What do you think?
Rate this book
Mark Through Old Testament Eyes: A Background and Application Commentary
Through Old Testament Eyes is a new kind of commentary series that opens the New Testament writings in greater depth to anyone committed to understanding or teaching Scripture. In this inaugural volume, the richness of Old Testament allusions and background in Mark clarifies puzzling passages and explains others in fresh ways.
The exodus motif structures Mark. Mark also presents Jesus as the true temple of God in contrast to the existing temple, which has been corrupted. These important themes are hidden to modern eyes without the insight of an Old Testament perspective, and this commentary builds on that insight to emphasize how the gospel applies to the daily lives of Christians today.
The exodus motif structures Mark. Mark also presents Jesus as the true temple of God in contrast to the existing temple, which has been corrupted. These important themes are hidden to modern eyes without the insight of an Old Testament perspective, and this commentary builds on that insight to emphasize how the gospel applies to the daily lives of Christians today.
352 pages, Paperback
Published September 27, 2017
13 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Andrew T. Le Peau
20 books46 followersAndrew T. Le Peau is a writer and editor living in the Chicgoland area. He was Associate Publisher, Editorial, for InterVarsity Press where he worked between 1975 and 2016. He blogs about the world of publishing at AndyUnedited.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 3, 2017
Summary: The first in a series of commentaries looking at the Old Testament background of the New Testament text, with attention to the meaning of structural elements in the text, and the practical implications of the text for Christians and churches.
There are a myriad of commentary series on the market today. Of course there are scholarly exegetical commentaries that work up from the original languages and extant texts to give the best reading of a passage, popular commentaries that distill this information with more emphasis on contemporary relevance, and more recently, commentaries that collect the commentary of the church fathers or writers in a particular church tradition. This commentary, the first of a series focused on the New Testament corpus, explores how the Old Testament, which was the Bible of the New Testament writers, deeply informs their thought, not only where Old Testament material is quoted but also as background to much of its content.
The commentary is organized around four repeating features:
Running commentary, that offers Old Testament background and other key information for each paragraph, if not each verse. Working through LePeau’s commentary made the case for the idea of this series. Nearly every verse, and certainly every pericope in Mark is informed by Old Testament backgrounds. In the opening verses of Mark 1, for example, the commentary explores terms like “beginning,” “good news,” “Jesus,” “Messiah,” “Son of God,” “wilderness,” and “baptism of repentance.” And that is just the first four verses!
Through Old Testament Eyes, which are summaries at the end of chapters or sections looking at how Old Testament themes are used by the author. At the end of the commentary on Mark 1, the commentary notes how the first chapter draws on the themes of exodus, and sets up how the ministry of Jesus will parallel this in a new exodus narrative.
What the Structure Means looks at how the material in the text is organized by the author through things like chiasmus and parallel structures, and how this points to textual meaning. Throughout the book, LePeau looks at the ways Mark structures the narrative, using many tables to do so. One of the most informative sections is the “What the Structure Means: Outline of Mark 13” taking this difficult to understand apocalyptic passage, and proposing an A-B-A-B structure to the passage that makes sense of the whole, alternating passages focused on the temple with passages focused on the coming of the Son of Man.
Going Deeper sections unpack the implications of key themes in passages. For example, “Going Deeper into Choosing Life: Mark 3:1-6” explores how this involves both what we refrain from (the prohibitions of the ten commandments, which LePeau calls “ten paths to freedom and life”) and what we proactively embrace that brings life to others, just as Jesus brings healing that liberates on the Sabbath.
The commentary is accessible and organized to be helpful for all who preach or teach the gospel of Mark. No background in original languages is assumed. One of the features I found most helpful, in addition to the extensive Old Testament background are the various tables included throughout the text that offer ideas as to the structure of larger portions of Mark. So often, Bible study is simply one verse after another without attention to the larger framework of a passage or book. At the end of the commentary, lists of “tables,” “through Old Testament Eyes,” and “Going Deeper” discussions are provided. For teachers of this material, it might be a great resource to provide web-based versions of the tables with appropriate permission granted for their use for educational purposes.
It was fascinating to note another “background” for much of the material in this book, one I share. The author, formerly an associate editor at InterVarsity Press, part of the collegiate ministry with which I work, acknowledges his debt to the work of Paul Byer and the tradition of “Mark manuscript Bible study” used in our discipleship efforts for many of the insights (and even some of the tables) in the book. LePeau has made a signal contribution to that tradition in this volume, which I hope many of my colleagues, as well as many others, will use in preparing studies in Mark. And as series editor, LePeau has set the bar high for future volumes in this series, which I hope will bring a deeper appreciation to many throughout the church of the Old Testament background of the New Testament scriptures.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
There are a myriad of commentary series on the market today. Of course there are scholarly exegetical commentaries that work up from the original languages and extant texts to give the best reading of a passage, popular commentaries that distill this information with more emphasis on contemporary relevance, and more recently, commentaries that collect the commentary of the church fathers or writers in a particular church tradition. This commentary, the first of a series focused on the New Testament corpus, explores how the Old Testament, which was the Bible of the New Testament writers, deeply informs their thought, not only where Old Testament material is quoted but also as background to much of its content.
The commentary is organized around four repeating features:
Running commentary, that offers Old Testament background and other key information for each paragraph, if not each verse. Working through LePeau’s commentary made the case for the idea of this series. Nearly every verse, and certainly every pericope in Mark is informed by Old Testament backgrounds. In the opening verses of Mark 1, for example, the commentary explores terms like “beginning,” “good news,” “Jesus,” “Messiah,” “Son of God,” “wilderness,” and “baptism of repentance.” And that is just the first four verses!
Through Old Testament Eyes, which are summaries at the end of chapters or sections looking at how Old Testament themes are used by the author. At the end of the commentary on Mark 1, the commentary notes how the first chapter draws on the themes of exodus, and sets up how the ministry of Jesus will parallel this in a new exodus narrative.
