'There is no writer in the evangelical world that I admire and appreciate more.' Billy Graham Philip Yancey helps reveal what two thousand years of history covered up What happens when a respected Christian journalist decides to put his preconceptions aside and take a long look at the Jesus described in the Gospels? How does the Jesus of the New Testament compare to the 'new, rediscovered' Jesus---or even the Jesus we think we know so well? Philip Yancey offers a new and different perspective on the life of Christ and his work---his teachings, his miracles, his death and resurrection---and ultimately, who he was and why he came. From the manger in Bethlehem to the cross in Jerusalem, Yancey presents a complex character who generates questions as well as answers; a disturbing and exhilarating Jesus who wants to radically transform your life and stretch your faith. The Jesus I Never Knew uncovers a Jesus who is brilliant, creative, challenging, fearless, compassionate, unpredictable, and ultimately satisfying. 'No one who meets Jesus ever stays the same,' says Yancey. 'Jesus has rocked my own preconceptions and has made me ask hard questions about why those of us who bear his name don't do a better job of following him.'

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I see a progression of thought in Yancey's works from "The Jesus I never Knew" to his later work "What's so amazing about Grace." If you only have time to read one Yancey book, I'd recommend "What's so amazing about Grace" high above this book.

"The Jeus I never knew" is full of anecdotes and great quotes and interesting stories. It's also filled with thoughtful insights that make you go "Wow, I never thought of that Bible verse in that light before."

For that reason, I give it five stars. Any book that gives you a deeper love of God (as this book does) is surely worth five stars.

But his more recent book "What's So Amazing About Grace" seems like it plumbs the depth of spirituality a bit more. Kind of like the comparison of Mark's Gospel and John's Gospel. Mark's writings are strong and clear, but John's message is so deeply metaphysical you fear you may never glean all the spiritual nuggets contained therein.

Not to irreverantly compare Yancey to John..., but Yancey's books are always a joy to read. I just preferred "What's so Amazing About Grace."

However, after borrowing and reading "The Jesus I Never Knew" I immediately bought my own copy. It is a good foundational item for every Christian's bookshelf.

43 of 45 found the following review helpful:

Thousands Have A Priceless Gift But Will Never Discover ItJun 12, 2003
By Michael Naumann
The renowned Christian book author, Philip Yancey, deserves "five gold stars" for his thought-provoking book, The Jesus I Never Knew. Yancey's training and experience as a journalist is evident in his exploration and historical detailed life analysis of the human being we call "Jesus." His book tells the story of this great Man who changed history, but that's not why he wrote it. As explained in Part One, "Who He Was," Jesus was the dividing point in Yancey's life. Although Jesus lived over 2,000 years ago, Yancey and Jesus have a very personal relationship. He states: "Nothing, not even the murder of God's own Son-can end the relationship between God and human beings." Yancey reminds us "too easily we forget what it cost Jesus to win for us all-ordinary people, not just priests-immediate access to God's presence. How important is that? Yancey states, "According to Jesus, what I think about Him and how I respond will determine my destiny for all eternity." I'd say it's the most important decision you could ever make.

As I read his book, I began to wonder, should this be a Wiley Publishing, Jesus For Dummies book? The Jesus we learned about while growing up, the typical Sunday school stereotype is a humble, soft-spoken, longhaired, modest Man. This is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords of all creation? This is the man that battled Satan? This is the man that hung on the cross by nails pounded into his flesh? Through extensive use of biblical references, Yancey explains how our preconceived ideas about Jesus' personality and looks may be misconceptions. Yancey also explains that Jesus purposefully walked through life and was comfortable meeting folks from every walk of life. Would you be comfortable associating with prostitutes, leprosy victims, and thieves? Jesus was, and still is. Yancey reminds us: "In God's kingdom there are no undesirables."

Yancey's work opens our eyes to the circumstances encompassing the birth of Jesus. He asks, "If Jesus came to reveal God to us, then what do I learn about God from that first Christmas?" How about a God that is a humble, approachable, courageous underdog? Yancey's questions regarding the birth cause us to ponder why God would send His Son to earth as a tiny infant human being. God could have sent Jesus to earth in a fire engulfed chariot surrounded by legions of angels, but He didn't. Yancey further explores the Jewish connection and how "Jesus failed to meet the expectations of Messiah the Jews were awaiting." Reading the book helps you to discover why God chose the Virgin Mary, and the challenging circumstances surrounding the birth of the Messiah. Although, it wasn't clear to me why God chose that time and place for the birth of Jesus.

