ByGary Leeon May 14, 2013
This book allowed me to finally like Jesus. Being raised as a Christian, I have been told that I love him ever since I started Sunday School. I loved what he stood for, certainly, but Jesus himself always felt like an abstraction. I never sensed he was a real person I could have an intimate relationship with. Once, I had a vision of meeting Jesus of Nazareth in the flesh. It has changed my life to this day. He didn't have a halo or a band of angels trailing after him. He was just a guy who walked up to me in the Arizona desert in a robe and sandals. I knew, unmistakably, that he is real. But still, it was a transcendent Jesus I experienced, a man tinged in awe and glory, not quite of this earth.
But with this book, I finally met Jesus as an actual human being, and discovered I truly liked the person described here. One of the basic doctrines of the Christian faith, that Jesus was both fully God and fully human, finally came alive for me not as soteriology, i.e., a crucial theological tenet of our salvation, but as a living reality. I serve a true human Master, not an abstract concept, after reading Mitchell's breathtakingly refreshing account.
Mitchell proceeds rationally, adhering to the past 75 years of breakthrough Biblical scholarship. He is unintimidated in his methods and conclusions by millennia of dogma, doctrine, interpretation, tradition, sectarianism, textual embellishment, and populist distortion that cast Jesus simultaneously as a forgiving saint, a vengeful judge, a cranky small town prophet, a sophisticated debater with the religious authorities of his day, an avatar with superhuman powers, a pathetically executed mortal, or an unattainable ideal.
The book strengthened, rather than diminished, my faith because it made the distinction clear between the religion about Jesus, which is propagated by the Church, and the faith of Jesus, which lives in each believer's heart. Keeping these respective approaches straight increases my discernment and lessens my confusion and doubt, and thus makes me a stronger Christian, less equivocal and impressionable.
Of course, Mitchell's conceit of winnowing out the truth of what Jesus actually taught from all that is attributed to him in the various New Testament accounts, discarding much that can't be authenticated, extrapolating the life history and emotional state of the person who pronounced such ideas, and then comparing Jesus' thought to other spiritual masters, Eastern as well as Western, often concluding that Jesus' teachings weren't original, only brilliantly framed ("Whoever spoke these words was one of the great world teachers, perhaps the greatest poet among them..."), will likely make fundamentalists apoplectic, or dismissive out of hand. But no need to worry. They'll never read it.
Open-minded clergy, as I was, will find a cornucopia of sermon and Bible study material here, though they may be wise to be circumspect about its source. Bible scholars and theologians will find much to ponder and debate. I learned more from Mitchell's book about the meaning and truth of my faith than I did in three years of study for a Master of Divinity degree at a prominent interdenominational Christian seminary.
But with this book, I finally met Jesus as an actual human being, and discovered I truly liked the person described here. One of the basic doctrines of the Christian faith, that Jesus was both fully God and fully human, finally came alive for me not as soteriology, i.e., a crucial theological tenet of our salvation, but as a living reality. I serve a true human Master, not an abstract concept, after reading Mitchell's breathtakingly refreshing account.
Mitchell proceeds rationally, adhering to the past 75 years of breakthrough Biblical scholarship. He is unintimidated in his methods and conclusions by millennia of dogma, doctrine, interpretation, tradition, sectarianism, textual embellishment, and populist distortion that cast Jesus simultaneously as a forgiving saint, a vengeful judge, a cranky small town prophet, a sophisticated debater with the religious authorities of his day, an avatar with superhuman powers, a pathetically executed mortal, or an unattainable ideal.
The book strengthened, rather than diminished, my faith because it made the distinction clear between the religion about Jesus, which is propagated by the Church, and the faith of Jesus, which lives in each believer's heart. Keeping these respective approaches straight increases my discernment and lessens my confusion and doubt, and thus makes me a stronger Christian, less equivocal and impressionable.
Of course, Mitchell's conceit of winnowing out the truth of what Jesus actually taught from all that is attributed to him in the various New Testament accounts, discarding much that can't be authenticated, extrapolating the life history and emotional state of the person who pronounced such ideas, and then comparing Jesus' thought to other spiritual masters, Eastern as well as Western, often concluding that Jesus' teachings weren't original, only brilliantly framed ("Whoever spoke these words was one of the great world teachers, perhaps the greatest poet among them..."), will likely make fundamentalists apoplectic, or dismissive out of hand. But no need to worry. They'll never read it.
