Brendan Byrne, SJ, is a professor of New Testament at Jesuit Theological College, within the United Faculty of Theology, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia. He is the author of Romans (1996) in the Sacra Pagina series, Lifting the Burden: Reading Matthew's Gospel in the Church Today (2004), A Costly Freedom: A Theological Reading of Mark's Gospel (2008), Life Abounding: A Reading of John’s Gospel (2014), and The Hospitality of God: A Reading of Luke's Gospel (2015), published by Liturgical Press.

Byrne’s Costly Freedom is perhaps the best work on Mark that I have ever read. It is clear that Byrne, an Australian Jesuit, writes with an experienced hand, drawing from his years of teaching and preaching for the church. Byrne’s book is an exhilarating commentary on an exhilarating gospel. Concordia Theological Quarterly

• ContentsIntroduction   ixThe Worldview Behind Mark’s Gospel   1The Design of Mark: “Three Stories” about Jesus   15THE PROLOGUE TO MARK'S GOSPEL: 1:1-13   22I. EARLY GALLILEAN MINISTRY: 1:14–3:6   37The Good News of the Coming Rule of God: 1:14-20   39A “Day” at Capernaum: 1:21-45   44The First Signs of Opposition: 2:1–3:6   52II. LATER GALLILEAN MINISTRY: 3:7–6:6a   67The Renewed People of God: 3:7-35   69Jesus Teaches in Parables: 4:1-34   77Jesus Displays the Power of the Kingdom: 4:35–6:6a   92III. JESUS EXTENDS HIS MINISTRY: 6:6b–8:21   107Jesus Shares His Ministry: 6:6b-56   109Into the Gentile Regions: 7:1–8:21   121IV. THE “WAY” TO JERUSALEM: 8:22–10:52   135The Messiah Who Must Suffer and Die: 8:22–9:29   137The Disciples Instructed on the “Way”: 9:30–10:52   151V. THE MESSIAH IN JERUSALEM: 11:1–13:37   173Jesus Enters Jerusalem and Purges the Temple: 11:1-25   175The Contest for Authority in Jerusalem: 11:27–12:44   182The Challenge and Hope of the Future: 13:1-37   196VI. JESUS' PASSION AND DEATH: 14:1–15:47   211Passion 1: Jesus Confronts His Death: 14:1-52   213Passion 2: Jesus on Trial: 14:53–15:20   230Passion 3: Jesus Crucified and Buried: 15:21-47   239VII. EPILOGUE: 16:1-8   251The Empty Tomb (“He has been raised”): 16:1-8   253APPENDIX: APPEARANCES OF THE RISEN LORD: 16:9-20   261CONCLUDING REFLECTION   263Bibliography   267Scripture Index   271Modern Author Index   277Subject Index   279

Brendan Byrne, SJ, is a professor of New Testament at Jesuit Theological College, within the United Faculty of Theology, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia. He is the author of Romans (1996) in the Sacra Pagina series, Lifting the Burden: Reading Matthew's Gospel in the Church Today (2004), A Costly Freedom: A Theological Reading of Mark's Gospel (2008), Life Abounding: A Reading of John’s Gospel (2014), and The Hospitality of God: A Reading of Luke's Gospel (2015), published by Liturgical Press.

Byrne’s Costly Freedom is perhaps the best work on Mark that I have ever read. It is clear that Byrne, an Australian Jesuit, writes with an experienced hand, drawing from his years of teaching and preaching for the church. Byrne’s book is an exhilarating commentary on an exhilarating gospel. Concordia Theological Quarterly

