The Greatest Story Ever Told

by Fulton Oursler

Fulton Oursler's outstanding classic The Greatest Story Ever Told narrates the ever-new, everlasting story of the life of Jesus Christ. Written with powerful simplicity and set against a rich and accurate historical background, this account of the greatest life ever lived describes the moving story of Christ's nativity, the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt, Christ's youth, His public ministry, passion, death, and resurrection.

While there have been many lives of Christ published, few have received so wide a popular acclamation as Fulton Oursler's classic tale. Since it was first published in 1949, when it was instantly acclaimed by both the secular and lay press and endorsed by clergy of all faiths, The Greatest Story Ever Told has gone into scores of printings, has been read by millions, and is one of the most successful bestsellers of all time. The life of Christ is certainly the greatest story ever told, and Fulton Oursler has told it superbly well.

Genres: Christian, Religion, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Christian Fiction, Christianity, Classics

299 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1949

About the author

Charles Fulton Oursler was an American journalist, playwright, editor and writer. Writing as Anthony Abbot, he was a notable author of mysteries and detective fiction.

Aka Samri Frikell, Sandalwood the Magician.

Reviews

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover of my book calls it, "A reverent and faithful retelling of the ever-new, ever-lasting story of Jesus, written with powerful simplicity." That statement holds true. I so enjoyed the narrative of the author, employing storytelling at its best without becoming unfaithful to the story or the truth of the Word of God.

Through the reading, I was able to experience that time and place, breathe the dusty air, hear the crowds press in on Jesus, endure the jeers of the Jewish leaders, rejoice at Jesus' wisdom, goodness, and power.

This book will, if you let it, renew your vigor to know Christ as His beloved disciples knew Him. Oh, to walk beside Him, to hear the patient kindness in His voice, to experience the day to day with Him in person! That is the inheritance we await, and I yearn for Him all the more after reading this book.

From what I've seen, the primary criticism of this book is that the author adds to the story of Jesus' life as written in the gospels. I understand the concern, but the author's intention was not to give an account as the Gospel writers did. If that's what you want, then you should read them.

If you'd prefer a more scholarly approach (which I like, as well) in a "Life of Christ" book, you shouldn't miss J. Dwight Pentecost's The Words and Works of Jesus Christ: A Study of the Life of Christ. It's a great one, too!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Blessed are they that have not seen and have believed."

I BELIEVE!

I have read through the Bible for many, many years and I have often envisioned the Scriptures as I read them. Now, with the imagery created by Fulton's writings, I feel my Bible reading will be greatly enriched.

I think if we read his book as one man's understanding of how Bible history played out, we can enjoy it and not get wrapped up in what is true and what is not. After all, were any of us there? "Blessed are they that have not seen and have believed."

I must say, I never envisioned Joseph or Peter bald...lol I guess we all picture people the way we want them to appear and/or according to how their character/nature is described. Now I have to decide if I will continue with my version of them or Fulton's...hmmm

After deciding to read this book as a work of fiction based on Fulton's understanding, I enjoyed fitting myself into the scenery, feeling the emotion of each event and seeing things from another perspective. I believe we all know the Scripture in Isaiah 55:9 -
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." Or, don't put God in a box of our own making.

This book has enriched and invigorated my reading of Scripture.

[Rithun Regi · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book throwing light into the life of Jesus.

[Serena · Rating 1 out of 5]

First off, can we all just take a moment to appreciate the irony of this situation? The Greatest Story Ever Told is the only book I've ever given a 1/5 to. And it gets such a rating because after 105 pages, one-third of the book, I couldn't go any further.

I was willing to work with a golden-bearded Joseph and blue-eyed Mary, despite the inaccuracies there. I didn't even mind overly much that the wise men appeared far too soon, and that there were exactly three of them. But while Joseph, Mary, and Jesus are all described as pale, the evil king Herod alone has brown skin. Though offended, I kept reading.

Later, when young Jesus is mentally questioning the practice of sacrificing animals, the author quotes Amos 5:21-24, which includes "Yea, though you offer me your burnt offerings and meal offerings, I will not accept them." Jesus asks himself why no one pays attention to this teaching of Amos. However, these verses do not refer to God's appreciation (or lack thereof) of sacrifices, but rather to the unfaithfulness of His people. God despises the empty rituals of those who do not fear Him.

I finally (and readily) gave up on the book at my husband's urging (apparently I was far too tense while reading it), ending just after Jesus' first miracle of turning water into wine. Apparently, according to Fulton Oursler, ancient Israel had caterers--and they were male. I highly doubt it.

