An 8-Lecture Online Course

The Genius of Mark:
Jesus the Secret Messiah

Explore the nuanced and sophisticated understanding of Jesus in the often-overlooked Gospel of Mark, revealing its clever subtleties and numerous surprises.

Course cover

Go beyond common interpretations and unlock the true genius of Mark's Gospel.

Course Overview

Uncover the Nuances of Mark's Gospel

Did Mark have first-hand knowledge of Jesus’ life? How do we know he wasn't just makin’ stuff up?Explore the answer to this and other controversial questions in this 8-lecture online course where Dr. Bart Ehrman unpacks The Gospel of Mark showing how its narrative contains clever subtleties and numerous surprises that make it one of the most intriguing pieces of literature from the early years of Christianity.

Other controversial questions covered in this 8-lecture course include:

  • Why don’t most readers today recognize the highly unusual way Mark portrays Jesus and the meaning of his life?
  • For Mark, how can Jesus be the expected destroyer of God’s enemies and the king of the Jewish people, if he was himself rejected by them, captured, and publicly tortured to death? Isn’t that the opposite of the “Messiah”?
  • Why in Mark (unlike the other Gospels) does none of Jesus’ close relations realize who he really is? Not the Jewish leaders? Not those hearing his message? His neighbors? His companions? His closest disciples? His mother?
  • Does the Gospel of Mark portray Jesus as God?
  • Is Mark’s account an accurate portrayal of what the historical Jesus himself said and did? Or is it a portrayal that shapes Jesus’ life and ministry according to Mark’s own theological understanding of Jesus? Could it be both?
  • Did Mark have first-hand knowledge of Jesus’ life, or is most of his information second-, third-, or fourth-hand? Is he just makin’ stuff up?
  • How did later copyists of Mark’s Gospel change what he said to create a different story? Have any of these changes misled readers away from Mark’s original message?

Your Instructor

Bart Ehrman

James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies Emeritus · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Bart Ehrman
Bart D. Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies Emeritus at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he taught from 1988 until his retirement in 2025. Recognized internationally for his scholarship on the New Testament and early Christianity, Professor Ehrman has written or edited thirty-five books, including six New York Times bestsellers. His college-level textbook The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings has remained the best-selling text in the field for more than twenty-five years. His scholarly works have been published by Oxford, Harvard, Yale, and other premier academic presses, and his books have been translated into twenty-seven languages, reaching millions of readers worldwide.

BONUSES:

Six Bonus Resources

Bonus #1

Comprehensive Resources Pack

Take your learning experience to the next level with our Comprehensive Course Resources Pack. This invaluable resource includes: Text Overviews of Each Lesson: Get a clear and concise introduction to the topics covered in each lecture. Perfect for refreshing your memory or previewing what’s ahead. Printable PDFs with Note-Taking Space: Keep track of important points, reflections, and insights during the course. Thought-Provoking Reflection Questions: Dive deeper into the material with prompts that encourage critical thinking. This Course Resources Pack is your personal guide to mastering the material, ensuring you stay engaged and never miss a key insight.

Value $60

Bonus #2

Exclusive Q&A Sessions

Gain extra insights with our Exclusive Q&A Sessions. After each lecture, Bart Ehrman answers participant questions, adding clarity and depth to the course material. These Q&A sessions bring the dynamic, live experience to you, allowing you to explore topics in greater detail. This bonus offers a closer look at Bart’s expert responses to real questions, enriching your understanding and making your learning more interactive.

Value $90

Bonus #3

Audio Downloads

Enjoy the flexibility of learning wherever you are with our Audio Downloads. Perfect for listening while in the car, working out, or anytime you're on the move. Each lecture is available as an audio file, making it easy to continue your education no matter where life takes you.

Value $30

Bonus #4

FREE Lecture from "The Genius of Matthew"

Discover how the author of Matthew transforms Mark’s Gospel in this free lecture from The Genius of Matthew, a companion course to The Genius of Mark. Explore how Matthew reworks stories, adds new material, and emphasizes Jesus as the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy—creating a distinctly different portrait of the Messiah. Was Matthew correcting Mark? Updating him? Or giving a whole new theological vision? Uncover the literary strategies and theological aims that make Matthew a Gospel unlike any other—and gain fresh insight into how the early Christian message evolved.

Value $24.95

Bonus #5

Self-Assessment Quiz

Challenge yourself after completing your course with a customized quiz to the materials found in your "The Genius of Mark" course.Turn passive learning into active learning and turn short-term memory into long-term memory with our multiple choice, self-assessment quiz.

Value $20

Bonus #6

Downloadable eBook

Enjoy the convenience of having the entire course in a PDF. Whether you prefer reading on your tablet, phone, or just want a printable copy to annotate and revisit, this downloadable eBook gives you complete access to the content anytime, anywhere. Perfect for reviewing at your own pace—even offline.

Value $20

Course Enrollment $79.95

Enroll in "The Genius of Mark: Jesus the Secret Messiah" today. For $79.95, you receive lifetime access to all 8 lectures with Dr. Ehrman and all companion bonus resources.

From Course Participants

What Students Are Saying

This course opened my eyes to the Gospel of Mark. I had never studied it this way, and it gave me a much deeper understanding of the narrative.
C. W.
Chris Whitney-cooperCourse Participant
Learning the historical context of the Gospel of Mark enriched both my knowledge and my faith.
G. M.
Glenn MarcelinoCustomer Participant

See What Most Readers Miss in Mark's Gospel

8 insightful lessons, the Q&A recordings, audio downloads, and 6 bonus resources. Lifetime access.

Frequently Asked

Questions & Answers

Is this a LIVE course?

This course was recorded live on the 18-19th February 2023. If you purchase this course after these dates you will have access to the recorded version of the course, including the Q&A sessions.

What is the Special Bundle Price?

The regular retail price for this course is $119.60 - that's $14.95 per lecture. With the special bundle price you can enjoy lifetime access to all 8 lectures + bonuses for the special bundle price of $79.95.

Are any other discounts available?

Yes, if you have purchased another course in the "How Scholars Read the Bible" series like "In the Beginning" or "Finding Moses," you should have gotten an email sent to you with a significant discount to purchase the course.

Do you offer a money-back guarantee?

Absolutely! If you don't love the seminar, send us an email and we will refund 100% of your investment. You will have 30 days from the date of your purchase.

Alternatively, this course is available through The Biblical Studies Academy (BSA), our premium membership and training community.

Backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee · Lifetime access to all course materials

$1 from your purchase is donated to charity: water.