Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration

When Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope Benedict XVI in April 2005, he became the most accomplished theologian to ascend to the Papacy in several hundred years. Over the previous fifty years of his life he had written scores of theological works; even his critics have acknowledged his erudition and intellect. Accessible and illuminating, "Jesus of Nazareth" is an antidote to the academic search for the 'historical' Jesus. Written by an author who is not only the head of the Catholic Church but also a respected theologian in his own right, this book is full of insight, humility and honesty. The Pope has called Jesus of Nazareth, 'solely an expression of my personal search 'for the face of the Lord'. Everyone is free, then, to contradict show more me. I would only ask my readers for that initial willingness to sympathise, without which there can be no understanding'. The author's fundamental purpose in this book is to restore and renew 'the interior friendship with Jesus a figure that makes sense and feels right in historical terms'. An informative and insightful portrait of the figure that emerges in the Gospels, it is a deeply spiritual work that contends with the dramatic and provocative questions of faith. Important and valuable to those disillusioned by troubled times and in the wake of recent scepticism, "Jesus of Nazareth" will engage and provoke thought in anyone who seeks a relationship with God.

“This book is… my personal search ‘for the face of the Lord.’” —Benedict XVI

In this bold, momentous work, the pope—in his first book written as Benedict XVI—seeks to salvage the person of Jesus from recent “popular” depictions and to restore Jesus’ true identity as discovered in the Gospels. Through his brilliance as a theologian and his personal conviction as a believer, the pope shares a rich, compelling, flesh-and-blood portrait of Jesus and incites us to encounter, face-to-face, the central figure of the Christian faith.

From Jesus of Nazareth… “the great question that will be with us throughout this entire book: But what has Jesus really brought, then, if he has not brought world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? What has he brought? The answer is very simple: God. He has brought God! He has brought the God who once gradually unveiled his countenance first to Abraham, then to Moses and the prophets, and then in the wisdom literature—the God who showed his face only in Israel, even though he was also honored among the pagans in various shadowy guises. It is this God, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, the true God, whom he has brought to the peoples of the earth. He has brought God, and now we know his face, now we can call upon him. Now we know the path that we human beings have to take in this world. Jesus has brought God and with God the truth about where we are going and where we come from: faith, hope, and love.” show less

ENGLISH: On May 2000, the Prefect of the Doctrine of the Faith - Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger - read for the world the mysterious Third Secret of Fatima. The text - confusing and full of dream images - was subjected to Ratzinger's relentless criteria. Only then, it made sense and was consistent with the doctrine. At that moment, I knew I would read this man. Observing the figure of Christ under the prism of this privileged mind, was tempting. Thus I arrived at this book.

The book is a beautiful and deep analysis of the public life of Jesus. It is the second volume belonging to the trilogy about the life of Christ:
The first volume is [b:Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives|16099176|Jesus of Nazareth The Infancy Narratives|Benedict show more XVI|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1352422810l/16099176._SX50_.jpg|21908569].
The second [b:Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration|82405|Jesus of Nazareth From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration|Benedict XVI|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442015549l/82405._SY75_.jpg|718484].
The third [b:Jesus of Nazareth, Part Two: Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection|9488716|Jesus of Nazareth, Part Two Holy Week From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection|Benedict XVI|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348281523l/9488716._SY75_.jpg|14374159].
400 pages divided into 10 chapters. I took more than 40 citations in Goodreads. The relevant historical facts of Jesus' public life are described, as well as the core of his message.

As a good chess player, Ratzinger opens the game by clearly and firmly positioning his pieces, his exegetical criteria. His interpretation of the "historical Jesus" is based on trust in the Gospels. It allows the deployment of all the potential of the word. It doesn't imprison the word in the historical context. In this way, the bible shines like a homogeneous body, becomes authentic and flows into a single coherent image of Jesus Christ.

