Open Your Bible Commentary, New Testament

The Gospel of Mark, an action-packed, fast-moving account of the life of Jesus. is geared to the Gentile mind of a Roman and presents Jesus as the Son of God who gave his life as a ransom for many. The shortest and earliest gospel, Mark was written from Rome, where, according to tradition, the author wrote down the words Peter preached. This commentary is written by I. Howard Marshall, who has been described as "an outstanding scholar and gifted teacher," and "a voice of thoroughness, fairness, and moderation in biblical studies." The Open Your Bible Commentary was written to encourage daily Bible study. Each reading is short, but the content is rich with careful explanation, devotional warmth, and practical relevance. More than 60 daily readings let you explore the Gospel of Mark in depth. The Open Your Bible Commentary has four great strengths: • Accessible – it's written for the average, thoughtful Christian without assuming a great deal of background, yet it is never superficial. • Digestible – it's written so you can read a section or two a day, working your way through an entire book of the Bible in days or weeks. • Dependable – it's written by an amazing group of scholars and trusted pastor-teachers. • Practical – it's a rich combination of specific application and encouragement to listen to God for guidance. The commentary on Mark is introduced by an overview, summary, outline, key themes, and relevance of this gospel for today.

The Gospel of Luke is based on Mark's gospel, but expanded through careful research. Luke, a doctor who accompanied Paul in part of his travels, interviewed eyewitnesses to the events recorded in the book, including those around John the Baptist and perhaps Mary, the mother of Jesus. He shows much interest in the humanity of Jesus, in women, and in what Jesus said about money. Luke wrote not only this gospel, but also Acts, which records the spread of the message about Jesus from Jerusalem to Rome. The Open Your Bible Commentary was written to encourage daily Bible study. Each reading is short, but the content is rich with careful explanation, devotional warmth, and practical relevance. Nearly 100 daily readings let you explore the Gospel of Luke in depth. The Open Your Bible Commentary has four great strengths: • Accessible – it's written for the average, thoughtful Christian without assuming a great deal of background, yet it is never superficial. • Digestible – it's written so you can read a section or two a day, working your way through an entire book of the Bible in days or weeks. • Dependable – it's written by an amazing group of scholars and trusted pastor-teachers. • Practical – it's a rich combination of specific application and encouragement to listen to God for guidance. The commentary on Luke is introduced by an overview, summary, outline, key themes, and relevance of this gospel for today.

The Gospel of John was written so that those who read it might believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and find eternal life. It is different in approach from the other three gospels. In the first half John alternates seven signs (miracles) with seven sayings (lengthy teachings) backed up by seven statements Jesus makes about himself (each beginning with "I am"). In the second half John records the events of the final week of Jesus' life, which includes instruction to his disciples, his death, his resurrection, and his appearances after his resurrection. The Open Your Bible Commentary was written to encourage daily Bible study. Each reading is short, but the content is rich with careful explanation, devotional warmth, and practical relevance. Nearly 100 daily readings let you explore the Gospel of John in depth. The Open Your Bible Commentary has four great strengths: • Accessible – it's written for the average, thoughtful Christian without assuming a great deal of background, yet it is never superficial. • Digestible – it's written so you can read a section or two a day, working your way through an entire book of the Bible in days or weeks. • Dependable – it's written by an amazing group of scholars and trusted pastor-teachers. • Practical – it's a rich combination of specific application and encouragement to listen to God for guidance. The commentary on John is introduced by an overview, summary, outline, key themes, and relevance of this gospel for today.