Customer Reviews

Jesus Collection - The Coming of Jesus

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Author Gayle Felton has written a good study guide on the infancy story; the birth of Jesus Christ.

This book is divided into eight chapters. It lends itself well to a Sunday School class presentation series (I team taught this in December of '04). The chapters focus on different actors in the birth drama including the women of the story, the shepherds and magi, the Jews and Christ child. Background chapters include discussions of Roman Israel and Righteousness.

The margins contain healthy cross references of Old Testament prophecy as well as suggested group discussion questions and activities. Our class is more discussion focused, so we skipped the activities; the book served our purpose well.

The chapters are short and to the point. The author provides a lot of detail and scriptural references. An interesting note is that the author fleshes out the discussion in some of his chapters by bringing points made in non-canonical writings of the time including Gnostic works as well as some works considered heretical by the folks who chose which writings to include in the Bible.

I did not find these references to outside works bothersome, in fact they lent interesting perspectives to facets of the story the author was trying to flesh out where Gospel writers are light in terms of background or information. Strict traditionalists might find this appeal to heretical or non-recognized authors troublesome, but their appeal is kept to non-doctrinal matters and always noted as being not of the Gospel.

In all, this brief chapter book is excellent leading group discussions regarding the birth story of Jesus Christ.

The book is informative & well formatted for small group study. A good one to start prior to Advent. The margin "more research tips" are helpful for the instructor. Good study for those who are serious Bible students who want to know more about the events & culture at the time of Jesus' birth, and the socio-political impact of his birth---not just a redaction story of Christmas or a "feel good" study to ease the hectic shopping days ahead. Thanks!