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Christian Nonfiction. Religion & Spirituality. Nonfiction. HTML: Introducing a new kind of Jesus biography: Transform the tired and familiar way you have read the Bible into an electrifying journey of rediscovering Christ. In this compelling work, authors Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola reclaim the entire Bible as a gripping narrative about Jesus Christ. Jesus says, "The Scriptures point to me!" (John 5:39 NLT). But what does that mean exactly? Virtually every other "Jesus biography" begins with the nativity account in Bethlehem. In this innovative book, Sweet and Viola begin before time, in the Triune God, and tell the complete interconnected story of Jesus from Genesis to Revelation. Jesus: A Theography is the first book ever written to combine historical Jesus studies with biblical theology, crafting together one breathtaking saga that tells the Jesus story in both Old and New Testaments. This groundbreaking book clearly demonstrates that every bit of Scripture is part of the same stunning drama - what the authors refer to as the theography of Jesus Christ. Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola (authors of Jesus Manifesto and Jesus Speaks) unfold the greatest story ever told in a fresh and invigorating way. Whether you are a seasoned Christian scholar, a new believer, or someone who is intrigued by Jesus, this book unveils the discoveries of a lifetime, transforming the tired and familiar way we have read the Bible into an electrifying journey of rediscovering Christ. Jesus: A Theography: Tells the complete and interconnected story of Jesus, from Genesis to Revelation Combines historical Jesus studies with biblical theology Proves that the main subject of the Old Testament is Jesus Christ Second, standalone volume in the JESUS trilogy Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola set out on a journey of discovery with one goal: to help restore the sovereignty of Jesus Christ above all else. This led to their national bestseller, Jesus Manifesto. Two years later, they released Jesus: A Theography, beautifully establishing that all Scripture unveils a person�??the Lord Jesus Christ. In 2016 they released the final volume in the trilogy: Jesus Speaks. All three volumes of the JESUS trilogy will lead the reader to a deeper understanding of Christ.… (more)
User reviews
The Grand Story of Jesus Christ doesn’t start at Christmas Eve, in Bethlehem, not even in Genesis 1, but before time, in the Triune God. From there a non-linear, mainly thematic journey with Christ unfolds: before time, in creation, birth and boyhood, missing years between age 12 and 30 and his preparation for ministry. You follow Him while He’s baptized by his nephew John and tempted afterwards by the devil. Jesus’ disciples, mission, healing and miracles, teachings and sermons, but also his human side (where did He live, what emotions did he show?) are digged. Jesus’ Trial and Crucifixion, with explorations of the atonement and the harrowing of Hell, resurrection, ascension to heaven and Pentecoast. Finally, the authors share some thoughts on the return of the King.
Of you’re familiar with The Jesus Manifesto and From Eternity to Here, you’ll recognize the ageless purpose of God and the crucial role of His Son, Jesus Christ in that mission. The allegorical treatment of facts, colours, figures and names distracted me at first, but the main message kept me reading along and enjoying this new work from Sweet & Viola. Be prepared to adjust your beliefs, knowledge and appreciation of God’s work.
"The sixty-six books of the Bible are woven together by a single storyline. … It’s the story of Jesus Christ. … Every bit of Scripture is part of the same great story of that one person and that one story’s plotline of creation, revelation,
This is a presupposition I happen to share (along with Karl Barth and many other Christian theologians). This idea serves as the foundation for the greatest strengths and weaknesses of this book.
My frustration with the book struck early and flows directly out of Sweet & Viola’s hermeneutic. They attempt to uncover details about Jesus by mining all 66 books, confident that “the Holy Spirit often had an intention in Scripture that went beyond its author’s present knowledge” (xvi). They boldly follow the style of interpretation that the New Testament writers did when reinterpreting the Old Testament in light of Christ. This leads to some assertions that, at best, are a stretch.
One example of this is the schema Sweet and Viola create to relate the days of creation to Jesus. In their understanding, the third day of creation (dry ground and vegetation) points toward Jesus’ resurrection because of mere numerical synergy and the mention of “life”. While I appreciate the desire to relate the Old Testament to Christ, these sort of stretches feel more like Dan Brown code than legitimate foreshadowing.
Now that my frustration’s out of the way, I do have to praise Sweet and Viola for the sheer number of poignant connections and insight they display. Here are just a few to whet your appetite:
- “Eternal life is the life of God’s new age that has broken into the present one. It is Christ Himself in the Spirit” (157).
- “You can’t worship a book when the Founder didn’t give us a book, only Himself and stories from others about Him” (178).
- ”The ultimate issue in the universe is over who will be worshipped” (284).
- “What Torah is to Judaism, and the Qur’an is to Islam, Jesus is to Christianity.” (300)
- “In the first-century Roman world, however, the word gospel was used to describe the announcement that a new emperor had taken the throne” (306).
These insights are the result of many theologians whose ideas have been assimilated into the book. The footnotes take 83 pages, and that’s after 21 pages spent reviewing the lives of various “Post-Apostolic Witness,” from Augustine to Tim Keller.
This book will spark your sense of wonder at the glorious interconnectedness of scripture but some of the interpretive leaps may drive the theologian in your life crazy in the process.