From loaves and fishes to raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus Christ performed countless miracles during His mortal life. Whether you are a student or teacher of the gospel, you'll enjoy Alonzo Gaskill's compilation of the history and symbolism behind each miracle. With deeper understanding of the New Testament, you'll find a more profound testimony of the Savior's role in your life.
An interesting book that reviews the miracles of the New Testament and draws from many different scholarly and theological sources to explore the many potential symbolic meanings and applications of the various elements of each miracle. This book was thought provoking and caused me think about many of the miracles of the New Testament in a very different way than I had ever thought about them before. It was a generally inspiring and uplifting book, and I learned some good things. This book was a worthwhile addition to my study of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I had Professor Gaskill for a class on world religions at BYU, and he was amazing. That being said, this book wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. It was informative and had nice insights, but nothing new or groundbreaking. If I were to recommend it it would be as a study guide to read with your New Testament study, rather than just a book to read straight through like I did.
The symbolic connections become largely repetitive, and Gaskill seems to rely heavily on only a couple of sources for his symbolic interpretations, but still instructive and illuminating.
It took me nearly a year to read this book. It captivated me at the first and ending, but I had trouble staying connected in the middle of the book. All of Gaskill's books are well researched, and have a lot to offer those who enjoy reading footnotes. I might have been more motivated to stick with the book had I also been studying the New Testament simultaneously. As I read, I did, occasionally think, "Wait. I don't remember reading that in the New Testament." Which indicates this book enlightened my understanding of a book I thought I knew. Gaskill often asks pointed and stimulating questions at the end of each chapter. The purpose of the book is greater than detailing the miracles of the New Testament. It invites us to see ourselves in the miracles and consider the our own need of spiritual healing.
I have usually enjoyed gaskill.... This was no different. I enjoyed reading it and the layout. It is an okay reading through but I would read it with your scriptures to really get the full effect of the miracles (he just paraphrases each of them.). And it would be a fairly good resource to have on the shelf for lesson prep or for your questions as you read through the New Testament. Not a must read - but interesting at time. Nothing monumental