Available at: http://www.amazon.com/
List of Illustrations
Preface
Part One—From Bethlehem to Caesarea Philippi
1.
Announcements and a Herald’s Birth
2.
Messiah’s Birth and Its Immediate Consequences
3.
At Home and In the Wilderness
4.
First Events in Judea and Cana
5.
Settling in Capernaum
6.
Teaching and Touring
7.
Jesus and a Cross Section of People
8.
Miracles and Men
9.
Comments and Clashes
10. Parables, Opinions and Traditions
11. Miracles Again
12. Testimony and Transfiguration
13. Quests and Queries
Part Two—Towards Jerusalem
14. Service
15. More Teaching and Healing
16. Duty, Gratitude and Prayer
17. Teaching from Events
18. Death, Divorce and Generosity
19. Jericho, Bethany and Jerusalem
20. Parables and Questionings
21. Judgments and Forebodings
22. The Upper Room
23. The Passover and the Plot
24. The Trial and Judgment of Jesus
25. From Golgotha to the Empty Tomb
26. The Risen Lord
Subject Index
Scripture Index
Part One—From Bethlehem to Caesarea Philippi
1. Announcements and a Herald’s Birth. Chapter 1: Announcements and the Herald’s Birth, 1-17
A very, very modest chapter essentially (from an excellent scholar), but with three substantive points that emerge (from an essential re-hash of the canonical narrative):
• “…a humanist portrait of Jesus is impossible…” (15). This simple point cannot be underestimated. With a phrase, this tosses Arius and the 19th-20th century liberals. We should end right here and let that soak into the mind. Libs, see the "exit" by the door? Use it.
• Guthrie’s salutary observations of St. John’s opening Prologue, John 1.1-18. Again, this cannot be underestimated in prowess, potency, simplicity and the deadly force it presents to Arians, non-Nicene people, and liberals. Again, see the "Exit" sign? Use it.
• Despite the boring and pedestrian prose of this rehash, Dr. Guthrie’s points are potent and essential. We'll certainly take the two above points with their force.
We won’t rehearse this simple narrative. His volume is crafted into 26 chapters with the stated purpose of a six-month study, or, one chapter per week. Fair enough.
We would add this: let all Anglican or Episcopal Rectors cease their Advent/Christmas homilies and let all Bishops require his churches to read this volume to their congregations…like the Homilies of old. Or, read the relevant section from Dean Nowell's Catechism, the section from the Creed.
The salutary emphasis by Dr. Guthrie is actually St. John’s, to wit, Jesus as the Creator, Light, and Life of the world, the Logos made flesh. Philo made the efforts with these terms, but not in personal or incarnational ways. John short-circuits the Philonic or Greek notion at the outset. John doesn’t craft his Gospel to draw conclusions, as it were, based on preceding evidence. Rather, John states the issue upfront, at the beginning. John 1.1-18—it should be memorized and visited often.
Dr. Guthrie gives us his reflections on Zechariah, Elizabeth, and the details surrounding their lives and the birth of their son, John the Baptist or Elijah. We would add that reconsidering his life is warranted (again). While one might consider him a backwoods prophet, he was in fact Elijah in spirit and power, conviction and duty—as the forerunner of Israel’s Messiah.
Further, we get reflections on Mary, Joseph, including Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. We would add that we are forever grateful for the Canticles that are so-oft recited, said and sung, in the Book of Common Prayer. Anglicans have a special affection for these Lucan Canticles. Not that other Churchmen don’t love them (that’s not implied), but that these are drilled into our souls and minds by frequent use. In this context, we are reminded of the names: “Jesus,” “Saviour,” and “Emmanuel. Bye, bye liberals. Muslims, take note.
1. Announcements and a Herald’s Birth. Chapter 1: Announcements and the Herald’s Birth, 1-17
A very, very modest chapter essentially (from an excellent scholar), but with three substantive points that emerge (from an essential re-hash of the canonical narrative):
• “…a humanist portrait of Jesus is impossible…” (15). This simple point cannot be underestimated. With a phrase, this tosses Arius and the 19th-20th century liberals. We should end right here and let that soak into the mind. Libs, see the "exit" by the door? Use it.
• Guthrie’s salutary observations of St. John’s opening Prologue, John 1.1-18. Again, this cannot be underestimated in prowess, potency, simplicity and the deadly force it presents to Arians, non-Nicene people, and liberals. Again, see the "Exit" sign? Use it.
• Despite the boring and pedestrian prose of this rehash, Dr. Guthrie’s points are potent and essential. We'll certainly take the two above points with their force.
We won’t rehearse this simple narrative. His volume is crafted into 26 chapters with the stated purpose of a six-month study, or, one chapter per week. Fair enough.
We would add this: let all Anglican or Episcopal Rectors cease their Advent/Christmas homilies and let all Bishops require his churches to read this volume to their congregations…like the Homilies of old. Or, read the relevant section from Dean Nowell's Catechism, the section from the Creed.
The salutary emphasis by Dr. Guthrie is actually St. John’s, to wit, Jesus as the Creator, Light, and Life of the world, the Logos made flesh. Philo made the efforts with these terms, but not in personal or incarnational ways. John short-circuits the Philonic or Greek notion at the outset. John doesn’t craft his Gospel to draw conclusions, as it were, based on preceding evidence. Rather, John states the issue upfront, at the beginning. John 1.1-18—it should be memorized and visited often.
Dr. Guthrie gives us his reflections on Zechariah, Elizabeth, and the details surrounding their lives and the birth of their son, John the Baptist or Elijah. We would add that reconsidering his life is warranted (again). While one might consider him a backwoods prophet, he was in fact Elijah in spirit and power, conviction and duty—as the forerunner of Israel’s Messiah.
Further, we get reflections on Mary, Joseph, including Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. We would add that we are forever grateful for the Canticles that are so-oft recited, said and sung, in the Book of Common Prayer. Anglicans have a special affection for these Lucan Canticles. Not that other Churchmen don’t love them (that’s not implied), but that these are drilled into our souls and minds by frequent use. In this context, we are reminded of the names: “Jesus,” “Saviour,” and “Emmanuel. Bye, bye liberals. Muslims, take note.
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