This review was originally posted on poetree.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me 50 years to savor this biography but I really did enjoy it! It was my Lenten reading every year and I would read a bit, then put it away for a year. So I always looked forward to Lent and resuming this enthralling and well written biography. It was a kind of lectio divina in that your reading places you into the middle of the story.

Faith is a lifelong development and I felt my own faith enlightened and strengthened in reading this classic.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit that I do not know what "serious" Biblical scholars think. But since my copy from the 1970's says 3.5 million copies sold by then, I am NOT the only person to think it is an awesome telling of the story of Jesus. Little details that flesh it out, make if more rich in detail of what life was like. For example, did you ever think that since Joseph had to go to Bethlehem for the census, that his parents could have been on the trip w/ Mary & Joseph? Also helps explain some of the ritual life: what would Jesus have seen at the temple when he was 12? Amazing. Lots of research had to go into this.

Now for the picky picky Biblical scholars, the info for this book was researched before internet, before Dead Sea Scrolls translated, etc... Some of it before WWII, so just enjoy the story & don't let things that more current research disproves (if it does) put you into a snit.

[Ali M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a straight forward re-telling of the story of the gospel in a novel-like form. Oursler takes no liberties with the gospel message, but he does add some color to the story with historical details about the way people lived at the time. The types of housing, the food they ate, their modes of travel and even the details of Mary and Joseph’s romance give more substance and connection to the life of Jesus.

I enjoyed the book very much, especially reading the story of Jesus’s birth at Christmas time as I was. Written in the 1940s there are some phrases that seemed racist, and some caricature characters that were unnecessary, but overall the message is heartfelt.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted very much to read about Jesus' life in a story format such as this. It took me a while to find it, but this book enables me to envision his life and even put myself there as an observer. It definitely helped me to be a better disciple.

[Victor · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is not terrible, but it is outdated. While I appreciate Fulton Oursler’s attempt to write a narrative about the life of Jesus, far too much was added to the story for my taste. The side story of Barabbas acting like Che Guevara was unnecessary to me, I am pretty sure that Joseph did not have a blond beard, I do not feel like discussing Jesus having pale skin after fasting in the dessert for 40 days, and the portrayal of a tax collector smiling sneakily while rubbing his hands is too much like a Marx Brothers skit.

I did enjoy the ending with all of the politics, and I am surprised that the people who I know that also read this book enjoyed that the least. I believe it is because if someone tells me that they are writing a narrative about Jesus, I expect it to be as similar to the Gospels as possible. While I realize that this is not easy, I believe the first 2/3 of the book could have been written better. My expectations are much lower if you are writing about the politics of Annas and Caiaphas.

If you just want a nice narrative about the Gospels, you may enjoy this book, but I would strongly recommend against handing this book to someone who is unfamiliar with Christianity.

[Will Waller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fabulous retelling of the story of Jesus, his birth, teaching, healing, suffering and resurrection. It is a classic among american literature and a heritage to an age when people would listen to the radio for stories.

What I enjoyed most about this retelling of Jesus' life was how real the characters were, especially those who are on the outside looking in. Our Bible doesn't give back stories to guys like Annas or Zaccheus but this book attempts to do so. Largely it is a success. I also appreciate how this book glides seamlessly through the many divides between the synoptics and the Gospel of John. It knows that there are differences but the writer deftly maneuvers these differences and brings them together.

I read this book because someone in the congregation gave it to me to read. I would recommend it to anyone with a love of Jesus and a desire to learn/speculate about him more.

[Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the most in-depth, inspired novel I have ever read. The way this author weaves words together...I doubt I'll ever read other books the same way. Sure, I love the stories and characters of different books, but I haven't yet read such a work of art as this book.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nicely written telling of the life of Jesus, from birth through ministry, to arrest and crucifiction, to resurection. The author did a good job of putting the story into a easily readable novel format.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This time-honored classic retells the story of the life of Christ. The details are imagined, but it’s all true to the spirit of the scriptural account. It has made the New Testament come alive for me.

[Travious Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Greatest Story Ever Told is a historical fiction novel based on the life of Jesus as recorded in the Bible. I apprediahe the creative autonomy the author takes in crafting this book. He is able to add layers to the people in Scripture, who can seem nondescript at times.

Not every episode in the story of Jesus is chronicled here; but the vast majority of them are. It must be noted that I don’t think the author intends on this book being a substitute to the Gospel accounts, rather, this book should point to them.

Despite my appreciation for the creativity expressed in the book, I must note that the tropes of colorism and racism within the Church unfortunately rears its ugly head. I don’t give credence to the sentiment “product of the time” anymore because there is no time when subjugation is tolerable and we must call it out wherever we see it, including in the Church.

