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Understanding Jesus: Cultural Insights into the Words and Deeds of Christ
Modern-day Christians often bring their own presuppositions and assumptions to the reading of the Bible, not realizing how deeply their understanding of Christ's life and teachings is affected by a 21st-century worldview. In UNDERSTANDING JESUS, author Joe Amaral delves deep into Jewish history, societal mores, and cultural traditions, closing the gap created by geographical distance and over two thousand years of history. Using a chronological approach to the life of Christ, he guides the reader through significant events such as Jesus' birth, baptism, and crucifixion, pointing out illuminating details that that the Western mind would normally miss.
Amaral's premise is that to understand Jesus, we must understand the time and place in which he was born, the background from which he drew his illustrations, and the audience he spoke to. Throughout the book he explores specific terms, places, and events for their significance and shows how they add richness and meaning to the text. Topics include the connection between Jesus and John the Baptist, the annual Feasts and why they are important to modern Christianity, Jewish customs such as foot-washing, clean and unclean foods, paying tribute to political governments, and the significance of various miracles.
In UNDERSTANDING JESUS, Amaral draws back the curtain on a way of life that existed during the reign of the Caesars, and in doing so, reveals truths about the way we live more than two thousand years later, half a world away.
208 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2011
100 people are currently reading
417 people want to read
About the author
Joe Amaral
19 books28 followersJoe Amaral was born in Portugal on the island of St. Miguel, and emigrated with his family to Toronto, Ontario, when he was two years old. A rebel against Christianity, he credits a youth pastor who "loved me unconditionally" with being a major factor in his conversion and subsequent decision to enter the ministry. He attended Eastern Pentecostal Bible College (now a Master's College and Seminary). In November 2002, he first visited Israel, and learned about the culture from his tour guide, a Messianic Jew. Today, along with his father-in-law, he operates a ministry called Operation Outreach, conducting tours of the Holy Land several times a year and teaching on the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. He resides with his wife, Karen, and family in Ontario.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 28, 2011
"Understanding Jesus" gave some cultural background information to the gospels and Revelation. The author spent most of the book exploring the Feasts of the Lord to provide insight into some things Jesus did and said. He also briefly covered information on the four messianic miracles, clean and unclean foods, binding and loosing, tear jars, fence laws, prayer shawls, and more.
The author quoted large sections of Scripture before explaining the cultural insight he'd gained into those verses. This is good, but, of 180 pages of text, it seemed like only about half of them were spent explaining the cultural insights. Many of the topics weren't explored in-depth.
Perhaps because of this, I sometimes felt his statements were misleading. For example, the way he explained the timing of John the Baptist's birth and Jesus' birth would lead the reader to believe everyone who has studied the topic agrees with his timeline. However, the timeline he gave is based on many assumptions, and not everyone agrees with those assumptions.
Also, sometimes the author took an idea or tradition further than the evidence supported it. For example, on pages 28 and 29, he said that people took their burial shroud with them whenever they took a long journey. From this, he concluded that the "strips of cloth" that baby Jesus was wrapped in were from a burial shroud. I suppose this might be true, but babies have been swaddled for centuries. It's just as likely that Mary used stripes of cloth specifically intended for swaddling Jesus (since they knew she was near birth and would have been prepared for that) rather than hastily using a shroud to make swaddling stripes.
Sometimes the information he gave conflicted with information that I've read elsewhere. Like he gave a slightly different order for the steps of a betrothal-wedding than the very detailed information given in "Women of the Bible" by Smith, Phillips, and Sanna. Amaral implied that the marriage was consummated before the wedding feast, but other sources say that the first day of the wedding feast is celebrated before the marriage is consummated.
As another example, on page 96 and 97, the author said that on the Day of Atonement, "Before the priest would push the goat backward [off a cliff], he would tear off a portion of the scarlet strip of wool that was tied around one of its horns. Ancient Jewish literature records a most phenomenal event. It was said that the piece of scarlet wool that the priest held in his hand would turn white as the goat fell. This was a sign to the people that their sins had in fact been forgiven and removed for another year. ...This practice was carried on for hundreds of years by the priests and brought great comfort and solace to the people. They knew every year that God would forgive their sins. Every year, as the scarlet wool turned white, they would take comfort.... Amazingly...the scarlet piece of wool stopped turning white after the death and resurrection of Jesus."
