James Edwards’ Pillar Series Commentary is really good. Edwards has spent his life devoted to the study of Mark and spent a few years studying with E. Schweizer in Germany–they are good friends. The commentary is rich in history but he does a good job of keeping it theological along the way. I think this would be a very helpful commentary for sermon preparation. Edwards was also a Young Life leader for many years and his heart for incarnational ministry is evident.

A commentary that has really helped me in terms of my context is, Ched Myer’s “Binding the Strong man”.

Scot,
I almost sent you an email asking when the next installment would be. Glad you remembered…much appreciated.

It’s not a commentary, but Mark as Story by Rhoads, Dewey, and Michie is fantastic. It’s a fresh translation and a discussion of literary elements.
I think I had to read it for a preaching class. It was very helpful in developing the skill of preaching narrative.

What about robert Stein in Baker series, its new, but i seems good so far,
also cranfield is a good technical treatment and I also liked using robert gundry on a paper in the past too.

I’ll second the recommendation of Edwards’ Pillar commentary.
I’ll also agree with the inclusion of Hooker’s commentary. Might be the best bang for your buck, in my opinion.

I would love to hear what Scot thinks of “Binding the Strongman.” Its long methodological introduction was fascinating. I wonder if it is the kind of commentary that evangelicals who want to emphasize orthopraxis and not just scholarly profundity would find helpful? I read it as a kind of landmark postmodern (read a deconstruction of the purely intellectualist and penal forms of evangelicalism) and radical discipleship text for emerging, emergent, etc groups.

The books mentioned are indeed good ones; I have not used Stein or Edwards. I have used Binding the Strong Man and it is esp good on liberation themes.

We’re going through Mark right now at Atlas.
The two commentaries I enjoyed using most were Ben Witterington’s and Tom Wright’s (though the latter may go without saying). Witterington’s was very helpful and worthy of praise.
On the negative front, I found the New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary on Mark both boring and irrelevant.

I love this series already. Thanks for doing it.
To other interested readers, here’s a great site I stumbled on a little while ago which compiles commentary ratings from multiple sources and gives the results of each book. It’s a great resource if you’re in the market for a commentary:
http://www.bestcommentaries.com/

I really like these kinds of posts. So helpful. Typically I will find that I am using some that you recommend and then there will be some that are unfamiliar to me. Thanks for this.

In addition to some of those mentioned here, I enjoyed what Joel Marcus did in the Anchor Bible series. And the second half (now Anchor-Yale series) is due out shortly.
Also, since you listed this as The Pastor’s Bookshelf, might I go beyond commentary. Ajith Fernando wrote a book which was completely under-appreciated a few years ago. ‘Jesus-Driven Ministry’ is based upon the first chapter of Mark’s gospel and is (in my mind) a brilliant thought process on ministry leadership which is rooted on the paradigm given in Mark 1. I don’t think I can over-recommend this one. Thought it might be of some relevance here.

A really good and new work on Marc is a book of over 660 pages from the German Theologian Joachim Ringleben with the simple title “Jesus”. As a Professor of Systematic Theology he goes along at Marc with intensive regard to Mathew und Luce. Mr. Ringleben integrates actual exegetic knowlegde in his intensive and deep going meditation of the Gospel.

I?ll second R.T. France on Mark in the NIGTC series, incredible commentary.

I actually started an email to you Scot, just yesterday, asking about when this series would resume. Thanks for doing this series.
I’ve been using Lamar Williamson’s Interpretation volume and finding it succinct and usually probing. I have the shorter version of Ched Myers — Say to this mountain — which works for getting the main points, and helpful as i lead a small campus study on Mark. And i still consult Barclay, who isn’t always up on the latest scholarship but who still often has a great view on some point or another, and always a pastoral heart. (And for those of us who try to buy used whenever possible — a great buy often at thrift shops, used book stores, etc.)
blessings,

Scot,
What do you think of Witherington’s work on Mark? I have seen it get a lot of buzz around the blogs and such, and I haven’t been able to look at it yet, so i’d love to see what you have to say about it. I really respect a lot of his other work and am actually considering going to Asbury to do my doctoral work with him.

W.Lane is getting a little dated but since I still use H.B.Swete, H.Alford and H.A.W.Meyer …
R.T. France Mark NIGTC is a a model of what a greek text commentary should be at the opposite end of the spectrum is Thiselton’s 1Cor which is an anthology of other peoples ideas and spend only a nanosecond in the Greek before he jumps to English. Fee’s 1Cor is much better.

Though not meant to be a commentary, the most powerful book I have read on Mark is Stumbling on God by Christopher Burdon.