I. COURSE DESCRIPTION

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1 SPRING TERM 2018 COURSE SYLLABUS Department: Biblical Studies Course Title: The Gospel of Mark Course Number: NT 627 Credit Hours: 3 The Rt Rev. Dr. Grant LeMarquand (cell) glemarquand@tsm.edu or bishopgrant777@gmail.com I. COURSE DESCRIPTION This course will examine the Gospel of Mark, probably the earliest of our four gospels. We will attempt to pay attention to historical issues (the world behind the text), literary questions (the shape of the text itself), and hermeneutical questions (the world in front of the text - that is: what does the text mean for us? how can it be applied? II. REQUIRED TEXTS Larry Hurtado. Mark. (New International Biblical Commentary. New Testament series, 2). (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1989 [1983]). ISBN-10: ; ISBN-13: Hurtado s commentary is one of the most succinct of the many recent commentaries on Mark s gospel. Hurtado s major concerns are historical ones - how can Mark be understood in its own context? This does not mean that he neglects literary or theological issues, but his focus is on Mark in its ancient setting. David Rhoads, Joanna Dewey and Donald Michie. Mark as Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel. [Third edition] (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2012). ISBN: Mark as Story attempts to read this gospel without asking historical questions (although the third edition does ask questions about how the text would have been heard in the context of the Roman empire. The authors are primarily concerned with Mark s gospel as literature and so focus on issues such as settings, plot, characterization. Hengel, Martin. Crucifixion in the Ancient World and the Folly of the Cross (London: SCM, 1977). [This slim book may also be found published together with a couple of Hengel s other books as The Cross of the Son of God (London: SCM, 2012). All of Hengel s work is worth reading, but I am only requiring the little book called Crucifixion.]

2 Hengel s book is not on the gospel of Mark per se, but rather is a short historical study of the reality and meaning of crucifixion in the ancient world. The gospel of Mark has sometimes been called a passion narrative with an extended introduction, so understanding the centre of the story of the passion (the cross) should give us insight into the overall purpose of Mark s gospel. III. COURSE FORMAT This course will be a combination of lecture and discussion. We will meet on Wednesdays from 2:45pm until 5:30pm. From 2.45pm until just before chapel at 4:15pm we will have a lecture. This lecture will be video-taped and so there will be little time for discussion. After evening prayer we will reconvene for a time of small group and/or class discussion until 5.30pm. IV. STUDENT OUTCOMES TSM has identified desirable student outcomes as follows: MDiv (1)The student will recognize and identify the biblical theology evident in the course work. (2) The student will be able to articulate an Anglican understanding of biblical, historical, systematic, and pastoral theology. (3) The student will be able to communicate effectively the Christian message to a diversity of people in order to advance the mission of God. (4) The student will be prepared to effectively lead in a variety of Christian communities. MAR 1) The student will recognize and identify the biblical theology evident in the course work. 2) The student will be able to articulate an Anglican understanding of biblical, historical, systematic, and pastoral theology. 3) The student will be able to communicate effectively the Christian message to a diversity of people in order to advance the mission of God. 4) The student will be equipped to apply scholarship to the life of the church in his or her chosen theological discipline. Obviously not every course can put equal weight on each of these outcomes. It seems clear that a course dealing with the exegesis will potentially put most of its emphasis on outcome #1 - to recognize the biblical theology evident in the course work. In the context of the modern state of biblical studies in the western world, this may be less of a possibility than it would seem at first. Much western exegesis examines the biblical texts in isolation, in bits and pieces (atomistically)

3 and from a secular perspective, This course, however, will attempt to read the Markan narrative as a part of the sweeping story of God s saving action on behalf of his fallen but beloved world. The course will pay some attention to an Anglican understanding of this biblical text (outcome #2), at least in the sense that most of the Gospel of Mark is read as the gospel reading for Year 2 of the 3-year lectionary used by many churches in their liturgy during the church year. It is also hoped that some of what is learned in this course could be used as the basis for preaching and teaching. (This seems also to apply to outcome #4 for MDiv students.) It is hoped that the course will also encourage careful scholarship on the biblical text and so contribute to outcome #4 for MAR students. V. COURSE REQUIREMENTS 1. Book Report: Rhoads, Dewey & Michie (due on Feb 7/18) 20% 2. Book Report: Hengel (due on Feb 28/18) 20% 3. Class participation 20% (attendance and engagement with the material - including reading the relevant passages in the commentary by Hurtado week by week and making his commentary an integral part of our discussions) 4. Final Paper (due April 30/18) 40% Read the whole gospel of Mark before class begins. Although this assignment will not be graded and nothing needs to be handed in, reading the whole gospel in one sitting will give you a good overview of Mark s narrative purposes. Weekly discussions. In addition to lectures, students should read the relevant passages from Hurtado s commentary in preparation for class discussions. The two book reviews should be approximately 1,000-1,500 words each. Reviews should summarize the arguments each book is making and evaluate whether the books are successful in achieving the authors goals. Reviews should also suggest ways in which these books may help us to understand the message of Mark s gospel for today s church and for the world. The reviews are due on Feb 7 and Feb 28 respectively. The final paper should be a verse by verse exegesis with an introduction and a theological and pastoral application, based on any scene in the gospel of Mark. The paper should be approximately pages and should contain a bibliography which shows evidence of amble use of secondary material. This paper is due on April 30.

