Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration

by Pope Benedict XVI

Book Overview

Pope Benedict XVI's iconic life of Jesus, a rich, compelling, flesh-and-blood portrait of the central figure of the Christian faith.

"This book is . . . my personal search 'for the face of the Lord.'"--Benedict XVI

In this bold, momentous work, the Pope seeks to salvage the person of Jesus from today's "popular" depictions and to restore his true identity as discovered in the Gospels. Through his brilliance as a theologian and his personal conviction as a believer, the Pope incites us to encounter Jesus face to face.

From Jesus of Nazareth ". . . the great question that will be with us throughout this entire book: But what has Jesus really brought, then, if he has not brought world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? What has he brought? The answer is very simple: God. He has brought God! He has brought the God who once gradually unveiled his countenance first to Abraham, then to Moses and the prophets, and then in the wisdom literature--the God who showed his face only in Israel, even though he was also honored among the pagans in various shadowy guises. It is this God, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, the true God, whom he has brought to the peoples of the earth. He has brought God, and now we know his face, now we can call upon him. Now we know the path that we human beings have to take in this world. Jesus has brought God and with God the truth about where we are going and where we come from: faith, hope, and love."

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385523416
• ISBN13: 9780385523417
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Image
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.4" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

Excelente

Un libro para leerlo lentamente y meditando, ciertamente no de los que uno compra como lectura para antes de dormir. La exactitud, la brillantez y el conocimiento del tema lo hacen una joya, un libro de consulta para tener siempre a mano. Una visión profundísima desde la mente de uno de los más grandes Teólogos de nuestro tiempo, muy recomendable para los amantes de la filosofía también.

A meditation directly from the Pope

This book is really marvelous for meditating. Its actually Pope Benedict XVI giving the meditation himself. Slow and meditating reading and rereading is recommended. I have really enjoyed it and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.

Excelente libro

Excelente libro para conocer más a fondo la vida de Jesús. Aunque está escrito en un lenguaje accesible, requiere un cierto esfuerzo por parte del lector. Sin duda dejará una profunda huella en quien lo lea.

A Protestant's Skewed View

The Pope, by his very position, tends to be a polarizing agent. From a young age, I caught whispers of Antichrist conspiracy theories in throwaway Christian tracts. Later, I read Morris West's unsurpassed "Shoes of the Fisherman," and discovered a wholly honorable and thought-provoking aspect of the Pope's position. With these warring extremes in mind, I simply had to read "Jesus of Nazareth" for myself, to discover if Benedict XVI was bringing anything new or worthwhile to the table of spiritual discussion. To my pleasant surprise, I found this statement in the book's foreward: "it struck me as the most urgent priority to present the figure and the message of Jesus...and so to help foster the growth of a living relationship with him." Indeed, the rest of this tome does revolve around the divinity of Jesus and how that applies in our present times, both personally and publicly. While referring often to Church fathers and tradition, Benedict XVI addresses liberal theology's questions, as well as some of Nietzsche's dilemmas. He goes even further, addressing the real issues of the human heart in our modern age. In a erudite manner, "Jesus of Nazareth" provides a text full of deep thinking and honest wrestling, while remaining accessible and immensely readable. It circles the central issues of Jesus' identity and message, puts out the fires with patient confidence, then hones in on biblical truth. He builds New Testament passages on Old Testament understanding, shows immense respect for Judaism, and offers a worldwide view of Christ's redemptive message. Although I still have issues with some of Catholicism's structural tenets (unwed priests, for example), I can find nothing but solid Christian doctrine in this book. If it's true that things trickle down from the top, then this is a good sign for a large portion of Christ's figurative Bride on earth.