Sources for Gospel of Mark Bible Study

I began reading The Memoirs of St. Peter, a new translation of Mark, and remembered these notes. Heavens to Betsy! The last time we looked at the Gospel of Mark together it was 2012!

We're way past time to take a second look at some of the things that bring Mark alive for me. Here are my favorite resources. I may not quote all of these, but I'll have looked through them and over the years they have added to my overall knowledge.

Mark the Evangelist by Il Pordenone

The Memoirs of St. Peter: A New Translation of the Gospel According to Mark
Mark Pakaluk’s goal is to restore the freshness and realism feel of the text as originally written by Mark. He's interested in Mark's Gospel as being a first-hand account told by St. Peter of what it was like to live with Christ for three years. He also has insightful commentary which helps us feel "you are there."

 
The Navarre Bible: Mark
The Navarre commentaries are consistently excellent and have a lot of thoughts from Church Fathers, Popes, saints, and the Catechism. They add wisdom from the 2,000 years of Church contemplation on scripture since Jesus.

Life Application Study Bible: New International Version
This Protestant Bible is an interesting resource. The footnotes are fresh, interesting, and a good resource for historical questions such as how threshing was done when Ruth met Boaz for example. They also have maps and occasional one page essays about main figures of the Bible. There is a tendency to ask questions at the end of commentary such as, "Do you listen to God like this person, etc.?" which I find rather annoying but they may not strike everyone that way. I would advise the NIV version as I have been told that translation is more accurate than the New Living Translation.

Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: The Gospel of Mark
The structure is such that you are generally covering just a little scripture at a time. Each reading is followed with cross references to the Old Testament, New Testament, Catechism, and Liturgy. These are followed by the commentary, in which words from the scripture reading are bold whenever they are used. Although I saw some people complaining about that practice, I found it useful. Sometimes a bold word would make me suddenly pay attention and go back to the scripture, thinking, "Did it really say that? Why haven't I ever noticed before?"

There are also a few maps, occasional photos when they'd be helpful, and sidebar boxes with Biblical background and living tradition (Catechism, Fathers of the Church, saints) information that enriches understanding.

In Conversation with God by Francis Fernandez
A daily devotional that follows the daily Mass readings. Topics range from the sacraments and virtues to family interaction and friendship. The sensible and down-to-earth writing is enhanced by quotes from saints, Church Fathers, popes, cross-references with other scripture than in the day's readings, Church documents, etc. I've been using this for 20 years off and on.  Full review here.

The Word on Fire Bible: The Gospels
From the Word on Fire ministries headed by Bishop Robert Barron, this is a commentary bible loaded with observations from the Church Fathers, newer Catholic writers like Fulton Sheen and G.K. Chesterton, and Bishop Barron himself. The primary purpose is evangelization of those not affiliated with organization or Christianity and poses the question throughout of "Who is God? and "Who is Jesus Christ?"

Opening the Scripture series: Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life
This is the one that I used for my first Gospel of Matthew series of posts, way back in 2008. It's still good. Read my full review here.

Ignatius Mark Study Bible
This has since been gathered into the Ignatius Study New Testament by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch. I already had it in this individual little book. The commentary is excellent, as one would expect.

Mark: a Devotional Commentary
Practical and easy to use. From Word Among Us but also with a Kindle version.

Food for the Soul

In his inimitable style, Kreeft offers reflections on each of the Sunday Mass readings, excepting the psalms (which I wish he'd included). These amount to a series of mini-homilies on each reading and I like them a lot so far. My review is here.

The Word of the Lord

Biblical scholar Dr. John Bergsma provides commentary on each Sunday's selection of readings. Whether you are a homilist seeking insight into the meaning of difficult scriptural passages or a Catholic desiring a deepened understanding of the readings you hear at Mass, The Word of the Lord series is an invaluable guide. My review is here.

The Daily Study Bible Series — The Gospel of Mark, Revised Edition
I'm a real fan of William Barclay's commentaries on the New Testament books. Barclay's strengths are his phenomenal knowledge of the Greek language, the Jewish culture and religion, and the Roman occupation during the New Testament era. He is wonderful at conveying this knowledge in a way that simple and easily understandable. He puts it in context so that you can understand what events meant to the people to whom Jesus spoke to 2,000 years ago.

However, I have to always include this caveat when mentioning William Barclay ... his theology can be very wonky if you are Catholic. For example, his commentary on the gospels with nativity stories include a number of reasons Jesus' virgin birth didn't necessarily have to be virgin. Sorry. That's really nonnegotiable. He also often includes pointed commentary about why Roman Catholic teachings are wrong. So there's that ...

But if one reads with a knowledgeable eye, Barclay's work is really wonderful.

NOTE: the recently revised versions (1990s and beyond) have been heavily edited to be more politically correct. I'm not sure what that has done to Barclay's original work so I just go with the second revision, done under Barclay's eye. I'm not so thin skinned that I can't stand a little old fashionedness.

 ===== 

Sources and Notes Index

Rereading: In Conversation with God by Francis Fernandez-Carvajal

The last of the commentaries I'm highlighting for anyone who wants to begin the new Church year looking deeper into Scripture. This one covers every day of the yearly liturgical calendar, not just the Sunday masses as the other series do. It has been formational in my life as a Catholic.

I first reviewed this in 2004, way back when I began my blog. When someone brought up A. Sertillanges the other day, I realized I knew the name well and had read many quotes by him — in this series. So I wanted to remind everyone of how wonderful it is.

This seven-volume set gives you brief (five to six pages) meditations for every day of the Church’s entire liturgical calendar, including feast days and each of the three cycles of Ordinary Time on Sundays. Author Francis Fernandez-Carvajal makes generous use of the writings of the great saints as he brings you focused and moving meditations on themes taken from the Mass readings for that day, the liturgical season, and more. This work is rich and extensive enough to serve as your spiritual reading for a lifetime, as it helps you relate the particulars of the message of Christ to the ordinary circumstances of your day. Each volume is small enough for you to carry it to Adoration or some other suitable place for meditation. The whole set comes with a handsome slipcase that prevents wear-and-tear on the individual volumes.

I have been reading this series most mornings for 20 years and have yet to find a devotional that is better or more complete.

I especially remember the summer that my in-laws rented a house on the Galveston beach and I eagerly awaited the time each day when I could sit on the porch. The waves beat on the beach, the wind blew sand in my hair and salt like perfume, the gulls cried, and I would dive into this devotional for the daily reflection. It formed my life, slowly and surely, into  the kind of Catholic I am today.

