Twenty-five years ago R. Alan Culpepper produced a book on the Gospel of John ( Anatomy of the Fourth A Study in Literary Design ) that changed the course of Johannine scholarship. This remarkable commentary on the Gospel of Mark promises to do the same. Culpepper crossed the line from historical critical scholarship into narrative criticism in 1983. With this volume . . . he has crossed the line from “a book” to an “interactive dialogue” made possible by the richness of today’s media and electronic resources.Written by accomplished scholars with all students of Scripture in mind, this innovative new commentary series is designed to make quality Bible study more accessible. Pastors, professors and students of Scripture are discovering that this commentary is a wonderful new tool for enhancing interpretation.The commentary itself is vintage Alan Culpepper. It is well researched and beautifully written, the result of decades of fascination and commitment to the Gospel of Mark and all its interpretative possibilities. . . . The commentary alone, without the other riches found within the covers of this publication, merits the serious attention of anyone reading the Gospel of Mark. . . . I have spent years working on the Gospel of John and the Gospel of Mark. Culpepper’s work changed my approach to John. After reading this commentary I find myself saying, with “Alan Culpepper has done it again!”—Francis J. Moloney, SDBAustralian Catholic UniversityMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
Dean of the McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the author of numerous works including Anatomy of the Fourth Gospel: A Study in Literary Design (Fortress)
I love this commentary series in particular and this one did not disappoint. I appreciate the historical context this series strives for. I found the Connections portion at the end of each chapter super helpful for sermon preparation. I highly recommend.