Resumo de Jesus - Leith Anderson

The story of Jesus outside of its theocratic implications is a fascinating tale all by itself. As someone who has read an over abundance of secondary and tertiary sources with respect to Jesus Christ and the Christian religion as a whole, I have found that reading the actual New Testament to be an exercise in frustration. The language used to tell Jesus? story, I believe, tends to distract from the fact that his is a very telling and timeless story.

Enter, ?Jesus: An Intimate Portrait of the Man, His Land, and His People,? by Leith Anderson. What Anderson has done with this work is to take all four of the New Testament Gospels and synthesized them into a readable and linear story. It?s a biography of the life of Jesus that does more than repeat the testimony of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Rather it contextualizes the life of Jesus and the historical setting in which he was born, taught, proselytized, and was ultimately executed in. Throughout the narrative Anderson offers in-text notes and descriptions that offer an added flavor to the overall story. From Jesus and his disciples to Pilate and the Sanhedrin, every character becomes vibrant and lively, thus drawing the reader back in time.

One aspect of the story that really stood out to me was just how human Jesus was, as written by Anderson. I think people; especially Christians obviously, tend to view Jesus in other-worldly terms as if he was something beyond human in terms of emotions and behavior. This makes sense to some degree seeing as those who believe frame Jesus as the Son of God and their personal savior. However, assigning him divine behavior in a vacuum of time where there were real People with real problems I believe does more to dehumanize Jesus than it does paint a picture of somebody I can personally identify with (as my lord and savior).

What Anderson has done is given Jesus his human personality back from those whom would seek to offer a politically palatable picture of the Son of Man. Anderson?s Jesus laughed and joked with his disciples as well as prostitutes and beggars. Jesus got annoyed with seemingly stupid questions and having to repeat himself to the same disbeliever?s ad nauseum. This Jesus one can truly believe was hurt by Judas? betrayal and Peter?s thrice denial of Jesus. The reader is there with Jesus as he struggles with his own sense of self-preservation and his obligation to the Father (God). Whether or not you follow the faith of Jesus Christ, the story being told is emotionally very real and worth the price of admission itself.

As stated above, Anderson takes a lot of time explaining the socio-political setting of the Roman Empire and the occupied nation of Israel. I think that typical Christians tend to focus on Jesus dying for the sins of Man and tend not contextualize the reasons why he was persecuted and then executed beyond being prophesized in Jewish tradition. For example, Anderson writes the Sanhedrin as a body of leadership not unlike the Catholic hierarchy or the modern American congress. That is to say that they weren?t inherently evil but rather consumed with hanging on to power and playing the game of politics to their own benefit. That?s not malevolence or worthy of anti-Semitism, that?s pragmatism. Though the chapter that deals with Jesus? crucifixion does in fact show those who made up the Sanhedrin in conflict with themselves as they begin to think that they may have actually just killed David?s heir, the Messiah.

Another aspect of the biography is the clear presentation of Jesus? teachings throughout Palestine. Again, many Christians tend to focus too acutely on what biblical scholars have send Jesus? message was such that it tends to breed man?s inhumanity to man in many aspects of societal life. Because of the plain language being used and, ostensibly, directly quoting the words of the man himself, to me his teachings become coherent to the average reader. Jesus ran with one major theme that is humbleness andself-sacrifice. Again and again Jesus told anyone that would listen that it was the meek that would inherit the earth, not the all-powerful kings. He said over and over that one should distance themselves from indulgence rather than swimming in large pools of temptation. Well isn?t that what we?ve been saying throughout modern society at least since the 60?s? If Jesus were alive today he?d be a clinical social worker rather than a street preacher or a rabbi. I swear I?ve said much of the same thing to clients in drug rehab.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone with a modicum of interest in Jesus Christ or the gestation of the Christian religion that does not have the time or the patience to plod through the New Testament. It?s a fine book for believers and non-believers alike. Though, for those who are either atheists or at the very least, people who do not accept any of the Christian leaps of faith (Immaculate Conception, miracles, resurrection, etc.) you?ll have to suspend your disbelief for 360 pages. However, if over a billion people can read the new Harry Potter, there?s no reason to skip out on this book.

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