Free commentary on Mark’s Gospel

Free book of the month from Logos for September 2017 is David Garland’s commentary on Mark. It’s an Application Commentary on the NIV translation (NIVAC). For each passage, it gives you the original meaning, the bridging context to our time, and the contemporary significance. At over 600 pages, it’s worth around $30 as an ebook or $44 as a hard back. If you’ll ever study the Gospel of Mark, grab it now.

If you don’t have Bible study software from Logos, Bibleworks, or Accordance, you don’t know what you’re missing. Imagine being able to instantly search for all the verses that contain a phrase like “son of man” or “kingdom of God” or “forgiveness of sins.” Imagine clicking any word in your Bible to instantly bring up related information: commentaries, bible dictionaries, atlases, cultural background, relevant ancient literature, word studies, surveys, outlines, …

My preference is Logos because it offers the greatest range of resources, it’s cross-platform, the hyperlinking between resources is superior, and it’s very fast to use (once you learn it). On the downside, it’s a significant investment of time and money.

The software is free, and you buy the books or packages you want.

To get started:

1. Create an account at Logos.com.
2. “Buy” a free package: Basic or Academic Basic.
3. Set up the software on your devices: Windows or Mac, iOS, Android, or Kindle Fire.
4. Start learning with the videos under the heading, “Explore What you can do with Logos.”

Then expand it:

• Buy your favourite version of the Bible (probably US $10).
• “Buy” other free resources you could use, including Free Book of the Month, but excluding Perseus Classics. (They’re overwhelming when you’re starting out.)
• Add other free resources you want from Vyrso (Logos’ ebook arm) or Verbum (Logos’ Catholic arm).

If you need help, try the user-supported wiki or ask questions in the forums.

What others are saying

David E. Garland, Mark, NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 60 (on Mark 1:15):

The dominion of God has come near — so near that Mark believes you can touch it in Jesus. The future created by God is no longer a flickering hope light years away; it has become available in the present. … The divine rule blazed abroad by Jesus, therefore, requires immediate human decision and commitment: repentance, submission to God’s reign, and trust that the incredible is taking place.