To be specific, the author uses whiteness to exemplify the savior complex associated with whiteness. The whiteness of Jesus is
repeated theme in this story, almost from the beginning. Jesus is not presented as a normal baby, whose skin tends to be wrinkly and red post birth; Jesus has “smooth, white skin.” This is contested immediately with the evil King Herod marked as “dark brown in hue”.

To push the envelope further, John the Baptist and Annas the Hugh priest realize Jesus as more than a mere man due to noticing his “skin paler than others around him” and “his dazzling white robe.” In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus’ hour of temptation is noted by his reliance on the “great white boulder” stuck into the ground that he leans on to prop him in prayer. In the moments of crucial importance that highlight the divinity of Jesus, “white” was used as a descriptor of his role as savior. What confirmed this trope for me was at the cross, the bystanders who mocked Jesus did so with “an Oreirnal frenzy.”

We cannot call ourselves the true body of Chriwt and not note how our beliefs have contributed to the suffering of others by use of our language and social mores and latching them onto religion. This has been so overt over the centuries that it has become subconsciously accepted. That is the problem.

I do not mention this to argue for the blackness of Jesus; one extreme does not call for another. What is most important is the transcendence of Jesus. Jesus must override the images we’ve conjured up for him. He must be more than having “golden brown hair that hangs to his shoulders” as the author has him. He must also be more than a bronze skinned man as well. He must be more than the idols we create to soothe our insecurities and idolatry of radial identification. The Christ of Sdrioture is for all. And that is what makes the story of Jesus Christ the greatest story ever told.

[Alan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A retelling of the events around Jesus as according to the bible out of the USA in the 50s. Stripped of the archaic bible language its a bit more readable but shines a light on some of the more absurd tales in a way that reminds me of seeing simpsons characters rendered in 3d. The mysticism is lost and spoken plainly I found myself wondering how anyone ever believed any of this in the first place. Even the morality of Jesus only shines when actually quoted, probably just read King David bible instead

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book. This started as a radio program and is essentially the new testament gospels fleshed out to be a narrative. It reads like a novel, with a lot of background details added so the reader can make sense of understanding the places and the society and the government of the times. I really enjoyed it, and it is an easy read. If you've struggled to read the gospels and make sense out of them, try this.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

You cannot rewrite the greatest story ever written. If you want to read the greatest story ever told read it straight from the bible! The Word is alive. It doesn't need to be rewritten. If the authors desire was to inspire people to read the Word and follow Christ, why not be a witness to the truth? Faith comes by hearing and by hearing the word of God. This is NOT the Word of God. There are too many inaccuracies in this book to be accepted or taken seriously as a retelling of the greatest story ever told. And any attempt to do so apart from the facts which are written in the Word of God is disgusting. How could the author say "Jesus thought to himself?" How could he know what Jesus thought unless the Word reveals exactly what He was thinking? This is just the authors interpretation of the Word. It is far from accurate. To rewrite it apart from facts, to rewrite it according to your own interpretation, is to leave out the power of the Holy Spirit to draw hearts to the truth. I want the Holy Spirit to reveal the story of Jesus to me as I study Gods word. I want the real genuine infallible and powerful Word of God. You cannot ever make the contents therein more desirable than it already is. This is nothing short of fictional counterfeit.

[Kass · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am sure I will get a lot of *boo-hiss* for this, but I did not think this was well written at all.

I felt that Oursler's Jesus was self-absorbed and arrogant. The message behind the story/history of Jesus is supposed to be one of love, forgiveness, and brothership and I didn't get that at all.

Although, I suppose if I take it the other way - Oursler did a great job of making biblical figures very human...

[Paul Gaya Ochieng Simeon Juma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Am still reading this book...

I will not do a detailed review of this book as I believe that most men are familiar with the life of Jesus Christ. However, I only have questions.

Am not a Bible historian, but there are new facts which I have discovered when reading this book which am not quite sure about. Who is Samuel the revolutionary who changes his name to Barabbas Jesus?

Is it true that Joachim and Anna were Mary's parents?

[Appu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fulton Oursler’s The Greatest Story Ever Told retells the life of Jesus, drawing closely from the Gospels while embellishing it with details. For readers already familiar with the Gospel accounts, the book may not introduce groundbreaking revelations, but it offers a comforting and engaging recounting of a story cherished across generations.

