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Jesus Unbound: Liberating the Word of God from the Bible
What if the Bible actually keeps us from hearing the Word of God? For many Christians, the Bible is the only way to know anything about God. But according to that same Bible, everyone can know God directly through an actual relationship with Jesus. Jesus Unbound is an urgent call for the followers of Jesus to know Him intimately because the Gospel is not mere information about God, but a transformational experience with a Christ who is closer to us than our own heartbeat.
224 pages, Paperback
Published June 5, 2018
136 people are currently reading
243 people want to read
About the author
Keith Giles
66 books96 followersKeith Giles is the author of 5 books including his latest, "This Is My Body:Ekklesia as God Intended" which explores God's design for His Church according to the scriptures. The free e-book version has been downloaded by over 3,000 people.
He is the former Director of Sales and Distribution for Vineyard Music Group and formerly Marketing Coordinator for Soul Survivor USA. He has been writing articles on the Christian subculture, the house church movement, spiritual formation, compassion ministry and the Kingdom of God for over 20 years now.
His articles have appeared in over a dozen print and online magazines over the last 20 years, including Relevant, 7 Ball, Channel Advisor, Fuse, CCM, Worship Musician Magazine, WorshipMusic.com and theOoze.com.
Keith and his wife Wendy and their two sons are part of a house church community called “The Mission” in Orange, California. They planted this church in their home in 2006 in order to share 100 percent of the offering to help the poor in their community.
Feel free to visit him online at http://www.KeithGiles.com.
He is the former Director of Sales and Distribution for Vineyard Music Group and formerly Marketing Coordinator for Soul Survivor USA. He has been writing articles on the Christian subculture, the house church movement, spiritual formation, compassion ministry and the Kingdom of God for over 20 years now.
His articles have appeared in over a dozen print and online magazines over the last 20 years, including Relevant, 7 Ball, Channel Advisor, Fuse, CCM, Worship Musician Magazine, WorshipMusic.com and theOoze.com.
Keith and his wife Wendy and their two sons are part of a house church community called “The Mission” in Orange, California. They planted this church in their home in 2006 in order to share 100 percent of the offering to help the poor in their community.
Feel free to visit him online at http://www.KeithGiles.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
July 13, 2018
Incredibly disappointing
I would like to start this review by stating two different things. One, I don’t read books based on whether I like the message or not, or whether I agree with the message or not. As a priest, I read a great many things and I both agree and disagree with, to keep an open mind, and to broaden my own horizons. What I look for is whether a book is well-written, presents a cogent viewpoint, argues a compelling case, etc. Two, I was looking forward to this book, especially after the glowing review of Brian Zahnd, several of whose works I have read and thoroughly enjoyed.
The basic problem I have with this book is that it is nothing but opinion. We are told over and over and over that the faith is bigger than the Bible, to turn to Jesus, that we don’t need religion, that we don’t need teachers, that we can be led by the Spirit, etc. Yet, it is convenient that being “led by the spirit” seems to magically turn out to be the viewpoints of progressive Christianity. No real substance or argumentation is given to show why progressive Christianity is more or less correct then fundamentalism, or standard Christian orthodoxy. Instead, we are simply told to trust the guiding of the Spirit. But what is the spirit tells me something different than what it told Keith Giles? Which of us is correct, and how would you even know where proof which was correct, or if both were wrong?
I have argued for a long time that there are only two possibilities, at least logical possibilities, within Christianity. One is that we have an institutional church going back to the very beginning that truly has authority as the body of Christ both to determine what should be considered the word of God in written form and how to interpret said written word of God. The second option is that we simply don’t know for sure what church or churches are more or less correct, and we are left with relativism and individualism, we all do the best we can with the information, training, and intellect that we have.
In this book, Keith Giles have done what Protestants especially are prone to do. He writes a book that complains about the issues of authority, even while he set some stuff up as an authority. He said that the Bible can’t be trusted in many ways because it feels contradictions, but he seems to magically know which parts can be trusted and are true. He says we have to be guided by the spirit, and he magically knows what interpretations are or are not Holy Spirit guided ones. In other words, he is his own personal pope.
He also employs Internet – level argumentation that even a simple google search can answer. For example, he finds a contradiction in Jehu being told to kill the king of Israel (2 Kings 9:7-8), something he is later judged for and even punished for (Hosea 1:4). Clear contradiction, says Giles. Except that we are told exactly why Jehu is judge in 2 Kings 10:29-31--he, like Ahab, like every king of the Northern Kingdom, followed in the sins of Jeroboam. In fact, twice in this same passage we are stated that Jehu proved to be exactly like the man that he killed. There is therefore no contradiction, I just had to be familiar enough with both the Bible and google to check and verify that this claim was off.
He attempts to deal with huge social issues, from the role of women in church to the acceptability of LGBTQ issues in a few pages, again with Internet-level, sloppy argumentation. His claims about Paul speaking to a single woman in Ephesus instead of women in general, for example, is based on conjecture and theorizing, and, considering Paul is talking to women plural, completely implausible. For the sake of transparency, my denomination ordains women, something I wholeheartedly support. It isn't that I am disagreeing with his message because I don't like it, I don't like the book because in many areas I agree and want to like the book, but it is so poorly written and argued that I cannot.
In conclusion, I like to think that I am the target audience for a book like this. I love Brian Zahnd, I love Brad Jersak, I have read every Richard Rohr book there is, have read and reread George MacDonald, CS Lews, etc. And I tend to rate books high, the lowest score I've ever given to a book, prior to this one, being 4 stars. But this book is bad. Not the message. Not the ideas. But the presentation, the arguementation, it is shallow, messy, and, worst of all in my opinion, completely self-contradictory, as, if I take his message seriously, I have no reason to trust him--the Spirit told me differently, after all.
