Mark's Masterpiece: A Short Study of St. Mark's Gospel

This book incorporates material presented in a seminar on the gospel of St. Mark, primarily intended for a lay audience. The first chapter contains a very brief survey of some of the issues which occupy Biblical scholars and of which most people remain, perhaps blissfully, unaware. While such issues may not be germane to regular devotional reading of scripture, having at least a little awareness of them can enrich the study experience. All quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and all Biblical references are to the Gospel of Mark unless otherwise stated.

Apart from consideration of the Resurrection narrative (16.1-8), I do not delve into a great deal of detailed analysis of individual passages (for example Jesus’ parables, other teachings, or individual stories of healings.) Rather, I seek to provide the reader with a more general view of the Gospel writer’s agenda or point of view, that is, to address the question: what overall message was he attempting to convey to his 1st century readers? I have titled the study ‘Mark’s Masterpiece’ because Mark is a superb story-teller in his own right and the God-given artistry of the evangelist is often something which becomes eclipsed by other concerns.