Join Us As We Read The Gospel of Mark

About ten years ago, I was reading the Gospel of Mark when I stumbled on a verse that seemed absolutely unnecessary—a throwaway line, the sort of thing an editor would have cut. But instead of skipping over it, I found myself stuck. Why was it there? What was Mark up to?

As I wrestled with that odd little verse, the book cracked open for me. I began to see that Mark isn’t just a straight retelling of events, but a carefully crafted, mischievous story—full of irony, foreshadowing, and a kind of beauty that refuses to play by the rules. Since that day, I’ve read and listened to Mark more times than I can count, and it is through this Gospel that I’ve come to understand what Christians mean when they say Scripture is the living word of God.

Last summer, after years of teaching on Mark, I finally began writing down my thoughts on this Gospel. What came out of that season is something like a commentary—not an academic one, but something shorter, easier, lighter on the minutiae, and most importantly, accessible to both adults and teenagers.

Starting Monday, January 26, I’ll be posting one chapter a day—seventy in total—ending where Mark ends his Gospel: on Easter Sunday. These chapters are short, more like daily devotions, and together they will walk us through a Gospel that is mysterious, often surprising, sometimes unsettling, and always upside-down.

Each day will also include a simple reflection question, meant to help us notice where this upside-down kingdom might already be breaking into our ordinary lives.