Following the daily Mass readings, topics range from the sacraments and virtues to family interaction and friendship. The sensible and down-to-earth writing is enhanced by quotes from saints, Church Fathers, popes, cross-references with other scripture than in the day's readings, Church documents, etc. I especially enjoy the fact that this was translated from the original Spanish, meaning that things applying to my daily life and problems are exactly the same things faced by people in Spain, or, indeed, around the world.

Even after so many years of reading these books, there often is new food for thought and for "conversation." Also, I realize how much I have been formed as a Catholic by the overall message about living daily life by sharing our small joys and sorrows with Christ. One could do much worse.

There is a boxed set but I bought these one at a time as I went through the church year. The books cover Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter, ordinary time, and have two special volumes for special feasts and saint days.

Food for the Soul: Reflections on the Mass Readings by Peter Kreeft

Here's another set of commentaries to consider as the new Church year begins on Sunday. I originally ran this review when there was just one book available but now there's one for each of the Church's three year cycle.

Peter Kreeft has a different style than the John Bergsma books I recommended yesterday, but I love these too. We're going into Year B, if you are wondering which to get.

In Food for the Soul, the first book in a three-part series, philosopher Peter Kreeft invites the faithful—clergy and laity alike—to a heart-to-heart relationship with Christ the Word through the Word of the Scriptures.

Moving through the first reading, second reading, and Gospel reading for each Sunday and other major liturgical celebrations throughout the lectionary cycle, Kreeft brings the Mass readings to life with his trademark blend of wit and wisdom, challenging readers to plant their souls in the rich soil of Scripture and sharpen their minds with the Sword of the Spirit.

As Peter Kreeft himself says, this book is intended to help priests and deacons make their boring or bad homilies better. In his inimitable style, Kreeft offers reflections on each of the Sunday Mass readings, excepting the psalms (which I wish he'd included). These amount to a series of mini-homilies on each reading and I like them a lot so far.

Reading these made me think of Fordyce's Sermons*, which Jane Austen mentioned in her books. She was making a joke because of the topic of the sermons chosen, but I always thought it was a great idea to make sermons available for people to read at home or to give pastors something they could read if they weren't good writers or engaging speakers. Not everyone can do everything well after all.

Kreeft's style of commentary is quite different from John Bergsma's commentary so the two work together well. If I could only have one, I'd pick Bergsma's book but that is just a matter of taste. Luckily, that's a choice I don't have to make! I'll keep reading both to prepare for Sunday Mass.

Available directly from Word on Fire or I got mine from Amazon.

*Sermons to Young Women (1766), often called Fordyce's Sermons, is a two-volume compendium of sermons compiled by James Fordyce, a Scottish clergyman, which were originally delivered by himself and others. Fordyce was considered an excellent orator, and his collection of sermons found a ready audience among English clergy and laity alike. It quickly became a staple of many Church and personal libraries.

The Word of the Lord: Reflections on the Sunday Mass Readings by John Bergsma

As the new Church year begins on Sunday, I'm rerunning this review of a commentary series that has stood me in very good stead for three years now. I just love these. We're going into Year B, if you are wondering which to get.

  

In The Word of the Lord series, biblical scholar Dr. John Bergsma provides commentary on each Sunday's selection of readings. Whether you are a homilist seeking insight into the meaning of difficult scriptural passages or a Catholic desiring a deepened understanding of the readings you hear at Mass, The Word of the Lord series is an invaluable guide.

This series delights me by focusing on the readings from a deep connection to scripture that isn't held specifically to the excerpts that the liturgy is using. Bergsma's background as a Biblical scholar comes to the fore in identifying unifying motifs and intriguing connections that you don't see a lot of the time. I splurged on it and it is truly wonderful for anyone who loves Bible study and the Sunday Mass liturgy.

The Solemnities and Feasts book (red cover) supplements Bergsma's commentaries on the Sunday readings for years A, B, and C. There are a number of important days that aren't regular Sunday Mass days — such as Christmas or Ash Wednesday! Nonetheless we gain a lot from having commentary on the readings. This book fills that need.

UPDATED: Covenant and Conversation series — a new look at the Pentateuch

Updated to include Numbers: The Wilderness Years.

Each week, synagogues around the world read a section from the Torah (the five books of Moses). The cycle begins with Genesis and ends with the last verses of Deuteronomy 12 months later. The Covenant & Conversation series has essays commenting on each of the weekly readings.

These essays are by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks who was the Chief Rabbi of the U.K. for some 20 years. I'd read his editorials occasionally in the Wall Street Journal and always found them insightful, inspirational, and down to earth. When I discovered he'd done this series I began at the beginning with Genesis. What I found was a work of genius.

These essays have the same easy style I remembered while giving in-depth, brilliant, compassionate commentary that often surprised me and sometimes changed my whole perspective on a Biblical person or their actions. Sacks is good at comparing ancient and modern world views. This not only clarifies Biblical context but often shows just how different our current ideas are. These are stories about people and Sacks never forgets that. He looks at what Torah is showing us that is the same not only in those ancient times, but in our own lives. After all, the word of God is eternal, applying to all time and all people.

There is much here that resonates with the Catholic soul, simply because the Jews are our elder brothers in the faith. However, a Christian reading these essays will be sharply reminded that there is a Jewish way of thinking about the first five books of the Bible, and, indeed, about God and worship, which is particular to the Jewish people. That is a real cultural wake up call and one that I found sometimes jerking me to the realization that this is different. The thinking, the response to God and His call, the way of dealing with other people — it can be very different, while still being anchored in our common knowledge of the one, personal God. 

A quick example is that I was surprised by the Jewish custom of reading Torah every year. Just like us! No, I realized. We're just like them. The first Christians were Jewish and I am well used to finding parts of Catholic liturgy that reflect they were patterned after those Christians' original faith. That was an easy mental adjustment, one that left me happy at another proof of our family ties.

Here are the books I've read so far. I'll add to this as I go along continue, which I will, with the last two books in the series.

Genesis: The Book of Beginnings by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

I learned new ways of looking deeper at familiar stories such as when Isaac is tricked into giving his blessing to Jacob instead of Esau. I found deeper sympathy and new insights into lesser characters. Who knew she was not only crafty but also tactful? Or that Judah's encounter with Tamar led to a life-changing realization that helped him pass Joseph's test when the brothers all go to Egypt seeking grain? I already loved Tamar but now I have more sympathy and admiration for Judah's growth.

