The Form and Function of Mark 1:1–15: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to the Markan Prologue

You can read a longer version of this review at SpoiledMilks (07/01/25). 
Bradley Johnson argues that Mark 1:1–15 is not only a literary unit but also a rhetorical key to understanding the Gospel of Mark. In this tightly argued book, Johnson walks through recent scholarship, textual and syntactical analysis, clausal structure, literary features, and rhetorical context to make the case that these fifteen verses serve as the Gospel's prologue. He begins by showing that there is no scholarly consensus on where Mark’s introduction ends, but if we settle on 1:1–15, we see Mark’s purpose more clearly. Johnson highlights textual variants (e.g., “Son of God”), examines how 1:1 stands independently, and explores the grammar and structure of the passage to reveal how it sets the theological trajectory of the Gospel. Chapter by chapter, Johnson moves from the words on the page to the ancient rhetorical environment and concludes that Mark’s beginning strongly affirms Jesus as the Son of God through divine endorsement, not human appointment. Mark’s Gospel mirrors some Greco-Roman biographies but diverges in presenting Jesus’ authority through the Spirit. This is a technical, thoughtful, and compelling book for those seeking to understand how Mark introduces his Gospel’s main themes. Review Disclosure: I received this book free from Pickwick Publishing for an honest review.