One of Australia’s greatest scripture theologians, Francis J Moloney SDB, again brings the world of the gospels to life in this addition to the Friendly Guide series of books. He introduces us to the Gospel of Mark in a style that is not only friendly, but which provides a foundation for any further study of Mark and the relevance of this gospel as we live our own modern lives. Moloney explains that while the Gospel of Mark is the shortest, it is in some ways the most challenging of the four Gospels. From what we have already seen in tracing the relationship between Jesus and the disciples in the Gospel, it is clear that there are at least two parts to the Gospel. The first is set in Galilee, and it closes with Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, and Jesus’ prohibiting the disciples to say anything about this. The rest of the story has Jesus and the disciples either ‘on the way’ to Jerusalem, or in Jerusalem. The second half of the story tells the surprising message that Jesus can only be the Messiah and the Son of God as the suffering and dying Son of Man who will be raised by God. It is predicted and then acted out in the account of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection.

Francis J Moloney SDB is an internationally renowned scripture scholar and former leader of the Australian province for the Society of Don Bosco.