What the Structure Means looks at how the material in the text is organized by the author through things like chiasmus and parallel structures, and how this points to textual meaning. Throughout the book, LePeau looks at the ways Mark structures the narrative, using many tables to do so. One of the most informative sections is the “What the Structure Means: Outline of Mark 13” taking this difficult to understand apocalyptic passage, and proposing an A-B-A-B structure to the passage that makes sense of the whole, alternating passages focused on the temple with passages focused on the coming of the Son of Man.
Going Deeper sections unpack the implications of key themes in passages. For example, “Going Deeper into Choosing Life: Mark 3:1-6” explores how this involves both what we refrain from (the prohibitions of the ten commandments, which LePeau calls “ten paths to freedom and life”) and what we proactively embrace that brings life to others, just as Jesus brings healing that liberates on the Sabbath.
The commentary is accessible and organized to be helpful for all who preach or teach the gospel of Mark. No background in original languages is assumed. One of the features I found most helpful, in addition to the extensive Old Testament background are the various tables included throughout the text that offer ideas as to the structure of larger portions of Mark. So often, Bible study is simply one verse after another without attention to the larger framework of a passage or book. At the end of the commentary, lists of “tables,” “through Old Testament Eyes,” and “Going Deeper” discussions are provided. For teachers of this material, it might be a great resource to provide web-based versions of the tables with appropriate permission granted for their use for educational purposes.
It was fascinating to note another “background” for much of the material in this book, one I share. The author, formerly an associate editor at InterVarsity Press, part of the collegiate ministry with which I work, acknowledges his debt to the work of Paul Byer and the tradition of “Mark manuscript Bible study” used in our discipleship efforts for many of the insights (and even some of the tables) in the book. LePeau has made a signal contribution to that tradition in this volume, which I hope many of my colleagues, as well as many others, will use in preparing studies in Mark. And as series editor, LePeau has set the bar high for future volumes in this series, which I hope will bring a deeper appreciation to many throughout the church of the Old Testament background of the New Testament scriptures.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
September 22, 2017
Clear and thorough, Andy [as we IVCF folk call him] LePeau's commentary on the Gospel of Mark is not as much a typical theology-and-implications commentary than it is a typological-and-referential one. In short, Andy isn't writing this commentary to provide some groundbreaking entrance into the theology of Mark; he's here to stir our imaginations and reveal the grandiose beauty of Mark's Gospel itself. And that type of task is less common in our current hunger and thirst for the "new," "flashy," and "exciting."
Maybe that's part of what draws me to Andy's commentary. There's a palpable humility of it that speaks to the inductive Bible study method upon which the book is built. It's the type of hermeneutical / theological humility that allows an author to reveal what is concealed in a text, bringing the reader's attention wholly to that text, rather than to the academic estoricisms of the author. One early reviewer said that Andy makes the Gospel of Mark come alive and full of vibrant color; that is true, but he also makes the text at the center-stage, honoring its complexities, revealing its intricacies, and highlighting its structures.
The casual reader of the Gospels (or the Bible in general) often thinks of the Gospel of Mark as "the short one," "the easy one," or "the straightforward one." Andy blows that thesis into tiny little bits, even in the first chapter. It can be all-too-easy for us (hyper-literal American Christians) to miss out how, for instance, Mark clearly connects Jesus calming the storm with the Spirit of God hovering over the deep in Genesis, or it is all-too-easy for us to attempt to apply Jesus' judgments on the Temple Mount to some dispensational description of the End of Days, when (as Andy demonstrates) the parable of fig tree interprets Christ's End-Times discourse.
In fact, by the time one finishes walking through Mark under Andy's guidance the reader inevitably will realize that Mark's Gospel is massive, chock-full of claims that the reader never knew were there in the first place. Certain puzzles become clearer (like Jesus' interaction with the Syrophoenician woman), but other questions become bigger: What is the problem with the loaves? Why does Jesus spend so much time railing against the Second Temple? Andy proposes some preliminary answers to these problems, but he is far more content to reveal them than prescribe a pat response.
Exceptional in this commentary is Andy's regular recourse to discussing the structure of Mark's Gospel. For New Testament scholars and students alike, the problem of structure (and especially the chiasmus) is a perennial tug-of-war between text, context, subtext, and metatext, and typically the straight-reading wins out. This is often the case in the reading of Romans, where several discernible chiastic structures could be traced out but they seem to be more stylistic and aesthetic than functional. The text itself points to what the structure confirms as its climax and highest points; in some sense, one does not need to recognize Romans' chiasms in order to rightly identify its points and purposes. Bur Mark's Gospel is different: it is actually very easy to miss out on how chiastic structures interpret the text around them. Andy breaks these down (relying on the IVCF-famous Mark document written by a certain Fred Bailey) in a way that is reasonable and well-articulated, allowing for even the newbie student of the New Testament to enjoy the complex rhetoric of Mark's Gospel.
All around, this commentary is a great resource for both Bible study and preaching, and it is a veritable must for any scholars studying the Gospel of Mark. I found the application sections to be a little more hit-and-miss, but even then my sense was that the ones I didn't quite identify with would have been valuable and helpful for other believers. I would recommend it as both an excellent reference for the Gospel of Mark as well as a great introduction to the hermeneutic problem of the intertextuality of the New Testament and the Old Testament.
Maybe that's part of what draws me to Andy's commentary. There's a palpable humility of it that speaks to the inductive Bible study method upon which the book is built. It's the type of hermeneutical / theological humility that allows an author to reveal what is concealed in a text, bringing the reader's attention wholly to that text, rather than to the academic estoricisms of the author. One early reviewer said that Andy makes the Gospel of Mark come alive and full of vibrant color; that is true, but he also makes the text at the center-stage, honoring its complexities, revealing its intricacies, and highlighting its structures.
The casual reader of the Gospels (or the Bible in general) often thinks of the Gospel of Mark as "the short one," "the easy one," or "the straightforward one." Andy blows that thesis into tiny little bits, even in the first chapter. It can be all-too-easy for us (hyper-literal American Christians) to miss out how, for instance, Mark clearly connects Jesus calming the storm with the Spirit of God hovering over the deep in Genesis, or it is all-too-easy for us to attempt to apply Jesus' judgments on the Temple Mount to some dispensational description of the End of Days, when (as Andy demonstrates) the parable of fig tree interprets Christ's End-Times discourse.