He refers to the Talmud as his source, but what does the Talmud actually say? Rosh HaShanah 31b, Babylonian Talmud: "'Originally they used to fasten the thread of scarlet on the door of the [Temple] court on the outside. If it turned white the people used to rejoice, and if it did not turn white they were sad. They therefore made a rule that it should be fastened to the door of the court on the inside. People, however, still peeped in and saw, and if it turned white they rejoiced and if it did not turn white they were sad. They therefore made a rule that half of it should be fastened to the rock and half between the horns of the goat that was sent [to the wilderness]'....`For forty years before the destruction of the Temple the thread of scarlet never turned white but it remained red.'"
That doesn't quite match up with what he said. So some of the information in this book was solid and insightful, other parts sounded neat but were highly speculative, and some parts seemed to be in error or were potentially misleading.
Personally, I'd recommend books that covered more certain topics and covered them in-depth (like "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus" by Spangler, Lois Tverberg) before I'd recommend this one.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.
The author quoted large sections of Scripture before explaining the cultural insight he'd gained into those verses. This is good, but, of 180 pages of text, it seemed like only about half of them were spent explaining the cultural insights. Many of the topics weren't explored in-depth.
Perhaps because of this, I sometimes felt his statements were misleading. For example, the way he explained the timing of John the Baptist's birth and Jesus' birth would lead the reader to believe everyone who has studied the topic agrees with his timeline. However, the timeline he gave is based on many assumptions, and not everyone agrees with those assumptions.
Also, sometimes the author took an idea or tradition further than the evidence supported it. For example, on pages 28 and 29, he said that people took their burial shroud with them whenever they took a long journey. From this, he concluded that the "strips of cloth" that baby Jesus was wrapped in were from a burial shroud. I suppose this might be true, but babies have been swaddled for centuries. It's just as likely that Mary used stripes of cloth specifically intended for swaddling Jesus (since they knew she was near birth and would have been prepared for that) rather than hastily using a shroud to make swaddling stripes.
Sometimes the information he gave conflicted with information that I've read elsewhere. Like he gave a slightly different order for the steps of a betrothal-wedding than the very detailed information given in "Women of the Bible" by Smith, Phillips, and Sanna. Amaral implied that the marriage was consummated before the wedding feast, but other sources say that the first day of the wedding feast is celebrated before the marriage is consummated.
As another example, on page 96 and 97, the author said that on the Day of Atonement, "Before the priest would push the goat backward [off a cliff], he would tear off a portion of the scarlet strip of wool that was tied around one of its horns. Ancient Jewish literature records a most phenomenal event. It was said that the piece of scarlet wool that the priest held in his hand would turn white as the goat fell. This was a sign to the people that their sins had in fact been forgiven and removed for another year. ...This practice was carried on for hundreds of years by the priests and brought great comfort and solace to the people. They knew every year that God would forgive their sins. Every year, as the scarlet wool turned white, they would take comfort.... Amazingly...the scarlet piece of wool stopped turning white after the death and resurrection of Jesus."
He refers to the Talmud as his source, but what does the Talmud actually say? Rosh HaShanah 31b, Babylonian Talmud: "'Originally they used to fasten the thread of scarlet on the door of the [Temple] court on the outside. If it turned white the people used to rejoice, and if it did not turn white they were sad. They therefore made a rule that it should be fastened to the door of the court on the inside. People, however, still peeped in and saw, and if it turned white they rejoiced and if it did not turn white they were sad. They therefore made a rule that half of it should be fastened to the rock and half between the horns of the goat that was sent [to the wilderness]'....`For forty years before the destruction of the Temple the thread of scarlet never turned white but it remained red.'"
