As I was thinking about this week’s dip in the well, something kept nagging in the back of my mind. It wasn’t the usual voices of “How about some more chocolate, eh?” and “Maybe I already have COV-19 and just don’t know it?” No, actually, it was Jesus. Well, not the actual voice of Jesus (I am still waiting on that one), but rather, this thought: If I was to offer a beginning’s guide to Jesus, where would I start?
Well, the starting point is the Gospels, of course, and I feel like that it is a bit obvious to offer as a resource (although, check them out if you haven’t before, they do cover a lot about Jesus!). Here is some more that might be helpful for your personal and professional relationship with the big JC.
Jesus of Nazareth: What He Wanted, Who He Was (Gerhard Lohfink):
I was given this book, and reluctantly started to read it. I was transformed. It really captured my heart and imagination, written in an engaging and fresh way about Jesus. Thought provoking and gentle, I think it is one of the best books around about Jesus.
Blurb: Who was Jesus? A prophet? There have been many of those. A miracle-worker? A radical revolutionary? A wise teacher? There have been many of these, too. In his latest book, renowned Scripture scholar Gerhard Lohfink asks, what is unique about Jesus of Nazareth, and what did he really want?
Lohfink engages the perceptions of the first witnesses of his life and ministry and those who handed on their testimony. His approach is altogether historical and critical, but he agrees with Karl Barth's statement that "historical criticism has to be more critical."
Lohfink takes seriously the fact that Jesus was a Jew and lived entirely in and out of Israel's faith experiences but at the same time brought those experiences to their goal and fulfillment. The result is a convincing and profound picture of Jesus.
Jesus: A Pilgrimage (Fr James Martin):
This tome is a little longer but structured in a way that is accessible. Fr James, an American, is writing for an audience completely unfamiliar with Jesus. He breaks things down really well, as well as offer some reflections, prayers and questions that allow you to slowly engage with the material, or even use it in small groups and discussion forums.
Blurb: James Martin, SJ, gifted storyteller, editor at large of America magazine, popular media commentator, and New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, brings the Gospels to life in Jesus: A Pilgrimage, and invites believers and seekers alike to experience Jesus through Scripture, prayer and travel.
Combining the fascinating insights of historical Jesus studies with profound spiritual insights about the Christ of faith, Father Martin recreates the world of first-century Galilee and Judea to usher you into Jesus's life and times and show readers how Jesus speaks to us today. Martin also brings together the most up-to-date Scripture scholarship, wise spiritual reflections, and light-hearted stories about traveling through the Holy Land with a fellow (and funny) Jesuit, visiting important sites in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.
The person at the heart of the Gospels can seem impossibly distant. Stories about his astonishing life and ministry—clever parables that upended everyone's expectations, incredible healings that convinced even sceptics, nature miracles that dazzled the dumbstruck disciples—can seem far removed from our own daily lives, hard to understand, and at times irrelevant. But in Jesus you will come to know him as Father Martin knows him: Messiah and Saviour, as well as friend and brother.
Jesus 120:
Now I realise that you may not have time to read a book, or your Audible account was too expensive this month, but hey, you’re an Aural learner, so how are you considering me, Br James? Here’s a podcast that might help. Produced in the USA, Jesus 120 takes a story from the Gospels about Jesus, reads it, and has some interesting discussions. It is part of a broader Christian perspective, so it offers some different viewpoints, all to be taken with a discerning ear and heart. They ran out of stories recently, so the Podcasters broaden their materials to Scripture passages in the Old Testament, and other sections of the New Testament. Worth a listen, with episodes around 15 minutes.
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/jesus-120/id1047304549