Decoding Mark - Hardcover

Dart, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1563383748 ISBN 13: 9781563383748

Publisher: Continuum, 2003

Synopsis

Using both his background in interpreting biblical research and his interest in word-puzzles, nationally known journalist John Dart uncovers lengthy codes that illuminate the intent of Mark's gospel, with explosive results that will shake the foundation of New Testament studies.
Dart unlocks ancient, puzzle-like writing devices called chiasms, which are found throughout Mark, to reconstruct the original Gospel. By focusing on the presence or absence of these chiasms in particular parts, he identifies six miracles in the Gospel added by a later editor. He recovers passages from the Secret Gospel of Mark - a once-disputed find - that the pattern of chiasms repeatedly indicates had been deleted from original Mark.

About this title

About the Author:

John Dart, news editor of Christian Century magazine and a religion writer at the Los Angeles Times for 30 years, has written extensively about New Testament research. He won a 2004 American Academy of Religion award for in-depth reporting on religion. His books include The Laughing Savior: The Discovery and Significance of the Nag Hammadi Gnosti Library; The Gospel of Thomas: Unearthing the Lost Worlds of Jesus; and Deities & Deadlines. Dart has won numerous reporting awards.

Review:

“John Dart, weds his journalistic experience covering biblical research with careful attention to word and thematic plays to offer a provocative reconstruction of an original Mark... in a breezy, conversational style... displaying a journalist’s flair for story telling.” –Mark Schuler, Review of Biblical Literature, September 2004

"In Decoding Mark John Dart employs his refined journalistic skills to lead the reader through the fascinating paths of Markan research. With a light touch and an autobiographical flair, he explores the intricacies of the canonical and Secret Gospels of Mark. His rehearsal of significant scholarly moments is memorable, and his own solution to decoding the Gospel of Mark is as provocative as it is ingenious."—Marvin Meyer, Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies, ChapmanUniversity (Marvin Meyer)

“Dart writes engagingly in language accessible to any fairly literate adult, and this book may well encourage intelligent laity to take biblical scholarship more seriously.” –Religious Studies Review, April, July 2004 (Religious Studies Review)

"In Decoding Mark John Dart employs his refined journalistic skills to lead the reader through the fascinating paths of Markan research. With a light touch and an autobiographical flair, he explores the intricacies of the canonical and Secret Gospels of Mark. His rehearsal of significant scholarly moments is memorable, and his own solution to decoding the Gospel of Mark is as provocative as it is ingenious."—Marvin Meyer, Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies, ChapmanUniversity (Sanford Lakoff)

About this edition

• Publisher: Continuum
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 1563383748
• ISBN 13: 9781563383748
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224