Binding the Strong Man

Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark's Story of Jesus is a truly great commentary from the 80’s that holds up today. It might be even more relevant now due to the times we are living in when the gospel in North America has been so watered down and colluded with Empire. This commentary on the Gospel of Mark truly helps us to recapture the Countercultural implications of being disciples of Jesus and the radical call to discipleship that is found within the oldest Gospel. Myers unearths symbolism that is as foreign to most of us as the symbolism that is found in much of the book of Revelation and makes the book of Mark come alive in a fresh and exciting way. If you only have one commentary on Mark, make sure it is this one.

This is a first rate scholar's theological study of Mark's Gospel. It's deep, involved, digging into the text, making the case for a political understanding of Jesus' ministry. It is chewy stuff, cross referenced with the work of other scholars and undergirded by a view point that may shake some while opening new vistas and possibilities for others. This book that will take time to read and digest, but is must reading for the serious Biblical student and is guaranteed to open new horizons for understanding how Mark's contemporaries understood Jesus and his mission.

This is one of the three books I wish I had read during seminary; but I have decided that in God's infinite wisdom, I was not introduced to it then because I didn't have the background to appreciate it until now.Myers finds too much Christian Bible study focused on private anguish and heaven - while our "world hangs in the balance on an imperial cross of violence and oppression." (14) In addition to his goal of forging a new methodological approach to the Gospels, Myers says his second goal was to "challenge traditional spiritualized or dogmatic readings of the Gospel in our First World churches, in order to promote discipleship as the core of Christian faith rather than either decisionism (the tendency of evangelicalism) or denominationalism (the tendency of liberalism). This he does in spades!His analysis looks at historical and sociological backgrounds, semantic fields, the ideology of Mark's form, narrative strategy of apocalyptic, the effect of narrative sites, and Mark's wonderful use of intertextual allusions to the LXX, among many other considerations.The book is dense, but delightful, and parses the Gospel in great detail. I could read only about 10 pages at a time, but it was well worth it. His socio-political analysis turns many traditional interpretations of Gospel passages on their (deaf) ears. Having read this book, I will never read any of the gospels the same way again.

Binding the Strongman is a review of the Gospel of Mark from a socio-literary approach. I am not a trained theologian and got through the book with some difficulties. My second time reading the book made understanding the concepts and teaching easier to understand. Most of Myers work is very good and insightful. Every so often, Myers interpretations of Jesus teaching lacks foundation in the other gospels; however, the vast majority of work seems accurate and thought provoking. A wonderful work in getting to the heart of what Jesus is teaching in Mark. This book is for people with a good overall understanding of the new and old testament and a strong reading ability. The insight that Ched Myers bring to Mark's Gospel will make you think about the role of women in the church, Money in God's kingdom, and Jewish temple practices. This book should be read by all Christians to get a better understanding of what Jesus was truly teaching in the new testament. After reading this book, you will see Christianity in a different light. Jesus - the radical Son of God.

Christians and non-Christians alike: leave your preconceived notions at the door if you are able and learn how and why Mark, the earliest of the written good news evangelists, wrote his Gospel story. And more importantly, what that Gospel says to us today. Binding the Strong Man is not for the faint of heart as it is a lengthy, comprehensively researched, exposition of Mark's Gospel which challenges most of the readings that went before. But it speaks directly to the genesis and depth of the problems that the world faces today. I sadly conclude that we in the "First World" are no more ready to hear this message than were the people when Jesus walked the earth 2000 years ago.

This review is of the Kindle edition. This is my favorite scholarly Bible study. When I first bought my Kindle I was unhappy that it was not available but it has recently shown up in a Kindle version. The version is excellent with lots of links back and forth, practically no typos and good layout. Highly recommended. Some difficult language makes it slow going in places, but well worth the effort working through and digesting it.

A political reading of Mark’s story of Jesus

This is maze-like in its writing and outlook, but Myers offers something out of the ordinary as far as commentaries are concerned and the only comparison one might make is that it is like Barth's Epistle to the Romans insofar as it is a deep, dense, solid, passionate wrestling with the text from a liberation perspective. Recommended for those who want to think about the gospel of Mark in a new, different way. There is steak on every page!

I bought this book already familiar with the argument - and reading it having been educated in an environment largely influenced by his work, it's hard to critique. Whilst much of me wants to argue that there is little new, and that some of the literary study is tedious and predictable, there is simply too much here that is so commendable.He is a fine scholar, and to be applauded for emphasising the political dimension of Jesus' campaign - a dimension all-too-frequently ignored by interpreters. I was expecting it to be a little more like a commentary but it certainly isn't that - but neither is it necessarily the kind of book you'd want to sit and read all the way through. What it achieves, I think, is opening up a whole new landscape of interpretation - in a way that, at high points in his text, is simply breathtaking. His reading of the social context is superb and thoroughly defensible, his engagement with issues such as exorcism is magnificent (if lacking a little clarity) and his engagement with issues of empire leaves the reader wondering why this was never mentioned before.Ultimately, I want this on my shelf not as a stand-alone commentary. However, placed alongside Morna Hooker's commentary on Mark (or even Cranfield's) you'll end up with 3 dimensional grasp of Mark's Jesus.

Love this tome. OK You may not be able to read it from cover to cover; however, dipping in to it when needed is superb. It is for me a coffee table book which I access regularly. If you want to be pushed on those Bible stories that we have come to 'understand' then please read this!

An important interpretation of Mark's account and required reading for any serious study of this gospel.Well-produced robust paperback.Excellent packaging and timely delivery.

Very insightful

Outstanding book.Great insights into political aspects of Jesus ministry as in Mark's gospel.