I would like to start this review by stating two different things. One, I don’t read books based on whether I like the message or not, or whether I agree with the message or not. As a priest, I read a great many things and I both agree and disagree with, to keep an open mind, and to broaden my own horizons. What I look for is whether a book is well-written, presents a cogent viewpoint, argues a compelling case, etc. Two, I was looking forward to this book, especially after the glowing review of Brian Zahnd, several of whose works I have read and thoroughly enjoyed.
The basic problem I have with this book is that it is nothing but opinion. We are told over and over and over that the faith is bigger than the Bible, to turn to Jesus, that we don’t need religion, that we don’t need teachers, that we can be led by the Spirit, etc. Yet, it is convenient that being “led by the spirit” seems to magically turn out to be the viewpoints of progressive Christianity. No real substance or argumentation is given to show why progressive Christianity is more or less correct then fundamentalism, or standard Christian orthodoxy. Instead, we are simply told to trust the guiding of the Spirit. But what is the spirit tells me something different than what it told Keith Giles? Which of us is correct, and how would you even know where proof which was correct, or if both were wrong?
I have argued for a long time that there are only two possibilities, at least logical possibilities, within Christianity. One is that we have an institutional church going back to the very beginning that truly has authority as the body of Christ both to determine what should be considered the word of God in written form and how to interpret said written word of God. The second option is that we simply don’t know for sure what church or churches are more or less correct, and we are left with relativism and individualism, we all do the best we can with the information, training, and intellect that we have.
In this book, Keith Giles have done what Protestants especially are prone to do. He writes a book that complains about the issues of authority, even while he set some stuff up as an authority. He said that the Bible can’t be trusted in many ways because it feels contradictions, but he seems to magically know which parts can be trusted and are true. He says we have to be guided by the spirit, and he magically knows what interpretations are or are not Holy Spirit guided ones. In other words, he is his own personal pope.
He also employs Internet – level argumentation that even a simple google search can answer. For example, he finds a contradiction in Jehu being told to kill the king of Israel (2 Kings 9:7-8), something he is later judged for and even punished for (Hosea 1:4). Clear contradiction, says Giles. Except that we are told exactly why Jehu is judge in 2 Kings 10:29-31--he, like Ahab, like every king of the Northern Kingdom, followed in the sins of Jeroboam. In fact, twice in this same passage we are stated that Jehu proved to be exactly like the man that he killed. There is therefore no contradiction, I just had to be familiar enough with both the Bible and google to check and verify that this claim was off.
He attempts to deal with huge social issues, from the role of women in church to the acceptability of LGBTQ issues in a few pages, again with Internet-level, sloppy argumentation. His claims about Paul speaking to a single woman in Ephesus instead of women in general, for example, is based on conjecture and theorizing, and, considering Paul is talking to women plural, completely implausible. For the sake of transparency, my denomination ordains women, something I wholeheartedly support. It isn't that I am disagreeing with his message because I don't like it, I don't like the book because in many areas I agree and want to like the book, but it is so poorly written and argued that I cannot.
In conclusion, I like to think that I am the target audience for a book like this. I love Brian Zahnd, I love Brad Jersak, I have read every Richard Rohr book there is, have read and reread George MacDonald, CS Lews, etc. And I tend to rate books high, the lowest score I've ever given to a book, prior to this one, being 4 stars. But this book is bad. Not the message. Not the ideas. But the presentation, the arguementation, it is shallow, messy, and, worst of all in my opinion, completely self-contradictory, as, if I take his message seriously, I have no reason to trust him--the Spirit told me differently, after all.
July 4, 2018
Keith Giles is at his best in his latest book, Jesus Unbound: Liberating the Word of God from the Bible. Now, before you shout “Heretic!” and run screaming for the hills, let me urge you to approach his message with an open mind. Sure, if you read Jesus Unbound with the typical Evangelical paradigm concerning Scripture, you’ll find plenty to challenge, infuriate, and offend you. But if you listen with your heart, I’m confident that you’ll find much more than that, for in these pages runs a single thread of devotion to Jesus that is altogether endearing. That is the Keith Giles I’ve come to know and love, and I suspect you will, too.
December 14, 2020
Jesus at the center
This is an appeal for Christians to make Jesus, the Living Word, central to their lives and faith rather than pastors or politicians or favorite translations of the Bible or denominational rules and rituals. It is an appeal to understand the scriptures by looking at them through Jesus’s eyes and his interpretations of them not by fixating on how Old Testament books and writers interpret God and God’s actions or contemporary teachers. It is an appeal to recognize how often Jesus changed scriptures - “you’ve heard it said [in the Old Testament] but I say [something different]” as in the verse where he changes “love your friend but hate your enemy” into “love your enemy” — thereby also changing all the verses in the Old Testament that encourage hatred and bloodshed towards enemies. The book is an appeal to make Jesus the final arbiter on how to live a spiritual life not church traditions or religious demands or popular preachers.
The things he has to say are worth thinking about, worth praying about and worth taking seriously. Recommended.
This is an appeal for Christians to make Jesus, the Living Word, central to their lives and faith rather than pastors or politicians or favorite translations of the Bible or denominational rules and rituals. It is an appeal to understand the scriptures by looking at them through Jesus’s eyes and his interpretations of them not by fixating on how Old Testament books and writers interpret God and God’s actions or contemporary teachers. It is an appeal to recognize how often Jesus changed scriptures - “you’ve heard it said [in the Old Testament] but I say [something different]” as in the verse where he changes “love your friend but hate your enemy” into “love your enemy” — thereby also changing all the verses in the Old Testament that encourage hatred and bloodshed towards enemies. The book is an appeal to make Jesus the final arbiter on how to live a spiritual life not church traditions or religious demands or popular preachers.
