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53 of 54 found the following review helpful:
Cliff notes for Wright's lengthy worksMay 15, 2003
By Sam Simpson IV
Wright shows that he can operate (dominate) in the scholarly debates and effectively preach and inspire from the pulpit. This book takes the major points of his more exhaustive works (New Testament And The People Of God, Jesus And The Victory Of God)and draws out the spiritual consequences of his theological conclusions. Your mind will be challenged by NTPG & JVG, your commitment will be challenged by this book.Wright tackles several "third rail" topics of the New Testament, like the books of John and Revelation and the ideas of heaven and hell. I enjoyed his opening remark about John being a lot like his wife whom he loves very much but cannot say that he understands her completely. This candor is greatly appreciated from a scholar of Wrights caliber. We don't often get personal insights from those who are shaping the theological debates today. A quick and easy read that readers will find rewarding. Highly recommended
50 of 51 found the following review helpful:
Excellent and Inspiring ReflectionsMay 25, 2000
By Timothy M. Edwards
Tom Wright shows how biblical scholarship should be done. Not only does he produce heavy weight works (such as "Jesus and the Victory of God" or "The Climax of the Covenant") but also he is at pains to show how the Bible can and should inform our lives today. It was a bold move to start the book with a chapter on Hebrews, arguably the hardest book in the New Testament (its chief rival for that title would be Revelation, which also gets a chapter). This gamble of faith pays off. Part of the value of this book is the fact that it explores sections of the New Testament canon that are looked at less than they perhaps should be. The second half of the book contains more thematic treatments. I do not know if Wright would be complimented by this, but I found it very reminiscent of C. S. Lewis (the major difference is that Wright is more biblical - not a bad compliment in my view). The chapter I most remember is the one on Hell. He helped my to understand this difficult concept in such a way as to be both clear and compassionate. Excellent, excellent, excellent.
35 of 36 found the following review helpful:
Excellent Sermons by an excellent ScholarFeb 16, 2001
By HealingCross
This book shows, what informed theology can achieve for the normal church goer. N.T. Wright uses all his insights as prominent NT scholar, that he is, to share with his readers, what the NT message could be for our time. Following Jesus is the overall theme of his sermons, nonetheless it's not a book about "what would Jesus do" or this kind of stuff. On the contrary it seriously engages with the messages of certain NT books like Hebrews, Matthew, John etc. in the first part. In the second part, Wright elaborates on major NT themes like heaven and hell, resurrection and the new world. Each sermon starts with a close reading of the NT evidence and provides responsible information about the chosen topic. And all of them end in a clear suggestion, what the message means for us today, reaching far beyond any personal ethic, setting the questions in a social and political context, too. You'll never get the impression of being bored, always there's a surprising way of reading NT texts and books. The style is gently British - decent yet convincing. I've seldom read a book, combining so much of scholarly insight and theological reasoning with warm preaching, except for maybe the books by Carlo M. Martini, Archbishop of Milan (Italy) and leading textual critic. I can heartly recommend it to scholar, clergy and layperson alike.
21 of 21 found the following review helpful:
See More Clearly, Follow More NearlyApr 01, 2000
N. T. Wright has the unique gift of clear insight into the biblical world and contemporary world coupled with a critically passionate faith. Each of the sermons masterfully explores a New Testament book or theme, providing a succinct overview and enlightening reflections. Yet the power of this book is in Wright's ability to tie together these insights with the challenges of following Jesus in today's world. By helping readers to see Jesus more clearly, Wright calls and encourages us to follow Jesus more nearly. Although not marketed as an introduction to the New Testament, these reflections are among the best brief introductions to Matthew, Mark, John, Colossians, Hebrews and Revelation. They are accessible to adults of all education and age levels, yet provide a solid meal of soul food for all who hunger to grow in their spiritual lives. "Following Jesus" has drawn me deeper in my understanding of Jesus and the scriptures, as well as deeper in my faith.
16 of 16 found the following review helpful:
This Book Can Revolutionize Your LifeMay 24, 2006
By S. J. Young
Agree or disagree with his conclusions, I have come to conclude that virtually everything from the pen of N.T. Wright is "must read" material. This is among the most practical works of Wright. He may be the best in the world today (Richard Hays is close) to combine scholarship with practicality and motivation. Those are rare abilities.
This book has moved me in ways I never expected. It is a relatively easy read. It reaches the core of discipleship as taught in the NT as well as any I've seen. Wright is always cross-centered and shows great skill in bringing that to bear on the 21st century in this book.
There are several excellent perspectives offered. One of my favorites is his point that Jesus had three options as he prayed in the garden:
- First, was to fight - to invoke a power-play, call the twelve legions of angels and his disciples and defeat Rome and the flawed Jewish leadership. But, what kind of kingdom would that be? It would be no different than the militaristic ones they were already under. It would have been, "of this world." And, it would have done nothing to save us from the real tyranny that plagues mankind - sin.
- Second, he could have fled (as the disciples eventually did). He could have left the garden and fled to the wilderness - gone into some sort of monastic life (as the Qumran community). But, again, what would that have done for the world?
Before mentioning the third, let me say that most of us, myself included, tend to choose one of these first two choices in all our human circumstances - we either want to "win" or "run." This is especially true in our relationships. If I can't win the war of words or outmaneuver someone with rhetoric or politics, then I'll just leave and flee the scene.
- Third, the option Jesus chose, was to go to the cross. To allow all the evil of the world to be "drawn on himself" and die on the cross. This was and is the way of the cross and discipleship. And, in that, Jesus won the victory. In defeat, he was victorious. This is the way for His disciples. I know of no greater challenge, no higher calling, than making this choice.
Thank you, N.T. Wright.
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