In fact, by the time one finishes walking through Mark under Andy's guidance the reader inevitably will realize that Mark's Gospel is massive, chock-full of claims that the reader never knew were there in the first place. Certain puzzles become clearer (like Jesus' interaction with the Syrophoenician woman), but other questions become bigger: What is the problem with the loaves? Why does Jesus spend so much time railing against the Second Temple? Andy proposes some preliminary answers to these problems, but he is far more content to reveal them than prescribe a pat response.
Exceptional in this commentary is Andy's regular recourse to discussing the structure of Mark's Gospel. For New Testament scholars and students alike, the problem of structure (and especially the chiasmus) is a perennial tug-of-war between text, context, subtext, and metatext, and typically the straight-reading wins out. This is often the case in the reading of Romans, where several discernible chiastic structures could be traced out but they seem to be more stylistic and aesthetic than functional. The text itself points to what the structure confirms as its climax and highest points; in some sense, one does not need to recognize Romans' chiasms in order to rightly identify its points and purposes. Bur Mark's Gospel is different: it is actually very easy to miss out on how chiastic structures interpret the text around them. Andy breaks these down (relying on the IVCF-famous Mark document written by a certain Fred Bailey) in a way that is reasonable and well-articulated, allowing for even the newbie student of the New Testament to enjoy the complex rhetoric of Mark's Gospel.
All around, this commentary is a great resource for both Bible study and preaching, and it is a veritable must for any scholars studying the Gospel of Mark. I found the application sections to be a little more hit-and-miss, but even then my sense was that the ones I didn't quite identify with would have been valuable and helpful for other believers. I would recommend it as both an excellent reference for the Gospel of Mark as well as a great introduction to the hermeneutic problem of the intertextuality of the New Testament and the Old Testament.
December 20, 2021
Just a few notes: First, LePeau sufficiently proves that Mark draws heavily upon the Old Testament (contra much popular opinion). Second, the book does a great Job connecting major Old Testament themes, corpuses of Scripture, and dealing with the structure of Mark on both a Macro and Micro level (the book is worth owning for the structural points alone). Third, LePeau did a fantastic job handling Marks use of Psalm 22, and blew my mind when discussing Jesus’ statement about throwing the mountain into the sea, and again when he discussed the tearing of the temple veil.
The overall flow of the book is a bit choppy due to the nature of the book - the focus is on Mark’s use of the Old Testament rather than the entirety of Mark’s message.
The main disappointments, and the reason I gave four stars rather than five, is LePeau’s underlying social justice concepts, his advocacy for a refurbished earth, his hesitancy to engage some controversial issues within the Gospel, and his dismissal of the latter half of Mark 16. For an in depth discussion of the latter issue consider checking out Nicholas Lunn’s book that is apparently winning over skeptics to the authenticity and originality of the latter half of Mark 16.
The overall flow of the book is a bit choppy due to the nature of the book - the focus is on Mark’s use of the Old Testament rather than the entirety of Mark’s message.
The main disappointments, and the reason I gave four stars rather than five, is LePeau’s underlying social justice concepts, his advocacy for a refurbished earth, his hesitancy to engage some controversial issues within the Gospel, and his dismissal of the latter half of Mark 16. For an in depth discussion of the latter issue consider checking out Nicholas Lunn’s book that is apparently winning over skeptics to the authenticity and originality of the latter half of Mark 16.
August 8, 2019
If I could I would give this a 6 out of 5.
This is a wonderful commentary. It is one that I would recommend every Pastor and Bible teachers have as one of their resources while they are teaching through the Book of Mark. I do believe it is an indispensable tool. I know there are many Bible commentaries out and no doubt someone would ask me why this commentary. “Why one more new one when there are so many that have been written already?” I think this commentary is unique and helpful by providing a concentrated focus look at Mark “through Old Testament eyes,” which is the book’s subtitle. What that means is that this commentary interprets the Book of Mark according to the Old Testament content which clearly Mark would have assumed the readers would have been familiar with. Unfortunately today many Christians are less familiar with the Old Testament than Christians in previous generations. And the insights that this commentary points out with the Old Testament is a treasure trove that makes this worth every spent getting it.
This work is the first volume in a new Bible commentary series called “A Background and Application Commentary.” It is published by Kregel Academic. The author Andrew Le Peau is actually the series editor and I would say from reading this volume this is off to a good start!
Readers must not skip over the introduction. The introduction is very valuable in explaining what the author is trying to do. In addition Andrew Le Peau also gives a great illustration as an explanation and defense of using the Old Testament to further help interpret the book of Mark largely because Mark intentionally echoes the Old Testament and is himself very familiar with the Jewish Scripture as readers shall see in the commentary. Le Peau is nuanced here to note that knowledge of the Old Testament is not the only thing that is needed in biblical interpretation and by looking at Mark through Old Testament eyes that does not mean other extra-biblical studies is not important such as Second Temple Judaism and Classical studies. Nevertheless he points out also how often the Old Testament background is neglected and unfamiliar to Christians, with the ignorance of it hurting Christians in the long run when we read Mark. I really enjoyed the discussion in the introduction about the structure and outline of the book of Mark in addition to the author’s observation and example of literary devices used in the book of Mark. These insights and facts wetted my appetite to dive into the commentary.
Of course the bulk of the book is the actual commentary of verses and passages in the book of Mark. Each chapter is divided according to the chapters of the book of Mark and hence there is sixteen chapters for sixteen chapter of Mark. Besides the traditional running commentary of verse by verse look at key words and phrases the book also have three other unique features. Sprinkled throughout the main body of the book is a section called “Through Old Testament Eyes” which gives readers overviews of chapters and section so readers can see the bigger picture of Old Testament use by the New Testament author. There is also a feature called “What the Structure Means” which looks at the way the writings are organized and how is impacts meaning. Finally there is a feature titled “Going Deeper” that gives an extended look at certain topics.
