Mark for Everyone

This book was tailor-made for a bible study group. I used it in law school for an inter-denominational group that included Catholics, Baptists, LDS and various other protestants. We all got a lot out of it. The book is divided by short passages from Mark interspersed with longer commentary (usually 2-3 pages) from Tom Wright. I can sincerely say this helped me on my faith journey and deepened my knowledge of Jesus and the New Testament, particularly the Gospel of Mark. For beginner and intermediate-level bible students, I highly recommend it for group-study.

Tom Wright has scored perfect on his interpretation of Mark's gospel. He follows the thought from beginning to the end and does so with no anachronistic readings of the text. I know this was meant to be a commentary for everyone to read, but Wright has actually crafted something that deserves to be looked at by scholars as well as everyone. The anecdotes found throughout the series are excellent and help draw the reader into the discussion and meaning of the text of Mark. The glossary at the end is helpful and also very helpful and refreshing is Wright's translation of the text itself. As a pastor I would recomment Wright's Everyone series about every other commentary series on the market. His writing style is lucid, clear, and engaging. Wright recognizes the metanarrative and expectations of the Jewish world of the first century and correctly sees the actions of Jesus as being the reconstitution of Israel in the son of David who is Israel's true representative. His interpretation of the Temple shows that Jesus did not come to simply cleanse the Temple, but to declare it bankrupt and to announce its coming destruction. Wright handles well OT allusions and quotations, picking up on a quotes entire context and avoids assuming that Mark glossed over or handled glibbly his quotes without picking up on the overall story that Jesus himself is bringing to fulfillment. One such example is Mark 13, which speaks of the coming of the Son of Man. Wright maintains that this allusion to Daniel 7 shows the Son of Man coming to the ancient of days and therefore when used by Jesus is more a reference to the ascension of Jesus to the right hand of the Father and not to the second coming of Jesus from Heaven back to earth. If you only buy one commentary out of the Everyone Series you cannot go wrong with Mark.

Tom or N.T. Wright captures the shocking and revolutionary nature of the Gospel in his translation and commentary on Mark. Following Christ is signing up to be subversive of so much that is taken for granted by the world then and now: might is power, always take care of No. 1. Wright takes the Gospel at face value, puts it in the Old Testament context, and gives us the flavor of how astonishing and riveting hearing Jesus in Palestine must have been. He captures the excitement that is still relevant today without compromising on scholarship. This is a great book for Bible study groups. As a Catholic, I would give only one caveat, namely, that Wright does not present the inherent ambiguity of references to Jesus' "brothers and sisters" in a Semitic context--but that is a relatively minor point and Wright is not seeking to attack Catholic belief in the perpetual virginity of Mary (see pp. 67-68). That's pretty good coming from an evangelical Protestant scholar. With that sole caveat in mind for Catholics, buy the book!

This is a book which should find wide appeal. Tom Wright gives us a highly readable and quite enjoyable introduction to the gospel of Mark, informed by both his deep New Testament scholarship and his wide pastoral experience and perspective. This is Mark, truly for everyone. While there won't be much here that is new for those well-acquainted with current NT research, Wright plainly illuminates Mark's themes and places them properly in the context of the times. Wright's own translations of the original text are clear and contemporary to the right degree. For his intended audience - the general educated reader - Wright is on target. This would be a good pick for a teen or adult NT study group. Read it, and your faith will be even better secured on a firm foundation of understanding. Wright knows how to go after the very core, the kernel, of faith. Reading it, it is easy to hear Tom Wright's baritone voice in his adept prose; he is so effortless to read that it is easy to overlook how good a writer he in fact is. The medium is properly transparent and subordinate to the message. This series reminds me of the one authored years ago by William Barclay; each author has his own strengths and appeal and both could be read with profit by the Christian wishing to better understand the New Testament. If I had to recommend just one, it would be Wright, without question. But that would be to ignore the often top-notch pastoral sermon aspects - albeit old-fashioned- of Barclay's writings.

Tom Wright has done exactly what is needed: given us a look at the gospels that is both deep and accessible. This book is easy to read, quite thought-provoking, and informed by both scholarship and faith. Wright knows and uses the latest academic information, but in a delightful manner. By far the best thing of its kind.