Dr. R.C. Sproul’s
Commentary on Mark is a 430 Page devotional style commentary that seeks to
expound each section of the Gospel of Mark. The commentary doesn’t go through
and discuss each verse individually but rather comments on chunks or sections
of the text.
Dr. Sproul has a style
of teaching and preaching that at times can be scholarly and technical and at
other times easy to understand and accessible for the layman. His commentary on
Mark: Saint Andrews Expositional Commentary is not a technical commentary bogged down with
lots of theological jargon, text critical notes, or discussions of theological
debates but instead is written in a clear and easy to understand style with
lots of illustrations that anyone can read and understand.
The style of the commentary is due
to the fact that it’s based on his sermons that he preached at St. Andrew’s.
“What you hold in your hand, then,
is a written record of my preaching
labors amid my
beloved Sanford congregation. The dear saints who sit
under my
preaching encouraged me to give my sermons a broader hearing.
To that end, the
chapters that follow were adapted from a sermon series I
preached
at St. Andrew’s.”(Taken from the series Preface)
Dr. Sproul is a Reformed theologian and so some of his interpretations and
conclusions are focused in that direction so you may find times in the
commentary where you disagree with his theology as I did but on the whole this
is a great devotional commentary that has wonderful insights.
If you are the type of
person who enjoys reading technical commentaries only this one isn’t for you. I
should also mention that just because it’s easy and not overly technical to
read doesn’t mean Dr. Sproul makes wild assertions or that this is simply a
commentary full of fluff and no substance. Quite the opposite is true.
I highly recommend this
book to anyone looking for a simple devotional commentary on the Gospel of
Mark.
Disclosure of Material: I received this book free from Reformed
Trust Publishing’s book review
program, which requires an honest, though not necessarily positive, review. The
opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with
the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR
Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials
in Advertising.”