I learned a lot from this commentary and it enriched my knowledge and appreciation for the truths taught in the book of Mark. It made me open up my Bibles to the Old Testament and being blown away at the richness of Old Testament practices, doctrines and prophecies. This enlarged my faith in knowing Jesus Christ is real. The book also spiritually encouraged me very much as well and made me love Jesus more deeply.
The only criticism I have for the book is rather trivial though any improvements in future editions of this book and the format for the other volumes in this series would only make this good commentary and commentary series better. I noticed that the “Lists of Tables,” “Lists of what the Structure Means,” “List of Through Old Testament Eyes” and “List of Going Deeper” appear towards the end of the book; I think it might be better to have it near the beginning of the book next to the table of content as one typically think of going to the front to find lists of where something is in the book.
I recommend this commentary. No one preaching through Mark should neglect having this volume on hand as reference and as one’s study material.
NOTE: This book was provided to me free by Kregel Publications without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
This is a wonderful commentary. It is one that I would recommend every Pastor and Bible teachers have as one of their resources while they are teaching through the Book of Mark. I do believe it is an indispensable tool. I know there are many Bible commentaries out and no doubt someone would ask me why this commentary. “Why one more new one when there are so many that have been written already?” I think this commentary is unique and helpful by providing a concentrated focus look at Mark “through Old Testament eyes,” which is the book’s subtitle. What that means is that this commentary interprets the Book of Mark according to the Old Testament content which clearly Mark would have assumed the readers would have been familiar with. Unfortunately today many Christians are less familiar with the Old Testament than Christians in previous generations. And the insights that this commentary points out with the Old Testament is a treasure trove that makes this worth every spent getting it.
This work is the first volume in a new Bible commentary series called “A Background and Application Commentary.” It is published by Kregel Academic. The author Andrew Le Peau is actually the series editor and I would say from reading this volume this is off to a good start!
Readers must not skip over the introduction. The introduction is very valuable in explaining what the author is trying to do. In addition Andrew Le Peau also gives a great illustration as an explanation and defense of using the Old Testament to further help interpret the book of Mark largely because Mark intentionally echoes the Old Testament and is himself very familiar with the Jewish Scripture as readers shall see in the commentary. Le Peau is nuanced here to note that knowledge of the Old Testament is not the only thing that is needed in biblical interpretation and by looking at Mark through Old Testament eyes that does not mean other extra-biblical studies is not important such as Second Temple Judaism and Classical studies. Nevertheless he points out also how often the Old Testament background is neglected and unfamiliar to Christians, with the ignorance of it hurting Christians in the long run when we read Mark. I really enjoyed the discussion in the introduction about the structure and outline of the book of Mark in addition to the author’s observation and example of literary devices used in the book of Mark. These insights and facts wetted my appetite to dive into the commentary.
Of course the bulk of the book is the actual commentary of verses and passages in the book of Mark. Each chapter is divided according to the chapters of the book of Mark and hence there is sixteen chapters for sixteen chapter of Mark. Besides the traditional running commentary of verse by verse look at key words and phrases the book also have three other unique features. Sprinkled throughout the main body of the book is a section called “Through Old Testament Eyes” which gives readers overviews of chapters and section so readers can see the bigger picture of Old Testament use by the New Testament author. There is also a feature called “What the Structure Means” which looks at the way the writings are organized and how is impacts meaning. Finally there is a feature titled “Going Deeper” that gives an extended look at certain topics.
I learned a lot from this commentary and it enriched my knowledge and appreciation for the truths taught in the book of Mark. It made me open up my Bibles to the Old Testament and being blown away at the richness of Old Testament practices, doctrines and prophecies. This enlarged my faith in knowing Jesus Christ is real. The book also spiritually encouraged me very much as well and made me love Jesus more deeply.
The only criticism I have for the book is rather trivial though any improvements in future editions of this book and the format for the other volumes in this series would only make this good commentary and commentary series better. I noticed that the “Lists of Tables,” “Lists of what the Structure Means,” “List of Through Old Testament Eyes” and “List of Going Deeper” appear towards the end of the book; I think it might be better to have it near the beginning of the book next to the table of content as one typically think of going to the front to find lists of where something is in the book.
I recommend this commentary. No one preaching through Mark should neglect having this volume on hand as reference and as one’s study material.
NOTE: This book was provided to me free by Kregel Publications without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
September 8, 2017
A very unique and practical non-technical, but very insightful commentary. The author had me hooked from the outset as he uses several cinematic examples to illustrate how biblical authors borrowed from previous authors, and how these "echoes" shape the reading of the text. Several helpful cinematic examples are scattered throughout the volume emphasizing the narrative elements of the Gospel with examples our modern culture can relate to. It is also practical because the book is chock-full of tables any preacher, teacher or Bible study leader in Mark's Gospel will find very valuable. In fact, there are nearly 40 tables throughout covering difficult questions or themes, zooming in for contextual data and zooming out to gain a historical perspective. Of particular note are over 30 "what the structure means" text box explanations on themes and questions about Jesus and the Law, the disciples' connection to John the Baptist, the two miracles of feeding crowds, temple visits, etc. These digressions provide answers to difficult questions but also synthesize the material. Of course, most important (as the name of the commentary series implies) are numerous notes on every page on the Old Testament background. This includes 15 "through Old Testament eyes" summaries of each section of the Gospel. There are also 35 "going deeper" lessons on such topics as Sabbath, calling, kingdom, suffering, family, wealth, divorce, and leadership. Altogether this makes for a very different and much appreciated read than most commentaries, especially since the author delves into places too often ignored--how the structure of the narrative affects its understanding, how much it is shaped by background material, and just how amazingly intricate and wonderful the Gospel of Mark is--a literary masterpiece that today's film saturated culture can much appreciate.
February 22, 2018
Andy LePeau provides needed background commentary for the Gospel of Mark reminding readers that the New Testament writers were not only Jewish but that in telling the story of Jesus they did so in a context where people were saturated in the stories and ideas of the Old Testament. Understandably, and as Andy demonstrates, you cannot fully understand the Gospel of Mark, in this case, without a thorough appreciation of these sources. And with this guide, you can. Still, I wish Andy would have explored more fully interpretations of passages in the Gospel that do not sit so well within his evangelical understanding of the text. It is hard to argue that the Gospels need a deep understanding of Jewish thought AND that sixteenth-century European Reformers got it right.