Here are a few of the themes emphasized as being core parts of Judaism, which surprised me.

•  Love of words and language, both as forms of worship and of what make us human.
• Treasuring children. "Ours is a supremely child-centered faith" says Sacks.
• God making space so that people can exercise free will and make mistakes.
• The importance of the land God gave them, of Israel.
• The Torah is meant to be heard, not read silently. "Judaism is supremely a religion of the ear, unlike all other ancient civilizations..." says Sacks.
• The necessity of the struggle to do God's will and of going one step more than we are asked.
  

These might seem like no brainers, reading this list. It's not that Catholicism doesn't have these elements but they don't define us the way that Sacks made clear they define the Jewish people. I found myself understanding a little better their pride at their indestructibility, the ancientness of their faith, and their role as God's chosen people.

There is a fair amount of midrash considered throughout. Midrash is textual study and interpretation of scripture that uses questions, examines what is left unsaid, and fills in with their own stories to form a running commentary. I'm not crazy about midrash as it can range far afield sometimes. I'm not Jewish so perhaps that is understandable. Sacks sometimes includes midrash in order to keep following the logical train of thought and sometimes so that he can introduce a different interpretation.

Quibbles about midrash aside, this is a work of genius. Highly recommended.

Note: A few excerpts are shared here.

Exodus: The Book of Redemption

This second in the series, focusing on the book of Exodus, is simply wonderful and just as good as his first in the series about Genesis. This book in particular shows Sacks' skill at not only examining the stories of the Bible but in giving us context for the rituals that are so lovingly detailed. Regardless of how dense and uninteresting they appear to the modern reader, Sacks' context gives us a way to see how they still apply to us and our relationship to God in modern times.

As before, a certain amount of midrash is considered, but it is often used to take the reader forward to consider how Exodus affects us today.

 

 

Leviticus: The Book of Holiness 

 

This is the third in Sacks' series, focusing on Leviticus, and I approached it with a bit of trepidation. As he notes, there are only two stories in the whole book and those are quite brief. Therefore, he spends a lot of time setting up the book itself. The introduction is 50 pages long but it is pure gold. First, we are told that:

Leviticus is the central book of the Pentateuch, the Torah. This makes it the most important of the five. Biblical literature often works on the principle of mirror-image symmetry (chiasmus), structured in the form of ABCBA. In any work so patterned, the climax is not at the beginning or the end but in the middle. At the centre of the five Mosaic books. Leviticus is the axis on which they turn.

So, boring it may be but it is also key to the Pentateuch, the heart of the Old Testament, and we should pay attention. 

He also points out that this book is the purest expression of the priestly voice. The rest of the introduction explores that voice and what the priest means to Judaism, especially in contrast to those of king and prophet. This sounds dry but is actually fascinating, which is the case with the essays which make up the body of the book.

If you ever wanted to see what's the deal with Leviticus, this is the spot to start. 

Numbers: The Wilderness Years 

This fourth in the series, focusing on the book of Numbers, is equally as wonderful as the previous three books. I should have remembered that if Sacks could make Leviticus riveting and relatable then he should be able to do the same for the Book of Numbers. After all, Numbers does have a lot of stories that continue the Book of Exodus in finally getting the people to the promised land. 

However, as Sacks' duly points out, it is also a bit of a mishmash. All mixed together we find census lists, laws, camp set up details, itineraries which just list one location after another — it's challenging to a modern reader. Sacks shows us how the entire book comes together as a narrative of the hard work to achieve freedom which is the ongoing task not only of the nation of Israel but of each one of us. 

It makes compelling reading.

Digging into the roots of our faith

I just figured out that I'm partway into a pilgrimage in seeing just how far back the roots of our faith reach into Jewish tradition, history, and overall context. (Hint: it goes all the way back to the beginning and all the way to the top).

Its so exciting! And you know what that means. I've got to share the good stuff with you.

As we know I've lately been digging into the Psalms (and beginning tomorrow, some of canticles too!) with the help of the Church Fathers and other commentaries. 

That and the strong recommendation from The Burrowshire Podcast led me to dabbling in the Liturgy of the Hours which, in turn, led me to Saint John Paul II's and Pope Benedict's excellent homilies on the psalms and canticles. 

Topping off my deep immersion in Jewish and Old Testament context was Rabbi Sacks' essays Genesis: The Book of Beginnings. I'm now about halfway through his essays on Exodus which are similarly eye opening in connecting Catholicism to Jewish context.

Suffice it to say, I recently realized that God had positioned me for a deep, deep dive into connecting the Old Testament with Jesus. It is so fascinating to see how far back (like all the way to the beginning) that Jesus' priesthood stretches, how much deeper the liturgical readings are linked than the obvious connections we can see, and to feel it all come together.

Recently it all came together in a perfect storm of resources from author John Bergsma.

First, my daughter Rose alerted me to a Pints with Aquinas podcast episode where John Bergsma talks about the Biblical basis for the priesthood of Jesus. This had some stunning connections which make so much sense once someone has pointed them out. Bergsma recently wrote Jesus and the Old Testament Roots of the Priesthood which went straight onto my wish list after seeing the sample and hearing that podcast episode.

I am not surprised at considering that Bergsma's collaboration with Brant Pitre (another excellent author who shows "Jewish roots" connections) on A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament is a simply wonderful scholarly overview of contemporary understanding of the language, literature, history, and culture of the ancient Hebrews. This was a big investment for me but well worth the money. I love it.

But Bergsma's been busier than I realized. Looking around on Amazon for the priesthood book I also came across two other treasures.

I approached the first discovery warily. I've got devotionals the follow the daily and Sunday Mass readings. This would have to offer something different and I felt as if most devotionals tended to fall into the same few general categories. 

However, The Word of the Lord: Reflections on the Sunday Mass Readings for Year B delighted me by focusing on the readings from a deep connection to scripture that wasn't held down to the excerpts that the liturgy uses. Bergsma's background as a Biblical scholar comes to the fore in identifying unifying motifs and intriguing connections that you don't see a lot of the time. I splurged on it as my book to buy this month and it is truly wonderful for anyone who loves Bible study and the Sunday Mass liturgy.

Bergsma's connection with the Ave Catholic Notetaking Bible is simply in writing the introduction (as far as I can tell). But I'm grateful to have this Bible called to my attention. Rose got her own copy so I've been able to see it up close and it is on my wish list now.