4 Class Schedule PLEASE NOTE - THERE WILL BE A CLASS DURING READING WEEK [TO MAKE UP FOR THIS THE COURSE WILL END A WEEK EARLY - IF YOU MUST BE AWAY ON READING WEEK SPEAK TO BISHOP GRANT FOR A WAY TO DEAL WITH THIS ] Date Topic Assignment January 24 Topic: Introduction & Mark 1 Read all of Mark Read Hurtado pp January 31 Bishop Grant away. Class to watch video and then have discussion after chapel. Topic: Mark 2:1-3:12 Read Hurtado pp February 7 Several themes Review of Rhoads, etc due. February 14 February 21 Quiet day - Ash Wednesday Bishop Grant in Egypt. Russ Warren to lecture and lead. Topic: Mark 3:13-4:41 Read Hurtado pp February 28 Topic: Mark 5 & 6 Review of Hengel due. Read Hurtado pp March 7 Topic: Mark 7:1-8:21 Read Hurtado pp March 14 Topic: Mark 8:22-9:50 Read Hurtado pp March 21 Topic: Mark 10 Read Hurtado pp March 28 Topic: Mark 11:1-12:37 Read Hurtado pp April 4 Topic: Mark 12:38-13:37 Read Hurtado pp April 11 Topic: Mark 14 Read Hurtado pp April 18 Topic: Mark 15 Read Hurtado pp April 25 Topic: Mark 16 Final paper is due April 30 Read Hurtado pp

5 SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY Commentaries Anderson, Hugh. The Gospel of Mark (New Century Bible Commentary; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976). Collins, Adeka Yaboro. Mark: A Commentary (Hermeneia; Minneapolis: Fortress, 2007). Cranfield, C.E.B. The Gospel according to St. Mark (Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary; Cambridge: CUP, 1959). Evans, Craig. Mark 8:27-16:20 (Word Biblical Commentary; Dallas: Word, 2001). France, R.T. The Gospel of Mark (The New International Greek Testament Commentary; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002). Garland, David. Mark (The NIV Application Commentary; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996). Gould, Ezra. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Mark (International Critical Commentary; Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1896). Guelich, Robert A. Mark 1-8:26 (Word Biblical Commentary; Dallas: Word, 1989). Gundry, Robert. Mark: A Commentary on His Apology for the Cross (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993). Hooker, Morna. The Gospel According to Saint Mark (Black s New Testament Commentary; Peabody: Hendrickson, 1991). Hurtado, Larry. Mark (New International Biblical Commentary. New Testament series, 2). (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1989 [1983]). Juel, Donald. Mark (Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament; Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1990). Lane, William. The Gospel According to Mark (New International Commentary on the New Testament; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974). Marcus, Joel. Mark 8-16 (The Anchor Bible Volume 27A; New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 2009).

6 Myers, Ched. Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark s Story of Jesus (Maryknoll: Orbis, 1991). Taylor, Vincent. The Gospel According to St. Mark (2 nd ed.; London: Macmillan, 1966). Wright, Tom. Mark for Everyone (London: SPCK, 2001). Basic Studies of Mark Cosmas, Uzowulu. Ambition and Rivalry among the Elect: An Exegetico-Theological Study of Mark 10, and Its Centrality in the Gospel of Mark. (Rome: St Thomas, 2009). Gray, Timothy C. The Temple in the Gospel of Mark: A Study in its Narrative Role (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2010 [2008]). Juel, Donald H. A Master of Surprise: Mark Interpreted (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1994). Kelhoffer, James A. Miracle and Mission: The Authentication of Missionaries and Their Message in the Longer Ending of Mark. (WYNT 2/112; Tubingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2000). Lightfoot, R.H. The Gospel Message of St. Mark (London: Clarendon, 1950). Mack, Burton. A Myth of Innocence: Mark and Christian Origins (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1988) Martin, Ralph. Mark: Evangelist and Theologian (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973 [1972]). Rhoads, David, Joanna Dewey and Donald Michie. Mark as Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel. [Third edition] (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2012). Telford, William, ed. The Interpretation of Mark (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1985). Williams, Joel F. Other Followers of Jesus: Minor Characters as Major Figures in Mark s Gospel (JSNTsup, 102; Sheffield: Sheffield University Press, 1994). The Passion Allison, Dale C. The End of the Ages Has Come: An Early Interpretation of the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1985). Bolt, Peter. The Cross from a Distance: The Atonement in Mark s Gospel. (Downers Grove: IVP, 2004).

7 Brown, Raymond E. The Death of the Messiah: From Gethsemane to the Grave. A Commentary on the Passion Narratives in the Four Gospels (2 volumes; N.Y. Doubleday, 1994). Carroll, John T. & Joel B. Green, eds. The Death of Jesus in Early Christianity (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1995). Donahue, John. Are You the Christ? The Trial Narrative in the Gospel of Mark (SBL Dissertation Series, 10; Missoula: SBL, 1973). Hengel, Martin. The Cross of the Son of God (London: SCM, 2012). [ This volume incorporates Son of God, Crucifixion, and Atonement. ]. Crucifixion in the Ancient World and the Folly of the Cross (London: SCM, 1977).. The Atonement: The Origins of the Doctrine in the New Testament (London: SCM, 1981). Juel, Donald. Messiah and Temple: The Trial of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark (SBL Dissertation Series, 31; Missoula: SBL, 1977). Kelber, Werner. The Passion in Mark: Studies in Mark (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1976). Matera, Fran J. Passion Narratives and Gospel Theologies: Interpreting the Synoptics Through Their Passion Stories (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2001 [1986]). Senior, Donald. The Passion of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark (Collegeville: Michael Glazier, 1984).