December 12, 2017
Mark Through Old Testament Eyes
is the inaugural volume of the new "Through Old Testament Eyes" Background and Application Commentary series from Kregel Academic. Andrew Le Peau is the series editor and author of this volume. The commentary examines ways Mark utilized imagery, allusions and his literary structure to illuminate aspects and themes drawn from the Hebrew Bible, the Christian Old Testament.
Le Peau was a longtime associate publisher for editorial at InterVarsity Press and author of several of IVP's LifeGuide Bible Studies, co-author of Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength: An Anecdotal History of InterVarsity Press, 1947-2007. He is currently an editor and writer living in the Chicago area.
Mark Through Old Testament Eyes is made up of four repeating features :
a verse-by-verse or paragraph-by-paragraph running commentary on the text of Mark, discussing Old Testament background, the text as a whole and questions that may arise from the text.
periodic 'Through Old Testament Eyes' summaries which give a bigger picture of how Mark makes use of Old Testament themes and motifs.
sections on 'what the structure means' that discuss the context, literary structure, and imagery.
'Going Deeper' sections that unpack the implications of Mark's gospel for how we ought to live(10, these features will be consistent throughout the series).
Le Peau explores the links between Jesus in Mark's Gospel and the Exodus, Moses, the Jewish Temple, and Israel's Messianic hopes and the various ways Christ recapitulated Jewish symbols and practices around himself. As this is a "Background commentary," it doesn't address every question in the text. Le Peau doesn't explore in-depth links between Mark and the other Synoptics, John or the later New Testament. Yet, because Mark (and other New Testament writers) built on and inhabited the Old Testament thought-world, the focus of this commentary (and series) illuminates the text well.
Several features of this commentary resonate with me personally. First, I was a student leader in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship when I was in college. There I learned to study the gospels in the context of investigative Bible studies and manuscript studies. Manuscript studies involved examining books of the Bible with the paragraphs and verse markings taken out. In the context of community, we would examine the passage, look for structural breaks, figures of speech, repeated words, phrases and themes, and contrasting elements in the text. Paul Byer was an InterVarsity staff member who pioneered the "Manuscript" study on Mark in the 1950s, Le Peau has taught Mark through manuscript studies with InterVarsity for the past fifteen years. When I read the 'what does the structure mean' sections of this commentary, I felt like I was on the similar ground to the ways I've been taught to engage the text fruitfully.
Secondly, the approach of looking to the Old Testament in order to properly understand the allusions, images, and intent of the New Testament, is very much the approach taken in my training in biblical studies. Rick Watts, who wrote Isaiah's New Exodus in Mark (Baker Academic, 1997) and the Mark section of the Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Baker Academic, 2007), provides the general outline and themes Mark's New Exodus which Le Peau follows (329, n. 11). Watts was my New Testament professor in seminary. So once again I feel I was on the similar ground.
Third, this book is just interestingly written. Le Peau introduction begins with an explorations of the way the Toy Story trilogy pays homage to Star Wars in allusions, references, and characters, and how Star Wars itself alludes to earlier films and history (12-16) This 'family film criticism' gives Le Peau a way to talk about Mark's use of Old Testament themes: Exodus and Isaiah. The commentary itself doesn't have these kinds of pop-cultural references, but several of the 'going deeper' sections relate stories from church history, contemporary Christians, case studies and Le Peau's own life. It makes this an interesting read for a commentary, which readers of commentaries everywhere understand, that is no small thing.
This is not a technical commentary and Le Peau stays away from linguistic and biblical studies jargon. When he does use technical terms (e.g. chiasm) these are clearly defined and described, so that non-scholars can understand, and Le Peau perfers a more accessible term (such as sandwiching) to technical terms (such as 'inclusio')(20). Le Peau does not include long streams of Greek syntax or highly technical, text-critical debates. So, for example, in his discussion of Mark's structure and the longer ending of Mark (16:9-20), he bases his conclusions on a close reading of the text— where it differs in content, style, and use of the Old Testament, from the rest of Mark's gospel (300). He does not cite evidence from the Church Fathers or ancient manuscripts.
Le Peau also notes some of the political tensions in Mark. Mark's Jesus is in direct conflict with Satan and his demons, but underlying the spiritual conflict is also Jesus' opposition to the structures and institutions of his day. For example, his comments on Jesus' first miracle, casting out a demon in a Capernaum synagogue (Mark 1:21-28), Le Peau comments, "What, we may well ask, is an evil spirit is[sic] doing in the synagogue in the first place? This suggests that the established religion of the Jews has become corrupted, setting the stage for the further tensions between Jesus and the Jewish leaders we will see in Mark" (47). Elsewhere, he notes how 'the nearness of Kingdom of God' implies a move beyond 'personal salvation' toward the corporate care of the poor and oppressed (40-41). I did feel at times, he could have explored the political/social implications a little more than he did, but I was glad to see, he was cognizant of these dimensions to Mark.
On a whole, this is a solid commentary, which will helpful for teachers, preachers, and students of Mark. I give this four stars. - ★ ★ ★ ★
Notice of material connection: I received a copy of this book from Kregel Academic in exchange for my honest review.
Le Peau was a longtime associate publisher for editorial at InterVarsity Press and author of several of IVP's LifeGuide Bible Studies, co-author of Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength: An Anecdotal History of InterVarsity Press, 1947-2007. He is currently an editor and writer living in the Chicago area.
Mark Through Old Testament Eyes is made up of four repeating features :
a verse-by-verse or paragraph-by-paragraph running commentary on the text of Mark, discussing Old Testament background, the text as a whole and questions that may arise from the text.
periodic 'Through Old Testament Eyes' summaries which give a bigger picture of how Mark makes use of Old Testament themes and motifs.
sections on 'what the structure means' that discuss the context, literary structure, and imagery.
