Jesus the Teacher

Of the dozens of books published on Mark over the past 15 years, this has to be on anyone's "Top Ten" list. This work is a well-balanced and well-reasoned approach to understanding the author, audience and social climate of the first gospel. Robbins writes in an easily understandable style, and sheds new light on both the Jewish and Hellenistic roots of the gospel. For anyone wanting a better understanding of Mark, this book is an essential read. For those ready to accept the fact that Mark's gospel is a work of divinely inspired rhetorical literature rather than a historical biography of the divine, this is your book. Robbins' other works and journal articles are equally valuable for clarity and depth of insight.