That doesn't quite match up with what he said. So some of the information in this book was solid and insightful, other parts sounded neat but were highly speculative, and some parts seemed to be in error or were potentially misleading.
Personally, I'd recommend books that covered more certain topics and covered them in-depth (like "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus" by Spangler, Lois Tverberg) before I'd recommend this one.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.
August 12, 2018
This book purports to give insight into the words and deeds of Jesus through imparting contextual information around 1st century Jewish life and custom.
Unfortunately it seems written solely for people who had never before realized Jesus was a 1st century Jew and not a white gun-toting Republican. If this thought has ever fleetingly crossed your mind, you are too advanced for this book.
The book feels very superficial and skims only the most basics of understanding. I’m no first century Jewish scholar (which is why I was reading this book) but some of the assertions also sounded strangely wrong, like when the author said that ancient Greeks introduced Israelis to polytheism. Yes, the Hebrews, who had been enslaved by Egypt and conquered by Persia, were introduced to polytheism by...the...Greeks.
If anyone has a better recommendation that really digs into the cultural customs and norms of 1st century Roman occupied Israel, please let me know.
Unfortunately it seems written solely for people who had never before realized Jesus was a 1st century Jew and not a white gun-toting Republican. If this thought has ever fleetingly crossed your mind, you are too advanced for this book.
The book feels very superficial and skims only the most basics of understanding. I’m no first century Jewish scholar (which is why I was reading this book) but some of the assertions also sounded strangely wrong, like when the author said that ancient Greeks introduced Israelis to polytheism. Yes, the Hebrews, who had been enslaved by Egypt and conquered by Persia, were introduced to polytheism by...the...Greeks.
If anyone has a better recommendation that really digs into the cultural customs and norms of 1st century Roman occupied Israel, please let me know.
did-not-finish
April 15, 2025I was given this book by a person who got a lot of good insights from this book. This was the second time that I've tried to read it and I finally admit this book just isn't for me. He makes a lot of claims without citing sources. Some of them might be true, but others I cocked my head and how he came up with something that was different then so many experts I've heard before.
I didn't read far, so I can't say it's all bad, just not one I can read.
I didn't read far, so I can't say it's all bad, just not one I can read.
December 11, 2018
A fascinating read and a very accessible one. Written from the perspective of JC’s devotion to Judaism and his rabbinic expertise. I was surprised how much I learnt from this book about a subject I thought I knew a reasonable amount to start with. Interpreting events in Christ’s Life and how they fulfilled or amplified Old Testament scriptures was perhaps to be expected. The revelations behind some rather obscure phrases used by JC and others was less so and they were truly enlightening and even uplifting. I will almost certainly re-read this.
It’s a little too preachy for my liking and would be a useful crib for any would- be pulpiteer short of ideas for the next sermon. For me, however, that was a price well worth paying.
5*
It’s a little too preachy for my liking and would be a useful crib for any would- be pulpiteer short of ideas for the next sermon. For me, however, that was a price well worth paying.
5*
January 18, 2018
If you want hard facts about how Jesus Christ fulfills all the prophecies of the Messiah then read this book! He is the Lamb of God!
April 13, 2020
An enlightening easy read on understanding how Jewish culture and tradition tie into Jesus fulfilling bible prophecy! I will definitely read this again.
February 25, 2018
Joe Amaral's "Understanding Jesus" is part of the flood of new material resurrecting the importance of the Jewishness of Jesus, which, I will admit, is a VERY important project for our full understanding of the nature of the New Testament and the claims of the Christian Gospel. I feel it is important that I go "on the record" that I am in full agreement with Amaral's overall objective and I think that he does a fair-to-middling job of bringing out important insights into Jesus' life and actions.
