In this book, John Van Maaren argues that viewing the Gospel of Mark as an expression of first-century Judaism - rather than post-Jewish, Gentile Christianity - offers a more coherent reading of the narrative while illuminating its unique features.

Until recently, there has been a near consensus that the Gospel of Mark is an expression of a Gentile, post-Jewish, form of Christ adherence. In his book, John Van Maaren challenges the notion of "Gentile Mark" by developing the first narrative-wide reading of the Gospel as an expression of first-century Judaism. He consolidates insights from scattered studies and proposes new interpretations of specific texts and broader themes. He aims to lay the foundation for resituating the earliest extant account of Jesus within the history of early Christ-followers and first-century Judaism, re-examining the place of the law, the nations, the death of Jesus, and the expected kingdom of God.

Autorentext
Born 1984; 2019 PhD, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (2019); 201921 Assistant Director of Academic Support, Grants and Fellowships, The Catholic University of America, Washington DC, USA; 202124 Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellow, University of Heidelberg, Germany; currently FWF ESPRIT postdoctoral fellow, University of Vienna, Austria.

Inhalt
1: Introduction
2: The Gentile Gospel of Mark from the end of the 19th century to today
3: Jesus's practical application of the written law in the shadow of the approaching kingdom
4: Jesus's target audience in the Gospel of Mark and the clash of empires
5: Echoes of restoration in the proclamation of the kingdom
6: The death of Jesus as a ransom for scattered Israel
7: Conclusion