Ratzinger is able to reveal wide evangelical layers. From a high theology - almost metaphysical - to the more human behaviors of the disciples. For example, the description of the theophanic experiences of the Apostles is marvelous. You can also find amazing details of the figure of Christ, such as an adventurous and nature-loving Jesus who takes his disciples on a trip - to what is now the Hermon Nature Reserve - in the episode of Peter's Confession.

Do you want to meet Christ? This book is for you. Do you need hope in your life? Ratzinger will clarify the message of Christ to flourish your faith in you and others. Do you like mystery? You will find fascinating episodes in the public life of Jesus, worthy of a sci-fi movie: the Transfiguration, the Miraculous Fishing and Walking on the Waters. Are you fan of the Bible? The book is full of references and biblical relationships that will clarify your understanding. Fan of literature? You will find good book references here. Do you like prayer? You will find a complete study of the main Christian prayers. Do you love allegorical language and parables? An extensive analysis of them is made. In addition, there is an entire chapter dedicated to the Gospel of John and its characteristic images.

In addition to historical events, the book holds other surprises. Ratzinger uncovers a theology that, from Christ, connects with our daily reality. That is, the book can also serve as spiritual self-help. In this sense, chapter 3 "The Gospel of the Kingdom" is very instructive. We ourselves can identify our miseries in the explanation of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican.

It is the mystery of the figure of Jesus. His message is still close, moving and universal. It has survived the power of emperors and Kings, with something as seemingly weak as faith and love. It answers the questions of today's man. It has overcome myths, teachers and sages. Ratzinger explains the novelties introduced by Christianity. And he protects Christianism from liberal theology, that tries to adapt the message of Christ to his own needs.

More opinion on this post in my blog.


ESPAÑOL: En Mayo del 2000, el Prefecto de la Doctrina de la Fe – Cardenal Joseph Ratzinger – leía ante el mundo el misterioso Tercer Secreto de Fátima. El texto – confuso y repleto de imágenes oníricas – fue sometido al implacable criterio de Ratzinger. Sólo entonces cobraba sentido y resultaba coherente con la doctrina. En aquel momento supe que leería a este hombre. Observar la figura de Cristo bajo el prisma de esta mente privilegiada, era tentador. Así llegué a esta obra.

El libro es un bello y profundo análisis de la vida pública de Jesús. Es el segundo tomo perteneciente a la trilogía sobre la vida de Cristo:
El primer tomo [b:Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives|16099176|Jesus of Nazareth The Infancy Narratives|Benedict XVI|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1352422810l/16099176._SX50_.jpg|21908569]
El segundo [b:Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration|82405|Jesus of Nazareth From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration|Benedict XVI|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442015549l/82405._SY75_.jpg|718484]
El tercero [b:Jesus of Nazareth, Part Two: Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection|9488716|Jesus of Nazareth, Part Two Holy Week From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection|Benedict XVI|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348281523l/9488716._SY75_.jpg|14374159].
400 páginas divididas en 10 capítulos. He podido recoger más de 40 citas en Goodreads. Se describen los hechos históricos relevantes de la vida pública de Jesús, así como el núcleo de su mensaje.

Como un buen ajedrecista, Ratzinger abre la partida posicionando de forma clara y firme sus piezas, su criterio exegético. Su interpretación del Jesús histórico está basada en la confianza en los Evangelios. Permite el despliegue de toda la potencialidad de la palabra. No la aprisiona en el momento histórico. De este modo, la biblia brilla como un cuerpo homogéneo, cobra auténtico sentido y desemboca en una única imagen coherente de Jesucristo.

Ratzinger es capaz de revelar amplios registros evangélicos. Desde una teología elevada – casi metafísica – hasta los comportamientos más humanos de los discípulos. Por ejemplo, la descripción de las experiencias teofánicas de los Apóstoles es maravillosa. También puedes encontrar detalles sorprendentes de la figura de Cristo, como a un Jesús aventurero y amante de la naturaleza que lleva a sus discípulos de viaje – a lo que hoy es la Reserva Natural de Hermón – en el episodio de la Confesión de Pedro.