Here's why.

I've used the same Catholic study Bible (1980) since I converted. It's got the accumulated notes of 20 years from Bible studies, commentaries, and anywhere else that I found something I was afraid I'd forget. I like having all these notes in one place, but I hate having nowhere to write. And as you can see, some of these pages are full!

The pictures and reviews of that notetaking Bible make me itch to begin transcribing everything into a place with enough room.

Psalms & Canticles by John Paul II

The daily Liturgy of Lauds, in addition to the Psalms, always offers a Canticle from the Old Testament. Indeed, it is well known that besides the Psalter [Book of Psalms], the true prayer book of Israel and later of the Church,  another sort of "Psalter" exists, found among the various historical, prophetic and sapiential [relating to wisdom] pages of the Bible. It also consists in hymns, supplications, praises and invocations, often of great beauty and spiritual intensity.

John Paul II, Psalms & Canticles:
Meditations and Catechesis on the Psalms and Canticles of Morning Prayer

Toward the end of his life and pontificate, John Paul II began a series on of homilies on the psalms and canticles of morning prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. They were collected in this book. When I began dabbling in the Liturgy of the Hours I picked it up. It is a real  treasure.

Saint John Paul II's homilies going through the psalms and canticles for morning prayer used over the 4 week period. His commentaries are both accessible and rich, giving the context in which they were first prayed and then showing how they show us Christ. They often end with a connection to a Church Father or saint who spoke about a particular psalm. I can't recommend them highly enough.

 

I discovered that JPII followed that up with a series of homilies covering evening prayer, which Pope Benedict XVI finished when his predecessor died before finishing commenting on the four weeks of Hours of the Liturgies.  The book versions of these are out of print or ridiculously expensive and a Catholic publisher would be doing the faithful a great service in reprinting them (so that's my plea, moving on). Luckily, some industrious soul made a linked reference to all the homilies. See the second chart in this location for links to the evening prayer homilies which are posted at the Vatican website.

 

These have been so enriching that I will be sharing a few of the insights in an occasional post on the Canticles that I'll be interspersing these occasionally with our psalms series.

"How shall we live?" — Genesis: The Book of Beginnings by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

Each week, synagogues around the world read a section from the Torah (the five books of Moses). The  cycle begins with Genesis and ends with the last verses of Deuteronomy 12 months later. The Covenant & Conversation series has essays commenting on each of the weekly readings. 

These essays are by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks who was the Chief Rabbi of the U.K. for some 20 years. I'd read his editorials occasionally in the Wall Street Journal and always found them insightful, inspirational, and down to earth. When I discovered he'd done this series I began at the beginning with Genesis. What I found was a work of genius.

These essays have the same easy style I remembered while giving indepth, brilliant, compassionate commentary that often surprised me and sometimes changed my whole perspective on a Biblical person or their actions. Sacks is good at comparing ancient and modern worldviews. This not only clarifies Biblical context but often shows just how different our current ideas are. These are stories about people and Sacks never forgets that. He looks at what Torah is showing us that is the same not only in those ancient times, but in our own lives. After all, the word of God is eternal, applying to all time and all people.

I learned new ways of looking deeper at familiar stories such as when Isaac is tricked into giving his blessing to Jacob instead of Esau. I found deeper sympathy and new insights into lesser characters. Who knew she was not only crafty but also tactful? Or that Judah's encounter with Tamar led to a life-changing realization that helped him pass Joseph's test when the brothers all go to Egypt seeking grain? I already loved Tamar but now I have more sympathy and admiration for Judah's growth.

There is much here that resonates with the Catholic soul, simply because the Jews are our elder brothers in the faith. However, a Christian reading these essays will be sharply reminded that there is a Jewish way of thinking about the first five books of the Bible, and, indeed, about God and worship, which is particular to the Jewish people. That is a real cultural wake up call and one that I found sometimes jerking me to the realization that this is different. The thinking, the response to God and His call, the way of dealing with other people — it can be very different, while still being anchored in our common knowledge of the one, personal God.

A quick example is that I was surprised by the Jewish custom of reading Torah every year. Just like us! No, I realized. We're just like them. The first Christians were Jewish and I am well used to finding parts of Catholic liturgy that reflect they were patterned after those Christians' original faith. That was an easy mental adjustment, one that left me happy at another proof of our family ties.

Here are a few of the themes emphasized as being core parts of Judaism, which surprised me.

•  Love of words and language, both as forms of worship and of what make us human.
• Treasuring children. "Ours is a supremely child-centered faith" says Sacks.
• God making space so that people can exercise free will and make mistakes.
• The importance of the land God gave them, of Israel.
• The Torah is meant to be heard, not read silently. "Judaism is supremely a religion of the ear, unlike all other ancient civilizations..." says Sacks.
• The necessity of the struggle to do God's will and of going one step more than we are asked.
  

These might seem like no brainers, reading this list. It's not that Catholicism doesn't have these elements but they don't define us the way that Sacks made clear they define the Jewish people. I found myself understanding a little better their pride at their indestructibility, the ancientness of their faith, and their role as God's chosen people.

There is a fair amount of midrash considered throughout. Midrash is textual study and interpretation of scripture that uses questions, examines what is left unsaid, and fills in with their own stories to form a running commentary. I'm not crazy about midrash as it can range far afield sometimes. I'm not Jewish so perhaps that is understandable. Sacks sometimes includes midrash in order to keep following the logical train of thought and sometimes so that he can introduce a different interpretation.

Quibbles about midrash aside, this is a work of genius. Highly recommended.

Note: A few excerpts are shared here.

Word on Fire Bible — A Cathedral in Print

I've been waiting for this ever since Word on Fire mentioned they were working on a Bible. Go watch the video. This is beautiful with tons of art — way more than I imagined it would be.

Word on Fire Bible

There is a detailed review at National Catholic Register that tells more (just makes my mouth water, to be honest). Here's a bit:

As Bishop Barron explains in the introduction, the commentary is meant to be, above all else, evangelical in its purpose: “First, it is specifically geared toward those who, for a variety of reasons, are not affiliated with the Christian faith, or indeed with any organized religion. … Secondly and relatedly, its commentaries hone in on two simple but fundamental questions: Who is God, and who is Jesus Christ?”

