Mark (Teach the Text Commentary Series)

the long version

Mark's concern in his Gospel is that his readers know the good news of who Jesus is: God's Son and suffering Messiah. It is a book of action, demonstrating Jesus's identity with a strong emphasis on what he did -- acts of service and of power that often left onlookers amazed. Inherent in this revelation of Jesus's identity is a call to radical discipleship fueled by total dependence on him. Renowned scholar Grant R. Osborne provides keen insights to help preachers and teachers bring Mark's important message to life for today's listeners. To craft informed sermons, pastors scour commentaries that often deal more with minutia than the main point. Or they turn to devotional commentaries, which may contain exegetical weaknesses. The Teach the Text Commentary Series bridges this gap by utilizing the best of biblical scholarship and providing the information a pastor needs to communicate the text effectively. By keeping the discussion of each carefully selected preaching unit to six pages of focused commentary, the volumes in this series allow pastors to quickly grasp the big idea and key themes of each passage of Scripture. Each unit of the commentary includes the big idea and key themes of the passage; sections dedicated to understanding, teaching, and illustrating the text; and full-color illustrations, maps, and photos. - Publisher.