The things he has to say are worth thinking about, worth praying about and worth taking seriously. Recommended.
October 10, 2021
Challenging established Christian doctrine by reinterpreting scripture is Keith Giles' specialty. He has written several books doing so, most recently Jesus Unforesaken: Substituting Divine Wrath with Unrelenting Love (2021), which I favorably reviewed
In Jesus Unbound, Giles argues for reorienting Christianity from a Biblicist approach to a New Covenant Christ-centered one. In my view, he makes a stronger case for some of his contentions than for others.
Christians should not make an idol of the Bible, he says, since it's God we worship and follow. "Jesus is the Word of God, and the Word of God is a person," Giles asserts. We are saved by Jesus, not a book. We should read the book through the
lens of Christ.
In addition, we should place the greatest weight on the words of Jesus, as opposed to a flat reading of the Bible where every scripture is given equal weight, regardless of who said it. There are, after all, some verses that seem to conflict with what Jesus said. If all verses are equal, then Jesus is diminished. On the other hand, in the absence of a clearly defined rule, the Jesus-centric approach could be applied arbitrarily to demote verses we find inconvenient.
Some Christians insist the Bible is the only way we can learn about Jesus, though the Bible does not call itself that. While the Bible is an indispenable source, it is not the exclusive way to learn about Jesus, insists Giles. His source is Jesus.
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." (John 16:12-13)
Jesus likely didn't mean his listeners would have to wait several hundred years until the New Testament was canonized.
The gospel of John tells us that Jesus is the Word of God who lives within every one of us who abides in Him. Paul says that we “have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16) right now and that we can discern “the things that come from the Spirit of God…because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (2:15), and this Spirit is now alive within us. Other relevant verses in this regard are 1 John 2:27, 1Tim 2:5), and Matt. 23:10.
The Old Testament depiction of God contrasts sharply with Jesus in the New Testament. Since if we have seen Jesus we have seen the Father, Giles doubts the truth of Old Testament passages about God purportedly ordering genocide and violence, since it is so unlike Jesus. Giles does not convincingly explain how the warrior Jesus in Revelation who sends people into the lake of fire is consistent with the loving, forgiving Christ in the rest of the New Testament.
Giles also recognizes various contradictions in scripture. To take one of a dozen examples, the Old Testament explicitly states that God inspired David to take a census (2 Sam. 24:1), and that Satan inspired him to do so (1 Chronicles 21:1).
"Those who insist on an inerrant scripture ignore these discrepancies, or turn somersaults to make each contradictory statement true while ignoring the very obvious fact: The voices we hear in scripture are not infallible, nor inerrant."
Though Giles says some parts of scripture are false, he nonetheless assures us that we can rely upon what the gospels teach about Jesus. As to why the words attributed to Jesus must be reliable -- even though the gospels contain contradictions about his birth, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection -- Giles says the Holy Spirit will guide us.
Giles relies for support mainly upon a handful of verses from the gospel of John, in particular, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (14:9) There are other Jesusian verses, however, where Jesus distances himself from being confused with God: “No one is good but God alone.” (Luke 18:19). Regarding the end of the world, Jesus said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels... nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matthew 24:36). Jesus told Mary Magdalene, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” (John 20:17). Jesus prayed to God – not to himself, (Mark 14:35-36.)
Giles clearly places far more weight on John 14:9 than upon all those other Jesusian statements.
In How Jesus Became God, Bart Ehrman points out that
if we only look at the gospel of John, it seems clear that Jesus claimed to be god in such verses as, "Before Abraham, I am." "And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began." (John 17:5) "No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man." (John 3:13)
Ehrmann contends the passages in John where Jesus clearly claims divinity do not pass the historicity test. There is only a single source for those quotes, none of which is in the three earlier gospels. It's hard to imagine, Ehrman says, that Matthew, Mark and Luke would leave out the most significant thing about
Jesus -- divinity claims -- if Jesus had made them. What Jesus said about himself contrasts most sharply between the earliest and the latest gospels, i.e. between Mark and John.
Giles effectively deconstructs the Biblicism that reigns among evangelicals. He also
explains why notorious verses appearing to require women to be quiet in church and to be excluded from leadership don't mean it. He does the same with verses seeming to condemn homosexuality. He is less persuasive in explaining why the Biblical passages he relies upon are accurate, while he contends many other passages are not. ###
In Jesus Unbound, Giles argues for reorienting Christianity from a Biblicist approach to a New Covenant Christ-centered one. In my view, he makes a stronger case for some of his contentions than for others.
Christians should not make an idol of the Bible, he says, since it's God we worship and follow. "Jesus is the Word of God, and the Word of God is a person," Giles asserts. We are saved by Jesus, not a book. We should read the book through the
lens of Christ.
In addition, we should place the greatest weight on the words of Jesus, as opposed to a flat reading of the Bible where every scripture is given equal weight, regardless of who said it. There are, after all, some verses that seem to conflict with what Jesus said. If all verses are equal, then Jesus is diminished. On the other hand, in the absence of a clearly defined rule, the Jesus-centric approach could be applied arbitrarily to demote verses we find inconvenient.
Some Christians insist the Bible is the only way we can learn about Jesus, though the Bible does not call itself that. While the Bible is an indispenable source, it is not the exclusive way to learn about Jesus, insists Giles. His source is Jesus.
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." (John 16:12-13)
Jesus likely didn't mean his listeners would have to wait several hundred years until the New Testament was canonized.
