Jesus of Nazareth
by Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI)
Here is something you don't see every day: a reigning pope writing a book and telling readers they are free to disagree with it. Benedict XVI said plainly that Jesus of Nazareth was his personal work, not official teaching. His goal was to present the figure and message of Jesus as the Gospels portray him.
The work grew to three volumes. One covers the public ministry, one runs from Holy Week to the Resurrection, and a short one covers the infancy narratives. Benedict writes as scholar and pastor at once. He takes modern biblical criticism seriously, but he won't let it shrink Jesus into a wise teacher or a misunderstood rabbi. His chapters on the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord's Prayer, the parables and the Last Supper glow. Underneath it all is the question Jesus asked Peter: who do you say that I am?
It suits inquirers who want to know Jesus more deeply, readers rattled by skeptical scholarship, and catechists. Pick the volume that fits the season and begin.
Key Takeaways
- Why the Jesus of history and the Jesus of faith are one person.
- Rich readings of the Sermon on the Mount and the Lord's Prayer.
- How the Old Testament illuminates the Gospels.
- A serious engagement with modern biblical scholarship.
It lets seekers meet Jesus in the Gospels with a pope as their guide.