However. I wouldn't really recommend this book. Granted, there are a couple of unique insights, but much of the material here could be gleaned from any number of respected Gospel commentaries (even including Amaral's scattered references to rabbinic traditions). So, one critique is that there was not much new here. Another key critique is that the book feels REALLY disjointed, almost as if Amaral was attempting to WRITE using rabbinic methods. This was really surprising, especially since you would think that a book about the life of Christ would already have a kind of "automatic" coherence; yet, somehow, by his random references to secondary research (I couldn't discern any consistent pattern), by his mish-mashed quotations from multiple Gospels and other biblical books, and a very odd use of heading structure, he made a naturally-cohesive book appear incoherent, uneven, and almost difficult. To be honest, it read more like a collection of blog posts than a coherent book (and perhaps it was meant to be read in smaller pieces).
But most troubling of all was Amaral's other agenda. Unfortunately, this book was NOT simply an exploration of Jesus' "Jewish roots"; it has a far more troubling aim of reintroducing the celebration of Jewish feasts as part of Christian worship and practice. As he says in his introduction: "The feasts were God's way of teaching His people about Himself. If they are God's teaching methods for us, then why are we not using them? How can we understand God and His plans by using our natural minds and by using our own plans? In order to better comprehend the things of God, the Western church needs to go through a radical transformation in these last days" (pp. 12-13).
To be fair, later in the same section, Amaral admits: "It is certainly true that we should never celebrate the feasts in order to achieve or augment our salvation. That was never God's intent for the feasts...We don't celebrate the feasts to impress God or to try to win His favor. We celebrate them because it reminds us of what He has done for us and what He is going to do" (p. 14). Note the assumptive tone.
Being part of a religious tradition that has seen some of its members depart into what has been colloquially dubbed a "Hebrew Roots" movement, Amaral's suggestions here are disturbing. First and foremost, this suggestion does not seem to settle well with the New Testament rejection of the idea that to be Christian requires one to become a Jewish proselyte who abides by the dictates of OT law (including festal observance, kosher food laws, etc). In reality, many of these ideas are simply the (barely) repackaged teachings of the Judaizers whom Paul so vehemently attacked in Galatians.
Secondly, and in a way perhaps more understandable to contemporary secular culture, I fear that Amaral's urging of Gentile adoption of Jewish practices is nothing more than a thinly-veiled transgressive act of cultural appropriation. We do no honor to the "Jewishness" of Jesus by simply pretending to be Jewish ourselves. I do think it's imperative for the broader Christian church to revisit its historic relationship to the Jews and to make proper restitution for wrongs that have been done to Jews in the name of Christ for centuries. I think Amaral's suggested approach merely "whitewashes" those issues in ways that are unhelpful and perhaps even more harmful.
Amaral's work does receive endorsement from noted NT scholar Craig Evans, so I've no real reason to doubt the accuracy of his claims about Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism (my expertise lying in other areas of biblical scholarship). So, in that sense, I believe this book is exegetically solid; however, I think in some places, Amaral "oversells" the depth of his insight and treats the common-place as "ground-breaking."
I find myself in the odd place where (pardon the double negative) I wouldn't NOT recommend it, but neither would I actually recommend it. If I meet a person who absolutely gushes over the wonderful insights of Joe Amaral, I think I'll simply say: "That's awesome! Say, have you ever heard of Craig Keener?"
However. I wouldn't really recommend this book. Granted, there are a couple of unique insights, but much of the material here could be gleaned from any number of respected Gospel commentaries (even including Amaral's scattered references to rabbinic traditions). So, one critique is that there was not much new here. Another key critique is that the book feels REALLY disjointed, almost as if Amaral was attempting to WRITE using rabbinic methods. This was really surprising, especially since you would think that a book about the life of Christ would already have a kind of "automatic" coherence; yet, somehow, by his random references to secondary research (I couldn't discern any consistent pattern), by his mish-mashed quotations from multiple Gospels and other biblical books, and a very odd use of heading structure, he made a naturally-cohesive book appear incoherent, uneven, and almost difficult. To be honest, it read more like a collection of blog posts than a coherent book (and perhaps it was meant to be read in smaller pieces).