¿Quieres conocer a Cristo? Este libro es para ti. ¿Necesitas esperanza en tu vida? Ratzinger te aclarará el mensaje de Cristo para que florezca tu fe en ti y en los demás. ¿Te gusta el misterio? Encontrarás fascinantes episodios de la vida pública de Jesús, dignos de una película de ciencia ficción: la Transfiguración, la Pesca Milagrosa y Caminando sobre las Aguas. ¿Eres fan de la Biblia? El libro está plagado de referencias y relaciones bíblicas que clarificarán tu entendimiento. ¿Eres fan de la literatura? Encontrarás buenas referencias de libros aquí. ¿Te gusta la oración? Encontrarás un completo estudio de las principales plegarias cristianas. ¿Eres un enamorado del lenguaje alegórico y parábolas? Se hace un amplio análisis de ellas. Además hay un capítulo entero dedicado al Evangelio de Juan y sus imágenes características.

Además de acontecimientos históricos, el libro guarda otras sorpresas. Ratzinger destapa una teología que desde Cristo, entronca con nuestra realidad cotidiana. Es decir, el libro puede servirte también como auto ayuda espiritual. En este sentido, el capítulo 3 “El Evangelio del Reino” es muy instructivo. Uno puede identificar sus miserias en la explicación de la Parábola del Fariseo y el Publicano.

Es el misterio de la figura de Jesús. Su mensaje sigue siendo cercano, conmovedor y universal. Ha sobrevivido al poder de emperadores y reyes, con algo tan aparentemente débil como la fe y el amor. Responde a las preguntas del hombre de hoy. Ha superado mitos, maestros y sabios. Ratzinger explica las novedades introducidas por el cristianismo. Y lo protege de la teología liberal, que trata de adaptar el mensaje de Cristo a sus propias necesidades.

Más opinión en esta entrada de mi blog. show less

There is a place - possibly a need - for a careful synthesis of the best of the Patristic heritage as it might communicate Classic Christian understanding of the Christ in a world which has lost any sense of the Patristic framework of thought and of respect for its authority: this book is not that - but it is hugely closer to it than might have been expected from the Cardinal Ratzinger who has spent the last fifty years detaching himself from the 'nouvelle théologie' from which this book really feeds; and when and if such a book is produced it will be far closer to this one than perhaps its author will intend. Read it - but keep on thinking for yourself.

This is the second book by Pope Benedict I've read, and not my favorite. His work is thorough and engaging, well organized and inspired. All in all it was a good book, but it lacked the depth of content that I found in the Pope's other works. As a book focused on the life of Jesus and his being it had remarkably little attention paid to the mystical nature of Christ. That mysticism and the nearly-gnostic way the Pope generally discusses it were nowhere to be seen this time around. Still, an enjoyable read.

I recently received a copy of the Pope's book on Jesus -- Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration by Jospeh Ratzinger Pope Benedict XVI, translated from the German by Adrian J. Walker, New York: Doubleday, 2007. I want to begin with an overall impression before I get into any sort of detail concerning the content of this book -- Benedict has written a heartfelt look at Jesus in which he attempts to wrestle with academia while maintaining traditional Christian thoughts about Jesus. His endeavor is quite noble, as anyone who tries to live in the Church and the world of scholarship can attest. Benedict claims that during the 1950s the gap between the historical Jesus and the Christ of faith seemed to grow show more very wide (xi) and I would say that the gap between the Church and the academy has followed suit. So before I make any critiques, point out any weaknesses, or nitpick any details, Benedict should be applauded for this grand undertaking.

