Mark told it like it was so you could see Jesus as He is. Each Gospel, or biography of Jesus, is unique. The bold Book of Mark was written to the ruling Romans. This fast-paced narrative is the shortest Gospel. Likely penned first, Mark takes you into the action and gets to the point. Now, with the verse-by-verse insights of The Smart Guide to the BibleTM: The Book of Mark you'll experience the unparalleled power of Jesus and be inspired to live with greater authenticity and purpose.
Mark told it like it was so you could see Jesus as He is. Each Gospel, or biography of Jesus, is unique. The bold Book of Mark was written to the ruling Romans. This fast-paced narrative is the shortest Gospel. Likely penned first, Mark takes you into the action and gets to the point. Now, with the verse-by-verse insights of The Smart Guide to the BibleTM: The Book of Mark you'll experience the unparalleled power of Jesus and be inspired to live with greater authenticity and purpose.
Introduction iiiCelebrity JesusMark 1:1-13 What If God Was One of Us? 11Now You See Me, Now You Don't 12If God Came, He'd Have to Get Ready 22Mark 1:14-45 Action-Figure Jesus 27What Is "the Day of the Lord"? 28Five Snapshots of Power 31Outside in Lonely Places 41Mark 2:1-3:12 Antiestablishment Jesus 45Mark's Cavalcade of Conflict 45The Beach Gets Crowded 57Baffling JesusMark 3:13-35 Shocking Words of Jesus, Part 1 63Twelve "To Be with Him" 64Mark's Sandwiching Technique 68Mark 4:1-34 Shocking Words of Jesus, Part 2 77Storyteller Jesus 78All-Access Backstage Pass 86Mark 4:35-5:20 Reverse-Logic Jesus 89Acts of an Exhausted God 91Jesus Invents Deviled Ham 94Mark 5:21-6:6 Amazing Jesus 99Sneaky Healing 100Miracle-Making Faith 103Why the Prophetic Looked Pathetic 108Who Is Jesus?Mark 6:6-56 More Clues About Jesus' Secret Identity 117Your Missionary Manual 118A Brief Debriefing 124This Walk Is Absolutely Divine 127Off Course, But On Point 130Mark 7:1-8:21 Out-of-Bounds Jesus 135Unclean? 136Jesus Among the Gentiles 142Meaning in the Feedings 148Road Scholar JesusMark 8:22-9:29 Glow-in-the-Dark Jesus 157Three Startling Demands 161The Original Mountaintop Experience 163The Non-Exorcists 169The Non-Ministers 170Mark 9:30-10:52 Optometrist Jesus 175What Jesus Wants His Disciples to Be 176God: The Inventor of Marriage 182A Cup for the Cross-Eyed 191"Temple Tantrum" JesusMark 11:1-25 Conqueror Jesus 203When Jesus Acted Like Judas 207The Fig Tree and the Temple 209Mark 11:27-12:44 Offensive Jesus 219Two Sides of the Same Coin 225Where Error Comes From 227The Mega-Command 229The Widow's Might 233Mark 13:1-37 Future Jesus 237When Will the Temple Be Destroyed? 238A Sacrilege in the Temple 243Forewarned Is Forearmed 246Constant Vigilance! 249Passionate JesusMark 14:1-42 Boy Scout Jesus 255The Poor Versus the Beautiful 257A Promise Sealed with Blood 263You're Weaker Than You Think 267Mark 14:43-15:15 Prisoner Jesus 271The Most Infamous Kiss in History 271Kangaroo Court 275Peter Peters Out 277"Son of the Father" or Son of God? 282Mark 15:16-41 Scapegoat Jesus 285No-Brow Political Humor, Circa AD 30 285More Mockerty 289The Day God Died 293Mark 15:42-16:20 The Real Jesus 299Jesus' Borrowed Grave 299Young Man + White Robe = ? 302Mark's Mysterious Ending 305The Bottom Line 309The Answers 313Endnotes 319Index 323