At the same time, those two questions plumb, even for the most confident believers, wells whose ultimate depths we will never reach in this life. Those of us safely in the Catholic fold have plenty to learn from the commentaries of those who have pondered the Gospels over the centuries. Yes, the intelligent seeker will be enlightened by the Word on Fire Gospels. And the believer who regularly reads Scripture will become well-disciplined by this text: It forces us to slow down rather than zoom through that daily chapter. It compels us to consider the thoughts of greater minds and holier souls than ours on this or that particular passage.

Sources for Gospel of Matthew Bible Study

The last time we looked at the Gospel of Matthew together it was 2008!

So we're way past time to take a second look at some of the things that bring Matthew alive for me. Here are my favorite resources. I may not quote all of these, but I'll have looked through them and over the years they have added to my overall knowledge.

Simone Cantarini , St. Matthew and the Angel

The Navarre Bible: Matthew
The Navarre commentaries are consistently excellent and have a lot of thoughts from Church Fathers, Popes, saints, and the Catechism. They add wisdom from the 2,000 years of Church contemplation on scripture since Jesus.

Life Application Study Bible: New International Version
This Protestant Bible is an interesting resource. The footnotes are fresh, interesting, and a good resource for historical questions such as how threshing was done when Ruth met Boaz for example. They also have maps and occasional one page essays about main figures of the Bible. There is a tendency to ask questions at the end of commentary such as, "Do you listen to God like this person, etc.?" which I find rather annoying but they may not strike everyone that way. I would advise the NIV version as I have been told that translation is more accurate than the New Living Translation.

Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: The Gospel of Matthew
The structure is such that you are generally covering just a little scripture at a time. Each reading is followed with cross references to the Old Testament, New Testament, Catechism, and Liturgy. These are followed by the commentary, in which words from the scripture reading are bold whenever they are used. Although I saw some people complaining about that practice, I found it useful. Sometimes a bold word would make me suddenly pay attention and go back to the scripture, thinking, "Did it really say that? Why haven't I ever noticed before?"

There are also a few maps, occasional photos when they'd be helpful, and sidebar boxes with Biblical background and living tradition (Catechism, Fathers of the Church, saints) information that enriches understanding.

In Conversation with God by Francis Fernandez
A daily devotional that follows the daily Mass readings. Topics range from the sacraments and virtues to family interaction and friendship. The sensible and down-to-earth writing is enhanced by quotes from saints, Church Fathers, popes, cross-references with other scripture than in the day's readings, Church documents, etc. I've been using this for 20 years off and on.  Full review here.

The Word on Fire Bible: The Gospels
From the Word on Fire ministries headed by Bishop Robert Barron, this is a commentary bible loaded with observations from the Church Fathers, newer Catholic writers like Fulton Sheen and G.K. Chesterton, and Bishop Barron himself. The primary purpose is evangelization of those not affiliated with organization or Christianity and poses the question throughout of "Who is God? and "Who is Jesus Christ?"

Opening the Scripture series: Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life
This is the one that I used for my first Gospel of Matthew series of posts, way back in 2008. It's still good. Read my full review here.

Ignatius Matthew Study Bible
This has since been gathered into the Ignatius Study New Testament by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch. I already had it in this individual little book. The commentary is excellent, as one would expect.

Word Among Us
Available in print or digital format, this monthly magazine has the daily Mass readings with a little commentary. There are also a few articles covering the monthly theme.

The Daily Study Bible Series — The Gospel of Matthew, Revised Edition
I'm a real fan of William Barclay's commentaries on the New Testament books. Barclay's strengths are his phenomenal knowledge of the Greek language, the Jewish culture and religion, and the Roman occupation during the New Testament era. He is wonderful at conveying this knowledge in a way that simple and easily understandable. He puts it in context so that you can understand what events meant to the people to whom Jesus spoke to 2,000 years ago.

However, I have to always include this caveat when mentioning William Barclay ... his theology can be very wonky if you are Catholic. For example, his commentary on the gospels with nativity stories include a number of reasons Jesus' virgin birth didn't necessarily have to be virgin. Sorry. That's really nonnegotiable. He also often includes pointed commentary about why Roman Catholic teachings are wrong. So there's that ...

But if one reads with a knowledgeable eye, Barclay's work is really wonderful.

NOTE: the recently revised versions (1990s and beyond) have been heavily edited to be more politically correct. I'm not sure what that has done to Barclay's original work so I just go with the second revision, done under Barclay's eye. I'm not so thin skinned that I can't stand a little old fashionedness.

Studying Genesis - Resources

Now that I've begun my chronological Bible reading, it reminded me of this Genesis Bible study from 2004. This isn't a complete "study" but simply sharing some of the things that brought Genesis alive for me.

Gustave Doré, The Creation of Light

So many things have changed since 2004. For one thing, I read Robert Alter's translation on my Forgotten Classics podcast. I'd fallen in love with his authentic, vivid rendering and reading it aloud turned Genesis into my favorite Old Testament book.

I've also come across some other good references in the last 12 years, some new and some old. I've got asterisks by the references that are new since then.I'm going to refresh and republish the study as I work my way through Genesis again.

*Genesis: Translation and Commentary by Robert Alter. I read this a bit every day and was blown away by Alter's translation and notes. Reading both for morning reflection and prayer AND as prep for eventually reading Genesis on my podcast, with commentary from various sources, one of which will be this book. No translation and commentary I have read has so vividly brought alive this scripture. The commentary is cultural and literary rather than religious, just fyi, but that simply enhances it for the reader who already has a religious grounding. The introductory article about scripture from a literary standpoint as well as how modern translation tends to explain rather than accurately translate is almost worth the price of admission alone.

Genesis, Part I: God and His Creation and Genesis, Part II: God and His Family.  I originally read this online and it is no longer available free or to individuals, so we're lucky that it has been published. This is the first study I ever read which really made Genesis seem personal instead of a lot of old religious myths. It offers spiritual insights to specific sections being studied, connection with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and revealing connections with the deeper layers of mean in Scripture throughout the Bible such as typology.

*The Navarre Bible: Pentateuch. The Navarre commentaries are consistently excellent and have a lot of thoughts from Church Fathers, Popes, saints, and the Catechism. They add wisdom from the 2,000 years of Church contemplation on scripture since Jesus.

*St. Irenaeus Ministries Genesis Study - Scripture study that is practical and I've listened to this for years. The teacher is extremely insightful in giving connections between scripture and daily life. He keeps it real and although he has an orthodox Catholic point of view, this is the podcast I recommend to non-Catholics. You'll find his Genesis study on iTunes or in the archive (linked above) in the 2013 listings.

