Jesus Unmasked

Jesus Christ is the most famous man in human history, but exactly who was He? Some say a fable; others think just one option among many good teachers, or even a nice guy who taught morals. Do any of these descriptions capture the totality of who He was? Jesus Unmasked goes directly to the world’s greatest expert on Jesus Christ, Jesus Himself: Who Jesus said He was and why He said it the way He did What historical accounts and Biblical details reveal versus what we assume Why 4000 years of history, prophecy and chronology force every human being to render their verdict about this one man. When you encounter Jesus Unmasked, you will not be ambivalent. Jesus gives us clarity and insight into the nature of God. Interact with what Jesus taught about Himself and draw your own conclusions to the world’s most important question: “Who is the real Jesus?”

Rabbi or Messiah? Prophet or the Son of God? People have debated the identity of Jesus of Nazareth since the first century. But what if there was no Jesus? What if there was no Mary or Joseph, no twelve apostles? What if the story of Jesus was no more than a myth to convey spiritual truth? These claims have been around for hundreds of years and have become more prominent with well-known religion columnist Tom Harpur's recent book, The Pagan Christ. Harpur claims that Jesus was not a historical figure, but was one version of an ancient myth that can be traced from ancient Egyptian religion to the Roman mystery cults. Stanley Porter and Stephen Bedard tackle this radical claim by looking at the roots of the "pagan Christ idea," examining the supposed pagan parallels and presenting the evidence for the historical Jesus. The authors demonstrate that the suggestion of pagan origins for the Gospel story is not based on historical or textual evidence, but rather on a desire to create a universalistic spirituality revolving around a "Cosmic Christ" within each person. A fair examination of both the mythological and biblical texts reveal that the traditional understanding of an actual historical figure known as Jesus of Nazareth appearing two thousand years ago is indeed the only logical conclusion. Stanley E. Porter is President and Dean, and Professor of New Testament at McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Porter has M.A. degrees from Claremont Graduate School and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and the Ph.D. from the University of Sheffield. He has written widely on issues of concern in study of the New Testament, such as Jesus, Paul, the book of Acts, and John. He has a passion for education in the church, and preaches and teaches regularly. Stephen J. Bedard is the pastor of Woodford Baptist Church and First Baptist Church, Meaford, Ontario, Canada. He holds the M.Div. and M.Th. degrees from McMaster Divinity College, and is actively engaged in further graduate study. Bedard is an advocate of informed preaching and teaching, and is devoted to the ministry of the local church.

The great German theologian Albert Schweitzer famously drew a line under nineteenth-century historical Jesus research by showing that at the bottom of the well lay not the face of Joseph's son, but rather the features of all the New Testament scholars who had tried to reveal his elusive essence. In his thoughtful and provocative new book, Halvor Moxnes takes Schweitzer's observation much further: the doomed 'quest for the historical Jesus' was determined not only by the different personalities of the seekers who undertook it, but also by the social, cultural and political agendas of the countries from which their presentations emerged. Thus, Friedrich Schleiermacher's Jesus was a teacher, corresponding with the role German teachers played in Germany's movement for democratic socialism. Ernst Renan's Jesus was by contrast an attempt to represent the 'positive Orient' as a precursor to the civilized self of his own French society. Scottish theologian G A Smith demonstrated in his manly portrayal of Jesus a distinctively British liberalism and Victorian moralism. Moxnes argues that one cannot understand any 'life of Jesus' apart from nationalism and national identity: and that what is needed in modern biblical studies is an awareness of all the presuppositions that underlie presentations of Jesus, whether in terms of power, gender, sex and class. Only then, he says, can we start to look at Jesus in a way that does him justice.

Tradition has painted a portrait of a Savior aloof from governmental concerns and whose teachings point to an apolitical life for his disciples. How, then, are we to respond today to a world so thoroughly entrenched in national and international affairs? But such a picture of Jesus is far from accurate, argues John Howard Yoder. Using the texts of the New Testament, Yoder critically examines the traditional portrait of Jesus as an apolitical figure and attempts to clarify the true impact of Jesus' life, work, and teachings on his disciples' social behavior. The book first surveys the multiple ways the image of an apolitical Jesus has been propagated, then canvasses the Gospel narrative to reveal how Jesus is rightly portrayed as a thinker and leader immediately concerned with the agenda of politics and the related issues of power, status, and right relations. Selected passages from the epistles corroborate a Savior deeply concerned with social, political, and moral issues. In this thorough revision of his acclaimed 1972 text, Yoder provides updated interaction with publications touching on this subject. Following most of the chapters are new "epilogues" that summarize research conducted during the last two decades -- research that continues to support the insights set forth in Yoder's original work. Currently a standard in many college and seminary ethics courses, The Politics of Jesus is also an excellent resource for the general reader desiring to understand Christ's response to the world of politics and his will for those who would follow him.

Who was Jesus? Get to know Jesus intimately ... as though you had walked with Him during His days of earthly life. This book is all about the Birth of Jesus and how Jesus was aided by Clear signs, His attributes and Virtues. Whether you are a Christian, a Jew, or a Muslim, you will enjoy this enlightening book.

"In this original and insightful book, Dorothy Jonaitis offers a refreshing alternative to the popular view of biblical apocalyptic writing as gloom-and-doom, fire-and-brimstone literature. Rather, she presents it as literature of hope and its authors as people who knew how to use their creative imaginations to communicate their hope-filled messages. The reader will come to see the apocalyptic authors of both the Old and the New Testaments as dramatists and will learn to preach, teach, and imagine their writings as dramatic messages to be applied in contemporary times of crisis."--BOOK JACKET.

Raising a prodigal is every Christian parent’s worst nightmare. Horrifyingly, George Barna contends that over 60 percent of Christian kids will run off to university and “lose their faith.” Some pollsters believe the number is as high as 80 percent. But there is great news! Your child doesn’t have to become a statistic. Your child can become an adult who loves the Lord the same way you do — but this will likely require a radical parenting reset on your part. Todd Friel has witnessed to hundreds of university students, most of whom are Bible-belt backsliders. Reset for Parents gets to the heart of the issue and presents a solid, biblical roadmap for parents to avoid the pain and heartache of raising a prodigal.

Sixty-Six Books. One Story. All About One Name. Encounter the living Jesus in all of Scripture. From the Passion movement, The Jesus Bible, ESV Edition, lifts Jesus up as the lead story of the Bible and encourages you to faithfully follow him as you participate in his story. Profound yet accessible study features help you meet Jesus throughout Scripture. See him in every book so that you may know him more intimately, love him more passionately, and walk with him more faithfully. Features: Complete text of the English Standard Version (ESV) Introduction by Louie Giglio 66 book introductions highlight the story of Jesus in every book 6 compelling essays on the grand narrative of Scripture guide you to treasure Jesus Over 300 full-page articles and nearly 700 sidebar articles reveal Jesus throughout all of Scripture ESV concordance