Courses

This course is an in-depth examination of various historical, literary, and theological themes of the Gospel of Mark. We will explore the text in two “dimensions”: reading the Gospel “vertically” by looking at each episode in its literary context to try to understand how the story of Jesus was told in the time of the second evangelist. We will also look at each episode “horizontally,” comparing the Markan portrayal to the parallel accounts in Matthew and Luke. By focusing on the world behind the text (historical context), the shape of the text (literary context), and the world ‘in front of’ the text (hermeneutical approaches), we can better appreciate Mark’s portrayal of the person and work of Jesus and its relationship with the other two synoptic gospels, and how the Gospel story continues to speak to the church today.

Knowing…

• To become familiar with the historical context and the text of the Gospel of Mark for use in teaching and preaching ministry
• To gain an understanding of problems and issues in the controversial areas of Mark

Being…

• To become competent interpreters of the text
• To become sensitive to the historical and cultural environment of the early church
• To allow the prison epistles to motivate, form and transform our faith, worship and Christian way of life

Doing…

• To develop skills in interpreting the epistles in terms of their theological, historical and social contexts
• To explain key topics and major exegetical issues related to Mark
• Discuss how the Gospel of Mark is relevant to contemporary Christianity