Life Application Study Bible: New International Version. This Protestant Bible is an interesting resource. The footnotes are fresh, interesting, and a good resource for historical questions such as how threshing was done when Ruth met Boaz for example. They also have maps and occasional one page essays about main figures of the Bible. There is a tendency to ask questions at the end of commentary such as, "Do you listen to God like this person, etc.?" which I find rather annoying but they may not strike everyone that way. I would advise the NIV version as I have been told that translation is more accurate than the New Living Translation.

*Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Manners and Customs: How the People of the Bible Really Lived. This puts different Biblical epochs into context by looking at everything from what people wore and ate to how they traveled, fought, and dressed. It really puts everything into context for the modern person. I've never forgotten reading about Ur where Abram lived (before he set out for parts unknown at God's behest and became Abraham) and how everyone lived. It really set my imagination alight. Suddenly those Old Testament figures are all quite a bit more human and three-dimensional.

The Complete Bible Handbook: An Illustrated Companion by John Bowker. This is a DK book which means first and foremost that it is beautifully illustrated. Luckily, it also is very approachable, scholarly, and reverent in covering the history and cultural context of the Bible. Each book of the Bible is covered by five types of double-page spreads: "Book" (origin, significance and key themes), "Story" (significance of specific passages, characters, and events), "Background" and "History" (cultural contexts, historical facts), and "Theology" (interpretation, theory).

*Archaeological Study Bible (which has an adamant "WOOHOO Protestant Biblical books choice, BOO Catholic books choice!" section of the introduction). Their practically pure archaeological take on things is eye opening. One must just keep in mind that they may fall short when it comes to Catholic teachings if they happen to comment on those things (which I haven't seen happen yet other than in their stern comments about which books should be in the Bible).

*Ignatius Genesis Study Bible. I like the commentary and essays but find the large format to be clunky and hard to handle, so much so that I actively avoid using it.  Be that as it may, the commentary is excellent and that is what counts.

For all the Genesis lessons, go to the Genesis study page.

Reviewing "The Gospel of Mark: Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture" by Mary Healy

Gospel of Mark, The by Mary Healy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a really great commentary. Healy combines a lot of the information that I have in a variety of other commentaries (both Catholic and Protestant), but then pulls it all together with additional observations that make it very accessible while still being scholarly. She follows up many sections with items for reflection. Her style is very easy to read and you never feel as if she's talking over your head.

The structure is such that you are generally covering just a little scripture at a time. Each reading is followed with cross references to the Old Testament, New Testament, Catechism, and Liturgy. These are followed by the commentary, in which words from the scripture reading are bold whenever they are used. Although I saw some people complaining about that practice, I found it useful. Sometimes a bold word would make me suddenly pay attention and go back to the scripture, thinking, "Did it really say that? Why haven't I ever noticed before?"

There are also a few maps, occasional photos when they'd be helpful, and sidebar boxes with Biblical background and living tradition (Catechism, Fathers of the Church, saints) information that enriches understanding. The boxes can be difficult to read because they are a medium gray text on a light gray box which doesn't provide much contrast. (Later editions seem to have fixed this problem as 1 Corinthians has a much darker text in the boxes.)

Healy is excellent at putting the scripture in context, whether in reference to the context of people of the time, to other scripture, or for our own lives. Sometimes I was enlightened by the factual information which gives me new insights into the text. Sometimes it is from the material for reflection. However, it is a rare day that I failed coming away with an insight that I pondered the rest of the day. In fact, it set me thinking so much that I revived my Mark Bible study for this blog so that I could share some of these insights with others. It is in the early parts of Mark at this point, but check that out for a few short excerpts that you can use to see why you should read the entire book.

Highest recommendation.

You can see more about the series at their website and ... I bought this with my own money and will be buying more. Yes, that's how much I liked this book.

Lenten Reading Ideas - Updated

WHAT I'M READING
I am already reading two books that are really hitting me where I live. How handy! I can just keep going with them through Lent.

Night of the Confessor by Tomas Halik
Night of the Confessor is rich and deep, with somehow simple ideas. Just when the author says something that I have a knee-jerk reaction of "that's not how faith works" he goes further and deeper so that I understand the reasons behind the surface statement ... and usually agree. This is thoughtful and thought provoking writing which I am letting sink in. And it is enriching my internal life. A fuller review is here with a lengthy excerpt.

Gospel of Mark, The (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture) by Mary Healy
This is a really great commentary. Healy combines a lot of the information that I have in a variety of other commentaries (both Catholic and Protestant), but then pulls it all together with additional observations that make it very accessible while still being scholarly. She follows up many sections with items for reflection.

Sometimes I am enlightened by the factual information which gives me new insights into the text. Sometimes it is from the material for reflection. However, it is a rare day that I fail coming away with an insight that I ponder the rest of the day. Highest recommendation and I will be getting another in the series after I am done with this book.

OTHER GREAT BOOKS
Here are some other books that I either have read for Lent or would gladly read. Some may be familiar because I just can't stop pushing them (or rereading them).

To Know Christ Jesus by Frank Sheed
Sheed looks at Jesus' life by weaving together all four Gospels. He also takes into consideration the times in which Jesus lived, how the people then would have interpreted Christ's teachings and witness, links to the Old Testament, teachings of the Chruch Fathers, archaeology, and more. The goal of all this is to give us a richer, deeper understanding of Jesus since to know the Father you must know the Son ... and there is nowhere better to meet him than through the Gospels.

The School of Prayer: An Introduction to the Divine Office for All Christians by John Brook
Interestingly Brook partially presents this introduction to promote ecumenism for he points out that praying from the Psalms makes Protestants feel right at home in the practice. This book not only tells about the divine office, but has an explication of the psalms commonly prayed so that we more easily find Christ in them.

Beginning to Pray by Anthony Bloom
This book is written with complete simplicity but yet somehow contains depths that one thinks of for some time afterward. Let's just begin with this ... "If you look at the relationship (us and God) in terms of mutual relationship, you would see that God could complain about us a great deal more than we about Him. We complain that He does make Himself present to us for a few minutes we reserve for Him, but what about the twenty-three and half hours during which God may be knocking at our door and we answer 'I am busy..."

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry is an incredible Christ-figure as I discovered when I reread the series recently. Of course, this only works for those who have read the series before. For more depth and as accompanying materials, readers may want to listen to Episode 26 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast where Scott Danielson and I discuss the book and the entire series from a Catholic point of view.