'Going Deeper' sections that unpack the implications of Mark's gospel for how we ought to live(10, these features will be consistent throughout the series).
Le Peau explores the links between Jesus in Mark's Gospel and the Exodus, Moses, the Jewish Temple, and Israel's Messianic hopes and the various ways Christ recapitulated Jewish symbols and practices around himself. As this is a "Background commentary," it doesn't address every question in the text. Le Peau doesn't explore in-depth links between Mark and the other Synoptics, John or the later New Testament. Yet, because Mark (and other New Testament writers) built on and inhabited the Old Testament thought-world, the focus of this commentary (and series) illuminates the text well.
Several features of this commentary resonate with me personally. First, I was a student leader in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship when I was in college. There I learned to study the gospels in the context of investigative Bible studies and manuscript studies. Manuscript studies involved examining books of the Bible with the paragraphs and verse markings taken out. In the context of community, we would examine the passage, look for structural breaks, figures of speech, repeated words, phrases and themes, and contrasting elements in the text. Paul Byer was an InterVarsity staff member who pioneered the "Manuscript" study on Mark in the 1950s, Le Peau has taught Mark through manuscript studies with InterVarsity for the past fifteen years. When I read the 'what does the structure mean' sections of this commentary, I felt like I was on the similar ground to the ways I've been taught to engage the text fruitfully.
Secondly, the approach of looking to the Old Testament in order to properly understand the allusions, images, and intent of the New Testament, is very much the approach taken in my training in biblical studies. Rick Watts, who wrote Isaiah's New Exodus in Mark (Baker Academic, 1997) and the Mark section of the Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Baker Academic, 2007), provides the general outline and themes Mark's New Exodus which Le Peau follows (329, n. 11). Watts was my New Testament professor in seminary. So once again I feel I was on the similar ground.
Third, this book is just interestingly written. Le Peau introduction begins with an explorations of the way the Toy Story trilogy pays homage to Star Wars in allusions, references, and characters, and how Star Wars itself alludes to earlier films and history (12-16) This 'family film criticism' gives Le Peau a way to talk about Mark's use of Old Testament themes: Exodus and Isaiah. The commentary itself doesn't have these kinds of pop-cultural references, but several of the 'going deeper' sections relate stories from church history, contemporary Christians, case studies and Le Peau's own life. It makes this an interesting read for a commentary, which readers of commentaries everywhere understand, that is no small thing.
This is not a technical commentary and Le Peau stays away from linguistic and biblical studies jargon. When he does use technical terms (e.g. chiasm) these are clearly defined and described, so that non-scholars can understand, and Le Peau perfers a more accessible term (such as sandwiching) to technical terms (such as 'inclusio')(20). Le Peau does not include long streams of Greek syntax or highly technical, text-critical debates. So, for example, in his discussion of Mark's structure and the longer ending of Mark (16:9-20), he bases his conclusions on a close reading of the text— where it differs in content, style, and use of the Old Testament, from the rest of Mark's gospel (300). He does not cite evidence from the Church Fathers or ancient manuscripts.
Le Peau also notes some of the political tensions in Mark. Mark's Jesus is in direct conflict with Satan and his demons, but underlying the spiritual conflict is also Jesus' opposition to the structures and institutions of his day. For example, his comments on Jesus' first miracle, casting out a demon in a Capernaum synagogue (Mark 1:21-28), Le Peau comments, "What, we may well ask, is an evil spirit is[sic] doing in the synagogue in the first place? This suggests that the established religion of the Jews has become corrupted, setting the stage for the further tensions between Jesus and the Jewish leaders we will see in Mark" (47). Elsewhere, he notes how 'the nearness of Kingdom of God' implies a move beyond 'personal salvation' toward the corporate care of the poor and oppressed (40-41). I did feel at times, he could have explored the political/social implications a little more than he did, but I was glad to see, he was cognizant of these dimensions to Mark.
On a whole, this is a solid commentary, which will helpful for teachers, preachers, and students of Mark. I give this four stars. - ★ ★ ★ ★
Notice of material connection: I received a copy of this book from Kregel Academic in exchange for my honest review.
December 16, 2017
Mark through Old Testament Eyes, by Andrew T. Le Peau, presents a different type of focus for a commentary. The goal is uncover the Old Testament background of the New Testament text. The perspective is that the original authors and audiences would have known the Old Testament, so a special focus on that background is valuable.
Le Peau’s Mark volume is the first one in this series, which I hope to see come to a full set.
Mark opens with a great introduction. Le Peau starts with the movie Toy Story, works through Star Wars and then hits Lord of the Rings. From that point, I knew this was my kind of book: one that delves deep while also providing a light touch. The introduction does not disappoint, using these movies and other popular culture items to illustrate how one work can sit in the background of another work without standing out too clearly. It’s excellent.
From there, the work turns to the structure of Mark and finds definite parallels between Mark and Exodus. He also notes the chiams in the Mark narratives which he calls “sandwiches,” which is a great illustration. The introduction also gives the normal background of identity, but does not draw any conclusions on the overall meaning. Le Peau instead puts the conclusions…at the end of the book. He ties his conclusions to Mark’s conclusions. It works well.
The end-result is a commentary that reads well even if one is just seeking a book on the Gospel of Mark to read, but is even better as part of intentional study efforts. The looks at longer passages and how they parallel Old Testament structures and passages are excellent and shed a different light, at least for me, on the text.
The general approach treats the text of Scripture with respect and does not attempt to warp it into a particular viewpoint. However, the basic assumption is that Mark is a single unit and should be considered an authoritative source on the life of Jesus. Shades of greyscale boxes are used to pull out some sections.
The endings of Mark are dealt with well, acknowledging the difficulties with the textual variances after 16:8. As a conclusion, Le Peau holds the idea that our current Mark 16:9-20 are not original to Mark, and he then presents the pros and cons of Mark intending to end at 16:8. He does not give a definite conclusion beyond noting the tension.
I’d rate this one as a great buy, to fall right after a good commentary on the Greek text of Mark. I hope to see this series continue if all the volumes are anywhere near the quality of Mark through Old Testament Eyes.
