Product Description

“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.”

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2628 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-15
• Released on: 2007-05-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

From Publishers Weekly
In this rich, sophisticated introduction to the life of Jesus, the pope argues that Jesus brought to the world neither universal prosperity nor peace, but God. Indeed, Jesus cannot be understood outside of his relationship with God the Father, "which is the true center of his personality." Ratzinger explores the meaning of key moments in the Gospels, such as the temptations of Jesus, the Transfiguration, and the Sermon on the Mount, and points to passages in which Jesus adumbrates Pauline theology. He underscores Jesus’ being rooted in the Old Testament, showing, for example, that the Beatitudes participate in a long tradition of blessings, exemplified in Psalms and Jeremiah. Ratzinger draws on historical-critical scholarship of the New Testament, but cautions that the usefulness of strictly historical readings of Scripture is limited: one must also read Scripture theologically, and view each passage of the Bible as part of a larger canonical whole. This learned book cannot be read casually—Ratzinger draws on a vast array of scholarship, and he assumes familiarity with theological categories such as "Christology." But for those who are willing to work through Ratzinger’s text slowly, virtually every page will yield fruitful insights.

From AudioFile
Who better to write a book about the proclaimed Son of God than the leader of His largest organized group of followers, the Catholic Church? And who could be a more intimidating author of such a tome? Listeners to Don Leslies presentation of the English translation find any trepidations soon quelled. Leslie reads the Pontiffs work as if he were an educated and caring priest delivering a homily to a beloved congregation. Pope Benedict refrains from obscure theological philosophy in favor of a clear examination of both biblical and scholarly writings on Christ. Together, Leslies sonorous yet personable tones and the Popes scholarly yet conversational writing style create an inviting study. R.L.L. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Begun before his election to the papacy, this is the first volume of a work that Benedict intimates he may not live long enough to complete. Its 10 chapters—on, respectively, Jesus' baptism, his temptation in the desert, the nature of the kingdom of God, the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord's Prayer, the disciples, the parables, the principal images of John's Gospel, Peter's confession and Jesus' Transfiguration, and Jesus' two self-descriptions, "Son of Man" and "Son"—are masterfully cogent and accessible essays in orthodox Christian exegesis. Canonical exegesis, to be precise; that is, the passages discussed in each chapter are interpreted within the prophetic context of the continuous document that contains them, the Bible. The meanings of Jesus' words, deeds, and person are always educed with the aid and understanding of the religious thought and practice of the preceding Hebrew Scriptures. While he aims to respond to the twentieth-century torrent of historical Jesus literature that in general makes Jesus a man of his time and place in Roman Palestine, Benedict doesn't repudiate or even much criticize that literature. Indeed, he accepts and looks forward to more of what archaeological and historical anthropological and sociological research has discovered about Jesus' milieu. As tender as it is erudite and brilliant, this is a book for every religion collection. Olson, Ray
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Jesus of Nazareth
Excellent book! The section which dissected the "Lord's Prayer" is powerful. Highly recommended for believers to strengthen their faith and for non-believers to get a bright insight.

Scholarly, philosophic, passionate look at the real Jesus
There has been a great deal written on the "real" Jesus in recent years. We have had the "Jesus Project" in which a team of scholars has edited the Gospels, to throw out the parts they consider not "real" Jesus. We have had a wide variety of other scholars use various methods of modern scholarly research to cut through what they consider to be the fog of the centuries, to show us who the person Jesus really was. Interestingly, they pretty much all conclude that Jesus was really a modern thinker, whose conclusions pretty much agreed with those of the writer. In other words, we have seen many writers try to take advantage of the prestige of Jesus' name to advance their own modern agendas.

In this book, Joseph Ratzinger tries to give us back the real Jesus. Ratzinger is, of course, one of the world's foremost scholars and theologians. He is very familiar with, and respectful of, modern scholarship. He is also, of course, the current Pope, although he makes it clear that this book is not written as an act of papal authority, but as a personal search for the truth.

His basic conclusion is that the Gospels present Jesus accurately, and that Jesus was the Son of God and the savior of the world. This bald conclusion makes him sound like a fundamentalist, which he is not. He is a man of deep faith, which, of course, one would expect from the Pope.

So, it is not news that the Pope is an ardent believer in Jesus. What is news is the very passionate, simple yet dense way that Ratzinger expounds his case. He does not just tell us that Jesus is the Son of God. He tells us why he says that, how Jesus and His mission are founded in the entire Bible, and what it means to say that he is Son of God. Ratzinger does not simply affirm the faith, he explains it. He makes it a living thing.

Ratzinger's prior big book, of a generation ago, was Introduction to Christianity. It remains a wonderful book. I feel that it is somewhat mis-titled, however. It is not so much an introduction to the religion of Jesus, as it is a sustained argument, to a predominantly secular world, why it should take the idea of God seriously. I feel it is less a specifically Christian book, and more a general case for religion.

This book is a very specifically Christian book. It does not express hostility to other religions, which, of course, we know that the Pope does not feel. It simply is not very concerned about other religions, except for Judiasm, which is discussed at length because it is the religion from which Jesus emerged. This book is totally focused on the Christian view. If you want a one-volume introduction to, and summary of, what Catholics believe, and why they believe it, this is the book you want. It is absolutely magnificent.

Outstanding brightness
Benedict XVI is a great theologian. Those who had the honor and happiness to approach also know he is a man of great goodness. What wealth Benedict XVI us with this book so clear, deep, humble knowledge on the topic of Christianity in the person of Jesus Christ, Son of God.

As a passionate in religious readings, I was conquered by scientific rigor used by Cardinal Ratzinger, including "Here's what our God" and the encyclical "God is love: Encyclical on Christian love." "Jesus of Nazareth" goes even further in this necessary accompaniment of the Christian in his love of God.

Outstanding work.