Contemplating the Trinity: The Path to Abundant Christian Life by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa
He was the preacher to the papal household for Pope John Paul II and continued in that capacity for Pope Benedict XVI, at least for a while. I always have found his writing and homilies to be both easy to understand and inspirational. This book to be the same sort as The Interior Castle in that reading a few paragraphs a day lets the message sink in each day. I read this during Lent a few years ago and it was wonderful.

In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden
This extraordinarily sensitive and insightful portrait of religious life centers on Philippa Talbot, a highly successful professional woman who leaves her life among the London elite to join a cloistered Benedictine community. That's the official description but it doesn't begin to cover the richly woven tapestry Godden weaves with nuanced personalities, mysteries to solve so that the order may continue, Philippa's internal struggles, and much more.

Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy by Rumer Godden
Another Godden book about a completely different order of nuns. This is an inspiring tale of conversion and redemption told in flashback sequence. We meet Lise when she is being released from prison where she has served her term for murder. She is going to join an order that ministers to those on the fringes of society. Through Lise's thoughts, we watch her go from being a young WWII staffer in Paris, become seduced by a man who has a brothel and eventually turns her into a prostitute where later on she becomes the manager. The reasons behind the murder become clear as the threads come together again in the people around Lise in current time. My full review is here.

Paul Among the People by Sarah Ruden
Sarah Ruden goes to great pains to put St. Paul's writings in the context of Paul's "modern times" of Greek and Roman culture so we can see just what cultural forces he was referring to when he wrote his letters. By juxtaposing her knowledge of those cultures (which were considerably cruder and more hostile to Christian religious concepts than we would think) and writings of the people (not high-brow philosophers) with Paul's writings and concepts, a new picture emerges of just what was being battled and why Christian concepts would be so welcome and revolutionary. My full review is here.

The Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell
Of course, I'm still pushing this book. It is rare, to find a book about the zombie apocalypse that addresses the larger themes that one finds in science fiction apocalyptic literature. The Reapers Are the Angels is just such a rarity. Author Alden Bell looks beyond the popular appeal of zombies to the depths of the human soul. The column I wrote for last Lent about this book is at Patheos.

IF THOSE DON'T HIT THE SPOT
Here are last year's recommendations, both nonfiction and fiction.

UPDATE
I have been reminded that there are two other books that make excellent Lenten reading:

Happy Catholic - my book! In either softcover or Kindle / Nook format.

Lord, Open My Heart (this is properly a booklet, but is I wrote it specifically for Lenten meditation)

Praying with Saint Matthew's Gospel

Here's a book I bought with my very own money. And it has been justifying my choice ever since it showed up.

Magnificat gives us a line by line meditation on Saint Matthew's Gospel that I have found to be thought provoking and fruitful. In a sense it is like a directed form of lectio divina. Twenty-four different authors each take different sections of the gospel and provide commentary that often takes me in a direction I never considered before. If you are a regular subscriber to Magnificat as I am, then many of the authors will be familiar. What is less familiar though is the in-depth coverage of the Gospel. The Gospel and commentaries are divided up so that they cover every calendar day of the year.

Rather than try to describe it, I am going to excerpt below, one that grabbed my attention and has had me thinking about it ever since. This should give you a pretty good idea of the sort of eye-openingness I'm talking about.

October 17

Christ's Recognition of Us as His Own

Michele M. Schumacher

"Then [those on his left] will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?'"

(Mt 25:44)

It is not our vision that is called into question here: our willingness, or our capacity, to see Christ in "the least" of his brothers. After all, those who are judged righteous and invited to enter the kingdom did not recognize the Lord in his "least brothers" any more than did those judged unrighteous. Indeed, the question posed by the unrighteous in this verse is almost an echo of the questions posed by the righteous: "When did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you in prison, and visit you?" (Mt 25:37-39). We might therefore conclude that the final judgment does not concern our recognition of Christ, especially as he is hidden in the persons of his "least brothers" (v. 40). It  concerns, rather, Christ's recognition of us as those who attended (or not) to him.

We are judged, in other words, according to whether or not the Lord recognizes us as having ministered to him in the "least ones" (v. 45) with whom he identifies. Perhaps more profoundly still, it concerns Christ's recognition of himself as serving in and through us. As such, it is a question of our having granted him the possibility of using us to minister to the "least" of his brothers and sisters. Christ does not merely judge us, therefore, for having served him (in others) or for having failed to serve him. He judges us most especially by allowing him (or not) to accomplish the Father's will in the very works of mercy that he has given us to do in his name.

Opening the Scriptures: A series that lives up to its name

Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life:
Insight and Inspiration
(Opening the Scriptures series)
by George Martin

"Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?"

Luke 24:32

"Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life" is a commentary that made the above verse from Luke occur to me again and again. George Martin has given us a thorough and fascinating yet highly accessible scriptural commentary that truly does let us see the Gospel of Matthew with new eyes.

The structure of the book follows this outline as Matthew is covered, section by section:

• An orientation, if needed, of the scriptural passage.


• The scriptural passage in its entirety


• Listing of Gospel parallels, Old Testament related passages, and New Testament related passages


• Verse-by-verse explanation of the text. Occasionally this is a phrase-by-phrase explanation when necessary for clarity. The Gospel phrase or verse is always bolded within these so that one can see easily what is being explicated. The explanation will often reflect a connection to the present day life in the Church. If an explanation has not been agreed upon by scholars, Martin may offer his own possible explanation or clarification but this is always within Church teachings.
  
  
  • Full quotations of related Old Testament passages within the explanations when they are necessary
  • Cross-references to Old and New Testament passages that are related to each explanation
  • Listing and page numbers of related background information that might be in other sections
    


• Reflection questions that provide opportunities to relate the scripture to one's own life


• Boxed-in background information which provides contextual information on such varied subjects as farming life in Palestine, the meaning that the word messiah had for Jews at the time of Jesus, how cosmic signs were interpreted, and what the roles of servants and slaves were in that time.

Over the years I have used many scriptural commentaries, some Catholic and some Protestant. Each has their advantages but this is the first I have encountered that has gripped me with such interest that I read it to the exclusion of all else. After perusing so many commentaries, I thought that I had a grasp of the basic considerations for many of the most commonly quoted gospel passages. Although Martin definitely covers what I already might have known from other sources, he does so with many citations to Old Testament passages that other sources have not necessarily included. As well, he is continually surprising me with a consideration that I had not thought of before. It may be a subtle point but is usually a telling one and has given me much food for thought already. I am positive that Tom already is tired of me piping up with, "Hey, listen to this!" after only reading 80 pages so far. For example:

[The Homage of the Magi
1 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, a magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." ...]

