The Gospel According to Mark (The Pillar New Testament Commentary | PNTC)

by James R. Edwards

Publisher:

Eerdmans

, 2002

Overview

This volume offers exceptional commentary on Mark that clearly shows the second Gospel—though it was a product of the earliest Christian community—to be both relevant and sorely needed in today's church.

Written by a biblical scholar who has devoted thirty years to the study of the second Gospel, this commentary aims primarily to interpret the Gospel of Mark according to its theological intentions and purposes, especially as they relate to the life and ministry of Jesus and the call to faith and discipleship. Unique features of James Edwards's approach include clear descriptions of key terms used by Mark and revealing discussion of the Gospel's literary features, including Mark's use of the "sandwich" technique and of imagistic motifs and irony. Edwards also proposes a new paradigm for interpreting the difficult "Little Apocalypse" of chapter 13, and he argues for a new understanding of Mark's controversial ending.

This resources is also available as part of the Pillar New Testament Commentary Series.

Contents

Top Highlights

“In Mark’s understanding, therefore, the gospel is more than a set of truths, or even a set of beliefs. It is a person, ‘the gospel of Jesus Christ.’⁷ The kingdom that God inaugurates is bodily present in Jesus of Nazareth.” (Page 25)

“‘beginning’ signals the ‘fulfillment of God’s everlasting word.’³ For Mark the introduction of Jesus is no less momentous than the creation of the world, for in Jesus a new creation is at hand.” (Page 23)

“In the eyes of Jesus, the rescue and restoration of one person is more important than vast capital assets. Compared to the redemption of a human being, the loss of the swineherds, considerable though it is, does not rate mentioning.” (Page 159)

“The first mention of faith (2:5) in Mark significantly links it with acting rather than with knowing or feeling. We know nothing of the beliefs of the four friends of the paralytic except that they take action, including circumventing crowds and removing roofs to ensure that their charge is brought to Jesus. Faith is first and foremost not knowledge about Jesus but active trust that Jesus is sufficient for one’s deepest and most heartfelt needs.” (Page 76)

“Rather, from the outset Mark announces that the content of the gospel is the person of Jesus, who is the Christ and Son of God. It is a brief confession of faith, the meaning of which will unfold only as the reader follows Mark’s presentation of Jesus in the Gospel.” (Page 26)

About The Pillar New Testament Commentary Series

The Pillar New Testament Commentary, designed for serious readers of the Bible, seeks above all to make clear the meaning of the text of Scripture as we have it. Writers of the PNTC volumes interact with the most important, informed contemporary debate yet avoid undue technical detail. Their ideal is a blend of rigorous exegesis and exposition, scholarship and pastoral sensitivity, with an eye alert both to biblical theology and to the contemporary relevance of the Bible.

Product Details

• Title: Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark
• Author: James R. Edwards
• Series: The Pillar New Testament Commentary (PNTC)
• Series Editor: D. A. Carson
• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Publication Date: 2002
• Pages: 552

About James R. Edwards

James R. Edwards is professor of religion at Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington. He has written numerous articles in scholarly and popular journals and is a contributing editor of Christianity Today. His other books include The Layman’s Overview of the Bible, The Divine Intruder: When God Breaks into Your Life, and the volume on Mark in the Pillar New Testament Commentary Series.