Lisa Notes: More than a biography — “Jesus: A Theography”

The end product of biblical Christianity is a person—not a book, not a building, not a set of principles or a system of ethics—but one person in two natures (divine/human) with four ministries (prophet/priest/king/sage) and four biographies (the Gospels).
LEONARD SWEET AND FRANK VIOLA, Jesus: A Theography

What’s this book about?
Jesus. Totally.

Jesus from before time. Jesus in creation. Jesus in the stories of the Old Testament (or First Testament, as the authors call it to emphasize unity between the Old and New). Jesus in the flesh in the Second Testament accounts. Jesus now. Jesus still to come.

Jesus is the human face of God.

He is also the inbreaking of the eternal into time. This is a good definition of the kingdom of God, which is embodied in Jesus.

Why you’d like it
It will show you new ways to see Jesus now by seeing him anew in old stories. Some you’re familiar with: Jesus as deliverer (Moses); Jesus as Shepherd (David); Jesus as sacrifice (lamb). Jesus as the new Solomon, the new Temple, the new Elijah.

But authors Sweet and Viola include other nuances as well, such as Jesus as the new Joseph, the new Isaac, and even the new Boaz (our kinsman-redeemer). The gospel of John as the new Genesis. The parallels between the days of creation and Jesus. The church as the new Eve. Jesus as personification of the Torah. The day of Pentecost as the reversal of Babel.

During His ministry, Jesus spoke on four issues more than He did anything else:
     1. The kingdom of God—the manifestation of God’s ruling presence, here now and yet coming.
     2. Life—the eternal life that is embodied in Himself. A life that would be imparted to His followers after His resurrection. A life that they would live by.
     3. His Father—the offer to have a relationship with God as Father, the same relationship He had with the Father.
     4. Himself—He (Jesus) was the fulfillment of the entire First Testament story and promises.

This book aims to bring a new connectedness not just between Old (or First) Testament and New (or Second) Testament, but between all the stories and Jesus. The narratives, metaphors, signs, and symbols all point to Jesus—either his person, his work, or his character.

Why you might not read it
It is long—over 400 pages. But the length is necessary to get all the material in.

And note that about 1/3 of the book is end notes (which are interesting in themselves, by the way). So the book’s length isn’t quite as daunting as it may first appear.

You might not agree with everything (but if that were a legitimate reason for not reading a book, we’d never read anything, right?!). A few analogies here and there were stretched (to me). But overall, I found it invigorating and thought-provoking.

Some may or may not take offense at this (I don’t):

The Bible in itself is not the Word of God. The Word of God is a person (John 1:1).

Neither does the Bible have life, power or light in itself any more than did the Jewish Torah. These attributes may be ascribed to the Bible only by virtue of its relationship to Him who is Word, Life, Power and Light.

Life is not in the book, as the Pharisees supposed, but only in the Man of the book (John 5:39).

. . . The Bible isn’t about salvation; it’s about Jesus Christ. Salvation is one of the things Christ does. But Jesus is far more than Savior.

Do I recommend you read it?
Definitely. It can give you a greater appreciation of God’s big plan throughout time to reveal himself to us through his Son.

The person of Jesus, not the red letters, is the crux of the story. The righteousness of God is revealed in red on the cross, not in red ink on the page.

The more you know him, the more you know you’re loved by him. And the more you know he loves you, the more you’ll love him back.

At the Jordan River the Father’s voice was heard from the heavens, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Consider those words for a moment. Before His baptism, Jesus had done no ministry yet. He had healed no sick person. He had set no one free. He had not selected His disciples, or done any mighty works for God.

And yet the Father’s full pleasure was upon Him.

There is a message here for every adopted child of God. God’s pleasure is not based on what you do for Him. It’s based on whether you are His child.

________________________________________

Title: Jesus: A Theography
Author: Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (2012)
Available at: Thomas Nelson | Amazon

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MY THANKS TO THOMAS NELSON
FOR THE REVIEW COPY OF THIS BOOK

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Lynn Severance · 634 weeks ago

Lisa - this book sounds absolutely fascinating and expanding in how one looks at the Jesus who is multi dimensional - the Alpha to Omega. Ah, that I could read and read. I'd grab it but I appreciate reading your review.