But most troubling of all was Amaral's other agenda. Unfortunately, this book was NOT simply an exploration of Jesus' "Jewish roots"; it has a far more troubling aim of reintroducing the celebration of Jewish feasts as part of Christian worship and practice. As he says in his introduction: "The feasts were God's way of teaching His people about Himself. If they are God's teaching methods for us, then why are we not using them? How can we understand God and His plans by using our natural minds and by using our own plans? In order to better comprehend the things of God, the Western church needs to go through a radical transformation in these last days" (pp. 12-13).
To be fair, later in the same section, Amaral admits: "It is certainly true that we should never celebrate the feasts in order to achieve or augment our salvation. That was never God's intent for the feasts...We don't celebrate the feasts to impress God or to try to win His favor. We celebrate them because it reminds us of what He has done for us and what He is going to do" (p. 14). Note the assumptive tone.
Being part of a religious tradition that has seen some of its members depart into what has been colloquially dubbed a "Hebrew Roots" movement, Amaral's suggestions here are disturbing. First and foremost, this suggestion does not seem to settle well with the New Testament rejection of the idea that to be Christian requires one to become a Jewish proselyte who abides by the dictates of OT law (including festal observance, kosher food laws, etc). In reality, many of these ideas are simply the (barely) repackaged teachings of the Judaizers whom Paul so vehemently attacked in Galatians.
Secondly, and in a way perhaps more understandable to contemporary secular culture, I fear that Amaral's urging of Gentile adoption of Jewish practices is nothing more than a thinly-veiled transgressive act of cultural appropriation. We do no honor to the "Jewishness" of Jesus by simply pretending to be Jewish ourselves. I do think it's imperative for the broader Christian church to revisit its historic relationship to the Jews and to make proper restitution for wrongs that have been done to Jews in the name of Christ for centuries. I think Amaral's suggested approach merely "whitewashes" those issues in ways that are unhelpful and perhaps even more harmful.
Amaral's work does receive endorsement from noted NT scholar Craig Evans, so I've no real reason to doubt the accuracy of his claims about Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism (my expertise lying in other areas of biblical scholarship). So, in that sense, I believe this book is exegetically solid; however, I think in some places, Amaral "oversells" the depth of his insight and treats the common-place as "ground-breaking."
I find myself in the odd place where (pardon the double negative) I wouldn't NOT recommend it, but neither would I actually recommend it. If I meet a person who absolutely gushes over the wonderful insights of Joe Amaral, I think I'll simply say: "That's awesome! Say, have you ever heard of Craig Keener?"
March 8, 2015
I would have loved to read this book 15 years ago when I was beginning to understand the cultural background of the bible. I didn't learn anything new in this book but it was very nice to see it in an overview like this with the appropriate scriptures. For someone just starting to realize the importance of the cultural background I highly recommend this book
January 28, 2020
I don't know why I am so apologetic about bad reviews. I shouldn't be. I'm an author. They come with the territory. This is, quite simply, a bad book. It is not just a missed opportunity or a disappointment. It is rather a bad book. I say that not for the style of writing, but for the content. Amaral sets out to place us within the life and times of Jesus. His purpose is to help us to understand Him better by understanding His world better. He signally fails. Not for lack of effort, but for lack of supporting documentation. He asserts things blithely, blanket statements, and just expects us to buy them. Worse, he embraces a theological position that promotes the modern day Christian observing the OT Jewish feasts. I do not deny there is something to be learned there for us, but I emphatically deny we are called to observe them. And he hammers it again and again throughout the work, riding it like the proverbial hobby horse right into the ground.
There are excellent books on the Jewishness of Jesus Christ and on His life and times. This is not one of them.
There are excellent books on the Jewishness of Jesus Christ and on His life and times. This is not one of them.
August 27, 2024
This is a good introduction into messianic judaism. I think the book serves as a broad overview. However, he does not spend enough time developing some of the themes he introduces.
His writing style is easy to follow; I would say conversational in tone. If you do not have a background in Messianic Judaism this would be a good starting place. However for more in-depth studies, I would suggest Yesusha: Life of Messiah vols 1-4 by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum.
