15 verse], perhaps smiling across the room at his 'son' Mark, who might have already begun writing his Gospel." As another example, he writes, "When I listen to the opening verse of Mark, I hear an enthusiastic young man who is almost out of breath." By expressing his personal interaction with the book of Mark, he gives the book less an analytical feel and more a familiar or intimate feel.
I had notes for a longer review, but I don’t know where they are after my house was rearranged by friends who were preparing it for my post-surgery needs. If they survived, I will add to this review.