Review of Commentaries

William L. Lane, The Gospel of Mark, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1974).

While older, Lane’s commentary was the best that we read on Mark. It is a technical commentary, and it gave excellent historical insight into Mark.

James A. Brooks, Mark, vol. 23, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991).

Brooks balances historicity, historical background, and interpretation. This was a good middle-of-the-road read for Mark, balancing interpretation with historical background.

R. Alan Cole, Mark: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 2, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1989).

Theologically, we agree with Cole’s conclusions more than any of the other commentators—for whatever that’s worth.

Walter W. Wessel, “Mark,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 8 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984).

R.T. France, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 2002).

Clocking in at close to 700 pages (!!), this volume gave a level of detail regarding current scholarship that was simply too technical for our purposes. We’re glad that conservative commentaries like France exist, but it was too much detail for this project. Maybe in years to come we will read it cover to cover, but for now, we merely consulted this commentary on individual passages, where France gave an abundance of insight, scholarship, and background.

Review of Commentaries New Testament Mark

Review of Commentaries

New Testament

Mark