His writing style is easy to follow; I would say conversational in tone. If you do not have a background in Messianic Judaism this would be a good starting place. However for more in-depth studies, I would suggest Yesusha: Life of Messiah vols 1-4 by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum.
February 4, 2025
Informative in just the right amounts
Great insights into the theological culture of the time of Jesus. Doesn't cover His entire life but what parts are chosen are well explained. First time I've seen an explanation of the four signs of the Messiah in a book (which is truly worth knowing). I've read a lot more detailed work but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and learned some new things. Recommended.
Great insights into the theological culture of the time of Jesus. Doesn't cover His entire life but what parts are chosen are well explained. First time I've seen an explanation of the four signs of the Messiah in a book (which is truly worth knowing). I've read a lot more detailed work but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and learned some new things. Recommended.
July 5, 2018
I loved this book! It’s an easy read (meaning not dry at all) and is a great resource for anyone who wants to learn about how the Jewish culture is inextricably woven through the Bible. If you want to discover more about your Christian roots, or if you’re just curious about the Christian faith and what it’s all about, this is the book for you! Highly recommend!!
December 26, 2021
Really interesting insights in this book...It's worth reading for the interpretation of things not necessarily easily or readily understood. The example given of Jesus being the "unleavened bread", pure and spotless one, was very good. Also the evidence provided that Jesus is our Passover Lamb. Lots of good information here!
October 23, 2018
Outstanding
I have often wondered about the culture of that time period in order to more deeply understand the meanings intended. This book is a wonderful compilation of wisdom and understanding about that culture.
I have often wondered about the culture of that time period in order to more deeply understand the meanings intended. This book is a wonderful compilation of wisdom and understanding about that culture.
March 24, 2019
Jesus and the Jewish Feasts
A clear exposition of how the life of Jesus corresponds to the Jewish Feasts. Making it clear that Xmas is a pagan festival because Jesus was born in September. There are various proofs given for this. Among which are the shepherds and the star.
A clear exposition of how the life of Jesus corresponds to the Jewish Feasts. Making it clear that Xmas is a pagan festival because Jesus was born in September. There are various proofs given for this. Among which are the shepherds and the star.
August 8, 2017
Very helpful
I really enjoyed reading this book. The points are well reasoned and abundant scriptures are provided. I highly recommend this book and author.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The points are well reasoned and abundant scriptures are provided. I highly recommend this book and author.
November 9, 2018
Succint but profound
These are no just information, they are rhema. Joe has the gift of bringing out such si oke and what seems like obscure information and bring them to life....
These are no just information, they are rhema. Joe has the gift of bringing out such si oke and what seems like obscure information and bring them to life....
November 23, 2018
Awesome book!
Great book to begin the journey towards understanding the culture when Jesus lived and the traditions of the Jewish people of the time.
Great book to begin the journey towards understanding the culture when Jesus lived and the traditions of the Jewish people of the time.
March 19, 2019
Great book to know jesus.
December 29, 2019
Easy to read and informative but sources were inadequately cited.
June 5, 2020
It's amazing how understanding the background of that society changes a lot how we understand the bible and its implications. Really powerful!
August 9, 2019
A very easy read covering much of the historical significance surrounding the ministry of Jesus.
February 28, 2017
When I began this book I was a bit cautious. I wasn't sure what the author's real agenda was.
Now that I am finished, I know this will be a book that I return to over and over during the Lenten season especially. So many of the Jewish feasts that Christ fulfilled are during this season from Palm Sunday through Pentecost!
Powerful insight as to how much we as believers can benefit from understanding the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament, and how Christ brought fulfillment to them all!
Now that I am finished, I know this will be a book that I return to over and over during the Lenten season especially. So many of the Jewish feasts that Christ fulfilled are during this season from Palm Sunday through Pentecost!
Powerful insight as to how much we as believers can benefit from understanding the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament, and how Christ brought fulfillment to them all!