In order to honor full disclosure, I must admit that I am a Protestant through and through and some of the anti-Catholic prejudices that I grew up with were not only challenged by this book but were destroyed. As almost everyone is aware, after Vatican II the Catholic position on critical scholarship loosened to a great degree. That is not to say that there were no Catholic scholars who were doing critical scholarship before then 1960s (Alfred Loisy comes to mind), but after Vatican II the grip on Catholic scholarship was relaxed to a great degree. The result of this decision has been that it has helped engender some wonderful scholars, especially Raymond E. Brown, Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, and Luke Timothy Johnson. However, many people have continued to sense a general disdain of critical scholarship by old-school Catholic conservatives. It was often assumed that Benedict was such a person, a fact highlighted by his moniker "John Paul's bulldog." The general buzz in the air after Benedict's election was that he was going to either keep a closer eye on Catholic exegetes or actually move the Church backward.

However, many people have been surprised by the Pope's sensitivity with different tough issues during his reign. Thus, many of the statements in the foreword of Jesus should not have surprised me at all, but I was in fact pleasantly surprised at many points. A few examples will illustrate my point:

* **Benedict, after complaining about some of the results of historical-critical scholarship, admits that "the historical-critical method...is and remains an indispensable tool of exegetical work" (xv). While I didn't doubt that Benedict and other conservative Catholics utilized historical research, I was somewhat surprised to hear him admit that the historical-critical method was "indispensable."
* **In the same vein, Benedict says that since history "is an essential dimension of Christian faith, the faith must expose itself to the historical method" (xv). Later in the foreword the Pope will indicate that the historical-critical method has some limitations, but this is a pretty strong statement nonetheless.
* **When describing the purpose of his book with regard to modern exegesis, Benedict says "my intention in writing this book is not to counter modern exegesis; rather, I write with profound gratitude for all that it has given and continues to give us...I have merely tried to go beyond purely historical-critical exegesis" (xxiii). So this book is not meant to be an apology of conservative Catholic interpretation, which is somewhat unexpected coming from "John Paul's bulldog."
* **Lastly, one of the last paragraphs of the foreword shattered some of my preconceived notions of papal self-understanding. Actually, my wife and I were sitting in the airport in Chicago, me reading Jesus and she reading Wicked by Gregory Maguire, and after reading this paragraph I had to stop and let her read it too. We were both impressed: "It goes without saying that this book is in no way an exercise of the magisterium, but is solely an expression of my own personal search 'for the face of the Lord' (cf. Ps 27:8). Everyone is free, then, to contradict me. I would only ask my readers for that initial goodwill without which there can be no understanding" (xxiii-xxiv). There goes that preconceived notion that I had that the man who was Pope had to be pompous and arrogant.

From the beginning, however, there is a problem that makes this book hard to review properly -- Benedict never identifies his target audience with any clarity. He simply refers to them as his readers without giving any further description. Does he intend this book to be read by lay Catholics, seminarians, scholars, Protestants, non-Christians, etc? It is hard to decide whether or not the purpose of a book has been fulfilled if the author does not indicate to whom it is written. Thus, I can only assume that the Pope intended a wide audience. In this light, much of this book can easily be understood by the general reader. However, from time to time there are several pages in a row in which Benedict gives a survey of scholarly literature or discusses the minutiae of exegesis or interpretive methodology. Therefore, I can see many general readers being turned off by this.

On the other hand, Jesus is loaded with modern-day applications of Jesus' teachings, critiques of the social responsiveness of those to whom this duty has been availed, and significant deviances from accepted historical-critical givens (such as allowing unrelated parts of the Bible to interpret one another, taking the sayings of Jesus in the Gospels as giving us more information about Jesus than the Evangelists, and not significantly doubting the historicity of the Fourth Gospel), which would leave many biblical scholars frustrated (a fact that is seen clearly in the reviews of Jesus by Geza Vermes and Richard Hays).