• ContentsIntroduction   ixThe Worldview Behind Mark’s Gospel   1The Design of Mark: “Three Stories” about Jesus   15THE PROLOGUE TO MARK'S GOSPEL: 1:1-13   22I. EARLY GALLILEAN MINISTRY: 1:14–3:6   37The Good News of the Coming Rule of God: 1:14-20   39A “Day” at Capernaum: 1:21-45   44The First Signs of Opposition: 2:1–3:6   52II. LATER GALLILEAN MINISTRY: 3:7–6:6a   67The Renewed People of God: 3:7-35   69Jesus Teaches in Parables: 4:1-34   77Jesus Displays the Power of the Kingdom: 4:35–6:6a   92III. JESUS EXTENDS HIS MINISTRY: 6:6b–8:21   107Jesus Shares His Ministry: 6:6b-56   109Into the Gentile Regions: 7:1–8:21   121IV. THE “WAY” TO JERUSALEM: 8:22–10:52   135The Messiah Who Must Suffer and Die: 8:22–9:29   137The Disciples Instructed on the “Way”: 9:30–10:52   151V. THE MESSIAH IN JERUSALEM: 11:1–13:37   173Jesus Enters Jerusalem and Purges the Temple: 11:1-25   175The Contest for Authority in Jerusalem: 11:27–12:44   182The Challenge and Hope of the Future: 13:1-37   196VI. JESUS' PASSION AND DEATH: 14:1–15:47   211Passion 1: Jesus Confronts His Death: 14:1-52   213Passion 2: Jesus on Trial: 14:53–15:20   230Passion 3: Jesus Crucified and Buried: 15:21-47   239VII. EPILOGUE: 16:1-8   251The Empty Tomb (“He has been raised”): 16:1-8   253APPENDIX: APPEARANCES OF THE RISEN LORD: 16:9-20   261CONCLUDING REFLECTION   263Bibliography   267Scripture Index   271Modern Author Index   277Subject Index   279

Brendan Byrne, SJ, is a professor of New Testament at Jesuit Theological College, within the United Faculty of Theology, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia. He is the author of Romans (1996) in the Sacra Pagina series, Lifting the Burden: Reading Matthew's Gospel in the Church Today (2004), A Costly Freedom: A Theological Reading of Mark's Gospel (2008), Life Abounding: A Reading of John’s Gospel (2014), and The Hospitality of God: A Reading of Luke's Gospel (2015), published by Liturgical Press.

Byrne’s Costly Freedom is perhaps the best work on Mark that I have ever read. It is clear that Byrne, an Australian Jesuit, writes with an experienced hand, drawing from his years of teaching and preaching for the church. Byrne’s book is an exhilarating commentary on an exhilarating gospel. Concordia Theological Quarterly

• ContentsIntroduction   ixThe Worldview Behind Mark’s Gospel   1The Design of Mark: “Three Stories” about Jesus   15THE PROLOGUE TO MARK'S GOSPEL: 1:1-13   22I. EARLY GALLILEAN MINISTRY: 1:14–3:6   37The Good News of the Coming Rule of God: 1:14-20   39A “Day” at Capernaum: 1:21-45   44The First Signs of Opposition: 2:1–3:6   52II. LATER GALLILEAN MINISTRY: 3:7–6:6a   67The Renewed People of God: 3:7-35   69Jesus Teaches in Parables: 4:1-34   77Jesus Displays the Power of the Kingdom: 4:35–6:6a   92III. JESUS EXTENDS HIS MINISTRY: 6:6b–8:21   107Jesus Shares His Ministry: 6:6b-56   109Into the Gentile Regions: 7:1–8:21   121IV. THE “WAY” TO JERUSALEM: 8:22–10:52   135The Messiah Who Must Suffer and Die: 8:22–9:29   137The Disciples Instructed on the “Way”: 9:30–10:52   151V. THE MESSIAH IN JERUSALEM: 11:1–13:37   173Jesus Enters Jerusalem and Purges the Temple: 11:1-25   175The Contest for Authority in Jerusalem: 11:27–12:44   182The Challenge and Hope of the Future: 13:1-37   196VI. JESUS' PASSION AND DEATH: 14:1–15:47   211Passion 1: Jesus Confronts His Death: 14:1-52   213Passion 2: Jesus on Trial: 14:53–15:20   230Passion 3: Jesus Crucified and Buried: 15:21-47   239VII. EPILOGUE: 16:1-8   251The Empty Tomb (“He has been raised”): 16:1-8   253APPENDIX: APPEARANCES OF THE RISEN LORD: 16:9-20   261CONCLUDING REFLECTION   263Bibliography   267Scripture Index   271Modern Author Index   277Subject Index   279