The Life: A Portrait Of Jesus

by J. John, Chris Walley

A fresh â??one-stopâ? book on Jesus. Looking at the evidence for at what He did and at how He can affect our lives today. There is no denying the importa

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Religion

272 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2003

About the author

J.John, a Greek-Cypriot by birth. He is married to Killy and they have 3 sons, Michael, Simeon and Benjamin. He became a Christian in 1975 and has been described as refreshing, humorous, passionate, earthy, accessible and dynamic.

Reviews

[Becca Edney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this book on my shelf for years and have never prioritised reading it, which is a shame because it's good. It's a short and easy-to-follow guide to Christian belief and the life of Jesus which does a good job of laying out the significance of key events as well as arguments for and against his identity as the Messiah and his eventual resurrection.
I also really enjoyed the detailed look at Jesus' life viewing him as a real, living, friends-and-family-having person, who lived in a context. Oddly, the detail that jumped out at me most strongly was something very simple: I often wondered why Judas had to specifically pick Jesus out for arrest when everyone there had seen him around quite a lot at this point. John and Walley point out that there would have been very little moon around Passover and this was taking place in a garden; it was dark!
I recommend it for anyone who would just like to find out a bit more or get a slightly different angle.

[Samantha Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good for and against factual look at the Christian faith. A book I could turn to again for assistance in establishing exactly what I think about my faith

[HelenA33 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some excellent facts about the life of Jesus presented in a way that is not heavy.

[Treks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the physical size and quality of the pages. The book contains a lot of information and some great points about Jesus. My favourite chapters where "Power, Politics and Pressures" which gave fantastic context to the world Jesus lived in, and "The Trial and the Cross" which I coincidentally read over Lent in 2021.

Overall I found something 'off' about the writing style, which made it tough to read without getting distracted. But maybe that says more about me than the book! I'll still be keeping it on my reference shelf, for sure.

[S.C. Skillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far - up to page 80 - I'm finding this a fascinating overview of the Jewish story - not only does it give me new insights into the messy political and religious situation Jesus was born into, but also helps me to better understand the turbulence in the Middle East today. Excellent book up to this point - I expect to be giving it 5 stars.

And now I have finished it... J.John surveys the life of Jesus in a very clear and informative book, setting Jesus against his Jewish background, and focussing on specific areas, social, religious and political. J.John is particularly good when he examines the Resurrection. He gives the most comprehensive and up-to-date list of alternative explanations for the Resurrection that I have yet come across in any book. He addresses each one with integrity, penetration and insight, as well as humour when it is appropriate. A compelling account of Jeus which demonstrates why he remains the most challenging figure in history, and why you cannot 'just close the book on Jesus'.

[Phil Ansell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whilst I found this book fairly informative I simply didn't find it inspiring.
The major problem I had with it was that, although clearly the author is a deeply educated man and knew what he was talking about, there were a number of times when he stated things as if they were just cold facts, when actually I thought some of the points he made were debatable and I personally didn't agree with them. He didn't seem to leave room in his analysis of Jesus and His life for debate or discussion, it felt like I was being told "this is how it is, end of discussion" and when analysing an issue like Jesus there has to be some room for interpretation and discussion. I mean we get most of the information we have from the New Testament which itself is interpreted in different ways, with issues in it still causing contention and debate throughout the Church.

As a Christian I just didn't get out of this book what I thought I would.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a unique book!!
It is one of the best presentaion of apologetics I have ever seen.
It is a clear and comprehensive gospel message.
It is deeply devotional
Simple, yet profound

All in one book!!!!!! (sadly put of print)

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very methodical, logical, and concise view of the life of Jesus. Some elements of this book helped me to view a few things differently; in one case the authors had conducted a study I wished to do, which was useful. In short, a definitely beneficial addition to my bookshelves.