Le Peau’s Mark volume is the first one in this series, which I hope to see come to a full set.
Mark opens with a great introduction. Le Peau starts with the movie Toy Story, works through Star Wars and then hits Lord of the Rings. From that point, I knew this was my kind of book: one that delves deep while also providing a light touch. The introduction does not disappoint, using these movies and other popular culture items to illustrate how one work can sit in the background of another work without standing out too clearly. It’s excellent.
From there, the work turns to the structure of Mark and finds definite parallels between Mark and Exodus. He also notes the chiams in the Mark narratives which he calls “sandwiches,” which is a great illustration. The introduction also gives the normal background of identity, but does not draw any conclusions on the overall meaning. Le Peau instead puts the conclusions…at the end of the book. He ties his conclusions to Mark’s conclusions. It works well.
The end-result is a commentary that reads well even if one is just seeking a book on the Gospel of Mark to read, but is even better as part of intentional study efforts. The looks at longer passages and how they parallel Old Testament structures and passages are excellent and shed a different light, at least for me, on the text.
The general approach treats the text of Scripture with respect and does not attempt to warp it into a particular viewpoint. However, the basic assumption is that Mark is a single unit and should be considered an authoritative source on the life of Jesus. Shades of greyscale boxes are used to pull out some sections.
The endings of Mark are dealt with well, acknowledging the difficulties with the textual variances after 16:8. As a conclusion, Le Peau holds the idea that our current Mark 16:9-20 are not original to Mark, and he then presents the pros and cons of Mark intending to end at 16:8. He does not give a definite conclusion beyond noting the tension.
I’d rate this one as a great buy, to fall right after a good commentary on the Greek text of Mark. I hope to see this series continue if all the volumes are anywhere near the quality of Mark through Old Testament Eyes.
December 26, 2017
Every so often there comes a Commentary series that shatters the mold of the establishment. Through Old Testament Eyes is a new Commentary series produced by Kregel academic which focuses on historical background and application. This series is not groundbreaking in the sense that it is a scholarly commentary which is pushing the grounds of critical scholarship, nor is it an emotional commentary which pushes the sounds of evangelicalism. Rather this Commentary series is groundbreaking for it’s focused is understanding the New Testament from the context of its original authorship. As I’ve already said this Commentary series is not highly academic yet it cannot be described as popular level. It is a good mixture between the two. I truly look forward to each and every installment in this new fascinating series.
The first commentary in this series focuses on the gospel of Mark. This commentary by Andrew T. Le Peau is truly insightful. A lightweight commentary weighing in at just over 352 pages, is a preacher’s dream. For it helps decontextualized the modern-day reader as well as giving in-depth and practical application for those teaching through the gospel of Mark exegetically. For those who are interested this commentary does have a deep Baptist bent to it yet it is not so overwhelming that those of other theological positions cannot truly benefit from it.
The only downside to this well produced commentaries is the introduction to the gospel itself. While there few introductory matters covered I was very underwhelmed at the content. Conversely the commentary proper was full of valuable nuggets that a preacher could mind. Another issue I had with this volume is it’s treatment on the ending of Mark. While Le Peau argues for the shortening of Mark he still ends up putting over four pages of commentary towards the content of Mark 16:9-20. Outside of these notable issues this commentary is undoubtedly helpful to a preacher as well as to the educated Layman who may be teaching through the gospel of Mark. I Dare for recommended to those in need of a good application based yet grounded in its original context commentary.
These books was provided to me free of charge from Kregel Press in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
The first commentary in this series focuses on the gospel of Mark. This commentary by Andrew T. Le Peau is truly insightful. A lightweight commentary weighing in at just over 352 pages, is a preacher’s dream. For it helps decontextualized the modern-day reader as well as giving in-depth and practical application for those teaching through the gospel of Mark exegetically. For those who are interested this commentary does have a deep Baptist bent to it yet it is not so overwhelming that those of other theological positions cannot truly benefit from it.
The only downside to this well produced commentaries is the introduction to the gospel itself. While there few introductory matters covered I was very underwhelmed at the content. Conversely the commentary proper was full of valuable nuggets that a preacher could mind. Another issue I had with this volume is it’s treatment on the ending of Mark. While Le Peau argues for the shortening of Mark he still ends up putting over four pages of commentary towards the content of Mark 16:9-20. Outside of these notable issues this commentary is undoubtedly helpful to a preacher as well as to the educated Layman who may be teaching through the gospel of Mark. I Dare for recommended to those in need of a good application based yet grounded in its original context commentary.
These books was provided to me free of charge from Kregel Press in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
December 11, 2017
This book is the inaugural volume in the Through Old Testament Eyes commentary series. Series editor Andrew T. Le Peau contributes this volume on the Gospel of Mark. As we are starting to see such a proliferation of commentary series these days that the market is almost glutted, so a new series especially needs a unique contribution to not get lost in the multifarious market. If this first volume is any indication, I think this series is going to have something to say that’s not found in others. The Old Testament angle is only part of its success.
Be sure to read the Series Preface to see how it’s set up. In the Introduction to Mark’s Gospel, you immediately see that this series is aimed at pastors and Bible students, not academic types. He gives a long movie analogy of movies borrowing from older movies to describe Mark’s borrowing from the Old Testament. It’s in this Introduction that you find one of the highlights that will be carried through the whole commentary. Scholars often make a discussion of structure a quite nebulous exercise, but he takes it and in a few paragraphs turns it into something truly helpful. Compared to others, the Introduction is short, but I think it succeeds for what this series intends to be.
Every passage has commentary with an emphasis on its relation to the Old Testament. That does help where other commentaries sometimes lack. It’s those sections in the dark shading that I love the most. They contain all kinds of helpful information. It often involves explaining structure. Many times there’s a helpful chart that aids understanding even more.