Open-minded clergy, as I was, will find a cornucopia of sermon and Bible study material here, though they may be wise to be circumspect about its source. Bible scholars and theologians will find much to ponder and debate. I learned more from Mitchell's book about the meaning and truth of my faith than I did in three years of study for a Master of Divinity degree at a prominent interdenominational Christian seminary.
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ByLove Peopleon September 6, 2017
The power of Jesus' love and wisdom is bold and abundant in these pages that Mitchell has masterfully intermixed with insights and companion wisdom from great eastern masters and his own wisdom and experience. He does so without sacrificing reason and rationality and scholarly integrity so that you can trust that the words have not been overly influenced by anything other than his quest for the authentic.
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Byemrmon November 20, 2016
I found Stephen Mitchell via Byron Katie (all of her books, some co-written with Stephen, are HIGHLY recommended). I could never get through the bible and had always wanted to read a 'version' of it that was purely focused on Jesus and what his message was, ideally from someone with an understanding of what IS, and without the tediousness of some other writings on the subject (such as Tolstoy). This was perfect. The text is short with lots of notes afterward that include wonderful Zen quotes and personal insights that greatly add to the book. Very well written in an intellectual but approachable style. I look forward to reading other translations by Mitchell.
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4.0 out of 5 stars... teachings of Jesus with a depth of understanding not easily dismissed. His approach feels more like the Buddhist ...
ByDavid McPhailon March 14, 2015
Here is a scholar who approaches the teachings of Jesus with a depth of understanding not easily dismissed. His approach feels more like the Buddhist teachings he has explored elsewhere. There times I think he misses the mark and times I find him very insightful. Which means he is never boring, thank God.
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ByGretaon September 27, 2013
I'm not a "church going" person but I am very spiritual and have always wanted to know more about Jesus.
This book cuts through all the bible stuff (which I think a lot of it is made up) and gets right to the happening's of Jesus.
Makes it so much easier to understand him and that he was just a man who had great compassion and love.
This book cuts through all the bible stuff (which I think a lot of it is made up) and gets right to the happening's of Jesus.
Makes it so much easier to understand him and that he was just a man who had great compassion and love.
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ByDewey L. Linkon August 18, 2011
This book brought to light a lot of detailed truths about Jesus that most people are not aware of, being that there are so many untruths embeded in religious Teachings, it is good to have them brought forth. Especially the thoughts and feelings of other great Minds as of the likes of Thomas Jefferson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Spinoza, William Blake, Henry David Thoreau, Leo Tolstoy, George Bernard Shaw, Mohandas K Gandhi & Ramana Maharshi.
Thanks to Stephen Mitchell for taking this journey.
Link NMB SC
Thanks to Stephen Mitchell for taking this journey.
Link NMB SC
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ByLynda M. Essmanon February 2, 2018
Love anything translated by Mitchell. He’s the most thorough translator and easy to read. This is a book to open at random and begin reading at any page. Satisfying to the soul.
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ByKindle Customeron January 5, 2018
Reading this book allow me to see a real Jesus. Helped me to understand Jesus' doctrine and have a critical thinking about what is written on the bible.
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Bywilliam I. Amon February 14, 2009
Quite a remarkable book. It dares to declare ideas I had intuited but did not pursue out of fear of "lightning bolts". Actually, this makes so much more sense than what we have been taught in traditional religious dogmatic teaching. In fact, it makes Jesus much more "real" for me and his works that much more astonishing. It also supports my observation that the God of the Bible always chooses the least expected, most unlikely, weakest, slowest, etc. to work His will through, thereby glorifying Himself that much more and reminding us that it is not by our might, intelligence and fame that we are successful.
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ByJoy Medderson June 9, 2010
There is much here to open the mind and soul. When I read about Jesus being born "illegitamately" by a woman considered in her time to be a whore it raced me back to my earlier life:a young woman of the sixties, draped in "free love",practicing "questionable" behaviors that went unchecked and produced two children who bore(perhaps still do)the brunt end, much to my dismay.I was standing in the middle of a busy work area when it dawned on me the gravity of it all and in the twinkling of a eye I felt that I was Holy just the way I was; the good, the bad, and the ugly. And here, I've thought there was no way I or my children could ever be redeemed...and yet, here is Mary and Jesus. How sweet it is! This is just one tiny example of the provocative, challenging, and delicious food for the soul that one can truly sink one's teeth into, chew, swallow, digest and be nurtured in. Be careful, it's easy to overeat!
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