17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A perceptive, compelling, and controversial novel., March 28, 2006
This review is from: The Sins of Jesus (Paperback)
THE SINS OF JESUS, by Richard A. Muller
In this novel Prof. Muller attempts to rescue the "true" Jesus from the confusion of the miracles that interweave his life. Whether Muller succeeds depends entirely upon the attitude of the reader. The novel is sure to deeply offend the "true believer". To a "seeker" like myself, however, Muller brought valuable and compelling insights -- granted, they are fictional -- into the early life of "the greatest man who ever lived", as Muller characterizes Jesus to his children.
In all religions there are two basic aspects: morality, and ritual or symbology. Because of our flawed human nature, the morality aspect does not seem to be able to propagate by itself. It must ride on the back of rituals and symbols. The result is religious poetry, as found in the Bible, consisting of half truth and half inspired imagination.
There is no doubt in my mind that Muller conceives Jesus as a morally sound person whose deepest and most challenging desire is to spread God's message as he received it, and to learn to love his enemies. To Muller, Jesus' "sins" consist in his resorting to sham and falsehood as a last resort in order to get this message across. The question is posed throughout the novel: Is it justifiable to use deception to propagate truth?
The miracles associated with Jesus are dealt with one by one, beginning with turning water into wine, including walking on water, and ending with the crucifixion. For the most part Muller's plausible explanations underlying the miracles are clearly and cleverly wrought.
My great debt to, and respect for, the author arises from his imaginative and captivating insights into the formation of the character and personality of Jesus in his early years. To me Muller's insights are perceptive, reasonable, and compelling. They consolidate, expand, and stimulate my personal understanding of Jesus. The early miracles are described by Muller as misunderstandings, which Jesus tried unsuccessfully to correct. However, they were interpreted as miraculous by people who desperately wanted to believe they had witnessed a miracle.
Muller portrays Joseph, Jesus' father, as the source of much of Jesus' understanding of morality. And indeed, it is unlikely that the view of God as a wise and loving father could have come to Jesus without he himself having experienced a wise and loving father in his life. I have always felt that Joseph is the forgotten man of the Bible, having been symbolically replaced by God as the father of Jesus.
Throughout the reading of this book I felt Jesus' frustration as he tried to explain the miracles of everyday existence to an audience unwilling or incapable of understanding. On his death bed Muller has Jesus say: "In truth lies our greatest hope. Teach them that the only miracles of God are those that we see every day, the ordinary ones, whose true mystery lies in the fact that such wondrous things are considered ordinary. Teach them to find God not in temples and sacrifices, but in their own souls, and in the souls of others. Teach them to worship the Lord not with rules and rituals, but in spirit and in truth." What a stunning summing-up of Jesus' philosophy!
But it is counter to the general theme of this novel.
I eventually had to part ways with Muller. Judging from the fine character built up in his early days, I feel Jesus would not ultimately succumb to the temptation to get his message across by fakery and sham. To me, Jesus would reject this temptation as he did those of the devil in the wilderness.
In spite of this basic divergence, this book remains in my highest regard. Technically it is written in a very interesting and professional style. I am especially drawn to it because like me the author has a scientific background. To me the early experiences of Jesus portrayed by Muller enhance his life and teaching. Overall, this book has considerably enriched my spiritual life.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book on the man called Jesus, May 16, 2009
This review is from: The Sins of Jesus (Paperback)
This book gave me a new perspective on the man called Jesus. As a non-believer, I categorically dismissed the miracles of Jesus as Christian propaganda. They never made sense. If Jesus could cure a blind man, why not cure all blind men?
The idea that he used magic to capture the attention of his listeners is both plausible and convincing. As a magician, I've seen people affected in ways you cannot otherwise affect them. Some actually think it's supernatural.
This book follows a very logical progression from when Jesus was a boy, to when he was crucified. The doubts, and conflicts he experiences makes for a compelling and multifaceted individual. In my opinion, Dr. Muller's book is closer to the truth than scripture.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A very human Jesus, September 1, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: The Sins of Jesus (Paperback)
In a controversial and compelling novel, Dr Muller presents an interpretation of the life of Jesus that sceptics will enjoy while devout believers may well be outraged, bewildered, or merely amused. This Jesus has lost his divinity, but not his humanity. Rather than the incredible, supernatural Son of God of the New Testament, we are presented with a very credible Son of Man who shines among his peers, but is subject to very human frailties including self-deception, his bane.
The 'missing years' of the Gospel stories are filled out as the young Jesus grows up in a landscape and among people that are in keeping with modern historical perspectives of the Holy Land of Jesus's time. Misunderstanding and misinterpretation of Jesus's esoteric 'powers' serve to explain how easily reality can be distorted and myth created, how good intentions can lead to disastrous outcomes.
One feels that had Dr Muller's Jesus perceived how his words and actions would be interpreted by posterity, he would have turned in his grave! Will humanity forgive "The Sins of Jesus"?
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
