The Cascade Companions book series has produced many shorter, (less than 200 pages) accessible books on the Scriptures. Iverson’s text on the Gospel of Mark is an excellent contribution to this series. It is clear by the structure that Iverson teaches courses to undergraduates. While this text is a good read for any interested people, it would be successful in the classroom.

The text begins with the essential presentation of the contemporary theories concerning Mark’s historical and theological contexts. Here Iverson, like in later discussions, demonstrates a great awareness of recent scholarly work regarding his chosen topics. I appreciate that he respectfully presents different views but states his own position in light of the debate. It is an approach lacking in plenty of recent scholarship, especially biblical.

After putting Mark into his possible historical/theological context, the book moves to specific topics of interest and scholarship.  The value of the text lies here.  Most of us, when teaching a gospel, begin at the beginning and move to the end. Iverson’s text examines the themes that permeate the earliest gospel without ignoring the progression of the text. This text is not one you want to read while reading a gospel, but what you should read before or after so as to contextualize the text itself.

To this reviewer, the text is set up for use in the classroom or small bible study groups. It can be successful in these contexts. The strength of the text is its choice of topics to be studied in depth. That might be its biggest weakness as well.

Chapter three looks at Mark’s presentation of Jesus. It does an excellent job of looking at Mark’s image of Jesus without putting that in a larger Christological context. Chapter four is a great analysis of the way Mark presents the disciples of Jesus. This is a theme that is not given enough attention in modern scholarship.

It becomes clear in the reading of the text that Iverson is a scholar that has studied Marcan themes to great depth. The usefulness of this text depends upon the readers’ sharing of interest in the same themes. Iverson unpacks the Markan secret (chapter 5) but does not examine the role of miracles as a reward for faith in Mark’s text. He looks at the many different endings of Mark’s gospel, with great analysis of the ancient Codexis, but does not tie those endings to theological themes of the resurrection.

I found myself really enjoing Iverson’s text. I felt his struggle between what works in an undergraduate classrooom and what a deep understanding of Mark’s gospel requires. The truth is that this text’s value depends upon the reader’s alliance with the themes Iverson has chosen. If the themes of Jesuology, discipleship, the Markan secret, and the conclusion of Mark’s gospel fit your interests in the gospel, this exemplifies an excellent secondary text. If your concerns include other themes, this text leaves them unadressed.

This text would be useful in the classroom and in Bible study groups as the Gospel of Mark is studied. The scholarship is excellent and the prose is welcoming and clear. It uses critical theory without attacking biblical faith. All in all, it is a text of value in one’s attempt to summarize the purpose of Mark’s presentation of Jesus’ ministry.