2 The magi come to Jerusalem saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." They observe a star at its rising--at its first appearance in the sky. What might they have seen (a supernova? a conjunction of planets? a comet?) is a matter of conjecture, but Matthew's concern is the significance of what the magi saw, not its nature. The magi interpret the rising of the star as signaling the birth of a king of the Jews. There was ancient belief that heavenly signs marked the birth of great men. Some Jews applied the Scripture passage, "A star shall advance from Jacob" (Num 24:17), to the coming of the Messiah, and the magi may have known of this. The magi come to Jerusalem and ask about the newborn king of the Jews so that they may do him homage. The star alerted them to his birth, but Matthew does not portray it guiding them on their journey. The magi simply come to the Jewish capital city -- Jerusalem -- looking for its newborn king.

This may seem obvious to everyone else but it simply never occurred to me that the star was what began the magi on their journey but that they simply had to apply their own logic after that in going to Jerusalem since that would be a good place to begin looking for the king of the Jews. Later in the commentary, Martin points out that Herod hears about the magi, calls the priests and scribes to him to ask where the messiah was to be born, and then calls the magi to tell them to look in Bethlehem. Now, he is doing all this for his own reasons, which we know through hindsight are nefarious. I had never caught that sequence of events so clearly ... that Herod ascertained the location and then summoned the magi. I just never read the text that clearly.

Then Martin sums it up for us in another connection that I'd never made, and couldn't have made without having the previous sequence pointed out to me.

9 After their audience with the king they set out. The magi begin their quest for Jesus because of a star, a revelation through nature. (Paul writes that God reveals himself through his creation: Rom 1:19-20.) Natural revelation goes only so far: it leads the magi to Jerusalem, but not yet to Jesus. God's revelation through nature must be completed by God's revelation to his people and through their writings, the Scriptures. The prophet Micah [quoted to Herod by the scribes and Pharisees] provided the link that leads the magi on their next step toward Jesus. ...

Could you hear my mind blowing? That made such sense, clicked into place so perfectly, yet I had never come across that before.

It is not a slender book, clocking in at 668 pages, however not one page has been wasted. As you can see from above, the care which Martin gives to the commentary requires length in order to be easily understood. His thoroughness also can be appreciated when one considers that the selected bibliography contains 89 books. This book also has both a Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur which are like a Catholic Church seal of approval on the accuracy with which the facts reflect Church teachings.

Word Among Us and George Martin are to be lauded for this series which I hope will continue at least through the Acts of the Apostles. I especially appreciate having relevant Old Testament passages quoted in their entirety so that the flow is not interrupted while I dash to the Bible to see the related text. Let's face it, few of us go to the actual trouble of doing that, although we should, so this is doubly welcome. As well, I like having the background information reference given wherever it might come up as a question. It is wonderful not having to thumb to end notes or search the index to find extra information.

It is still true that no one commentary covers every aspect of scriptural commentary. Others have a more specific focus on Church fathers or archaeology for example. I will still be using them. However, this is probably the most complete I have come across yet and will be the one I recommend for anyone who is interested in really learning what scripture can show us when we take the time to read through it slowly, with attention, and with prayer.

Word Among Us also generously sent Bringing the Gospel of Mark to Life, mentioning that they had heard some comments that the books were "too scholarly" and this concerned them as the books are specifically meant to be easily accessible to any level of knowledge from beginner to scholar. After reading some from both books, the only explanation I can imagine for those comments are that perhaps the purchasers expected the commentary to be similar to that of Word Among Us devotional magazine. You can see, by clicking through on the link, that the commentary in that publication is entirely personal and designed for reflection on relationship. Martin's commentary, although based on explaining the scripture verses, is no less accessible and no less suited for personal reflection. In fact, in the introduction he says that his "fondest wish" is that readers will be able to use these books for lectio divina (sacred reading) and prayer. I believe this is an entirely valid use and, in fact, am planning on this use myself.

I do have one criticism. The scripture passages from Matthew quoted in their entirety at the beginning of each discussion need to be visually delineated more clearly. Currently these sections simply blend into the overall pages which makes it very difficult to pick out where a section begins or ends. As I begin each chapter, I have been using a red pencil to box in the scripture. This has made a big difference in helping to organize the page visually, for me at any rate. Certainly it makes each chapter less intimidating when one can leaf through and see the many "sections" into which it is actually divided. Although this quibble would seem minor, I hope that the publishers of future editions would consider it.

Highly recommended.

I will be including nuggets on this blog as I continue reading through Matthew. For those who wish to begin with Mark, I leave you with this background information which, again, blew my mind, as I hadn't ever considered what he says about John the Baptist. I also appreciate the fact that Martin spends almost as much time reminding us not to read into Mark what we know from other sources as he does in other commentary. This section also gives an excellent example of Martin's extension of his commentary to an idea for our personal reflections.

COMMENT: TO READ MARK We will be most sensitive to the message Mark wishes to proclaim in his gospel if we read it as a Gospel in itself. We bring a great deal of knowledge to our reading of Mark, including what the Gospel of John tells us about John the Baptist. In the fourth Gospel, the Baptist recognizes and proclaims Jesus as the one who comes after him (John 1:26-34). In arriving at a final assessment of John the Baptist, we need to take into account all that is said about him in all four Gospels. But reading Mark's Gospel for the message it proclaims is a different matter. To do so we need to pay attention to what Mark says--and doesn't say-- and not automatically import information into Mark's Gospel from the other Gospels.

There is a second, related requirement. In reading Mark's Gospel we need to distinguish between what we know because Mark tells us and what the characters in Mark's Gospel know or do not know. Mark has told us that John the Baptist is the one sent to prepare the way for Jesus (1:1-3). But John the Baptist has not read Mark's Gospel and might not know what we know. Mark has told us from the very beginning that Jesus is the Christ (1:1), but those Jesus meets in the course of his ministry will be slow to recognize who Jesus is.

If John did not recognize Jesus, what does that tell us about the Baptist's call? Perhaps it tells us that God asked John to play a particular role but did not inform him of the full implications of his role. Something similar may well be true for many of us. We have been given certain responsibilities by God, perhaps even a clearly defined mission in life. But we may be in the dark about the ultimate outcome of our actions. We know what to do but not what it will accomplish in God's perspective.