The gospel of John tells us that Jesus is the Word of God who lives within every one of us who abides in Him. Paul says that we “have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16) right now and that we can discern “the things that come from the Spirit of God…because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (2:15), and this Spirit is now alive within us. Other relevant verses in this regard are 1 John 2:27, 1Tim 2:5), and Matt. 23:10.
The Old Testament depiction of God contrasts sharply with Jesus in the New Testament. Since if we have seen Jesus we have seen the Father, Giles doubts the truth of Old Testament passages about God purportedly ordering genocide and violence, since it is so unlike Jesus. Giles does not convincingly explain how the warrior Jesus in Revelation who sends people into the lake of fire is consistent with the loving, forgiving Christ in the rest of the New Testament.
Giles also recognizes various contradictions in scripture. To take one of a dozen examples, the Old Testament explicitly states that God inspired David to take a census (2 Sam. 24:1), and that Satan inspired him to do so (1 Chronicles 21:1).
"Those who insist on an inerrant scripture ignore these discrepancies, or turn somersaults to make each contradictory statement true while ignoring the very obvious fact: The voices we hear in scripture are not infallible, nor inerrant."
Though Giles says some parts of scripture are false, he nonetheless assures us that we can rely upon what the gospels teach about Jesus. As to why the words attributed to Jesus must be reliable -- even though the gospels contain contradictions about his birth, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection -- Giles says the Holy Spirit will guide us.
Giles relies for support mainly upon a handful of verses from the gospel of John, in particular, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (14:9) There are other Jesusian verses, however, where Jesus distances himself from being confused with God: “No one is good but God alone.” (Luke 18:19). Regarding the end of the world, Jesus said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels... nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matthew 24:36). Jesus told Mary Magdalene, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” (John 20:17). Jesus prayed to God – not to himself, (Mark 14:35-36.)
Giles clearly places far more weight on John 14:9 than upon all those other Jesusian statements.
In How Jesus Became God, Bart Ehrman points out that
if we only look at the gospel of John, it seems clear that Jesus claimed to be god in such verses as, "Before Abraham, I am." "And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began." (John 17:5) "No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man." (John 3:13)
Ehrmann contends the passages in John where Jesus clearly claims divinity do not pass the historicity test. There is only a single source for those quotes, none of which is in the three earlier gospels. It's hard to imagine, Ehrman says, that Matthew, Mark and Luke would leave out the most significant thing about
Jesus -- divinity claims -- if Jesus had made them. What Jesus said about himself contrasts most sharply between the earliest and the latest gospels, i.e. between Mark and John.
Giles effectively deconstructs the Biblicism that reigns among evangelicals. He also
explains why notorious verses appearing to require women to be quiet in church and to be excluded from leadership don't mean it. He does the same with verses seeming to condemn homosexuality. He is less persuasive in explaining why the Biblical passages he relies upon are accurate, while he contends many other passages are not. ###
July 8, 2018
Perfect Title
Keith takes an important view of our relationship with Jesus and the Bible. I’ve learned to be careful responding to others with texts, writings, emails, etc. as the actual meaning may be misconstrued. However an actual discussion differences can be explained. Scripture clearly points to Christ. Now I know the direction, Keith has wonderfully shown we need to unbound Christ from the pages and follow Him directly.
Keith takes an important view of our relationship with Jesus and the Bible. I’ve learned to be careful responding to others with texts, writings, emails, etc. as the actual meaning may be misconstrued. However an actual discussion differences can be explained. Scripture clearly points to Christ. Now I know the direction, Keith has wonderfully shown we need to unbound Christ from the pages and follow Him directly.
March 9, 2020
I don't see what all these other reviewers are excited about! I don't see anything new or challenging in this book. There are two themes in this book: 1. The old Evangelical theme that it is not enough to know about Jesus; you must know Jesus. 2. The old Liberal theme that the Bible is a human product and that you have to pick carefully through the texts to pick the parts consistent with your own worldview, philosophy, etc. In short, an Evangelical pastor has just discovered the historical-critical method and wanted to share his excitement without abandoning his own tradition. Yawn!
July 24, 2021
I so respect Keith Giles and what he’s been through in his faith. He’s a wonderful brother in Christ, but I still think that assuming we know more about the Bible than Jesus and then throwing some of it out is a bad idea.
May 5, 2022
I found the early part of the book slow, repetitive, and almost off-topic. Halfway through the book, things picked up to something a little deeper and insightful. Up until then, I found it tiring that Giles seemed only to be convincing the reader that Jesus was (is) God, and that loving and worshipping Jesus were all that mattered in life, albeit listening to and obeying Jesus’ words were also stressed. Jesus is EVERYTHING to Giles.
In a little more detail, here’s what I liked and didn’t like about the book.
What I liked:
This book is a good primer for Biblicists, and includes enough evangelical language and viewpoints that conservative Christians may find it helpful.
I found Giles’ chapter on considering context, cultural, and translation bias in the context of supposed biblical mandates on women in ministry and homosexuality good, although his presentation on alternate interpretations of Paul’s letters presented only one hypothesis. There are others, one being that Paul’s successors found him too radical and put words in his mouth to neutralize his message that we are all equal/one.
I liked Giles’ perspective on inspiration outside of the Bible, and that God/Spirit didn’t stop speaking when the biblical canon was closed, and still speaks. Also, the fact that the choice of books being selected for the canon was debated, no consensus was ever reached, and perhaps the contents of canon were not as inspired as the books themselves, were helpful food for thought.
I enjoyed the allegory “The Invisible Man and His Shadow,” the the thought experiments presented in “When the Spirit Contradicts the Bible” and “What if No One Had a Bible?” (Chapters 7, 17 and 19, respectively).
