I have the book. "Yeshua in context" by Derek Leman.
I actually received it before Rosh Hashannah but waited just before Sukkot to comment, since Sukkot points to Mashiach dwelling with His people. So far I have read about half of the book and by what I read so far I don't think the second half will disappoint me. Thus, my comments.
Let me tell you first what the book is not. The book is not an exegetical study in Christology, meaning a detail study on the Person and work of Yeshua. Anyone who's been looking for that will be disappointed. The book to me is about impressions.
Derek is using a refreshing approach in letting the reader in on his understanding of what the Gospel writers experienced, understood and convey to their readers of certain events in the life and times of Yeshua. For me, the book points to new avenue to consider in my understanding of these certain events Derek chose to convey. After being mired in theological discussions day in and day out, this book is a well worthy pose, it presents, for me at least some spirituality which lately I lack.
I definitely recommend the book and invite whoever read it already to add their comments. ( Derek, I was planning to comment on your blog, but again i cannot get in). I think Derek put together a well written book, that maybe can bring us together. If Yeshua cannot do it, who can?
Well done Derek.
May Messiah be a guest in your Sukka every day, fine blog readers.
I think you have to have a Wordpress account to comment on Derek's blog. On those admittedly rare occasions when I comment there, I have to use the login for my congregation's blog, which is Wordpress. Since you and I use Blogger for our personal blogs, we can't use our Blogger logins to post on Derek's blog.
ReplyDeleteAh. This is what the psalmist must have meant when he said, "How good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together." It is nice to hear you treating Derek and his work kindly, even though the two of you (heck, even Derek and I) regularly disagree.
ReplyDeleteI will be getting the book in the next week or two.
Dan:
ReplyDeleteVery kind of you and thank you. I might let your blog readers know that there is a website chock full of free Yeshua stuff at YeshuaInContext dot com. I've only barely begun to publicize it. I've been populating it with content and by the end of the year, there will be over 100 short articles there on many topics related to Yeshua's life and reading the gospels.
I have learned through the last year in which my study of Yeshua's life became more intense and less academic, that I had not fully appreciated the depths of who he is. I've only just gotten started, believe me. And MJ's and Judeo-Christian minded people can have fantastic dialogue about the person and work of Yeshua. We've all got a lot to learn and doing it together is a joy.
Sorry if Wordpress has been tough for you. You don't actually have to have a Wordpress blog to comment. You can register on Wordpress and choose not to start a blog. This will allow you to comment on all Wordpress blogs (a large % of blogs are Wordpress).
Blessings and peace.
Derek Leman