January 8, 2016
First, I am grateful for Amaral’s heart for the Jewish roots of the Christian faith and his attempt to bring attention to much of the Jewish understanding that we have lost, or worse, have thrown away. The Church has unfortunate history of anti-semitism which has, of course, affected our interpretation. I thought much of Amaral’s work was good. His treatment of Luke 20 (“render to Caesar what is Caesar’s), and John 8 (Jesus writing in the sand), for example, were great. I was also thankful for some of the sources which he provided. On page 126 he mentions that “the rabbis taught that resurrection from the dead was only possible within the first three days.” I’ve heard many people preach on this, or something similar, but was glad to see that he was citing the Mishnah. But this was, unfortunately, exceedingly rare. One of the books central premises had to do with the apparent “4 Messianic miracles.” Where does this come from? What is the source for this? This happens both in small and large ways throughout the book. On page 165 he mentions “the four large menorahs” and states that “Some literature suggests that these menorahs were a staggering seventy feet tall.” Not a big deal but, which literature? On page 158 he writes that “The rabbis always saw this promise of a lamb to be prophetic in nature – that the lamb was a picture of the Messiah…” but again, no source. Some have defended the lack of sources saying that it comes from “oral tradition.” Which ‘oral tradition?' The Mishnah (which Amaral does at times quote) is the documentation of oral tradition. The problem I have with Christians quoting ‘the rabbis’ without sourcing is twofold. First, it does not help foster conversation between Jews and Christians when we speak of how the rabbis spoke of Messianic prophecies that Jesus fulfilled but do not provide any proof of it. Second, it does not help those who are interested in further exploring “our Jewish roots as the people of God.” I would love to see an amended version of this book with the missing citations.
To end on a positive note, I will mention that Amaral does have some serious scholars in his bibliography (Flusser, Keener, Levine, etc.). A passion for knowledge is evident and contagious in Amaral’s book. I hope he better cites his observations in the future but am grateful for his heart and work to bring a greater understanding to a much neglected area of study.
If you are interested in learning more about the Jewish roots of the Christian faith I suggest also looking at the writings of Amy-Jill Levine, Brad Young, Marvin R. Wilson, Kenneth E. Bailey, etc.
To end on a positive note, I will mention that Amaral does have some serious scholars in his bibliography (Flusser, Keener, Levine, etc.). A passion for knowledge is evident and contagious in Amaral’s book. I hope he better cites his observations in the future but am grateful for his heart and work to bring a greater understanding to a much neglected area of study.
If you are interested in learning more about the Jewish roots of the Christian faith I suggest also looking at the writings of Amy-Jill Levine, Brad Young, Marvin R. Wilson, Kenneth E. Bailey, etc.
February 15, 2012
This book is exactly what I was looking for – context that illuminates the familiar Bible stories and helps me understand what I could never understand just by re-reading and pondering. I get frustrated with the suggested Bible study method of just reading a passage of the Bible and “dwelling on it” and journaling about “what it means to you.” I want to understand it on a practical level – why did Jesus, and the people He encountered, say and do the things they did? Sometimes, it all seems very strange.
But with some research, Joe Amaral starts filling in the blanks, and suddenly it’s like lights switches are flipping on, and whole swaths of the Bible make more sense than they ever did. Concepts that I thought I understood made so much more sense, in light of the history and culture. It was exciting, even breath-taking, to read. I want there to be piles of books like this – reader-friendly, story-driven, and so very needed.
Sometimes I got the same feeling that I get when I realize I’ve been singing a song lyric wrong my whole life – didn’t realize I had it wrong, but once I hear the right lyric, I realize that the one I had been singing for so many years was non-sense. Learning it the right way is an adjustment, but it’s mind-expanding and wonderful.
I want to know the actual Jesus, and this book has brought me closer to doing so. I recommend it whole-heartedly to everyone.
But with some research, Joe Amaral starts filling in the blanks, and suddenly it’s like lights switches are flipping on, and whole swaths of the Bible make more sense than they ever did. Concepts that I thought I understood made so much more sense, in light of the history and culture. It was exciting, even breath-taking, to read. I want there to be piles of books like this – reader-friendly, story-driven, and so very needed.