Oursler stays faithful to the Gospel narrative, rarely straying from its core message. However, his strength lies in his ability to flesh out biblical figures with vivid detail and emotional depth. Characters like Barabbas, often perceived one-dimensionally in the Gospels as merely a criminal released instead of Jesus, are given a more nuanced portrayal. Oursler reimagines Barabbas as a fervent zealot fighting for Jewish independence from Roman rule, even casting him as a friend of Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father. Similarly, Annas and Caiaphas, the Jewish high priests who judge Jesus, receive significant space. In fact, all the episodes of Jesus’ life that happen after the crucifixion are told through the perspective of Annas and Caiaphas. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus’ friends within the Sanhedrin, emerge vividly in Oursler’s narrative.

Furthermore, Oursler weaves early Christian traditions into the fabric of his storytelling, providing background and context to figures scarcely mentioned in the canonical texts. Anna and Joachim, traditionally known as Mary’s parents, feature prominently, offering readers a glimpse into the familial roots of Jesus’ earthly life, despite their absence from the Gospel narratives. We also get the names of all three Magis, the names of the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus, and the name of the Roman soldier who pierced Jesus’ crucified body with a spear (Longinus is his name).

Written in the 1950s, the book’s language and style remain accessible and evocative, resonating with contemporary readers. However, Oursler does use a lot of obscure words.

[SusanwithaGoodBook · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, I must disagree with the Amazon description of this book. It is NOT a harmony of the gospels and it is NOT a "reverent and faithful retelling" of the story of Jesus. It's a fictionalized account of the life of Jesus with a LOT of stuff added for color and to add what seems like Catholic tradition into the narrative. I enjoyed a lot of it, but I was troubled by many of the additions, particularly when they seemed unnecessary and even ridiculous (the apostles wearing bright white robes at the Triumphal Entry!). I'll admit I rolled my eyes a few times, but still, it's worth reading this type of thing even if you need to refer back to Scripture to understand that what you're reading is definitely not all there and that many liberties have been taken.

It may be somewhat like the TV show "The Chosen" in that things have been added as backstories and to flesh out characters, but I feel like the TV show actually takes fewer liberties with the truth than this author did.

I can recommend this book to you for interesting reading only, not for truth. If you want Truth, you'll need the scriptures themselves and not the traditions and speculations of man, but this book was a good read for one man's "this could have been" ideas.

[David Sutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate the foreword by Billy Graham and can agree with his sentiments. This novelization of the gospel omits many details while elaborating on others with details meant to excite the imagination about characters thoughts and dialogue not specified in the Bible. The appeal would be similar to how many Christians like the television series The Chosen for making familiar stories relatable as told from a different perspective. I first became aware of The Greatest Story Ever Told from a classic film production, but later found the audiobook streaming free on Audible Premium+ with a mostly dull monotone narration.

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I superb book for anyone wanting to get a better idea of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Author Fulton Oursler begins with early life of Mary and Joseph and unfolds the drama of the life of Jesus Christ up to the very end. Having read "Killing Jesus" by Bill O'Reilly, I can't help but compare the two and surmise that while each tells the story of Jesus' life, neither seems to tell the entire story and so therefore I'd recommend them as complementary to one another to get a more complete picture.

[Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do have to give this book 5 stars because it told the story of Jesus in a way that made you feel you were right there. What better time to read this book than Holy Week, especially at a time when we are in the midst of a virus that has us trapped in our homes with nowhere to go - not even Church. While reading this book, I decided to finish it on Good Friday, and it was so fitting to do that at a time when our World is in such a mess. It gave me a lot of food for thought while reading it.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The life of Jesus Christ is fascinating and I think a must read. For me it is a what if story. What if Jesus could be see as a man and what if we could find a way to create our own miracles? Did God give healing gifts and more to each of us. Follow the life of the man who so many believe in, worship and follow so many years after his awful death.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read the one published in 1949. It was in my mother-in-law’s library and we kept many of her books when she died. It is 2020 now and I thought with the caronavirus here it might be time to read it. A retelling of the life of Jesus in an easy read format. An excellent book which is written in a novel form. In this way it draws you into the story. I wish I had read it many years ago!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has told the story of Jesus' life in a narrative fashion. Most of the words ascribed to Jesus come directly from the scriptures. The ending was a little drawn-out, but otherwise the book was great.

[Doug D'jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I write this review 40 years after reading the book. I no longer subscribe to the Faith, but at the time I thought this book was what the title claimed.... So I will give it 5 stars, the rating I surely would have granted it at the time.

[Roger Burk · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novelistic retelling of the life of Christ, based on a naive and literal reading of the four Gospels, plus some more dubious if pious traditions (e.g. Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar show up in Bethlehem). It works surprisingly well in parts.

[JoAnne Cattanach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the fictionalization of Jesus life, starting with Mary and Joseph’s courtship. It was done kindly and respectfully. I mean don’t we all wonder what Jesus childhood, teenage, and young adult yrs were like. I really enjoyed it.