Despite the uncertainty of the audience, the Pope's purpose in writing this book is clear enough: "this book...seeks to transcend this method [i.e. historical-critical exegesis] and to arrive at a genuinely theological interpretation of the scriptural texts" (365). The question of why the historical-critical needs to be transcended remains, and Benedict offers an answer by giving two important critiques of this method. The first is that the historical critical method "does not exhaust the interpretative task for someone who sees the biblical writings as a single corpus of Holy Scriptures inspired by God" (xvi). He goes on to say that the historical exegesis can only see the words of the Bible as human words ("simply...literature" [xx]), which is not enough for those who by faith believe that the Bible is in some way God's Word. The second critique is that the historical-critical method is limited in some ways, namely that it only deals past contexts which shed light on "what the author could have said and intended to say" (xvi), that the unity of the Bible "is not something it can recognize" (xvii), and that its results "can never go beyond the domain of hypothesis" (xvii).

These critiques, as we have already seen, have not chased Benedict away from the historical-critical method, as they have many other interpreters these days. Instead, the Pope makes a call for "complementary methods" to be used when reading the Bible (xviii). One such method is what he calls "the process of constant reading" in which "[o]lder texts are reappropriated, reinterpreted, and read with new eyes in new contexts" (xviii). This is a combining of the study of inter-biblical intertextuality and Wirkungsgeschichte (the effective history of a text). Another complementary method is what Benedict calls canonical exegesis, which entails "reading the individual texts of the Bible in the context of the whole" (xix). Lastly, the third main complementary method that Benedict espouses is what I would call an ecclesial hermeneutic. The Pope explains it as follows: "The People of God -- the Church -- is the the living subject of Scripture; it is in the Church that the words of the Bible are always in the present" (xxi). These three complementary methods have had quite a bit of popularity as of late, as exhibited in the work of Ulrich Luz, Brevard Childs, and Markus Bockmuehl, respectively.

As far as the content of the book is concerned, Benedict has covered a few select items from the baptism of Jesus to the transfiguration. He spends quite a bit of time examining parts of the Sermon on the Mount (especially the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer), Jesus' parables, and the imagery used to describe Jesus in John's Gospel. In the process of making interpretive decisions, the Pope utilizes the results of critical scholarship (especially when they help prove his points), the writings of the Early Church, and, primarily, other texts in the Bible (especially so-called messianic texts of the OT and the writings of Paul). Many scholars will want to criticize him for his selective use of the historical critical method, his sometimes uncritical trust in the Church Fathers, and his unabashed method of letting Scripture interpret Scripture, and that is fine. However, no one should have been surprised by these things since they were explicitly stated in the foreword.

The bottom line is that this book is the result of a deeply personal search for Jesus by Benedict. Many Evangelical readers will be surprised by how much he sounds like one of them. In fact, as I was reading along I could imagine many Evangelical biblical scholars agreeing with and highlighting line after line in Jesus (Craig Blomberg's review highlights this fact as well). I also think that many educated Christians might be surprised by the types of books that the Pope reads and the types of scholars that influence him in this book. Particularly interesting to me is the fact that Benedict reads the work of Evangelical (like Peter Stuhlmacher) and Jewish (like Jacob Neusner) scholars .

The thesis of the Pope's position on Jesus is this: all of the stories about Jesus and all of his teachings found in the Gospels are to be seen in light of "Jesus' filial existence" -- his "communion with the Father" (7). Therefore, since Jesus had this special and unique relationship with the Father, all the things he did and said were made possible. Benedict argues that one cannot understand Jesus apart from this intimate relationship to the Father.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I believe that it would be particularly helpful to someone teaching or preaching through the texts that are covered in this book, but only if the preacher or teacher keeps in mind that s/he is reading the Pope's highly personal expression of his search for Jesus. show less

I enjoyed this book, it made me think; there were some things which seemed a bit too obvious to me - but maybe it's because I was born in a Christian family and I was said some of these things since I was a baby. I need some time to think about this book now, but I am definitely going to read some other books by Pope Benedict one day.

Beautifully written and full of insights. I could read it 10 more times and I hope I will over the course of my life.