What I didn’t like:
I found the male gendered language somewhat of a distraction, used not just for God, but occasional uses of “man” rather than “human.”
Although Giles addresses the issue in his Q&A chapter (15), I found his logic and thesis somewhat circular: we can know Jesus apart from the Bible, but we only find out that fact in the Bible. In the Q&A chapter, Giles insists that the Bible simply makes the introduction. Maybe, but it still sounds circular to me.
I found Giles’ chapter on the validity of the picture we get of Jesus in the gospels unconvincing. How do we account for the varied pictures we get of Jesus and his words and actions? For example, the Gospel of John (which is the gospel Giles seems to favour) puts very different words on Jesus’ lips. Giles bases his views of “who wrote the gospels” on the perspective of only one scholar. And to say, “The gospels are either fact or fiction” feels like a very binary choice, as is Giles’ contention that the discrepancies in the gospels are negligible. Again, unconvincing to me.
Same with the book of Revelation: Giles’ answer about why such a violent, blood-thirsty, war-mongering, wrathful Jesus is portrayed was very short and did not satisfy me. Anyone who says that the OT God and the NT God are different, and that God is like Jesus need to seriously contend with how the Bible ends. Merely saying that Jesus was describing consequences rather than causation as Giles suggests is not enough.
All in all, I commend Giles on a growing opinion that a Christian worship of the Bible and inability to read it as anything other than literal is problematic. He ends with a rousing challenge to listen to the Spirit and Shepherd.
In a little more detail, here’s what I liked and didn’t like about the book.
What I liked:
This book is a good primer for Biblicists, and includes enough evangelical language and viewpoints that conservative Christians may find it helpful.
I found Giles’ chapter on considering context, cultural, and translation bias in the context of supposed biblical mandates on women in ministry and homosexuality good, although his presentation on alternate interpretations of Paul’s letters presented only one hypothesis. There are others, one being that Paul’s successors found him too radical and put words in his mouth to neutralize his message that we are all equal/one.
I liked Giles’ perspective on inspiration outside of the Bible, and that God/Spirit didn’t stop speaking when the biblical canon was closed, and still speaks. Also, the fact that the choice of books being selected for the canon was debated, no consensus was ever reached, and perhaps the contents of canon were not as inspired as the books themselves, were helpful food for thought.
I enjoyed the allegory “The Invisible Man and His Shadow,” the the thought experiments presented in “When the Spirit Contradicts the Bible” and “What if No One Had a Bible?” (Chapters 7, 17 and 19, respectively).
What I didn’t like:
I found the male gendered language somewhat of a distraction, used not just for God, but occasional uses of “man” rather than “human.”
Although Giles addresses the issue in his Q&A chapter (15), I found his logic and thesis somewhat circular: we can know Jesus apart from the Bible, but we only find out that fact in the Bible. In the Q&A chapter, Giles insists that the Bible simply makes the introduction. Maybe, but it still sounds circular to me.
I found Giles’ chapter on the validity of the picture we get of Jesus in the gospels unconvincing. How do we account for the varied pictures we get of Jesus and his words and actions? For example, the Gospel of John (which is the gospel Giles seems to favour) puts very different words on Jesus’ lips. Giles bases his views of “who wrote the gospels” on the perspective of only one scholar. And to say, “The gospels are either fact or fiction” feels like a very binary choice, as is Giles’ contention that the discrepancies in the gospels are negligible. Again, unconvincing to me.
Same with the book of Revelation: Giles’ answer about why such a violent, blood-thirsty, war-mongering, wrathful Jesus is portrayed was very short and did not satisfy me. Anyone who says that the OT God and the NT God are different, and that God is like Jesus need to seriously contend with how the Bible ends. Merely saying that Jesus was describing consequences rather than causation as Giles suggests is not enough.
All in all, I commend Giles on a growing opinion that a Christian worship of the Bible and inability to read it as anything other than literal is problematic. He ends with a rousing challenge to listen to the Spirit and Shepherd.
May 5, 2020
A pastor friend shared an online article written by Keith Giles. After reading the article and pondering his ideas, I went looking for this book. It is extremely well-written and addresses some ideas that I have been troubling over and struggling with for quite some time. While acknowledging the worth and benefit of the Bible, Giles addresses whether it is infallible/inerrant, the contradictions within the text, and some considerations that should be taken while reading.
Giles writes about the need to read verses in the Bible in context with the rest of the chapter or book in which the verse appears so as to get a better understanding of the meaning of the verse (rather than plucking a verse out to fit a pre-formed idea). He talks about the need to put the words into their historical setting. For example, knowing what was being addressed to the various churches in Paul's epistles based on what was happening then, will make understanding fuller. And he addresses something that I have long wondered about—the idea of the inerrancy of scripture especially in light of the lack of the original transcripts and the multiple translations over time. Paul talks of scripture being "God-breathed" but we are reminded that Paul wouldn't have been referring to the Bible we hold in our hands. He also states, "remember that just because something is 'God-breathed' doesn't mean it is infallible and inerrant. Humans are also 'God-breathed' and we are neither infallible or inerrant.'" (116) Reading the text with all of these factors in mind can provide understanding, change perspective, and certainly shed some light on some issues facing the church.
I think that the book is an important read. He comes to the pages with reasoned arguments, examples, research, and common sense. He addresses some issues that are very important to many as they work to understand the Bible and what they should be doing as Christians. He takes on some issues that have made the church teaching exclusionary and have led to many leaving the faith. You will have to come to the text with an open mind and look at the evidence. I particularly found the chapter called "Blind Spot Bias" to be important, challenging (no matter where you fall on any opinion you have on any subject), and text that will probably nudge at every reader. I highly recommend this book!
