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The Five Books of Jesus
It starts in the desert. John the prophet lowers Jesus under the Jordan’s muddy waters and pulls him up, just as a bird swoops down to skim the river’s surface.
It spreads next to Galilee, where some welcome Jesus as a disciple of John and others grow wary of his rising influence—fishermen are leaving their nets, tax collectors their offices, and students their masters to listen to this new saint.
After abandoning his nets, Andrew ties knots in the threads of his shirt to remember Jesus’ teachings. After escaping his slum, Judas waits for Jesus to call down the legions of angels who can end a broken world.
But just as Jesus’ movement in the north is gaining strength, he turns south toward the Temple and a fate his followers will struggle to understand.
The Five Books of Jesus, James Goldberg’s lyrical novelization of Jesus’ ministry, tells the story of the gospels as Jesus' followers might have experienced it: without knowing what would happen next or how to make sense of events as they unfold.
It spreads next to Galilee, where some welcome Jesus as a disciple of John and others grow wary of his rising influence—fishermen are leaving their nets, tax collectors their offices, and students their masters to listen to this new saint.
After abandoning his nets, Andrew ties knots in the threads of his shirt to remember Jesus’ teachings. After escaping his slum, Judas waits for Jesus to call down the legions of angels who can end a broken world.
But just as Jesus’ movement in the north is gaining strength, he turns south toward the Temple and a fate his followers will struggle to understand.
The Five Books of Jesus, James Goldberg’s lyrical novelization of Jesus’ ministry, tells the story of the gospels as Jesus' followers might have experienced it: without knowing what would happen next or how to make sense of events as they unfold.
317 pages, Paperback
First published September 19, 2012
118 people are currently reading
512 people want to read
About the author
James Goldberg
23 books50 followersJames Goldberg’s family is Jewish on one side, Sikh on the other, and Mormon in the middle. His plays, essays, and short stories have appeared in numerous publications, including Shofar, Drash, The Best of Mormonism: 2009, Sunstone, Dialogue, Prick of the Spindle, and Jattan Da Pracheen Ithas.
Goldberg works at the LDS Church History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. His wife, Nicole, teaches writing and runs literary contests with him. Together, they are raising three fascinating children.
Goldberg works at the LDS Church History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. His wife, Nicole, teaches writing and runs literary contests with him. Together, they are raising three fascinating children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
June 6, 2020
This is one of those rare, amazing books that I would recommend to anyone, that makes me want to buy a stack of copies so I can give one to everyone I know as a Christmas present. I want to interrupt people I see reading other works and say, "That may be really good, but I guarantee this will be better."
I like this description of the book from a review by author Janci Patterson:
"I know what you’re thinking: Oh, no. Not a book about Jesus. But let me tell you, this is not a religious screed, or a didactic affirmation of faith, or a blasphemous romp, or a Mormon rewriting of scripture to fit established doctrine. It’s a literary exploration of the Gospels, weaving together old testament symbolism and prophecy with fictional character interpretations. It’s gorgeous, largely because James is the kind of writer who can pull off the improbable. I don’t like religious fiction as a rule, but I love this book."
The prose of this book is so beautiful it often reads as poetry. Unlike many novels I would label "literary" there is no pretentiousness and none of the barriers that often make me put down a book 50 pages in. I think the reason is the whole point is to explore these famous figures (Jesus, Mary of Magdala, Judas) as actual characters, actual people. We see their motivations and their challenges, and the plot gives context and moving stories to the teachings and parables that we often look at as discrete episodes in the Gospels.
If you are a "believer" in Jesus then you should read this book--it will make you want to go back to the gospels and rediscover Christ's teachings with fresh eyes. But I also think that if you view Christ as a historical figure you will have a great experience with this book, because it's just one of those amazingly written stories that is why I'm glad I love to read.
I like this description of the book from a review by author Janci Patterson:
"I know what you’re thinking: Oh, no. Not a book about Jesus. But let me tell you, this is not a religious screed, or a didactic affirmation of faith, or a blasphemous romp, or a Mormon rewriting of scripture to fit established doctrine. It’s a literary exploration of the Gospels, weaving together old testament symbolism and prophecy with fictional character interpretations. It’s gorgeous, largely because James is the kind of writer who can pull off the improbable. I don’t like religious fiction as a rule, but I love this book."
The prose of this book is so beautiful it often reads as poetry. Unlike many novels I would label "literary" there is no pretentiousness and none of the barriers that often make me put down a book 50 pages in. I think the reason is the whole point is to explore these famous figures (Jesus, Mary of Magdala, Judas) as actual characters, actual people. We see their motivations and their challenges, and the plot gives context and moving stories to the teachings and parables that we often look at as discrete episodes in the Gospels.
If you are a "believer" in Jesus then you should read this book--it will make you want to go back to the gospels and rediscover Christ's teachings with fresh eyes. But I also think that if you view Christ as a historical figure you will have a great experience with this book, because it's just one of those amazingly written stories that is why I'm glad I love to read.
July 13, 2018
I recently moved back in with my in-laws to finish up the last year of my graduate degree, and a move typically also results in a new ward. After a few shared gospel doctrine classes and post-block discussions, I struck up a friendship with an insightful and well-read brother. We have many of the same literary interests, especially regarding faith: Mormon history and doctrine, Christian literature, and philosophy. My friend, Dan, lent me a copy of The Five Books of Jesus that he had recently finished and highly recommended, and I gladly accepted. He commented that his favorite aspect of the book was the character development of the apostles, particularly Peter and Judas.
