Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship [Paperback]

N. T. Wright (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 14, 1995

The twelve exhilarating meditations in this volume explore what it truly means to follow Jesus today. Part One outlines the essential messages of six major New Testament books --Hebrews, Colossians, Matthew, John, Mark, and Revelation. Part Two examines six key New Testament themes --resurrection, rebirth, temptation, hell, heaven, and new life --and considers their significance for the lives of present-day disciples.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship is a compilation of twelve exhilarating meditations exploring what it truly means to follow Jesus today. N. T. Wright first outlines the essential message of the six major New Testament books (Hebrews, Colossians, Matthew, John, Mark, and Revelation) looking in particular at their portrayal of Jesus and what he accomplished in his sacrificial death. He then takes six key New Testament themes (resurrection, rebirth, temptation, hell, heaven, and new life) and considers their significance for the lives of present-day disciples. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 126 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (July 14, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802841325
• ISBN-13: 978-0802841322
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.4 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38,182 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #33 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Evangelism > Sermons

More About the Author

N.T. Wright is Bishop of Durham and was formerly Canon Theologian of Westminster Abbey and dean of Lichfield Cathedral. He taught New Testament studies for twenty years at Cambridge, McGill and Oxford Universities. Wright's full-scale works The New Testament and the People of God, Jesus and the Victory of God, and The Resurrection of the Son of God are part of a projected six-volume series entitled Christian Origins and the Question of God. Among his many other published works are The Original Jesus, What Saint Paul Really Said and The Climax of the Covenant. He is also coauthor with Marcus Borg of The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions and the volume on Colossians and Philemon in The Tyndale New Testament Commentary series.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and Inspiring Reflections May 25, 2000

By Timothy M. Edwards

Format:Paperback

Tom Wright shows how biblical scholarship should be done. Not only does he produce heavy weight works (such as "Jesus and the Victory of God" or "The Climax of the Covenant") but also he is at pains to show how the Bible can and should inform our lives today.

It was a bold move to start the book with a chapter on Hebrews, arguably the hardest book in the New Testament (its chief rival for that title would be Revelation, which also gets a chapter). This gamble of faith pays off. Part of the value of this book is the fact that it explores sections of the New Testament canon that are looked at less than they perhaps should be.

The second half of the book contains more thematic treatments. I do not know if Wright would be complimented by this, but I found it very reminiscent of C. S. Lewis (the major difference is that Wright is more biblical - not a bad compliment in my view).

The chapter I most remember is the one on Hell. He helped my to understand this difficult concept in such a way as to be both clear and compassionate.

Excellent, excellent, excellent.

57 of 59 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Cliff notes for Wright's lengthy works May 15, 2003

By Sam Simpson IV

Format:Paperback

Wright shows that he can operate (dominate) in the scholarly debates and effectively preach and inspire from the pulpit. This book takes the major points of his more exhaustive works (New Testament And The People Of God, Jesus And The Victory Of God)and draws out the spiritual consequences of his theological conclusions. Your mind will be challenged by NTPG & JVG, your commitment will be challenged by this book.

Wright tackles several "third rail" topics of the New Testament, like the books of John and Revelation and the ideas of heaven and hell. I enjoyed his opening remark about John being a lot like his wife whom he loves very much but cannot say that he understands her completely. This candor is greatly appreciated from a scholar of Wrights caliber. We don't often get personal insights from those who are shaping the theological debates today.

A quick and easy read that readers will find rewarding. Highly recommended

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Sermons by an excellent Scholar February 16, 2001

By Marcus Tesch

Format:Paperback

This book shows, what informed theology can achieve for the normal church goer. N.T. Wright uses all his insights as prominent NT scholar, that he is, to share with his readers, what the NT message could be for our time. Following Jesus is the overall theme of his sermons, nonetheless it's not a book about "what would Jesus do" or this kind of stuff. On the contrary it seriously engages with the messages of certain NT books like Hebrews, Matthew, John etc. in the first part. In the second part, Wright elaborates on major NT themes like heaven and hell, resurrection and the new world. Each sermon starts with a close reading of the NT evidence and provides responsible information about the chosen topic. And all of them end in a clear suggestion, what the message means for us today, reaching far beyond any personal ethic, setting the questions in a social and political context, too. You'll never get the impression of being bored, always there's a surprising way of reading NT texts and books. The style is gently British - decent yet convincing. I've seldom read a book, combining so much of scholarly insight and theological reasoning with warm preaching, except for maybe the books by Carlo M. Martini, Archbishop of Milan (Italy) and leading textual critic. I can heartly recommend it to scholar, clergy and layperson alike.