Does Yancey create a paradigm shift in thinking? Yes. In the chapter, Mission: A Revolution of Grace, he asks: "Why do so few of the millions of prayers for physical healing get answered?" Humans afflicted with mental and physical woes daily ask, "Why me God?" When tragedy strikes my life, I ask God, "Why?" Yancey's response is simply, "I don't know." Yancey refers to a bible passage when Jesus is asked a similar question. Jesus responded, "...this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his [recipient's] life." In my youth, when something bad happened to my mom or dad, I would promise Jesus I would "be good" and "never do ever again. I knew God was punishing me for my bad deeds. I would pray extra hard, maybe even kneel by the side of the bed. I never heard God tell me everything was going to be ok. I prayed and prayed for miracles but the angels never came down to help me. How can I believe in God if he doesn't help me when I need it? Yancey illustrates that: "Although faith may produce miracles, miracles do not necessarily produce faith." Why did Jesus perform only a few miracles? They "give us a glimpse of what the world was meant to be and instill hope that one day God will right its wrongs."

Yancey's book will open your eyes and mind to a new way of thinking. He will challenge your stereotypes and expose you to uncomfortable views. He supports his observations with evidence and builds his case like Lieutenant Columbo; except, Yancey doesn't bumble through the bible. Yancey is an expert communicator and articulates well his beliefs. I think you will find this book to be a good investment, monetarily and eternally.

Reviewer's note: The title for this book review is officially listed in The Top 100 Greatest Headlines Ever Written. I thought it was applicable to this review since Yancey helps readers to discover the gift they already have, the unconditional love of Jesus Christ.

43 of 46 found the following review helpful:

Thought Provoking Book about JesusJul 02, 2001
By D. Keating
This is the first Philip Yancey book that I have read, and I must say that I am impressed. The main reason I like this book is the straight-forward, honest approach that the author uses to find out more about Jesus, Christianity, and the Church. An endeavor that I am currently undergoing myself.

For the book, the author did an enormous amount of research looking for the answers to the questions about Jesus that plagued him most. He looks at questions like: What was Jesus really like? How does the Church (and many Americans) view him now? How should we respond to His message? All valid questions that I think many people struggle with at some point. To answer these questions, Mr. Yancey follows the life of Jesus here on earth from start to finish, and gives his thoughts (and many others) and conclusions about Jesus.

He draws his material from many sources, but I like the fact that he always goes back to the Gospels as the "measuring stick" for everything. I also like his conclusion that after writing a book about Jesus, that he has even more questions than when he started. I feel the same way. It seems the more I learn about Jesus, the more I feel that I don't know or understand. Luckily, this book has helped answer some questions that I had about Jesus, and gave me some fresh insight into what Jesus was all about.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a deeper relationship with Jesus, and wants to find out more about Him. This book will probably challenge your current view and opinions about Jesus, which hopefully will wet your appetite to know Him better, like it has with me.

25 of 26 found the following review helpful:

It was the title that got me.Jan 23, 2000
By Mike Johnson
For years, through my twenties and thirties, I struggled with doubt. I had nagging fears of "What if I'm devoting my life to something that's not real? What if Christianity is a hoax and Jesus is a myth?" As time went on, those doubts began to fade-partly, I think, because I was honest with them.

It was the title of this book that caught me. I remembered those doubts from many years before. The phrase "The Jesus I Never Knew" kindled a new doubt in me. What if Jesus is real, and yet I never really knew Him? What if-to paraphrase either Philip Yancey or Brennan Manning (forgive me for not remembering which), my belief was not in the real Jesus, but in the preachers, Sunday School teachers, and `great cloud of witnesses' who explained Him to me?" It was, for me, a horrifying thought.

The Jesus I Never Knew rocked my world. As Yancey began to wipe away the ecclesiastical film from a Person that I find to be indeed my Savior, my faith changed, grew. I made sweeping changes in my life based on this Jesus I was meeting. I found myself challenged by this Man. I saw Jesus as I never saw Him before. What I saw necessitated a response; the One I encountered sparked faith in me like I had never known before.

One more thing about doubt. Herein lies Yancey's gift as a writer. He is honest about doubt, and he lets the reader be honest, too. Did this book change me? Did Jesus change me? Only read this book if you want your head, your world, and your faith as you know it messed up.

A final note: I am thankful to say that the Sunday School class I attend will begin a 14 week study next week on The Jesus I Never Knew. This will prove to be, I think, a very exciting time.

16 of 16 found the following review helpful:

Everyone serious about who Jesus is should read this bookFeb 26, 2001
By Y. YE
Philip Yancey has always been my favorite writer. His works have some peculiar candid which are hardly found elsewhere. He is serious about his Christianity belief, and never hesitate to ask tough questions normal believers would rather skip till they get to heaven. It is in this process of seeking answers to these tough questions that Yancey painfully but yet firmly grows his faith.

I am always amazed by the courage and sincerity that Yancey put into each of his books exposing the troughs and peaks of his spiritual pilgrimage. Only by doing so is he so powerfully able to demonstrate to the world that Christianity is not a religion merely for the biased people who are raised in churches but rather universal truth that can be grasped by any serious seeker.

You got questions about your belief that you dare not ask? You ever wonder why those crazy Christians around you are talking Jesus and God all the time? Read this book and other books by Yancey. You will be plentifully rewarded if you do so. Highly recommended.

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