Jesus Discovered Book

This volume aims to provide a first port-of-call resource for students and church leaders who wish to be introduced to the Gospels and their first-century contexts. Its conversational tone and wealth of resources for further study make it ideal for anyone wishing to immerse themselves in these fascinating books of the Bible and discover the Jesus revealed in their pages.

Volume 1: Mark is the first of four planned volumes that will cover all four Gospels and provide an introduction to their socio-cultural and historical contexts. Note that this first volume also contains bonus materials from the next volume planned in the series on Luke’s Gospel.

Dan is the President of Pillar Seminary and also an Associate Professor of New Testament there. He and his family make their home in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, where for many recent years, Dan also served as the senior pastor of Lakeview Community Church. He has authored articles for Lexham Bible Dictionary and Lexham Theological Wordbook (Lexham Press) and a monograph in the Bulletin for Biblical Research Supplement Series (Eisenbrauns). Dan is an Associate Fellow at the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology, where he also serves on the Committee for the Scripture Collective’s “Scripture and University Seminar” (SAUS).

1. Jesus and His World
2. Mark 1:1–3:6 and Jesus’s Early Life
3. Honor, Shame, Kinship
4. Mark 3:7–6:6a
5. Mark 6:6b–8:30 and Geography
6. Purity and Mark 7:1–23
7. Mark 8:31–10:52
8. Jesus and Jewish Restoration
9. Politics and Patronage
10. Mark 11:1–16:8
11. Studying the Gospels
12. Luke 1:1–4:13

Works Cited
Indices

“Jesus Discovered combines top scholarship with an easy-to-read style for the sake of the church. By following threads within the Gospels, we see the “interwoven tapestry” of Mark revealed strand by strand. It’s a difficult feat to write in such an accessible manner and offer meaty scholarship along the way. This is a valuable series for those wanting to dig in to the Gospels.”

— Dru Johnson, Templeton Senior Research Fellow, Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford

“Dr. Lowery’s Jesus Discovered: A Guide to the Gospels and Their World, Volume 1: Mark is a luminous and deeply engaging work that will open readers to the living Jesus within a proper historical, cultural, political, and religious landscape of the Gospel witness. With the careful precision of a seasoned scholar and the compassionate attentiveness and heart of a pastor, Dr. Lowery guides us beyond mere familiarity with the text and into a fuller understanding of its world, so that we may hear its claims clearly and respond faithfully as it calls us into scriptural alignment. This volume masterfully bridges the distance between the seminary classroom and the life of the local church. Students, pastors, teachers, and disciples will find it intellectually rich, spiritually formative, and profoundly practical. Jesus Discovered does more than interpret the Gospel of Mark; it invites us to behold Jesus with greater clarity, to follow him with deeper courage, and to embody his liberating, restorative, life-giving mission in our present age. I commend this work with my whole heart.”

— K. Jevon Chambers, First Episcopal Diocesan Prelate / Dean of Christian Education, Metropolitan Spiritual Churches of Christ, Inc.

“This look at Mark pays careful and special attention to the cultural background that illuminates the text. Using a wide array of resources, this book opens up Mark in a myriad of helpful ways making it a useful resource for studying this gospel.”

— Darrell Bock, Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies and Executive Director for Cultural Engagement, Dallas Theological Seminary

“It’s rare to come across an academic resource that is down to earth and engaging, but that’s exactly what Dan Lowery has accomplished with Jesus Discovered: A Guide to the Gospels and Their World. Lowery is the rare combination of brilliant and grounded, and those two attributes come through on every page of this book. For anyone who wants to dive deeper into the life of Jesus through the Gospel accounts, this series is for you.”

— Zach W. Lambert, Pastor at Restore Austin and bestselling author of Better Ways to Read the Bible

“With great scholarship, Dr. Lowery has written a companion to the Gospel of Mark that’s approachable for the curious, called, and mission-minded individual. This book allows the reader to step into the world of the Biblical text, observe a compassionate Jesus and Savior, and, with great empathy and concern for our world, live out the Gospel message, creating pathways for flourishing in their current context.”

— Rachael Wade, Founder at Olive Us LLC

“I’m excited to have this resource on my shelf as I study Mark.”

— Kat Armstrong, author of the Storyline Project Bible study series, speaker, and podcast host

“As a student in Dr. Lowery’s Gospels course, I experienced firsthand his remarkable ability to bring the world of the Gospels to life while making careful scholarship accessible and engaging. Jesus Discovered captures what made that course so formative for me: it deepens our understanding of the biblical text while helping us see Jesus with greater clarity and appreciation. I’m grateful that what has benefited students like me in the classroom is now available to a much wider audience.”

— Michael Ryan Franey, Pastor of Growth and Connection, Emergence Church

“As I had the opportunity to sit under the teaching of Dr. Lowery and the rest of the academic faculty at Pillar Seminary, I often found myself thinking more people need to experience this. I have experienced firsthand Dan’s exceptional gift for bridging rigorous academic scholarship with vibrant, practical ministry. Now many others will get to experience it too. Dr. Lowery’s years of experience in the trenches of leading a church enables him to masterfully illuminate the ancient socio-cultural world of the Gospel of Mark without ever losing sight of the needs of the church. This inaugural volume is an essential, richly-resourced guidebook that every student, pastor, and lay leader needs on the shelf. I can’t wait for the volumes yet to come.”

— Greg Lindsey, Lead Pastor at Discovery Church Colorado and author of The Rest of Your Story