Lois Tverberg does us a great service here with this book. How wonderful and different to hear what Jesus was saying, teaching, and thinking, when we understand his Jewish nature and how the language in his time worked and what things meant AS they were spoken in His native vocabulary, not how they have been translated, perhaps even transliterated and then translated, substituted for newer interpretations and meanings, etc., down through the ages.
I long have avoided regular attendance at church services, and frankly often look at the Bible and scratch my head. I have always been comfortable when I have attended Synagogue with Jewish friends. Not knowing completely why, I would have to say "that it is because it is closer to the way things were", and to me that is deeply relevant. As an adult I have continually sought out any and all information that I can find that takes me back to the way that things really were and to become more enlightened in all things resulting from Jesus and His direct followers and those who witnessed events directly related to Him and His thoughts and ideas, teachings, sayings, etc.
So, for me, this book is a wonderful and closer look at, and also a welcome breath of truth (fresh air so to speak) Jesus the Man and his teachings. You will find much here that will surely please you to know and come to understand that has seemed "murky" or "unclear" and that enlightens one in ways not seen before.
Once you understand what the words Jesus used really meant (in His time), as spoken by Him, everything makes such common clear sense. Like I said above, it's like "fresh air" and it's truly wonderful to have new insight and knowledge into His expressions and sayings AS He presented them to His friends and acquaintances.
After finishing this text, I ordered Tverberg's previous book (with Ann Spangler) and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus"
Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith promises to be another great and enlightening peek at Jesus and His times, something that I greatly wish to know and get closer to things as they were "in person", not "as presented today" after unknown numbers of changed interpretations because of translations, etc. over and over. It is wonderful to be able to more clearly understand through this author's (and others, also) presentation through Jesus' Jewishness and ways.
Books like this do us all a really great favor by teaching us and showing us more accurate and truthful representations of how things were in the days of Jesus and His followers etc.
I urge you to read this book and delight in the understanding you will come to see that you may not have seen before.
~operabruin
