Hodder Commentary on Mark: perhaps nothing new here

 From my Goodreads review: Moore gives us a well-researched and comprehensive commentary on the Gospel According to Mark. It’s laid out well with the verses and commentary interspersed, and multitudinous citations. The language, phrasing and structure careens between academia and vernacular. Some readers may get lost in the bounce. 

While the author spends time on the difference between a Gospel “of” and a Gospel “according to,” unfortunately I didn’t find a concise, consolidated description of Mark’s (or Peter’s) description of what the Gospel is and isn’t. The description is scattered throughout the commentary. Most of the description relates to the teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. Except for the first, this can’t be the Gospel that Jesus preached. So what is the Good News that Jesus taught? According to Moore, it’s simply, “I’m here. The Kingdom is [now] here and God loves you though the circumstances don’t seem to indicate it, and even if everyone else despise you, lepers and tax collectors and so on.” This might be enough for the Good News, but this message sometimes gets lost in the analysis of verses and passages.

Besides this, I’m not sure why Hodder felt the need to compile new commentaries when there seems to be nothing new in this one that can’t be found in many other commentaries. For example, the usual understanding of Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane is that He wanted to avoid suffering. Most “interpreters”—as does Moore—fail to account for the great brotherly love of family, friends, armed service members who will sacrifice for one another. So wouldn’t Christ follow His own teaching: “No greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15.13). No commentators answer why Christ’s love is less than some of our own flawed, self-centered friends who would sacrifice for us. Nor do many commentators answer what cup Christ wants to “pass from Me.” The most immediate antecedent is the cup of the covenant. Why would Christ pray that the cup of the covenant be taken away? One interpreter has said that the “pass from” is like a river overflowing its banks. Perhaps Christ is praying the covenant overflow and flood the world and His anguish is that He must rely on flawed disciples, like Peter who will deny knowing Him. If there’s to be more commentaries written, let’s explore alternative understandings that are grounded in a holistic perspective and context.

I’m appreciative of the publisher for providing an early copy.