Question MARK Stefan Smart

We were delighted to welcome back Carolyn Meers for this episode of Question MARK about the story of Jesus’ anointing in Bethany. We think you’ll find that she explores this scripture with a clarity, depth and agility that is truly exceptional. In this episode she helps us get underneath Mark’s purpose in including this story in the first place, and how it challenges us to live for Jesus with every fibre of our being.

Carolyn is the pastor of Port Kembla Central Church in New South Wales, Australia, which is a member of the Pioneer International network of churches. We love the way Carolyn and her congregation learn about the Bible together, looking at key passages from a variety of perspectives, with no one interpretation being seen as ‘the right answer’. If this idea appeals to you as much as it does to us, why not try out an episode of the church’s podcast? See here for more: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/central-church-port-kembla/id1354293421

In this episode: ‘The Destruction of the Temple and the Signs of the Times’ (Mark 13:1-31). It’s not every day that you get two Markan megastars to drop into your studio all at once, but this is what happened when we started chatting about one of the most puzzling and enigmatic passages in all of Scripture. Orthodox scholar, John Burnett shares his incisive detailed knowledge of the ancient texts and historical antecedents lurking between the lines of Mark’s weirdly apocalyptic and haunting narrative. While, in a real coup for the show, Radical Influencer and author, Shane Claiborne provides a clarion call to modern day Christians everywhere. It’s time to join the revolution of Love Itself and get with the programme!

It was wonderful to have Daniel Goodman, Senior Leader of City Church, Cambridge, as our guest on this episode of the show, because, among his many talents and accomplishments, he’s a passionate aficionado of Mark, having read it in depth over 40 times. See what we made of what is probably one of the most puzzling aspects of Mark’s gospel: the three-part climax of Jesus’ Temple teaching at the end of Chapter 12.

View or listen here:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/question-mark/id1567877589
Spotify: https://spotify.link/Op7mNU7m8xb
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iammark8540

Who would have thought that when we began our little podcast exploring Mark’s gospel that we would end up having one of the world’s greatest living authors on the show? Well, here he is - William P. Young, author of international bestseller, The Shack, with his own take on one of the most often quoted passages in Mark - the Greatest Commandment (Mark 12:28-34).

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/question-mark/id1567877589
Spotify: https://spotify.link/Op7mNU7m8xb
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iammark8540

For this episode I had to do without David Payne’s gravelly tones and silky segues. See how I got on using one of the links below. Better still, enjoy the delights of soaking in the musings of a real Markan mastercraftsman - J.R. Daniel Kirk. Daniel, a prodigious author and NT thinker, has guested on the show before, in the controversy of the Syro-Phonecian Greek woman in Episode 7:24-30 (remember, Jesus apparently being racist and misogynistic?). So he’s no stranger to the sort of intellectual high-jinks the Sadducees now put up to try to entrap Jesus and make him look stupid. Wondering how he - and Jesus - did against this proverbially prickly mob? Well, tune in now and prepare to be entertained!

For more of Daniel’s fascinating take on the New Testament go here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/J-R-Daniel-Kirk/e/B001JSAG0G/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Following on from our wonderful chat with Rowan Williams, we’re privileged to announce two more bona fide world experts on Mark’s Gospel - namely, John Burnett and Ched Myers. John is a prominent theologian in the Orthodox tradition, while Ched is an activist and the author of the seminal commentary ‘Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark’s Story of Jesus’. Be prepared to have your thinking stretched and your faith expanded as these two Titans of the Faith consider the meaning and purpose of the ‘Parable of the Tenants’.

You can read more about Ched Myers and his work with Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries here: https://chedmyers.org

You can find out more about John Burnett and The Gospel of Mark Workshop here: https://gospelofmarkworkshop.com