Mark by the Book

P. W. Smuts advocates a multi-directional hermeneutic to the Synoptic Gospels–downwards, sideways, backwards, and forwards–using the Gospel of Mark to illustrate this approach. The downward direction focuses on the immediate literary context of the particular text. The sideways direction focuses on parallels to that text in the other Synoptic Gospels. The backward direction focuses on the Old Testament background to the text. And the forward direction focuses on relevant passages in the rest of the New Testament. This model compels readers to interpret the gospels against the broader sweep of redemptive history.