Giles writes about the need to read verses in the Bible in context with the rest of the chapter or book in which the verse appears so as to get a better understanding of the meaning of the verse (rather than plucking a verse out to fit a pre-formed idea). He talks about the need to put the words into their historical setting. For example, knowing what was being addressed to the various churches in Paul's epistles based on what was happening then, will make understanding fuller. And he addresses something that I have long wondered about—the idea of the inerrancy of scripture especially in light of the lack of the original transcripts and the multiple translations over time. Paul talks of scripture being "God-breathed" but we are reminded that Paul wouldn't have been referring to the Bible we hold in our hands. He also states, "remember that just because something is 'God-breathed' doesn't mean it is infallible and inerrant. Humans are also 'God-breathed' and we are neither infallible or inerrant.'" (116) Reading the text with all of these factors in mind can provide understanding, change perspective, and certainly shed some light on some issues facing the church.
I think that the book is an important read. He comes to the pages with reasoned arguments, examples, research, and common sense. He addresses some issues that are very important to many as they work to understand the Bible and what they should be doing as Christians. He takes on some issues that have made the church teaching exclusionary and have led to many leaving the faith. You will have to come to the text with an open mind and look at the evidence. I particularly found the chapter called "Blind Spot Bias" to be important, challenging (no matter where you fall on any opinion you have on any subject), and text that will probably nudge at every reader. I highly recommend this book!
December 14, 2021
I have watched a couple videos from Keith Giles, but this is the first book of his that I have read. His biography says that he is a former pastor, however, I suspect what is meant is that he left the role of pastor as defined by conservative fundamentalists. It is obvious front his one book that Giles has done the study and research. His answers show that Jesus is The Logos or The Word of God but is separate from the Bible or scriptures. Giles acknowledges contradictions in the Old Testament as well as the differing views of hell. He offers some historical insight about extra-biblical sources that I had not seen before.
While I don’t know that I agree with his view of homosexuality, I do agree with his conclusion that we are to love one another.
Giles includes a chapter “But what about …” which addresses questions that conservative fundamentalists have voiced. One of the best ones in my opinion was “but what if you get it wrong?” He answered it along the lines that any of us can get it wrong and that is why we need to depend on the Holy Spirit and compare it to what we know of Jesus.
If you are already questioning the Bible, you should read this book. If you are a conservative fundamentalist you should read this book to be aware of the questions people have. This is a great, well-written, well-researched book.
I bought this book and this is my honest and unbiased review.
While I don’t know that I agree with his view of homosexuality, I do agree with his conclusion that we are to love one another.
Giles includes a chapter “But what about …” which addresses questions that conservative fundamentalists have voiced. One of the best ones in my opinion was “but what if you get it wrong?” He answered it along the lines that any of us can get it wrong and that is why we need to depend on the Holy Spirit and compare it to what we know of Jesus.
If you are already questioning the Bible, you should read this book. If you are a conservative fundamentalist you should read this book to be aware of the questions people have. This is a great, well-written, well-researched book.
I bought this book and this is my honest and unbiased review.
August 18, 2018
Jesus Unbound: Liberating the Word of God from the Bible by Keith Giles was such a refreshing book to read in the Kindle format that I am ordering it in paperback! The author states with spiritual insight and profoundly theological depth the case that JESUS of Nazareth IS THE WORD OF GOD and NOT the Holy Bible. There is a vital distinction and a difference that too many evangelicals are blind to when they refer continuously to the Bible as The Word of God.
As the author of an award winning memoir: Finding Heaven In The Dark by William L. Ingram (https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Heaven...) I wrote about my argument with a Christian Youth leader about 50 years ago about this very subject (pages 228-229).
My point then as Keith Giles is now is that the Bible is the word from God and the word about God, but only Jesus is the living WORD OF GOD!
The case is laid out eloquently and though it may offend some, fair minded Christians and others can follow the spiritual logic the author presents and defends. This is important because worship of the Bible has been the engine of anger and religious intolerance for generations. Every denomination that bases its worship around "their" Bible as the infallible and inerrant word of God has added to the confusion that the secular world sees and uses to discredit Christianity.
The Holy Bible is a very wonderful and sacred book that every Christian believer should hold dear, but it is not alive. The Word Of God Is a Living Being, the Creators only begotten Son, and as such it is only Him that should be worshiped.
This book explains this in understandable detail and should be read by every Bible believing Christian.
@WLIngramAuthor
As the author of an award winning memoir: Finding Heaven In The Dark by William L. Ingram (https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Heaven...) I wrote about my argument with a Christian Youth leader about 50 years ago about this very subject (pages 228-229).
My point then as Keith Giles is now is that the Bible is the word from God and the word about God, but only Jesus is the living WORD OF GOD!
The case is laid out eloquently and though it may offend some, fair minded Christians and others can follow the spiritual logic the author presents and defends. This is important because worship of the Bible has been the engine of anger and religious intolerance for generations. Every denomination that bases its worship around "their" Bible as the infallible and inerrant word of God has added to the confusion that the secular world sees and uses to discredit Christianity.
The Holy Bible is a very wonderful and sacred book that every Christian believer should hold dear, but it is not alive. The Word Of God Is a Living Being, the Creators only begotten Son, and as such it is only Him that should be worshiped.
This book explains this in understandable detail and should be read by every Bible believing Christian.
@WLIngramAuthor
August 24, 2020
Captivating book!
