TEACHING AND RESEARCH
Dr. Botner is Associate Professor of New Testament at United Theological Seminary. He teaches courses on New Testament, biblical interpretation, and Greek exegesis. His primary research interests include ancient exegetical practices, messianism and Christology, and atonement theologies. He is particularly passionate about equipping students and clergy to interpret Scripture faithfully and embody the way of Jesus.
EDUCATION
BA, Jessup University (2009)
MA, Fuller Theological Seminary (2011)
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Classics, University of California, Davis (2013)
PhD, University of St Andrews (2017)
PUBLICATIONS
Select Books
How Then Shall We Read? A Student’s Guide to Interpreting the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2026.
Beyond the Greek New Testament: Advanced Readings for Students of Biblical Studies. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2023.
Jesus Christ as the Son of David in the Gospel of Mark. Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series 174. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019.
Select Articles
“Atonement in Biblical Traditions.” The Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Religion. Oxford University Press, 2025.
“‘And Then They Will Fast on That Day’ (Mark 2.20): The Absent Bridegroom and the Day of Atonement in Early Christianity.” Journal of Theological Studies 76 (2025): 32–45.
“Messiahs and Revolutionaries.” Pages 187–194 in Behind the Scenes of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts. Edited by Bruce Longenecker, T. J. Lang, and Elizabeth Shively. Baker Academic, 2024.
with Elizabeth Shively. “Jesus, the Shema, and Oneness in the Synoptic Gospels: The Formation of Early Christian Identity.” Pages 171–194 in One God, One People: Oneness, Unity, and Christian Origins. Edited by Stephen C. Barton and Andrew J. Byers. RBS 104. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2023.
“The Essence of a Spiritual House: Misunderstanding Metaphor and the Question of Supersessionism in 1 Peter.” Journal of Biblical Literature 139 (2020): 411–27.
“The Fragrance of Life: Reconsidering the Sacrificial Logic of Ephesians 5:2.” Biblical Research 64 (2019): 67–82.
“A Sanctuary in the Heavens and the Ascension of the Son of Man: Reassessing the Logic of Jesus’ Trial in Mark 14.53–65.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 41 (2019): 310–34.
“Has Jesus Read What David Did? Probing ‘Problems’ in Mark 2:25–26.” Journal of Theological Studies 69 (2018): 484–99.
“The Messiah is ‘the Holy One’ of God: ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ θεοῦ as a Messianic Title in Mark 1:24.” Journal of Biblical Literature 136 (2017): 419–35.
PROFESSIONAL
Dr. Botner is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the Institute for Biblical Research, and Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas (SNTS). He is also the director of the Center for Bible Study, a ministry dedicated to providing accessible theological education, and the host of the Center for Bible Study YouTube channel and podcast On the Way.
PERSONAL
Max is married to Jessica, and they have four children. When he is not reading, Max enjoys traveling, trying new foods, and coaching youth sports.