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The earliest of the four Gospels, the book portrays Jesus as an enigmatic figure, struggling with enemies, his inner and external demons, and with his devoted but disconcerted disciples. Unlike other gospels, his parables are obscure, to be explained secretly to his followers. With an introduction by Nick Cave

Mark's gospel is a rapid fire account of Jesus' ministry focusing primarily on His many miracles. This eyewitness account presents the boldest and clearest witness of Jesus' identity as the Son of God with power!

This volume inaugurates a series of accessibly written yet substantive commentaries for use in Catholic universities, seminaries, and parishes.

How Baptism and the Eucharist Shaped Early Christian Understandings of Jesus Long before the Gospel writers put pen to papyrus, the earliest Christians participated in the powerful rituals of baptism and the Lord's Supper, which fundamentally shaped their understanding of God, Christ, and the world in which they lived. In this volume, a respected biblical scholar and teacher explores how cultural anthropology and ritual studies elucidate ancient texts. Charles Bobertz offers a liturgical reading of the Gospel of Mark, arguing that the Gospel is a narrative interpretation of early Christian ritual. This fresh, responsible, and creative proposal will benefit scholars, professors, and students. Its ecclesial and pastoral ramifications will also be of interest to church leaders and pastors.

Immediately. Let's go. Right away. Now. Get up. Then ... Mark's narrative moves quickly and you sense the action in the story of Jesus' life. It's teaching presented as the gospel - good news powerfully announced in a world of bad news. This gospel emphasizes not only that Jesus is "the Son of God" (1:1; 15:39) but also that this fact demands a response. The Gospel of Mark highlights Jesus' unparalleled spiritual power and authority, leading us to consider for ourselves the question, "Who do you say that I am?" (Mark 8:29) The Gospel of Mark: the Jesus we're aching for partners the compassion of Jesus with the passion of Christ. We see how the heart of God is moved by the heart of humanity and His response to our loud cry for help. We discover the world-changing result of being recipients of His compassion and the reason for His passion, all the way to the cross. Ultimately, Mark intends for the action-packed presentation of who Jesus is to lead us to acknowledge Jesus, find salvation in Him, and follow Him.

Here Professor Hengel argues with a wealth of documentation that the traditional views of the origin and tradition of the Gospel of Mark have far more to be said for them than has been usually allowed by modern New Testament scholars. He argues that the tradition contained in the Gospel is that handed down by Peter through Mark, and that the Gospel was written in Rome in AD 69. The famous note by Papias quoted in Eusebius' 'Church History' is not to be dismissed, but has every appearance of being reliable. Further evidence in support of this view can be found in a detailed consideration of the titles of the Gospels, which must have been attached to the Gospels at a very early stage, if only to identify them. An appendix, by the distinguished classical philologist Wolfgang Schadewaldt, on 'The Reliability of the Synoptic Tradition,' is used to add further weight to the case. With his customary learning, Professor Hengel has produced a powerful argument which those who have held more radical views than his own will have to consider very carefully indeed if they are to continue to carry conviction.

The debate continues among today's leading Bible scholars about the conspicuous exclusion of twelve verses (16:9-20) in the gospel of Mark from some early Greek manuscripts.

The story begins in the period immediately after the lifetime of Jesus when as yet there were no written accounts of any sort, but the tradition about him was preserved entirely by word of mouth. So far as the material in our Gospels is concerned, it was preserved during this period exclusively by Christians. Although St. Mark was no biographer, by linking together the various separate stories and groups of stories with summary passages of his own composition, he has produced what is, so far as its form is concerned, a connected historical narrative. It tells of the Lord's baptism by John the Baptist, of a subsequent varied ministry in Galilee, of some journeys outside Galilee ending with a journey to Jerusalem, and finally of a series of events -- the entry upon the ass, the cleansing of the temple, the scene in the treasury, and the like -- which must obviously have taken place in Jerusalem. - Introduction.

In this engaging treatment of the Gospel of Mark, Dawn Ottoni Wilhelm combines biblical scholarship with a close reading of the Gospel text to meet the needs of preachers today. Swift and purposeful, the Gospel of Mark proclaims God's reign and urges the participation of all God's people in the witness of the good news that God has transformed human reality through Jesus Christ. This insightful commentary helps that message come alive while providing pertinent suggestions about how preachers can proclaim this message to today's churchgoers.