New! Mark's Gospel: The Whole Story
Bible Study for Ordinary Readers
by Joan Mitchell, CSJ
This 88-page Bible study book provides simple tools for active reading and explores the insights of early oral story tellers.
- Find out how the bits and bites we hear on Sundays fit together.
- Discover the relevance of Mark's stories for your life.
- Excellent for Bible study, RCIA, small Christian communities, campus ministry groups, homilists.
Sample chapter (pdf)
Table of Contents (pdf)
Introduction (pdf)
Only $10.00 each! BUY NOW!
The Dynamic Jesus in Mark's gospel, from author Joan Mitchell, CSJ:
The year 2012 is the year of Mark,
Cycle B, in the Church’s cycles of scripture readings. The first
to be written and the closest to oral traditions, Mark’s gospel
originates in the watershed year A.D. 70, the year the Roman 10th
Legion destroys the temple in Jerusalem, leaving not one stone upon
another.
Forty years after
Jesus’ death and resurrection, many eyewitness disciples have grown
old, died, or been martyred—Peter and Paul in Rome in the mid 60s,
James in the 50s. These disciples can no longer proclaim Jesus’
good news face to face orally. To hand on these traditions about
Jesus’ teachings and actions, Mark writes them down so they can
travel through time and call new generations to faith in Jesus. On the 3rd to the 7th
Sundays of Ordinary Time, Mark describes the first dynamic days
of Jesus’ ministry. On a Friday Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James,
and John to follow him and fish for people. On Sabbath he teaches at
the Capernaum synagogue, calms a man with a disruptive spirit, and
raises up Peter’s mother-in-law from a fever. She becomes his
first woman disciple. In the evening Jesus heals all the sick that
gather at his door and on Sunday morning leaves to preach and heal in
other villages.
By the 7th Sunday in
Ordinary Time we expect Jesus to heal those who seek him, but instead
he forgives the sins of a paralyzed man. With this shift controversy
enters the narrative. Scribes hear blasphemy in Jesus’ words. Who
can forgive sins but God?
Read a sample chapter from Mark's Gospel: The Whole Story for a fuller picture of the dynamic Jesus. |
