On this holy day, I thought this book review was appropriate, as Christians consider Jesus, and his life, to share this review!
Synopsis: In Jesus the Jew No One Knows , D.C. Smith presents the Torah-observant teacher and his messianic movement in a lively, straightforward manner, using classical artwork and concise explanations to show what actually happened when Christianity took root in Roman-occupied Judea.
In a carefully drawn out series of historical segments, the writer peels back 2,000 years of revisionist history to reveal the many myths and distortions that arose over the life, death and disappearance ;of this most remarkable man. For instance, Smith makes plain that Jesus’ real name, as pronounced in Aramaic, was Joshua. He tells us about Christ’s birthplace, his mother,father and brothers while illuminating a peasant existence exalted and over dramatized. He effectively describes what circumstances must have been like for a teenage boy growing up in rural Nazareth, noting what race, tribe and lineage he would have belonged to, while explaining the political meaning behind his parables and the baffling behavior of his closest disciples.
The book also considers the narcissistic emperors and kings who reigned during those days and lays out the new messiah’s religious calling as well as so-called “biographers” who claimed to have witnessed what was going on. In the final part of Jesus the Jew No One Knows, Smith discusses the Galilean’s hideouts, his last supper, his betrayer, the Roman judge who sentenced him, and his eventual crucifixion, all of which are followed by various theories and doctrines regarding his resurrection and second coming.
Replete with biblical timelines and a comprehensive glossary, Jesus the Jew No One Knows is a visual journey into the day-to-day life of Jesus Christ, mankind’s most misunderstood human being . It shows how the truth about him was either covered up or forgotten and how ancient fabrications were passed down over the centuries by Greek-speaking ghost writers with suspect agendas. The book strips away layers of lies to reveal the man’s true identity, while demonstrating how foreign followers successfully reshaped his looks, his mission and his message.
Review: To start, let me say that knowing the historical context for the bible helps VERY much in understanding what is being said, taught, and the whys behind it. Our church is doing a study of the Letters from Paul right now, and in studying the historical context, you get a deeper understanding of how the letters are arranged and who they were actually meant for. The knowledge increases your learning, it does NOT undo it.
This book does the same- it places Jesus in the historical context of his life, rather than through our modern times.It provides the known facts and cultural factors that both shaped, and ultimately skewed, the historical views. I liked how he formulated the book with one page sections on topics such as When Was Jesus Really Born?, Did Jesus Have Siblings, Who Were the Disciples, Were Women Disciples?, etc. Each section has a lovely piece of art on the facing page to represent it as well.
This makes it easy to study a section or two at a time- check the resources, and formulate how the info changes what you thought you knew and put it all together.
The only section that may cause the most consternation, is the section on Mary and whether she was really 'young' versus virginal, married before Joseph, and whether they was a 'physical' (versus strictly Divine) father for Jesus. Sometimes breaking a long-held perception can be hard on the reader's belief system. The rest of the book is not as controversial, once you get past that chapter! The book is a wonderful resource, that is easy to read, and would be a great starting reference for anyone looking to further there Judeo-Christian learning!
About the author: D.C. Smith is a former college professor who has lectured on religious history, philosophy and literature. He served in the Peace Corps and has been a longtime organizer and political activist for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Currently he works with Blossoming Rose to promote tours of the Holy Land and to support archeological digs in Israel. He is a member of the Biblical Archeological Society, the Society of Biblical Literature, and serves on the Board of Anthropological Studies at Biblical Tamar Park near the Dead Sea.
Synopsis: In Jesus the Jew No One Knows , D.C. Smith presents the Torah-observant teacher and his messianic movement in a lively, straightforward manner, using classical artwork and concise explanations to show what actually happened when Christianity took root in Roman-occupied Judea.
In a carefully drawn out series of historical segments, the writer peels back 2,000 years of revisionist history to reveal the many myths and distortions that arose over the life, death and disappearance ;of this most remarkable man. For instance, Smith makes plain that Jesus’ real name, as pronounced in Aramaic, was Joshua. He tells us about Christ’s birthplace, his mother,father and brothers while illuminating a peasant existence exalted and over dramatized. He effectively describes what circumstances must have been like for a teenage boy growing up in rural Nazareth, noting what race, tribe and lineage he would have belonged to, while explaining the political meaning behind his parables and the baffling behavior of his closest disciples.
The book also considers the narcissistic emperors and kings who reigned during those days and lays out the new messiah’s religious calling as well as so-called “biographers” who claimed to have witnessed what was going on. In the final part of Jesus the Jew No One Knows, Smith discusses the Galilean’s hideouts, his last supper, his betrayer, the Roman judge who sentenced him, and his eventual crucifixion, all of which are followed by various theories and doctrines regarding his resurrection and second coming.
Replete with biblical timelines and a comprehensive glossary, Jesus the Jew No One Knows is a visual journey into the day-to-day life of Jesus Christ, mankind’s most misunderstood human being . It shows how the truth about him was either covered up or forgotten and how ancient fabrications were passed down over the centuries by Greek-speaking ghost writers with suspect agendas. The book strips away layers of lies to reveal the man’s true identity, while demonstrating how foreign followers successfully reshaped his looks, his mission and his message.
Review: To start, let me say that knowing the historical context for the bible helps VERY much in understanding what is being said, taught, and the whys behind it. Our church is doing a study of the Letters from Paul right now, and in studying the historical context, you get a deeper understanding of how the letters are arranged and who they were actually meant for. The knowledge increases your learning, it does NOT undo it.
This book does the same- it places Jesus in the historical context of his life, rather than through our modern times.It provides the known facts and cultural factors that both shaped, and ultimately skewed, the historical views. I liked how he formulated the book with one page sections on topics such as When Was Jesus Really Born?, Did Jesus Have Siblings, Who Were the Disciples, Were Women Disciples?, etc. Each section has a lovely piece of art on the facing page to represent it as well.
This makes it easy to study a section or two at a time- check the resources, and formulate how the info changes what you thought you knew and put it all together.
The only section that may cause the most consternation, is the section on Mary and whether she was really 'young' versus virginal, married before Joseph, and whether they was a 'physical' (versus strictly Divine) father for Jesus. Sometimes breaking a long-held perception can be hard on the reader's belief system. The rest of the book is not as controversial, once you get past that chapter! The book is a wonderful resource, that is easy to read, and would be a great starting reference for anyone looking to further there Judeo-Christian learning!
About the author: D.C. Smith is a former college professor who has lectured on religious history, philosophy and literature. He served in the Peace Corps and has been a longtime organizer and political activist for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Currently he works with Blossoming Rose to promote tours of the Holy Land and to support archeological digs in Israel. He is a member of the Biblical Archeological Society, the Society of Biblical Literature, and serves on the Board of Anthropological Studies at Biblical Tamar Park near the Dead Sea.
Disclosure/ Disclaimer: I received this book, free of charge, from the author, via Bostick Communications for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it.
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