A Crucified Christ in Holy Week: Essays on the Four Gospel Passion Narratives

by Raymond E. Brown

This best-selling book is certain to remain in the forefront of Gospel exegesis for years to come. In it, Father Brown treats the Gospels, written thirty to sixty years after the life of Christ, as reflecting considerate theological and dramatic development and not simply as literal accounts of a historical event.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Religion, Christianity, Scripture, New Testament, Nonfiction

60 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Roman Catholic priest, member of Society of Saint-Sulpice and a prominent biblical scholar, esteemed by not only his colleagues of the same confession. One of the first Roman Catholic scholars to apply historical-critical analysis to the Bible.

Reviews

[Daniel Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did think much of this slim, 50 year old book when I picked it up; yet this is a brilliant reading of the 4 Passion narratives. The author sets up the scope (Gethsemane to grave in each of the four Gospels individually) and sequences (Mark, Matthew, Luke John) from the very beginning, and then looks at each of the accounts in turn. What I appreciate the most is that the author frames each of the narratives in a particular light, so that all the little details and discrepancies make sense. Mark/Matthew focus on the sense of abandonment, dejection, and betrayal, Luke focuses on forgiveness and healing, and John focuses on the omniscient, eternal, Word and King. I loved this, and I think I will read this every year during Holy Week.

[Dan Clift · Rating 5 out of 5]

Titled A Crucified Christ in Holy Week: Essays on the Four Gospel Passion Narratives, this book is a collection of four essays written on the passion of Jesus Christ as proposed by each of the four gospels: Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. Raymond E. Brown considers the content of these writings from the lens of historical criticism. This means that he does not take the text to be literal, rather, he focuses on the author or authors intention in including certain similarities and differences between the texts. It is thereby we could say that this treatment is not a synthesis of the stories of Christ’s crucifixion, rather it is the telling of four connected yet distinct stories. For example, he mentioned that of the seven statements made by Jesus on the cross, three are unique to Luke, three are unique to John, and the last statement is shared by Matthew and Mark. He argues that each conclusion is reflective of the authors’ goals. With these observations, he does not abandon the spirituality and importance of the subject matter. I will speak of two discussions in these essays which I found particularly interesting.
In his general observations of the passion literature in the section: Audience Participation Invited, Brown encouraged us as an audience to imagine which roles we would take if we were in these scenarios. Then he pointed out that as those who read the new testament would largely be deeply religious, with attachment to their religious tradition, it could be that they would be the ones who would be rejecting Christ. Christ stood as an affront to the religious tradition at the time, so those who are similarly “literally-minded” would reject Christ.
Secondly, I was particularly touched by Dr. Brown’s treatment of antisemitic content found in the bible. He does not deny that the bible has antisemetic content, but neither does he advertise that those verses should be removed. He emphasizes that we should not use these verses to discriminate, nor should they be used to promote discrimination. He emphasises that this is an important issue that should not be ignored. When we teach these passages we need to assure that those we teach should not come to that conclusion.
I would strongly recommend this book to any christian who wants to increase their understanding of the passion of Jesus Christ. It may be a difficult read for those who hold the belief of inerrancy in the bible, but I believe that any open-minded christian will improve their faith in Jesus Christ by reading this book.