This book is beautiful. Goldberg's prose is poetry. It takes you out of the interpretive ruts that Mormons (and Christians in general) get into when reading the New Testament, and returns the setting to its Eastern Jewish roots. This is a re-telling of life of Jesus of Nazareth. Like Rob Gardener's choral masterpiece The Lamb of God, it makes the Christian story personal by viewing the narrative through the eyes of the disciples.
The book seems to follow mostly the gospel of Matthew. The story picks up at the baptism of Jesus by John, excluding the story of his birth, and it leaves out the the details after his resurrection-- details that Luke adds in (and Luke makes a short appearance at the end here too). Many scenes from the Bible are re-imagined, while staying true to the original text of the Bible. This is done through inclusion of context: culture, ritual, and history with which Goldberg must be very familiar. Goldberg's author blurb on the cover says "Goldberg's family is Jewish on one side, Sikh on the other, and Mormon in the middle." The author adds a lot to a familiar story. Growing up Mormon, my default narrative of Christ's life was built from The Living Scriptures videos and Simon Dewey paintings. While these also add to my worship, I am grateful to artists who help break the familiar and help me rediscover the majesty and awe of the gospel.
Take, for example, his re-telling of the institution of the sacrament. When Mormons read this story (at least speaking for myself), we immediately contextualize it with regards to the familiar weekly ritual that takes place in every Mormon chapel. Some may even imagine that Jesus used the same sacrament prayers we have today from the Doctrine and Covenants, but the true story was just lost in translation during the apostasy. Goldberg reminds us that Jesus instituted the sacrament in context of the Passover, and we get glimpse of what it was like to spend Passover night in Jerusalem 2000 years ago.
Christ's parables are also reinterpreted with context, with beautiful doctrinal implications that a modern reader may not pick up on by themselves while reading the scriptures. I like how the story of the talents brings out the difference between a living, daring faith, and a cautious faith that eventually shrivels and dies. Pardon the long quote:
This one is about a talented merchant who's already made more money than an ordinary man can make in five lifetimes. One day, with very little warning, the merchant is called away to a far country and doesn't know when he'll be able to come back. He calls three of his most devoted servants together and entrusts them with most of his wealth: the first servant is given twice his own weight in silver, the second his weight in silver, and the third half his weight in silver. He gives them use of his name and house in his absence, and he tells them to remember him and to prepare for his return.
The first and second servants immediately go to work, investing carefully, trading on their master's behalf. As time passes, they throw themselves into their labors with a growing abandon-- after all, each new contract is another chance to hear people speak their absent master's name. Some of their ventures fail, and it devastates them. Most succeed, and the value and scale of their operations grow.
Though the third servant has been no less devoted to the master, he's more cautious than the other two. He worries that if he invests in a certain kind of good, its price may fall before he can sell it. He worries than if he buys a farm, there won't be enough rain, and that if he buys a fishing boat it might sink in the storm. He doesn't want to disappoint his master, or for men to speak ill of his master on his account, so he stops speaking of, or acting for, his master at all. Before long, he begins to worry that thieves might come for the money-- so one night, when he's sure no one is watching, he buries it deep in the ground.
Having buried the treasure, he returns to his life of routine struggles. He cleans the master's house, though it's used so little these days there's not much to worry about. He cooks meals, though often only for himself since the master, and usually also his fellow-servants, are gone. Still, the rhythms comfort him. Gradually, they surpass his memory of devotion and he stops thinking of his master's eventual return. It proves more enticing just to survive than to wait, and his memory begins to blur until it seems as if at any moment he may forget the man he once waited for.
Trees the first servant planted mature; grapes the second servant trampled develop into old wine. Then one spring while the breeze pours color into the waiting blossoms, their master returns.
Only the truly faithful, says Jesus, will be able to understand how the first two servants felt when they again saw their master's face. Only the truly faithful will understand how their hearts beat as they ran to greet him, how right the tears of long-delayed reunion felt on their cheeks.
And only the truly faithful will be ready for the question their master asked: what have you done in my name?
The first two show him their ledgers, explain how they've each doubled what they were given, and now it's their master who cries tears of joy. "Well done, my servants!" he says, and then he tells them of his own incredible success, beyond anything they could have imagined. The three of them laugh together, and the master says, "I left you with a few things; I've returned with many things. Then you were my servants; be rulers now in the house of your Lord!"
In the next room, the third servant waits. The voice he once knew so well sounds rough and weathered to him. When the master comes looking for him, his face seems like a stranger's.
What about you? says the master. What have you done in my name?
I knew you were strict, says the third servant. I knew you reap rewards of work that wasn't your own, and I was afraid you'd expect more from me than I can give. So I buried the silver in the ground. I'll go dig it up for you now and return it: to tell the truth, it will be a great relief to have it out of my hands.
"Well said," says the master, "your hands are worthless! If you felt I was too strict, why did you accept the silver when I left? If you knew I reap the rewards of work that wasn't my own, why didn't you take the money to lenders at a bank for interest?"
The servant doesn't answer. He'd forgotten the devotion that once made him afraid to disappoint his master.
And in his silence, the master can tell his servant's devotion is gone. "I don't want to reap the rewards of others' work," says the master, "but I thought you were my own. If you no longer are, leave the silver and take your freedom. You no longer belong to my house."
So the servant leaves a free man, released from the ties that once brought him great joy. That very night, he was out of the master's house into the darkness, and he never comes back.
I don't want to spoil anything for would-be readers, but I will give a heads-up that there is a neat twist on the betrayal of Judas. Judas's betrayal fascinates Mormons and Christians. You are bound to get some comment on the eternal state of Judas in a Sunday School lesson. I also recall Holden Caulfield's opinion of Judas in Catcher in the Rye ("I think any one of the Disciples would've sent him to Hell and all—and fast, too—but I'll bet anything Jesus didn't do it."). And other sources, such as the Gnostic gospel of Judas, posit that Judas didn't really betray Judas, but was carrying out Christ's bidding. The interpretation here is more subtle than that, but it involves the immediacy many of the disciples felt for the coming Messiah and deliverance from foreign oppressors-- another element that many modern readers may be aware of, but isn't present enough to register when reading the gospels.
I'd recommend adding this one to your list, especially if you have been feeling a bit blase about your scripture reading recently.
This book is beautiful. Goldberg's prose is poetry. It takes you out of the interpretive ruts that Mormons (and Christians in general) get into when reading the New Testament, and returns the setting to its Eastern Jewish roots. This is a re-telling of life of Jesus of Nazareth. Like Rob Gardener's choral masterpiece The Lamb of God, it makes the Christian story personal by viewing the narrative through the eyes of the disciples.
The book seems to follow mostly the gospel of Matthew. The story picks up at the baptism of Jesus by John, excluding the story of his birth, and it leaves out the the details after his resurrection-- details that Luke adds in (and Luke makes a short appearance at the end here too). Many scenes from the Bible are re-imagined, while staying true to the original text of the Bible. This is done through inclusion of context: culture, ritual, and history with which Goldberg must be very familiar. Goldberg's author blurb on the cover says "Goldberg's family is Jewish on one side, Sikh on the other, and Mormon in the middle." The author adds a lot to a familiar story. Growing up Mormon, my default narrative of Christ's life was built from The Living Scriptures videos and Simon Dewey paintings. While these also add to my worship, I am grateful to artists who help break the familiar and help me rediscover the majesty and awe of the gospel.
Take, for example, his re-telling of the institution of the sacrament. When Mormons read this story (at least speaking for myself), we immediately contextualize it with regards to the familiar weekly ritual that takes place in every Mormon chapel. Some may even imagine that Jesus used the same sacrament prayers we have today from the Doctrine and Covenants, but the true story was just lost in translation during the apostasy. Goldberg reminds us that Jesus instituted the sacrament in context of the Passover, and we get glimpse of what it was like to spend Passover night in Jerusalem 2000 years ago.
Christ's parables are also reinterpreted with context, with beautiful doctrinal implications that a modern reader may not pick up on by themselves while reading the scriptures. I like how the story of the talents brings out the difference between a living, daring faith, and a cautious faith that eventually shrivels and dies. Pardon the long quote:
This one is about a talented merchant who's already made more money than an ordinary man can make in five lifetimes. One day, with very little warning, the merchant is called away to a far country and doesn't know when he'll be able to come back. He calls three of his most devoted servants together and entrusts them with most of his wealth: the first servant is given twice his own weight in silver, the second his weight in silver, and the third half his weight in silver. He gives them use of his name and house in his absence, and he tells them to remember him and to prepare for his return.
The first and second servants immediately go to work, investing carefully, trading on their master's behalf. As time passes, they throw themselves into their labors with a growing abandon-- after all, each new contract is another chance to hear people speak their absent master's name. Some of their ventures fail, and it devastates them. Most succeed, and the value and scale of their operations grow.
Though the third servant has been no less devoted to the master, he's more cautious than the other two. He worries that if he invests in a certain kind of good, its price may fall before he can sell it. He worries than if he buys a farm, there won't be enough rain, and that if he buys a fishing boat it might sink in the storm. He doesn't want to disappoint his master, or for men to speak ill of his master on his account, so he stops speaking of, or acting for, his master at all. Before long, he begins to worry that thieves might come for the money-- so one night, when he's sure no one is watching, he buries it deep in the ground.
Having buried the treasure, he returns to his life of routine struggles. He cleans the master's house, though it's used so little these days there's not much to worry about. He cooks meals, though often only for himself since the master, and usually also his fellow-servants, are gone. Still, the rhythms comfort him. Gradually, they surpass his memory of devotion and he stops thinking of his master's eventual return. It proves more enticing just to survive than to wait, and his memory begins to blur until it seems as if at any moment he may forget the man he once waited for.
Trees the first servant planted mature; grapes the second servant trampled develop into old wine. Then one spring while the breeze pours color into the waiting blossoms, their master returns.
Only the truly faithful, says Jesus, will be able to understand how the first two servants felt when they again saw their master's face. Only the truly faithful will understand how their hearts beat as they ran to greet him, how right the tears of long-delayed reunion felt on their cheeks.
And only the truly faithful will be ready for the question their master asked: what have you done in my name?
The first two show him their ledgers, explain how they've each doubled what they were given, and now it's their master who cries tears of joy. "Well done, my servants!" he says, and then he tells them of his own incredible success, beyond anything they could have imagined. The three of them laugh together, and the master says, "I left you with a few things; I've returned with many things. Then you were my servants; be rulers now in the house of your Lord!"
In the next room, the third servant waits. The voice he once knew so well sounds rough and weathered to him. When the master comes looking for him, his face seems like a stranger's.
What about you? says the master. What have you done in my name?
I knew you were strict, says the third servant. I knew you reap rewards of work that wasn't your own, and I was afraid you'd expect more from me than I can give. So I buried the silver in the ground. I'll go dig it up for you now and return it: to tell the truth, it will be a great relief to have it out of my hands.
"Well said," says the master, "your hands are worthless! If you felt I was too strict, why did you accept the silver when I left? If you knew I reap the rewards of work that wasn't my own, why didn't you take the money to lenders at a bank for interest?"
The servant doesn't answer. He'd forgotten the devotion that once made him afraid to disappoint his master.
And in his silence, the master can tell his servant's devotion is gone. "I don't want to reap the rewards of others' work," says the master, "but I thought you were my own. If you no longer are, leave the silver and take your freedom. You no longer belong to my house."
So the servant leaves a free man, released from the ties that once brought him great joy. That very night, he was out of the master's house into the darkness, and he never comes back.
I don't want to spoil anything for would-be readers, but I will give a heads-up that there is a neat twist on the betrayal of Judas. Judas's betrayal fascinates Mormons and Christians. You are bound to get some comment on the eternal state of Judas in a Sunday School lesson. I also recall Holden Caulfield's opinion of Judas in Catcher in the Rye ("I think any one of the Disciples would've sent him to Hell and all—and fast, too—but I'll bet anything Jesus didn't do it."). And other sources, such as the Gnostic gospel of Judas, posit that Judas didn't really betray Judas, but was carrying out Christ's bidding. The interpretation here is more subtle than that, but it involves the immediacy many of the disciples felt for the coming Messiah and deliverance from foreign oppressors-- another element that many modern readers may be aware of, but isn't present enough to register when reading the gospels.
I'd recommend adding this one to your list, especially if you have been feeling a bit blase about your scripture reading recently.
May 12, 2014
Written by a Jewish convert to Mormonism, this is a...novelization? of the life of Jesus, based on the gospels. It's innovative, a little bit mystical, and seems relatively faithful to the milieu it's trying to represent. (I'm no expert on first-century Jewish culture, though.) It contains a lot of interesting ideas and makes new connections. For instance: I never thought about the various anointings of Jesus in the gospels as representing the anointing of a king, but Goldberg makes this idea as explicit as possible, and adds an interesting feminist edge by pointing out that the women anoint him to be king. Maybe that idea is old hat, but discovering it in this literary form was a better experience than simply reading about it in a commentary.
January 9, 2017
Ugh, I am sooo disappointed!!! Few writers are willing to take a stab at writing a novel of Jesus' life, and man, I look for those books! But as with A.D. 30, I found this one disappointing from the start. The writing is craft-smart and so beautiful--as I started to read, I got excited, thinking, oh yes!!! I'm really going to enjoy this one!
And then, when Jesus comes to John for baptism, John asks Him, "Are you the one?" and Jesus (in this novel) says, "I think so". And I'm like what?????!!!!! Jesus wouldn't have doubted that!!!!! The baptism of Jesus was all wrong...in the Biblical accounts, the heavens opened. This story has the sky and sun appearing big. Then a bird swoops down near the water. Um, the Bible says the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove and remained on Him.
Ever had a book you had such high expectations for, that the let down nearly ruined your day? That. And when I browsed the reviews (something I should have done before downloading), I noticed one person said that Jesus' forgiveness of his enemies while they crucified Him was also removed from the story. Not okay!
And then, when Jesus comes to John for baptism, John asks Him, "Are you the one?" and Jesus (in this novel) says, "I think so". And I'm like what?????!!!!! Jesus wouldn't have doubted that!!!!! The baptism of Jesus was all wrong...in the Biblical accounts, the heavens opened. This story has the sky and sun appearing big. Then a bird swoops down near the water. Um, the Bible says the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove and remained on Him.
Ever had a book you had such high expectations for, that the let down nearly ruined your day? That. And when I browsed the reviews (something I should have done before downloading), I noticed one person said that Jesus' forgiveness of his enemies while they crucified Him was also removed from the story. Not okay!
August 15, 2020
My favorite elements, on this first read-through:
1. The grounding in everyday life and its economics.
2. The retellings of the parables.
3. The interpretation of Judas as a despairing apocalyptic. It's wrenching.
1. The grounding in everyday life and its economics.
2. The retellings of the parables.
3. The interpretation of Judas as a despairing apocalyptic. It's wrenching.
November 12, 2012
Full disclosure: I am the author's mother. However, that makes it even more amazing to me--how could this person I know come up with such a lyrical and thought-provoking book? (I've had some indications along the way--basically all my children amaze me most of the time.)
This book is a retelling of the gospels from the apostles' or ordinary citizens' point of view. You'll be agreeing with someone's viewpoint on life and then realizing--wait, that's the Pharisees talking. You feel the dust in your face, and the effort of walking from town to town to town. You feel the mounting fear that things are going to end badly. You feel the growing love for this strange and wonderful man who is somehow more than a man, and for your fellow disciples.
And you will cry. And then feel hope, for the entire world.
This book is a retelling of the gospels from the apostles' or ordinary citizens' point of view. You'll be agreeing with someone's viewpoint on life and then realizing--wait, that's the Pharisees talking. You feel the dust in your face, and the effort of walking from town to town to town. You feel the mounting fear that things are going to end badly. You feel the growing love for this strange and wonderful man who is somehow more than a man, and for your fellow disciples.
And you will cry. And then feel hope, for the entire world.
October 26, 2020
This is really a remarkable experience to read. Everything comes to life in the story of Jesus and new and original insights emerge at every turn. It’s a bold and unusual strategy to make a well worn story new without changing the fundamental story line.
March 27, 2020
This poetic novel tells the story of Jesus. This would be a challenging task to take on, but Goldberg's lyrical writing and unique perspective add a beautiful dimension to the new testament story. I liked the personal element he brought to many of the characters that interacted with the Savior, both through descriptions and dialogue. Again, this is a novel, so he takes some interesting and thought-provoking creative liberties, that made for a beautiful read.
--"And all at once, the sky is bigger and the sun is brighter and there's no room left in this moment for doubt."
--"And he touches them and blesses them and talks with everyone as he heals, so that it's not just the old man with fading vision but also the healthy granddaughter he leans on who comes away seeing the world anew."
--"But he never seems to answer their straight questions in straightforward ways, always seems to steer conversations sideways or upside-down instead..."
--"And whenever he looks at them, it's like cool sweet water because the first miracle is that they feel for the first time in so long that they are understood. That he knows the shapes of the scars on their hearts, that they don't have to excuse themselves for having come."
--"'We don't know everything,' says James. 'We just know what it feels like to follow him, and that's enough.'"
--"And as Jesus prays, they feel God so close it's almost as if they can see Him."
--"What’s harder: for a good Jew to believe that a living man is somehow also a God, or for the man who makes that leap in belief to hear his God is going to die?"
--"'Because there are things more important than staying alive,' says Jesus, and he starts to walk away."
--"John basks in the warmth of Jesus, who is like all the light in the whole world. Jesus is like the sun and the moon and the stars, and the hearth on a rainy night."
--"And all at once, the sky is bigger and the sun is brighter and there's no room left in this moment for doubt."
--"And he touches them and blesses them and talks with everyone as he heals, so that it's not just the old man with fading vision but also the healthy granddaughter he leans on who comes away seeing the world anew."
--"But he never seems to answer their straight questions in straightforward ways, always seems to steer conversations sideways or upside-down instead..."
--"And whenever he looks at them, it's like cool sweet water because the first miracle is that they feel for the first time in so long that they are understood. That he knows the shapes of the scars on their hearts, that they don't have to excuse themselves for having come."
--"'We don't know everything,' says James. 'We just know what it feels like to follow him, and that's enough.'"
--"And as Jesus prays, they feel God so close it's almost as if they can see Him."
--"What’s harder: for a good Jew to believe that a living man is somehow also a God, or for the man who makes that leap in belief to hear his God is going to die?"
--"'Because there are things more important than staying alive,' says Jesus, and he starts to walk away."
--"John basks in the warmth of Jesus, who is like all the light in the whole world. Jesus is like the sun and the moon and the stars, and the hearth on a rainy night."
June 22, 2023
This was both exactly what I wanted and not at all what I was expecting.
I've always wanted to read a great one volume novelization of the life of Jesus. You'd think there would be plenty, but just as The Chosen is the first multi-season TV show about Jesus, this is a niche that's been left oddly empty. I tried reading Gerald Lund's "Kingdom and the Crown" series, but (sorry LDS friends) Lund just isn't a great writer. He's average. His books are average.
Goldberg, however, writes beautifully, and I was frequently surprised by his nuance and insight. His artistic approach here reminded me of Kahlil Gibran's "Jesus, the Son of Man." But the biggest association is with the aforementioned Chosen show, which started years after "The Five Books of Jesus" came out. They both give much more attention to the women in the story. They both offer glimpses into the minds and hearts of His followers (while His humanity is open, His own psyche is relatively obscure). They both flesh out the story by filling in narrative gaps in the gospels with thoughtful ideas.
This is where Goldberg really shines for me--this is clearly the work of someone who has pondered these texts lovingly and respectfully for a long time. Example: early on, he has Jesus giving the Beatitudes with thoughts interspersed with text from Isaiah 61:1, a connection I'd never noticed before. Very clever. And his retelling and rephrasing of parables is top notch stuff. This is an extremely readable account.
Did I get a lot of warm fuzzies and misty eyes here? No, because Goldberg isn't looking to manipulate readers emotionally. This isn't a Hallmark Christmas movie. It's literature, and it's really great work. I'd recommend this excellent novel to anybody!
I've always wanted to read a great one volume novelization of the life of Jesus. You'd think there would be plenty, but just as The Chosen is the first multi-season TV show about Jesus, this is a niche that's been left oddly empty. I tried reading Gerald Lund's "Kingdom and the Crown" series, but (sorry LDS friends) Lund just isn't a great writer. He's average. His books are average.
Goldberg, however, writes beautifully, and I was frequently surprised by his nuance and insight. His artistic approach here reminded me of Kahlil Gibran's "Jesus, the Son of Man." But the biggest association is with the aforementioned Chosen show, which started years after "The Five Books of Jesus" came out. They both give much more attention to the women in the story. They both offer glimpses into the minds and hearts of His followers (while His humanity is open, His own psyche is relatively obscure). They both flesh out the story by filling in narrative gaps in the gospels with thoughtful ideas.
This is where Goldberg really shines for me--this is clearly the work of someone who has pondered these texts lovingly and respectfully for a long time. Example: early on, he has Jesus giving the Beatitudes with thoughts interspersed with text from Isaiah 61:1, a connection I'd never noticed before. Very clever. And his retelling and rephrasing of parables is top notch stuff. This is an extremely readable account.
Did I get a lot of warm fuzzies and misty eyes here? No, because Goldberg isn't looking to manipulate readers emotionally. This isn't a Hallmark Christmas movie. It's literature, and it's really great work. I'd recommend this excellent novel to anybody!
March 30, 2020
I was disappointed in this book. I liked the way the author pulled together all four of the Gospels and made the account of Jesus' life on earth into one continuous story, but I did not appreciate some of the liberties he took with the life of Jesus. Here are several things I noticed. Someone reported that the Jordan River parted for Jesus. That is never mentioned in the Bible, to my knowledge. Once Mary, the sister of Martha, spoke a prophecy. An angel told Judas, “We can't protect everyone.” James cut off a man's ear at Jesus' arrest—that was actually Peter, according to the Bible. When Jesus was scourged before His crucifixion, someone reported that He screamed, and again when He was being nailed to the cross, He is said to have cried out in pain. According to Isaiah 53, He was to be silent. Because of these things, I cannot recommend this book.
May 27, 2018
This was an unexpectedly lyrical, novelistic account of the ministry of Jesus, told from the perspective of his disciples. The subject seems almost too large and amply covered for a project such as this to be successful (with plenty of opportunity for the work to fall flat on its face). Yet Goldberg is a deft writer who meets the challenge. The story unfolds as naturally as a novel, without didacticism--and I was struck anew by what compelling stories these events and parables are, perfectly suited for an expansive telling in literary form. Goldberg's original insights and characterizations were a pleasure to consider. He offers an interpretation of the gospels that remains rooted in the Biblical texts. At the same time, this is a literary work with elegant prose, nuanced characters, and a well-set pace which would be accessible and enjoyable to both believers and others alike.
May 17, 2023
4 1/2 stars. This book was absolutely wonderful - it fleshed out the lives/thoughts/motivations of the apostles during Jesus’ ministry. It’s fictional, but served to make the people in the gospels come alive and seem so human.
January 8, 2023
Touching and poignant. It evokes deep thought about the lives of the twelve disciples - what they gave up, how they interpreted what they saw, and why they stayed with Jesus. Insightful.
May 26, 2025
“The stories don’t mind shifting a little to fill the shapes of their listeners’ deepest needs.
“And I believe they’re all true. Because I’ve walked into the water, seen John’s shape carved across its surface. And that shape is a knife that still opens hearts, so that by the time you reach the water, you’re aching to give up all the wrongs you’ve ever done.
“And you tell Jesus: ‘I can’t go on this way.’
“And he says: ‘You don’t have to.’
“And you say: ‘But how?’
“And he shows you how to take the stories in your hand, and tear the pride of this world apart.”
A poetic and moving reimagining of the gospels told by a Mormon Punjabi Jew, a poet and playwright who is the grandson of the first Latter-day Saint convert from Sikhism. It felt to me like a second chance to encounter Jesus for the first time.
“And I believe they’re all true. Because I’ve walked into the water, seen John’s shape carved across its surface. And that shape is a knife that still opens hearts, so that by the time you reach the water, you’re aching to give up all the wrongs you’ve ever done.
“And you tell Jesus: ‘I can’t go on this way.’
“And he says: ‘You don’t have to.’
“And you say: ‘But how?’
“And he shows you how to take the stories in your hand, and tear the pride of this world apart.”
A poetic and moving reimagining of the gospels told by a Mormon Punjabi Jew, a poet and playwright who is the grandson of the first Latter-day Saint convert from Sikhism. It felt to me like a second chance to encounter Jesus for the first time.
April 13, 2013
Sometimes, when reading scriptures, I wonder what really happened. We have so little, and human relationships and situations are always more complex than they first seem. This book gives such a treatment to the New Testament. While I'm sure events didn't happen exactly as the author describes in this novelization, this seems like one plausible way things *could* have happened. Peter, Mary, Judas, and other characters feel much more real to me after reading this book. They also feel very *Jewish*, which is something that is very important to understand when reading the New Testament. The author not only has a Jewish background that helps with this, but he also has great compassion and understanding for all the characters, which helps them not only seem real but seem relatable.
Plus, my sister knows the author, so that's cool.
Plus, my sister knows the author, so that's cool.
March 17, 2013
I really enjoyed this novelization of the life of Jesus. I felt like I got to know the apostles a bit better and understood more about the motivations of the actors in Jesus's life. It also really humanized Jesus; for some reason reading the Bible makes everyone seem like a special Bible-person to me.
James is a colleague of mine from when I was studying for a Master's in English, so when I heard he had written a book I wanted to read it. The writing was mostly excellent. There were a few chapter-ending one-liners I wish had been eliminated. I loved how scriptures flowed into and out of conversations in the book. It inspires me to study the scriptures more.
James is a colleague of mine from when I was studying for a Master's in English, so when I heard he had written a book I wanted to read it. The writing was mostly excellent. There were a few chapter-ending one-liners I wish had been eliminated. I loved how scriptures flowed into and out of conversations in the book. It inspires me to study the scriptures more.
July 26, 2020
A fantastic, faithful, provocative, wonderful exploration of Jesus and his followers. Beautifully written and deeply scriptural in its engagement with ideas and themes drawn from throughout the scriptural canon. Presents a Jesus that is fully human and fully divine, one that I am entranced by and want to follow, but am also baffled by and uncertain of what is being asked of me.
I love the humanity extended to people throughout the story, on all sides of the Jesus-question, making a variety of decisions in relation to him and their own discipleship.
Love love love this. Might make it an annual read.
I love the humanity extended to people throughout the story, on all sides of the Jesus-question, making a variety of decisions in relation to him and their own discipleship.
Love love love this. Might make it an annual read.
October 23, 2015
Wow....the writing in this book is just beautiful. It's a novelization of the life of Jesus. It gave me a better understanding of His life. It really made me think and put me in the shoes of Jesus and all those who loved, followed and knew Him. The story gave a real voice to all those who came in contact with Him and made you feel what they may have felt and what they may have thought and maybe why things happened the way they did. It really made me think and gave me a deeper appreciation for His life and ultimate sacrifice.
December 30, 2013
This is the best literary treatment of the stories of Jesus I've ever read. Beautifully conceived and crafted. Goldberg's re-telling of the New Testament story of Jesus made me want to revisit the New Testament again. His is not the typical historical fiction approach. Goldberg retells extremely familiar stories in a different register so as to render them fresh and compelling again. He draws interesting connections from the texts I've never made before. Wonderful.
December 23, 2012
I was impressed by the nuance and creativity in this work. What more difficult task could there be for a writer than to take on a retelling of one of the best known and best loved stories of all time. Told with great humanity and boldness, The Five Books of Jesus will reward those who take a chance on a first time novelist.
May 20, 2018
Absolutely riveting. I intentionally slowed down my reading of the book so as to draw it out and savor each episode as much as possible. I’m a huge fan of how Goldberg envisions the inner workings of each disciple’s soul- Andrew, Peter, Judas in particular.
February 6, 2019
Wow. I doubt I will ever read the New Testament the same way again. Such a unique approach! This book basically boils down to Goldberg decided to write how the 4 gospels in the New Testament got the stories they have, but put it into a narrative fashion. So you have the miracles of Christ, but it isn't word for word like in the New Testament, it's with the understanding it is being seen through eyes of men who didn't truly know what they were witnessing until after Christ's death. So the wording is different, there is context to all the miracles, there is an on-going story line and progressions, you have added commentary from Christ and others with the lessons being taught, etc.
The additions help put the New Testament into a totally new light because it shows that the record we have is not necessarily a daily record with explanations by Christ after the fact. Instead, they are testaments of Christ via the memories of these 4 gospel writers after the fact. So of course, a lot of artistic liberties are taken, but they are taken so well! It's not to a point where it's changing the morals and principles being taught, but it adds so much more to the story of Jesus than what we are used to seeing. Changes like, why Judas betrayed Jesus, how and why Luke wrote about the nativity so much, how Christ approached His own Godhood, etc. Some absolutely beautiful writing.
The reason for 4 stars is partly because the last 50 pages was not as thorough as the rest of the book set you up to believe it would be. The artistic liberties are actually withheld for the atonement of Christ and other parts. It seems that the author infrequently purposely left the well known moments in Christ's mortal ministry without added artistic detail. But, I felt he could have taken a chance to let the art speak if it was because of concern for corrupting the truth of those moments. Should be more than 4 stars, but not quite 5 stars.
Regardless, I highly recommend reading this book. A fabulous interpretation of the events of Jesus' life.
The additions help put the New Testament into a totally new light because it shows that the record we have is not necessarily a daily record with explanations by Christ after the fact. Instead, they are testaments of Christ via the memories of these 4 gospel writers after the fact. So of course, a lot of artistic liberties are taken, but they are taken so well! It's not to a point where it's changing the morals and principles being taught, but it adds so much more to the story of Jesus than what we are used to seeing. Changes like, why Judas betrayed Jesus, how and why Luke wrote about the nativity so much, how Christ approached His own Godhood, etc. Some absolutely beautiful writing.
The reason for 4 stars is partly because the last 50 pages was not as thorough as the rest of the book set you up to believe it would be. The artistic liberties are actually withheld for the atonement of Christ and other parts. It seems that the author infrequently purposely left the well known moments in Christ's mortal ministry without added artistic detail. But, I felt he could have taken a chance to let the art speak if it was because of concern for corrupting the truth of those moments. Should be more than 4 stars, but not quite 5 stars.
Regardless, I highly recommend reading this book. A fabulous interpretation of the events of Jesus' life.
February 15, 2023
My second reading of the book and I still love it SO much. It's lyrical and lovely. You can tell the author is a poet. Its setting is accurate (as far as I can tell). The stories are human and real and consistent with the New Testament. It is fiction but it's fiction that makes sense.
A quote from the end of the book: "They keep telling the story: from land to land, language to language, generation to generation. The stories change as they travel: people remember the Passover matzah as loaves of their own leavened bread, Mary's son's spring birth gets moved to winter. But the heart stays strong even in such mistakes: it's the darkest time of year when the people of the north celebrate the coming of the Light. The stories don't mind shifting a little to fill the shapes of their listeners' deepest needs. And I believe they're all true. ... Because I've walked into the water, seen John's shape carved across its surface. And that shape is a knife that still opens hearts ..."
