Mark s Gospel is sometimes assumed to be the least interesting or helpful gospel it is the shortest and speaks in a plain and direct style. Mark Horne helps us better appreciate this gospel s goals, by highlighting features not immediately apparent to the modern eye. Horne uses its Old Testament and first-century context to point out the typological roles that Jesus, John, and the disciples fulfill as the new leaders of their nation, a period when the old Israel was both restored and redefined. He shows the gospel s intricate structures of miracle cycles and other events that bring out the major themes of calling and restoration, all playing into the kingship and triumph of Christ. This devotional-style commentary enables the reader to see through the gospel of Mark s humble exterior into the riches that lie beneath."