Sometimes I got the same feeling that I get when I realize I’ve been singing a song lyric wrong my whole life – didn’t realize I had it wrong, but once I hear the right lyric, I realize that the one I had been singing for so many years was non-sense. Learning it the right way is an adjustment, but it’s mind-expanding and wonderful.
I want to know the actual Jesus, and this book has brought me closer to doing so. I recommend it whole-heartedly to everyone.
April 6, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. I am thankful for the extensive bibliography in the back so I can continue my study. In many ways, I feel the book is an 'appetizer', kinda like the scallop risotto I recently had in Vegas...enough to make me want more.
I kept thinking it would be cool if this book, or even a more indepth future one had a study guide.
I found the explanation of the feasts to be fascinating and how Jesus and John the Baptist fulfilled the feasts. I'm not sure that the author made a case for current Christians to be observing the feasts, but found the explanations fascinating.
I do plan to get a copy of this book for my kids and their families.
I kept thinking it would be cool if this book, or even a more indepth future one had a study guide.
I found the explanation of the feasts to be fascinating and how Jesus and John the Baptist fulfilled the feasts. I'm not sure that the author made a case for current Christians to be observing the feasts, but found the explanations fascinating.
I do plan to get a copy of this book for my kids and their families.
April 14, 2011
Understanding Jesus is a historical read not meant to change your religious perception but present a historical account of Jesus' time. Amaral does a good job discussing the culture, social and political atmosphere of that time in a way that helps one get a deeper understanding. There were some things within the book that I didn't quite agree with but such is the case whenever you're discussing something that happened over 2,000 years ago. Amaral includes several scripture references as a basis for supporting the historical arguments he writes of and this makes for wonderful Bible study discussion. The Bible says "Search the scriptures..." [John 5:39] and Understanding Jesus is a decent tool for encouraging others to do such.
April 21, 2014
Saw Joe Amaral in church. When he stepped up and announced he'd be giving a presentation about Jewish feasts and their significance in end times, I prepared myself for a snooze. And when it was over, I was one of the first in line to buy the book! Thoroughly enjoyed it. I can't begin to figure how much research must have gone into writing this, and he just hands it all to you on a platter. The book is an enormous help when reading scripture, and things I never understood before suddenly became crystal clear. Definitely recommend this!
Read my full review here: http://www.momloves2read.com/2014/04/...
Read my full review here: http://www.momloves2read.com/2014/04/...
August 14, 2011
how would we understand the words of Yeshua Jesus if we understood His culture? and the impact of that culture on the meaning of what He said?
as fascinating and insightful a read from Canadian Joe Amaral as he is to hear in person.
i gained much by reading of what would have been commonly known phrases and idioms of speech from the time of Christ's teachings. excellent information on distinct cultural traditions and how they play into the meaning of scripture's metaphors. easy to read and enjoyable all in one!
highly recommended!
as fascinating and insightful a read from Canadian Joe Amaral as he is to hear in person.
i gained much by reading of what would have been commonly known phrases and idioms of speech from the time of Christ's teachings. excellent information on distinct cultural traditions and how they play into the meaning of scripture's metaphors. easy to read and enjoyable all in one!
highly recommended!
April 13, 2011
This is the first book I ever won and what a treasure.
The book did give insight into the way things were in
Jesus's time. When reading the book it helped me to
understand the way life was in Jesus's time here on
earth. I passed the book to my girlfriend and she is
not a reader, but she couldn't put the book down. She passed
it to another friend and we have had numerous discussions.
We percieved things to mean one thing but in Jesus time it meant
something different.
The book gave us a spark for learning more about Jesus and
put us back on track.
The book did give insight into the way things were in
Jesus's time. When reading the book it helped me to
understand the way life was in Jesus's time here on
earth. I passed the book to my girlfriend and she is
not a reader, but she couldn't put the book down. She passed
it to another friend and we have had numerous discussions.
We percieved things to mean one thing but in Jesus time it meant
something different.
The book gave us a spark for learning more about Jesus and
put us back on track.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews