Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies In The Gospels Paperback – 21 Mar. 2008

After many decades of studying theology and teaching and preaching in churches, one might be forgiven for thinking that there is little new of significance to discover; one has heard it all before in one form or another. This book proved that supposition wrong for me.In 32 chapters, every one crammed with information and insights, Bailey reveals the complex and beautiful rhetorical structures around which many parables and other accounts in the New Testament are constructed, and the Old Testament rhetorical background to this. These structures show the remarkable skill with which these stories were told and written down.Understanding of the Biblical texts is also enhanced by Bailey's own deep familiarity with the culture of the Middle East arising from over 60 years of living in the region, 40 of them teaching theology, and by his quotations of perceptive comments by Middle Eastern Christian writers over the past 1,000 years or more. When one bears in mind that the events covered in the Bible largely occurred in the Middle East, it is clear that those who have a cultural background from another part of the world can often miss much of the significance of what is written, or even totally misunderstand it.The book led me to refer constantly back to the Biblical texts - a good point, in my opinion - and sometimes to the original NT Greek text. Even though on a few occasions (e.g., p. 392) Bailey's interpretation goes beyond that which is justified by the passage being commented on, I still rate this book worth five stars because of the new understandings that it imparts and its well-founded explanations of many of the more difficult passages.As well as explaining many parables, Bailey's book has sections on the birth of Jesus, the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, key events in Jesus' life and his attitude to women. For any one of these, the book is worth buying and reading. There are over 400 pages of text, but not one of them is heavy going and there are valuable insights on every page. This book is by a respected mainstream Christian teacher and writer, so the new ideas - in many cases not at all new to Middle Eastern Christians who can read the great commentaries in Arabic and other local languages - are not sectarian or unorthodox, although some of them will challenge long-accepted assumptions.Thoroughly recommended to all those who wish to understand the New Testament better.

Helps you think and understand lots of the Gospels

This remarkable book reveals that The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Christian Faith as a whole, can never be properly understood until it is viewed in the light of the culture into which our Saviour was born. That middle-eastern first century era, throws a tremendous light upon those all-too-familiar New Testament stories, providing an essential tool to the correct interpretation of Christ's teachings. I find this an extraordinarily inspired book and I have been greatly blessed and enriched by what the author has brought to my attention. My attitudes have changed for the better, no longer am I confused about my Faith and I appreciate my Saviour to a much greater degree. The author and Christian scholar, Kenneth Bailey, unearths many profound truths essential to our Christian Faith that are sadly missing from the Western Church today. The stories of Jesus become fresh and new and exciting again, simply by examining them in the light of their original setting. Essential information emerges from the religious, social, racial and political aspects of that ancient time. This in turn provides a wealth of comprehension and meaning to the modern reader/disciple that would otherwise have remained hidden, dare I say even lost, forever? The exquisite treasures of our Faith lie within our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Whose many facets reveal new depths when viewed within that 1st Century setting; so that the scenes in which Christ's words are spoken, become as important as the words themselves. Like a beautiful drama unfolding, Christ's costly sacrificial Love is displayed throughout His everyday life, until it's eventual climax upon the Cross. A love and a way of life that embraced all people at all times on an entirely equal footing; regardless of race, gender, politics, culture, status, wealth or religion.I have a fresh outlook and a deeper appreciation for what Christ has done for me, as well as the far-reaching affects upon the wider Community of which we are all a part. It is my expectation that everyone who reads this book will have the same life-changing realization. I don't think even Kenneth Bailey knew the full implications of his work when he first began to examine Christ within the context of His Middle Eastern ethnicity. This book, along with a couple others by the same author, sits in honorary place next to my Bible, on a shelf with not many others. A real gem of a work which is part of my personal Top Ten; up there with 'Life of Pi' by Yan Martel and 'Mister God This Is Anna!' Those Aha! books of universal truth, that have entered upon the World's stage to bring their unique perspective to the betterment of all mankind. I can't recommended this book highly enough because even after you've read it, it will get you into the right mind-set to extract those wonderful pearls of wisdom for yourself. Reading the Bible will never be quite the same again. Enjoy! ;-)

I was introduced to Kenneth Bailey's work during my first Theology degree. Colin Chapman showed us his ground-breaking reinterpretations of the birth of Jesus in Luke 2:1-7 (Jesus wasn't born in an inn, the Greek doesn't say that, and it doesn't fit with the Middle Eastern culture of hospitality) and the Parable of the Friend at Midnight in Luke 11 (it isn't about the persistence of the one knocking but about the desire to avoid shame on the part of the one woken up). Not long afterwards, I bought Bailey's Poet And Peasant/Through Peasant Eyes, which expound the Lucan parables, and it is my first point of reference for those passages.Now, it is a privilege to have this tome. It gathers together his exposition of a number of texts and themes, all illuminated by the knowledge of the Middle East gained from decades living and practising scholarship there. You will find the 'no room at the inn' question treated thoroughly here. You will learn so much more too, all written in a way that feeds both mind and spirit.My enthusiastic use of this in a Bible Study I lead as a minister has led to members of my congregation treating themselves to copies of it. Bailey writes sufficiently lucidly in this work for it to be appreciated by intelligent non-specialists.Occasionally he slips from his high standards. The odd Beatitude doesn't get the in depth treatment I'd love to see ('Blessèd are the peacemakers', for example). But overall this is a rich and satisfying gourmet meal that would be a bargain at three times the price.