I know, I know. The whole Bible is about Jesus. Read from a redemptive-historical perspective, you can find Jesus in the books of James and Jude and Jeremiah. He is the point of every page. And yet, the Gospels are just different. They are different because they give you the words, actions, and deeds of Jesus up close and personal. 

You are a new Christian. Or someone that you know is a new Christian. You (or they) want to start reading the Bible. Where should you begin? In other words, what’s the best book of the Bible for new believers?

The word “best” here is subjective. What I think and what someone else thinks could be different and, in some sense, we both could be right. Reading the Bible is better than not reading the Bible. Any place would be great, really. But some places in Scripture seem more advantageous than others for beginners.

Over the years, I have found that many people recommend the Gospel of John as the best place to start in Scripture. Not a bad choice by any means. I love the Gospel of John. It’s a beautiful book. But in John’s Gospel, there are some tough sayings and interesting imagery that can be confusing if not read in its proper context. Again, John is great, but I think we would do well if we skip back two Gospels.

If you are a new Christian, the best place to start reading in the Bible is the Gospel of Mark.

Why the Gospel of Mark is the Best Book of the Bible for New Believers

Here are a few reasons why I say so:

1. The Gospel of Mark gives you Jesus.

I know, I know. The whole Bible is about Jesus. Read from a redemptive-historical perspective, you can find Jesus in the books of James and Jude and Jeremiah. He is the point of every page. And yet, the Gospels are just different.

They are different because they give you the words, actions, and deeds of Jesus up close and personal. We see an intimate image of Jesus as we read a biographical sketch of his life, something new believers should immerse themselves in. In particular, the Gospel of Mark focuses on the actions of Jesus (more on this later), which quickly helps a new believer understand Jesus’ life and ministry.

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