I have come to know Keith Giles via online interactions. This is not a physical presence, but I do feel that I know him well enough to make 'assessments' of him. It was why I asked him to write the foreword for my own book 'The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached' (and he obliged) - we have the same outlook on faith. So it is with Jesus. Just because his physical presence isn't with us, we can forget that we can truly know him in our own lives. He didn't just live 2000 years ago that we can only read in the old gospel stories. He lives NOW. In YOUR heart!
This book expresses and explains what I have long felt about making a choice between Jesus and the Bible. There are verses that go against what Jesus taught. Even in his own Sermon he challenged his followers to ignore parts of the law to follow his example instead. You need to grasp that, and stop listening to legalists who will invite you to value every part of scripture as co-equal with Christ. This is a vital step for a disciple of the Son of God.
Keith lays out, with a Christ-embraced heart, just how and why you should do this. Go deeper with Jesus before you go deeper with scripture.
I have come to know Keith Giles via online interactions. This is not a physical presence, but I do feel that I know him well enough to make 'assessments' of him. It was why I asked him to write the foreword for my own book 'The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached' (and he obliged) - we have the same outlook on faith. So it is with Jesus. Just because his physical presence isn't with us, we can forget that we can truly know him in our own lives. He didn't just live 2000 years ago that we can only read in the old gospel stories. He lives NOW. In YOUR heart!
This book expresses and explains what I have long felt about making a choice between Jesus and the Bible. There are verses that go against what Jesus taught. Even in his own Sermon he challenged his followers to ignore parts of the law to follow his example instead. You need to grasp that, and stop listening to legalists who will invite you to value every part of scripture as co-equal with Christ. This is a vital step for a disciple of the Son of God.
Keith lays out, with a Christ-embraced heart, just how and why you should do this. Go deeper with Jesus before you go deeper with scripture.
January 20, 2020
A Transformative Book
Wow! What a fantastic book. My friends and I have been on a journey lately and one of the key points has been something a friend called "Jesus first." It's not like we don't put Jesus first already but we're thinking about -- BEing about -- is putting Jesus first even (and especially) in the reading of the Bible. And then, as Providence would have it, this book pops into view.
What Giles talks about here is scary -- really scary -- for a lot of us. While I've been thinking along these lines for some time now (years, in fact), Giles takes it to a whole other level. Just trying a little exersise like replacing the phrase "Word of God" with "Jesus" when one comes across it in the scriptures, is a mind-blowing experience.
Even though I feel Giles repeats himself a little too much for my taste, his writing is direct, and easy to read. I highly recommend this book. It's a dangerous, life changing, book that leads one to experience Jesus in new and unfathomable ways.
Wow! What a fantastic book. My friends and I have been on a journey lately and one of the key points has been something a friend called "Jesus first." It's not like we don't put Jesus first already but we're thinking about -- BEing about -- is putting Jesus first even (and especially) in the reading of the Bible. And then, as Providence would have it, this book pops into view.
What Giles talks about here is scary -- really scary -- for a lot of us. While I've been thinking along these lines for some time now (years, in fact), Giles takes it to a whole other level. Just trying a little exersise like replacing the phrase "Word of God" with "Jesus" when one comes across it in the scriptures, is a mind-blowing experience.
Even though I feel Giles repeats himself a little too much for my taste, his writing is direct, and easy to read. I highly recommend this book. It's a dangerous, life changing, book that leads one to experience Jesus in new and unfathomable ways.
October 14, 2024
Enlightening Perspectives on the Word of God
In "Jesus Unbound: Liberating the Word of God from the Bible," Keith Giles presents a fresh and compelling perspective that challenges traditional interpretations while honoring the essence of the spiritual message. This book resonated deeply with me, confirming many beliefs I hold dear and providing valuable quotes and insights that I can integrate into my daily life and share in my own content.
While I didn't find myself in agreement with every viewpoint Giles explores, the majority of the book offered enlightening perspectives that enriched my understanding and appreciation for the dynamic and living Word of God. Whether you're looking to deepen your spiritual insights or seeking alternative approaches to biblical interpretation, "Jesus Unbound" serves as a thought-provoking resource that invites you to think critically and embrace a more liberated view of Scripture.
Highly recommended for anyone on a journey to understand the divine through a less conventional lens!
In "Jesus Unbound: Liberating the Word of God from the Bible," Keith Giles presents a fresh and compelling perspective that challenges traditional interpretations while honoring the essence of the spiritual message. This book resonated deeply with me, confirming many beliefs I hold dear and providing valuable quotes and insights that I can integrate into my daily life and share in my own content.
While I didn't find myself in agreement with every viewpoint Giles explores, the majority of the book offered enlightening perspectives that enriched my understanding and appreciation for the dynamic and living Word of God. Whether you're looking to deepen your spiritual insights or seeking alternative approaches to biblical interpretation, "Jesus Unbound" serves as a thought-provoking resource that invites you to think critically and embrace a more liberated view of Scripture.
Highly recommended for anyone on a journey to understand the divine through a less conventional lens!
February 14, 2026
As a passionate reader, Jesus Unbound: Liberating the Word of God from the Bible by Keith Giles completely reshaped the way I think about faith and Scripture.
Giles boldly challenges the idea that the Bible itself is the Word of God, pointing instead to Jesus as the true and ultimate revelation of who God is. That shift is both unsettling and incredibly freeing. Rather than diminishing Scripture, he reframes it—inviting us to read everything through the lens of Christ’s love, mercy, and self-sacrifice.
This book felt validating, especially when wrestling with difficult or troubling passages of the Bible. It’s honest, thought-provoking, and deeply centered on Jesus. If you’ve ever struggled with doubts or felt tension between certain biblical texts and the character of Christ, this book is a powerful and refreshing read.
