What I'm Currently Reading: Jesus, A Theography

For the past month or so, I have been reading Jesus: A Theography by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola, which I received to review from BookSneeze. One of the first things that attracted me to this title was how the authors pointed out the importance of it being a “theography”: combining “historical Jesus studies with biblical theology, crafting together one breathtaking saga that tells the Jesus story in both Old and New Testaments. This flagship book demonstrates clearly that every bit of Scripture is part of the same stunning drama, what the authors refer to as the theography of Jesus Christ.”

It’s a different kind of biography of Jesus, looking at how he ties into every inch of the Bible, from the creation story (and how it reflects different aspects of Jesus’ divine purpose) through Revelation. And one of my favorite things about it is how rich it is, digging into each aspect so that I’m practically underlining every passage or my eyes are being opened to some new insight on every page. Plus, it is highly researched so that everything is footnoted (thousands of footnotes!) so that you can dig even deeper if you like.

Because it’s so deep, it’s one of those books you have to linger over, so that even though I’ve been reading it for the past month or so as a guide during my quiet time (and then reading through the Scriptures referenced for myself), I’m not even 50 pages in. There’s simply so much to savor and take in!

It’s truly a captivating read and has been incredible at showing me how certain themes are repeated throughout the Bible (such as how the parting of water—from the creation story to the Red Sea to baptism—is used as a symbol of bringing new life from death or void). So that I walk away—to do the dishes or something else mundane—and all I can do is shake my head in awe and say, “God, you are so smart!” It literally baffles me how intertwined this story is and I love that this book helps bring all those delicate mysteries and intricacies to light—making it one I highly recommend and can't wait to continue reading and savoring!

Find Jesus: A Theography on Amazon. (You can also read more about this book on the author's website, where you can also download the introduction and listen to interviews with the authors.)

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