Publisher's Synopsis
Would You Like to Know Jesus as Those Closest to Him Did? There are many books describing the life and times of Jesus. This biography puts no words in Jesus's mouth other than his own-those recorded in the Bible by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. This account of Christ's ministry years unfolds in chronological order and stands you squarely next to Jesus as he walks a path that leads to a cross, putting flesh and blood on his experiences and teachings. Son of Man: A Biography of Jesus arranges the Gospels in a narrative arc with a clear beginning, middle, and end. It reorders the nonlinear storyline of the Gospels and tells the story chronologically to help you see how, and maybe more importantly, why things unfolded as they did. To create the you-are-there feel it is written in present tense and Jesus's story is told in the context of his culture. The geography, climate, politics, racism, social norms, religion, traditions, economics, morality, language, and customs of the second temple era play key roles in this narrative. What emerges is a holistic, historically accurate dramatization that provides a 360-degree view of Jesus and his world. Through this book, you can take a trip through time and sit at the feet of the Son of Man. No fictionalized elements or dialog have been added. All events and quotations are taken from the texts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts. All of Jesus's recorded words and actions are included, and duplicate accounts have been harmonized. Recent books about the life of Christ have been skeptical of the Bible and have used Jewish and Roman texts as their primary sources. Religious and secular history books provide valuable insights into Jesus's world, but to understand the man himself, the best sources are the ancient narratives written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. An appendix is included to help Bible students study Jesus's ministry years chronologically, pericope by pericope. For deeper research, Old Testament passages that are relevant to each event are cited. If you are a student of Jesus's life and times, or a follower of Jesus and his teachings, you will find yourself looking at Jesus with new eyes and new understanding. And you will gain a greater appreciation for what it must have taken for Jesus to do what he did: embody the Son of God in the Son of Man. "Harris's work takes complex events in the life of Jesus and explains them in the same simple way Jesus often explained complex events to the people of His own day. This is a fresh look at Jesus in a way that benefits both old scholars, new believers, and those who are just curious. Easy to pick up. Hard to set down." -TONY LISTON, pastor of Adventure Christian Community, Davenport, Iowa "At first I thought, 'A biography of Jesus...why?' Henry Harris has done a marvelous job of pulling together the Gospel accounts, adding both commentary and color that, in a very reader-friendly style invites us to take a freshly prepared look at the old, old story. As a pastor, I can see giving out copies to new converts and seekers, letting Jesus's life story kindle in them a desire to discover more in the treasure chest that is the Bible." -RICK LAWRENSON, pastor of Nags Head Church, Nags Head, North Carolina "Son of Man is grounded in the Gospels and bolstered by just the right amount of cultural context, but is not afraid to take some risks to tell the story of Jesus in a modern and intuitive way. This makes it a great read for the beginner who desires a fuller, more chronological account, but also for the veteran who wishes to see the story with fresh eyes." -ED TAYLOR, pastor of Quest Church, Arlington Heights, Illinois
