Let's Study Mark

Plain-spoken, reformed introduction to the Book of Mark. Especially useful for "low information" users, such as new Sunday School members, or group Bible Studies. The text, though simple, belies Pastor Ferguson's long decades of service and scholarship.

Ferguson is well positioned to write these sort of commentaries. He has a PhD in systematics and has taught at Westminster Theological Seminary, but he's also been the beloved pastor of a large, vibrant Presbyterian church in Scotland. He's written something like 30 books, and he has a gift for clear but deep writing. The cover of my edition of this book, printed in 2005, is not overly cheesy (as the last reviewer charged). But an older volume in this series (Ferguson's Let's Study Philippians -- also great) does have an awful cover, so my guess is they updated it recently. The chapters (73 in all) are short and accessible. They are packed with reliable and lively exegesis, with a theologically strong redemptive-historical approach. He pauses to make solid and penetrating practical applications as he goes. There are additional study questions in the back that tie themes from various chapters together. If I were to pick just one commentary to use for a small group Bible study of lay people, or a teacher's guide for an adult Christian ed. class, this would be it. Other good commentaries for teaching and preaching: R. Kent Hughes (1989, Reformed sermons, solid if a little less than contemporary); Tom Wright, Mark for Everyone (2001 --excellent concise exegesis and insights. Yes, the NPP theology is troublesome at a feww junctures, but it does not come into play here that I see); Mark Horne (2004 -- Reformed, PCA, lengthy -- references Austin Farrar alot); William Lane (NICNT -- extensive exegesis).

Excellent commentary. Each chapter is small enough to read in a day for use as a devotional. The cover is cheesy, but the book is wonderful!