Now I want to read it again.
A quote from the end of the book: "They keep telling the story: from land to land, language to language, generation to generation. The stories change as they travel: people remember the Passover matzah as loaves of their own leavened bread, Mary's son's spring birth gets moved to winter. But the heart stays strong even in such mistakes: it's the darkest time of year when the people of the north celebrate the coming of the Light. The stories don't mind shifting a little to fill the shapes of their listeners' deepest needs. And I believe they're all true. ... Because I've walked into the water, seen John's shape carved across its surface. And that shape is a knife that still opens hearts ..."
Now I want to read it again.
March 1, 2020
This was a fascinating read. Goldberg takes the Gospels and weaves them into an interesting narrative where the apostles, disciples, and some critical women have some depth to them. It was a bit meandering, but that is countered with insights of imagining what was going through the minds of those that were there.
I thought his take on Judas was especially intriguing. In the book Judas is portrayed as a type A kind of guy that makes sure all of the logistics work for Jesus in his ministry. Judas is haunted by the rape of his sister and sees her in his dreams. He wishes for justice and the Kingdom of God. He seems to be almost going mad waiting for Jesus to make it so and he ends up believing Him so much that he tries to accelerate the change by delivering him into the hands of the High Priest.
I also loved the ending. A short scene of Mary, mother of Jesus, being interviewed by Luke.
I thought his take on Judas was especially intriguing. In the book Judas is portrayed as a type A kind of guy that makes sure all of the logistics work for Jesus in his ministry. Judas is haunted by the rape of his sister and sees her in his dreams. He wishes for justice and the Kingdom of God. He seems to be almost going mad waiting for Jesus to make it so and he ends up believing Him so much that he tries to accelerate the change by delivering him into the hands of the High Priest.
I also loved the ending. A short scene of Mary, mother of Jesus, being interviewed by Luke.
May 14, 2021
Wow. This book makes me want to be a better person, which is among the highest praise I can offer. It offers a vision of Christ that meets me where I am.
It's sketched, but some of the insights and depictions are rather profound. (Take the woman with the 12 years' issue of blood, or Jesus' refusal to turn away anyone before the fish and loaves. I found myself weeping at the care and inclusion Jesus demonstrated, as Goldberg depicted.)
The book itself feels a little rough, as there were a number of typos or omitted words. The scenes also felt sketch-like; after all, it's the author's first novel, and at times it reads more like a script or a far-off daydream. Goldberg's previous work includes a play; that history is evident here. Additionally, it keeps some of the tone of the KJV, and I imagine, some of the tone of the NIV too, of the Bible.
It's sketched, but some of the insights and depictions are rather profound. (Take the woman with the 12 years' issue of blood, or Jesus' refusal to turn away anyone before the fish and loaves. I found myself weeping at the care and inclusion Jesus demonstrated, as Goldberg depicted.)
The book itself feels a little rough, as there were a number of typos or omitted words. The scenes also felt sketch-like; after all, it's the author's first novel, and at times it reads more like a script or a far-off daydream. Goldberg's previous work includes a play; that history is evident here. Additionally, it keeps some of the tone of the KJV, and I imagine, some of the tone of the NIV too, of the Bible.
January 22, 2023
I loved this book! It made all of the gospels so relatable and brought so much humanity to Jesus for me. It allowed the proper biblical gospels to become even more personable and powerful. I love how Jesus is depicted in this and also the special details given to Judas and the extension of forgiveness he also received. I love Jesus’ humor and what a friend He is in this book. Such a powerful, lovely read! I would highly recommend for any follower or non follower-however, be aware before you read that not everything is based 100% in Biblical truth-all of the teachings are, but the dialogue is not completely. However, this was still a great read!
November 11, 2020
The lower rating comes from my general distastes for scripture novels. I was hoping The Five Books of Jesus would be the exception, but alas, it wasn't. I just can't help from thinking, "Maybe, maybe not," to the little details authors insert to add dimension to characters or to flesh out stories. That said, I loved the way Goldberg describes the decision to be baptized, the risky prospect of believing a man claiming to be a prophet, and the pressing process from the perspective of the olive.
March 11, 2018
Loved it. Beautifully written. So carefully crafted! And oh my, what a bold undertaking to make such an attempt! Writing about Jesus without being overly attached to meeting the heavy expectations that each reader must inevitably bring to this story must have been so difficult! And to succeed at writing such a lyrical novel about what it might have been like for Jesus and his closest followers. Wow. Just wow. Can't recommend this one highly enough.
August 2, 2020
The Five Books of Jesus had been on my to-read list forever and I'm so glad it was waiting for me when we went into self isolation. It was beautiful and calming and inspiring and exactly what I needed in the midst of endless bad news. I loved and marked and have already quoted tons of passages, but I think my favorite thing about the book is the way Goldberg makes Jesus' parables feel like they must have felt when He told them: totally relatable and even funny stories, wrapping up truth.
April 29, 2020
Almost 5 stars. This was an excellent novelization of some of the stories of Jesus' life, told from the perspective of His disciples. The author's writing was nuanced, yet easy to read and understand. I was struck by the similarity between this book and the excellent series The Chosen. I highly recommend both!
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