I see this commentary as the perfect secondary commentary. It holds up well with the other serious paperback commentaries on the market. If this series can sustain what we have here, it will likely be quite successful. In any event, this first work on Mark is a winner.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Be sure to read the Series Preface to see how it’s set up. In the Introduction to Mark’s Gospel, you immediately see that this series is aimed at pastors and Bible students, not academic types. He gives a long movie analogy of movies borrowing from older movies to describe Mark’s borrowing from the Old Testament. It’s in this Introduction that you find one of the highlights that will be carried through the whole commentary. Scholars often make a discussion of structure a quite nebulous exercise, but he takes it and in a few paragraphs turns it into something truly helpful. Compared to others, the Introduction is short, but I think it succeeds for what this series intends to be.
Every passage has commentary with an emphasis on its relation to the Old Testament. That does help where other commentaries sometimes lack. It’s those sections in the dark shading that I love the most. They contain all kinds of helpful information. It often involves explaining structure. Many times there’s a helpful chart that aids understanding even more.
I see this commentary as the perfect secondary commentary. It holds up well with the other serious paperback commentaries on the market. If this series can sustain what we have here, it will likely be quite successful. In any event, this first work on Mark is a winner.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Read
October 24, 2024Read for an IV series I did spring of '24
December 22, 2017
Because of the plethora of commentaries available today, each series seeks for legitimate reasons to be written. One can at times see the tortuous twists and turns an editor makes in the series Preface to substantiate their reason for yet another commentary series. No such twists and turns are necessary, however, for this new commentary series. Mark Through Old Testament Eyes is the first commentary in a series whose main focus is how each New Testament (NT) book reflects the Old Testament (OT) and how an understanding of that will deepen the reader’s appreciation for that particular NT book. While other commentaries will sometimes pause to point out an obvious OT quotation or allusion, due to other objectives, they cannot focus on the overall influence that the OT may have had on a given NT book. The “Through Old Testament Eyes” series seeks to fill this much-needed void. (for the rest of this review click here: http://www.biblestudywithrandy.com/20...
December 28, 2017
This is a review of Mark Through Old Testament Eyes. The author is Andrew T. Le Peau. I had never heard of him but two things caught my attention.
1) He has taught the book of Mark for over 10 years at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.
2) The offer of reading intertextually, seeing how the Old Testament can illuminate the New Testament.
I can best describe my experience reading this book with a couple of analogies.
1) Hitchhiking. While traveling dependent upon the goodwill of fellow travelers you are sometimes stuck in places where there has been little traffic. In these places previous hitchhikers inscribe their thoughts and ponderings on the backside of street signs. These texts tell you if you should wait or push off on foot. They give you a sense of not being alone, others have traveled this way before.
2) Postcards. Everyplace I have visited I like to pick up postcards. They remind me of my visit and they are images I can share with others who have not been to those places.
The book is not technical and not quite devotional. It is a guide for learning and teaching Mark’s Gospel. More of a map with multiple points of interest noted nicely in tables and sidebars. I knew I was traveling in Mark but I didn't know there was so much to see along the way.
The notes the author has built into this commentary are informative and refreshing. You will go through the Gospel verse by verse for the most part. The brilliance of this author is the way he uses the many iterations of his teaching to pass on to the reader a rich experience. It shows. He points out Old Testament references a lot. Some of them I really appreciated, some of them I still need to ponder. All of them are worthwhile. You won’t feel like you've wasted your time with this book. Le Peau pays attention to the structure and passes on his insights. I found this really refreshing.
His bibliography is four and a half pages. Names with more than one entry are Kenneth Bailey, G. K. Beal, Craig Blomberg, Walter Bruggemann, R T France, John Gondingay, Richard Hays, Derek Kidner, Temper Longman, Alec Motyer, Rodney Stark, Mark Strauss, Willard Swartley John Walton, Christopher Writght, and N. T. Wright. As you can see the author has done his homework. My thanks and appreciation to Kregel Academic for providing me with a copy of this book for an unbiased review.
I recommend this work to students, teachers, pastors or anyone wishing to study/travel through Mark. The author, Andrew T. Le Peau, is an excellent teacher/guide. I look forward to future volumes in this series. Like postcards they will be worth collecting and showing to others who wish to travel this journey.
1) He has taught the book of Mark for over 10 years at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.
2) The offer of reading intertextually, seeing how the Old Testament can illuminate the New Testament.
I can best describe my experience reading this book with a couple of analogies.
1) Hitchhiking. While traveling dependent upon the goodwill of fellow travelers you are sometimes stuck in places where there has been little traffic. In these places previous hitchhikers inscribe their thoughts and ponderings on the backside of street signs. These texts tell you if you should wait or push off on foot. They give you a sense of not being alone, others have traveled this way before.
2) Postcards. Everyplace I have visited I like to pick up postcards. They remind me of my visit and they are images I can share with others who have not been to those places.
The book is not technical and not quite devotional. It is a guide for learning and teaching Mark’s Gospel. More of a map with multiple points of interest noted nicely in tables and sidebars. I knew I was traveling in Mark but I didn't know there was so much to see along the way.
The notes the author has built into this commentary are informative and refreshing. You will go through the Gospel verse by verse for the most part. The brilliance of this author is the way he uses the many iterations of his teaching to pass on to the reader a rich experience. It shows. He points out Old Testament references a lot. Some of them I really appreciated, some of them I still need to ponder. All of them are worthwhile. You won’t feel like you've wasted your time with this book. Le Peau pays attention to the structure and passes on his insights. I found this really refreshing.
His bibliography is four and a half pages. Names with more than one entry are Kenneth Bailey, G. K. Beal, Craig Blomberg, Walter Bruggemann, R T France, John Gondingay, Richard Hays, Derek Kidner, Temper Longman, Alec Motyer, Rodney Stark, Mark Strauss, Willard Swartley John Walton, Christopher Writght, and N. T. Wright. As you can see the author has done his homework. My thanks and appreciation to Kregel Academic for providing me with a copy of this book for an unbiased review.
I recommend this work to students, teachers, pastors or anyone wishing to study/travel through Mark. The author, Andrew T. Le Peau, is an excellent teacher/guide. I look forward to future volumes in this series. Like postcards they will be worth collecting and showing to others who wish to travel this journey.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews