How to Read This Book
How to read this book
Although his book seems to have the form of a commentary, often addressing only a few verses at a time, it is attempting a deep reading of the Gospel of Mark. So although it is reasonable for a reader to dip into a particular chapter and verse, this will not produce the most rewarding reading of the text.
My text is not a commentary. It is closer to a conversation, (where sometimes Mark may have trouble getting a word in) and like any conversation, it will help to be there at the beginning. And like any conversation anywhere, my text it sits in the midst of multiple cultural assumptions. The reader will benefit from reading the introduction rather than beginning at Chapter 1 verse 1.
Beyond the introduction, which is titled: Why Mark? I also introduce the understanding I bring to various themes within Mark. For example, after the section titled Mark 1:40-45, I introduce the concept of The Crowd, which is pivotal to understanding the phenomenon of the crowds to which Mark constantly refers, and not always directly with the word ochlos. There is an Index which lists the more significant of these introductions and discussions below.
In the text itself I typically reference these introductions, and other locations in the the book in the following way: (See Mark 1:21-28: Healing)
In that example reference, Mark 1:28 refers to the section of the Markan text which is being discussed, and Healing refers to a subsection of that discussion.
Good people.
