The Unexpected Teachings of Jesus: Encountering the Gospels All Over Again [Hardcover]

John Coleman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 8, 2002

The Unexpected Teachings of Jesus presents the Gospels not as simplistic solutions to everyday problems but as a collection of sacred stories that are challenging and can teach us all how to live in today's world. Filled with wise, wonderful, and sometimes quirky stories from John Coleman's own life and experiences as a father, teacher, and minister, the book delves into the Gospels to uncover the essence of what it means to believe in and follow the radical, compassionate, generous love of Jesus. Reading this collection of reflections is like putting on a new pair of glasses. It offers all Christians a new way of knowing Jesus' words and shows us teachings are sometimes the opposite of what we thought we understood.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Coleman, a "father, teacher, and minister," one day came to the now rather commonplace realization that people's status in life affects their reading of the Gospels. Moving from this revelatory moment, he began to fashion some readings of passages from the Gospels that are sometimes ignored but that powerfully teach lessons of love, compassion, faith, holiness and peace in unexpected ways. His collection features readings of the "blindside teachings," "(re)visionary teachings," "shalom teachings," "perilous teachings" and "restorative teachings." For example, his section on "blindside teachings" retells the story of the Pharisees' challenge of Jesus and his disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath. For Coleman, the unexpected teaching of this story is that "the Sabbath was supposed to be a gift, not a burden." In his section on the "perilous teachings," Coleman retells the story of Jesus turning water into wine at Cana, and declares that the unexpected teaching of the story is that "the wedding feast had to run out of wine for Jesus to perform a miracle." Each of the 34 meditations is accompanied by an "invitation to reflection" containing questions for individuals and study groups. Coleman's reflections are neither new nor startling, and his conclusions are often simplistic, e.g., "Extravagant acts grow out of extravagant love." Moreover, his reflections often read like mini-sermons with a didactic tone rather than warm invitations to think anew about the Gospels.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

Coleman, a "father, teacher, and minister," one day came to the now rather commonplace realization that people's status in life affects their reading of the Gospels. Moving from this revelatory moment, he began to fashion some readings of passages from tile Gospels that are sometimes ignored but that powerfully teach lessons of love, compassion, faith, holiness and peace in unexpected ways. His collection features readings of the "blindside teachings," "(re)visionary teachings," "shalom teachings," "perilous teachings" and "restorative teachings." For example, his section on "blindside teachings" retells the story of the Pharisees' challenge of Jesus and his disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath. For Coleman, the unexpected teaching of this story is that "the Sabbath was supposed to be a gift, not a burden." In his section on the "perilous teachings," Coleman retells the story of Jesus turning water into wine at Cana, and declares that the unexpected teaching of the story is that "the wedding feast had to run out of wine for Jesus to perform a miracle." Each of the 34 meditations is accompanied by an "invitation to reflection" containing questions for individuals and study groups. Coleman's reflections are neither new nor startling, and his conclusions are often simplistic, e.g., "Extravagant acts grow out of extravagant love." Moreover, his reflections often read like mini-sermons with a didactic tone rather than warm invitations to think anew about the Gospels. (Feb.) (Publishers Weekly)

Another wonderful surprise is The Unexpected Teachings of Jesus: Encountering the Gospels All Over Again by John Coleman. Like Schmidt, Coleman has an eye for detail and a talent for uncovering that which seemed already naked. Mining the Gospels, Coleman's work reads more like a devotional than an in-depth study. Each small section begins with Scripture, then follows with a reflection on the passage. A short list of probing questions follow.
Sometimes the author reflects on the overall portrait of Christ's actions or words while at other times he relies on a mere phrase from the reading. In the process, Coleman reveals that the teachings of Christ are sometimes very different than what we thought or understood. They usually go against our natural instincts or desires. The book is both challenging and fresh. The humanity of Christ, including the fact that He was a criminal, is placed before readers to consider and reflect upon. Whether you believe Christ was a man or a savior, there's much to learn from The Unexpected Teachings of Jesus. (BookPage, April 2002)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (January 8, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787959839
• ISBN-13: 978-0787959838
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,878,708 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, Inspirational, Faithful, March 27, 2002

By 

PTD "Okie Pastor" (Yukon, OK United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Unexpected Teachings of Jesus: Encountering the Gospels All Over Again (Hardcover)

John Coleman makes a bold claim in the title "The Unexpected Teachings of Jesus: Encountering the Gospels All Over Again." Wonderfully, his claim is true. Coleman graciously invites the reader to walk with him as he honestly struggles with Gospel texts in an attempt to live faithfully, and more importantly, be comforted and challenged by Jesus of Nazareth. For Coleman Biblical scholarship is not just an academic enterprise, rather it is key to understanding Jesus in the 21st century. Coleman wrestles with Biblical insight and draws from his experiences as a pastor, friend, father, and spouse as he applies Jesus' teachings to his life and invites us to do the same.
Practically speaking the book's format is outstanding for devotional reading, teaching, and reference. Each teaching includes the Biblical passage, Coleman's encounter with the Gospel, and several insightful questions for personal reflection or group discussion. I look forward to leading group discussions at my church using Coleman's work. I am also thankful for the index, which not only names the teachings, but references the scripture as well.
"The Unexpected Teachings of Jesus" will not find a place perched on my bookshelf, but will be beside my bed and on my desk, well used and recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great inspirational book with challenging questions, September 10, 2002

By 

"colinmaddix" (Mars, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Unexpected Teachings of Jesus: Encountering the Gospels All Over Again (Hardcover)

This book not only selects excellent inspirational scriptures but provides a great practical analysis in easy to understand language.
The analysis often takes a different slant to the usually preached message from the gospels. At the end of each analysis John Coleman left me with important soul searching questions which gave insight and helped with the application of Jesus' message to my own life.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gentle insight, April 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Unexpected Teachings of Jesus: Encountering the Gospels All Over Again (Hardcover)

This book guides the reader in taking a fresh look at many biblical passages. The reader is given different perspectives from which to examine the teachings, in order to gain a more complete understanding of Jesus and the Bible. Thoughtful questions complete each chapter, making this an excellent book for use in individual or group study. This book doesn't seem intended for in-depth, tough theological study, but more for people with a basic familiarity with biblical teachings.