Book Review: The Gospel of Mark: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary

Abstract

"This commentary offers the first sustained attempt to read the Gospel of Mark both as an ancient biography and as a form of ancient rhetoric. Ben Witherington applies to Mark the socio-rhetorical approach for which he is well known, opening a new perspective on the earliest Gospel that also emphasizes Mark's theological and ethical interests and purposes. Based on a fresh translation of the Greek text, Witherington's commentary makes clear Mark's focus on the identity of Jesus, on the importance of knowing who he is - the Christ, the Son of God - in order to properly understand why he had to die. Among the valuable features of this commentary are special sections designed to help modern readers of Mark apply the text to life today and excurses that highlight technical topics for scholars and more advanced Bible students."--Jacket. Introduction -- Genre of Mark -- Rhetoric of Mark -- Mark's sources -- Mark's style and facility with Greek -- Authorship and audience of the earliest gospel -- Mark in its social context -- Structure of Mark's gospel -- Mark's Christology, the Messianic secret, and Mark's ending -- Contours of Mark's Christology -- Mark on discipleship -- Mark as story -- Point of view -- Commentary -- Superscript -- News of new beginnings (1:1-15) -- Call of the fishermen (1:16-20) -- Sabbatical plan (1:21-28) -- Healings at home and on the road (1:29-45) -- Controversial Christ (2:1--3:6) -- Preview and review (3:7-12) -- Creation of a ministering community, the forsaking of family and neighbors (3:13--6:6a) -- Tests of discipleship; the trials of God's anointed one (6:6b--8:38) -- Transfigured glory and transformed disciples (9:1--10:52) -- Long day's journey into night, part I (11:1--13:37) -- Long day's journey into night, part II (14:1--15:47) -- End of the beginning of the Gospel (16:1-8) -- Appendix: Mark's perspective on the disciples -- Index of Modern Authors -- Index of References.