Giles boldly challenges the idea that the Bible itself is the Word of God, pointing instead to Jesus as the true and ultimate revelation of who God is. That shift is both unsettling and incredibly freeing. Rather than diminishing Scripture, he reframes it—inviting us to read everything through the lens of Christ’s love, mercy, and self-sacrifice.
This book felt validating, especially when wrestling with difficult or troubling passages of the Bible. It’s honest, thought-provoking, and deeply centered on Jesus. If you’ve ever struggled with doubts or felt tension between certain biblical texts and the character of Christ, this book is a powerful and refreshing read.
June 2, 2019
Excellent book about the Bible and Jesus!
This is a great text on how the Bible is actually NOT the word of God... Jesus is the Word of God! I grew up in a fundamentalist, Southern Baptist Church. Now, my upbringing was good, and I learned the Bible from a very early age - in fact, I read the Bible cover to cover in the fourth grade for the first time. But I always struggled with the contradictions and problems it presented (an Angry Father vs. Compassionate Jesus), especially in the Old Testament. This book sheds light on the right way (if you want to call it that) to read the Bible... through the lends of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Great book. I highly recommend it.
This is a great text on how the Bible is actually NOT the word of God... Jesus is the Word of God! I grew up in a fundamentalist, Southern Baptist Church. Now, my upbringing was good, and I learned the Bible from a very early age - in fact, I read the Bible cover to cover in the fourth grade for the first time. But I always struggled with the contradictions and problems it presented (an Angry Father vs. Compassionate Jesus), especially in the Old Testament. This book sheds light on the right way (if you want to call it that) to read the Bible... through the lends of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Great book. I highly recommend it.
October 11, 2019
Very Enjoyable
I really enjoyed reading Keith's book. There was so much taught about our relationship with Jesus apart from the bible. I certainly never heard this taught within the institutional church. Jesus is the Word of God, our relationship is with him and not a book about him. The bible tells us about and leads us to the living Word of God who is Jesus. He lives within us by the Spirit. Whether we have a book or not we have a relationship through the Spirit. He guides us and teaches us and leads us by his voice from within. Very interesting and informative book.
I really enjoyed reading Keith's book. There was so much taught about our relationship with Jesus apart from the bible. I certainly never heard this taught within the institutional church. Jesus is the Word of God, our relationship is with him and not a book about him. The bible tells us about and leads us to the living Word of God who is Jesus. He lives within us by the Spirit. Whether we have a book or not we have a relationship through the Spirit. He guides us and teaches us and leads us by his voice from within. Very interesting and informative book.
July 18, 2018
Very Enjoyable
I really enjoyed reading Keith's book. There was so much taught about our relationship with Jesus apart from the bible. I certainly never heard this taught within the institutional church. Jesus is the Word of God, our relationship is with him and not a book about him. The bible tells us about and leads us to the living Word of God who is Jesus. He lives within us by the Spirit. Whether we have a book or not we have a relationship through the Spirit. He guides us and teaches us and leads us by his voice from within. Very interesting and informative book.
I really enjoyed reading Keith's book. There was so much taught about our relationship with Jesus apart from the bible. I certainly never heard this taught within the institutional church. Jesus is the Word of God, our relationship is with him and not a book about him. The bible tells us about and leads us to the living Word of God who is Jesus. He lives within us by the Spirit. Whether we have a book or not we have a relationship through the Spirit. He guides us and teaches us and leads us by his voice from within. Very interesting and informative book.
June 3, 2019
Amazing book!
I love theology books because I love digging deep through scriptures. Giles presents his information so clearly and cleanly that it's impossible to get bored. I learned great amounts of new knowledge from this book and I can't stop talking about it to my friends. Read this one!
I love theology books because I love digging deep through scriptures. Giles presents his information so clearly and cleanly that it's impossible to get bored. I learned great amounts of new knowledge from this book and I can't stop talking about it to my friends. Read this one!
May 24, 2021
As a former Southern Baptist pastor, I was all about the Bible. My life’s purpose was to preach the word. When i deconstructed I let go of all that but didn’t know what to do next. Keith Giles is an amazing teacher and he helped me figure out some things in Jesus Unbound. I heartily recommend it!
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March 4, 2023A presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ without the flourishes that usually accompany it. I wish most of my friends who are Christians who read this. At this point it was not a personal need, but it was a relief to see someone writing about it.
March 29, 2024
I was exposed to ideas while reading this book that greatly helped me on my journey with Jesus. I've read a lot of blog posts and listened to some podcasts with this particular author, and his theological ideas have moved far, far away from mine. But THIS book was worth the read!
August 26, 2018
Challenging reading. Who do you follow? A book or the living Word? Worth asking yourself. One is a dead end. One is life itself.
January 21, 2019
As soon as the church catches up with this book, it will be a classic!
July 11, 2020
A true awaking.
Anyone who is a thinking, searching person will love the challenge of this book and the God who is greater than we imagined.
Anyone who is a thinking, searching person will love the challenge of this book and the God who is greater than we imagined.
July 15, 2021
Meh. Nothing really ground breaking or new here. Some things I liked some things I didn't. Some of the thought lines didn't feel intellectually honest which always bothers me.
July 26, 2021
While I didn’t agree with everything that was mentioned, it definitely made me think. Loved this book!
June 12, 2022
Eye opening
I will read the Bible more critically now. The book reinforced and expanded my awareness off contradictions and mistranslations. I highly recomend the book,
I will read the Bible more critically now. The book reinforced and expanded my awareness off contradictions and mistranslations. I highly recomend the book,
June 13, 2022
Exceptional. Seriously iconoclastic.
September 3, 2022
Amazing book. Really helps reframe the Old Testament in light of Christ
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