That, in itself, has given me much to ponder and even ties in with my own writing at this time ( a confirmation only, not as wide a scholarly work by any means! ).

My recent post Rainbows in the Night

4 replies · active 633 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 634 weeks ago

You would probably really enjoy this book, Lynn. As a result of it, I have snooped around online and found several audio talks of Frank Viola both on this book and on other topics he writes about. Some are of more interest to me than others, but that might be an option to you as an alternative to saturation of so many words to make you dizzy.

And now you have me curious about what you are cooking up next in your own writing! :-) I'm sure it is good.
My recent post More than a biography — “Jesus: A Theography”

Thank you, Lisa for the direction to head for hearing audio talks. I may still look in to the book as a reference resource!

My own writing ( an original manuscript I had to set aside with my health set back in 2005 ) is one I returned to last Autumn. I was really loving it, then tanked during the holidays. I have been struggling needing assurance I am to return to it with no guarantees it will be published as its only intent is that its message get "out there". My foundational chapters go back to the "Alpha" before Creation and bring the reader up to her present life with the hopes of the Omega that lie ahead, so to speak. I fell in love with these beginning chapters all over again not having read them for 7 years!

I had just come through a heart cry time ( when I read this posting ) asking if my time was to be spent in this manner with no guarantee of publishing and I surrendered realizing that it was God who called me to write this book's message, I am going to be obedient even if another soul never sees it.

Thus - this posting that contains some of the same elements I had hit on - though certainly not as thorough.
My recent post Rainbows in the Night

In the last few months of my dad's life, he was finishing up a manuscript of a commentary on the book of Romans. He was excited to share a draft of it to some of his friends for feedback, but never got the opportunity to work on it enough to finish it. Nonetheless, a few did get to read it, and we in the family have it in our possession. I still haven't read all of it; there's something comforting about knowing there are still "new" words out there from my dad that keeps me from finishing it.

I say all that to say that if you do feel so prompted, I pray the Lord will give you sufficient strength to follow through in obedience in finishing your manuscript, regardless of who may or may not read it. It will be a work of love between you and the Lord at a minimum, but I'm sure it will also be a blessing to the few or many who might read it in years to come.
My recent post Love at Table # 12, please

Lynn Severance · 633 weeks ago

Thank you, LIsa.

It is a treasure that you have your dad's unfinished words that meant a lot to him and which are nourishing you and the family now - or when you can get to them.
My recent post Rainbows in the Night

Katie · 634 weeks ago

Lisa, You read some of the most interesting books. I have such a huge to be read after I buy it eventually list from so many you have recommended. I think I need to start hunting some of them through the library. I am still reading A Grace Disguised and have added Intimacy Issues into the mix, along with a couple of fictional books. I read so many at a time since some of them I have to read and put down and pick up later. Thank you for this recommendation.
My recent post Trusting You With My Heart

1 reply · active 634 weeks ago

I always look first at the library myself. :-) I got this book free through Booksneeze though. But hopefully it will be one that libraries will pick up. It's thorough AND interesting--a great combination.
My recent post More than a biography — “Jesus: A Theography”

barbarah 65p · 634 weeks ago

Yes, I'd have trouble with a couple of those statements. When I search for the phrase "word of God" in the Bible, most of the verses indicate the spoken and written Word. And Jesus said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life" -- words first spoken, then written. We don't worship the Bible, but it is inspired by Him and points us to Him.
My recent post Book Review: Let the Hurricane Roar

This statement is a beautiful summary that we do fully agree on:
"We don't worship the Bible, but it is inspired by Him and points us to Him."

And of course I agree with you also it is often spoken and written words referred to in the Bible--I would never negate those--they are part and parcel of who God is, much like our words are also who we are (except we are capable of lying with our words and thankfully, he is not!).
My recent post Love at Table # 12, please