[Julie Slater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raymond Brown does a fantastic job of diving into each gospel in the New Testament and their individual stories of the crucifixion. If you are someone who has ever struggled to understand each gospel, or struggled to understand why they differ in so many ways, this book is for you. It also is profound for helping one to understand the different implications of reading the different gospels during Holy Week. After reading, I have a much better understanding of the individual qualities of each gospel. It can be confusing as to why some details are extremely stressed in one gospel, but not the next, but Brown does a fantastic job walking through each detail, the relation it has to the other gospels, and bringing them all together in the end. I love Brown’s perspective that it is only through all the different perspectives that we are able to see the entire picture (or in this case, story of Christ’s crucifixion).
Additionally, Brown asks a question at the beginning of the book that invites the reader to ponder how they would have reacted to the crucifixion. This preface allowed me to have a much more meaningful reading of the book. As he discusses the storyline and timeline of each gospel in order, it all makes sense. Not only does Brown point out details I had never noticed before, but he also gives explanations as to why these details might have been included, and what they could possibly mean/symbolize.
I would advise that if you choose to read this book that you keep an open heart. Brown has some beautiful insights, but just because he thinks one detail may mean or symbolize something, doesn’t mean it can’t mean something else to you personally. Brown does a good job of discussing things naturally (in the sense of not favoring one gospel over another), which was helpful to me in gaining a better understanding of these New Testament stories. I personally liked Brown’s insight that although each gospel may portray Jesus and His personality slightly differently, each gospel may become impactful and meaningful to us at different times throughout our lives depending on the different circumstances that we will face. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Megan Thornock · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Crucified Christ in Holy Week, is the perfect book for anyone who wants to better understand the significance of Holy Week. It is written by Raymond E. Brown, a professor of biblical studies at Union Theological Seminary. He spent many years researching the events of Holy Week, and the most important points of his research are consolidated into a quick and easy read for a meaningful experience.
He starts the book by giving some general observations on Holy Week–important considerations and some history of it. Importantly, he invites readers to responsibly read the Passion with an understanding of the anti-semetic views of the time it was written, and to maturely and responsibly understand that the text should not be read as an endorsement for anti-semetism, an idea he returns to later.
He then discusses the passion from each of the gospels, doing a synopsis analysis. He starts with Matthew, then moves to Mark, Luke, and John. His analysis is detailed, founded in good research, and avoidant of speculation. His writing is also concise, leaving readers with information that is both informative and spiritually applicable.
I specifically found insight in the man who ran away running naked in the garden. Brown argues that this is symbolic of the apostles desertion of Christ during that time. Earlier in the book, Brown invites readers to put themselves in the place of the characters. It was interesting to put myself in the place of the man, running away and leaving his clothes. Are there times that I run away from Christ?
Overall, I would recommend this book. It is a lovely meditation during holy week for those who are looking to draw closer to Christ during that time. Because it is short, it also makes a great gift for family and friends during the Easter season.

[Cadence Heaston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This text by Raymond E. Brown was a wonderful resource for increasing my understanding of the Four Gospels accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Brown conducts a detailed synoptic study of each account, highlighting the character of the Savior in each one. I recently conducted my own synoptic study of the same New Testament events, but I appreciated seeing the perspective of Raymond Brown. As an author, he has an intentional way with words that enhances the complex and beautiful qualities of the Savior as He suffered.
My favorite parts of the texts were the small details that Brown noticed and described within each gospel. Through these small details, I learned more about the evangelists who wrote the Gospel books. For instance, Brown pointed out that in Matthew and Mark, Jesus’ cry of “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” was the first time that Jesus addressed God as “God” instead of “Father”. I had never picked up on this detail in my own studies. It opened my eyes to the depth of Christ’s abandonment and His feelings of loneliness, seeking desperately for a God instead of just His Father.
Brown’s conclusion was the perfect summary of this short text. He shows that the different portrayals of Christ in each Gospel account can comfort us at different times of our lives. Before reading this book, I felt that the Gospel of Luke resonated with me the most, and was therefore my favorite. Now, I trust that each Gospel will have a special place in my heart at various points in my discipleship and conversion. This conclusion was a very hopeful testimony of the power of the accounts of Jesus. If you seek to find Jesus or to know Him more intimately, this book is for you.

[Othy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brown displays some good literary criticism in this very short book. Many insights are interesting, but they are all couched in the assumption that the gospels, as texts, are fully fabricated. I personally believe that the Church wrote the Bible and that the gospel writers in particular have added their skills as writers to the gospel accounts, but Brown takes it a step forward so that the four books are building a story, not presenting traditional stories in a certain way. This is unfortunate, because told another way, Brown's insights would be very enlightening.

[Bud Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brown always offers valued insight into the nature and interpretation of scripture. These brief essays are no exception. The last "The Passion According to John" and summation "Diverse Portrayals of the Crucified Jesus" are the best. Glad this small volume is in my library.

[Robert Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good.

[Michael Dendis · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this is a short booklet it is an excellent description and comparison of the four Gospels. Starting with "General Observations on the Passion Narratives" which gives an outline on how and when the Gospels were written, describes the audiences the stories were geared towards, historical factors in the death of Jesus and different ideas on how Jesus viewed his death.

Following this overview the author goes into more detail with each of the four Gospels. Starting with the Garden at Gethsemane, going to the two trials and the denials of Peter to the Crucifixion, Death and Burial of Jesus, the author writes about the themes, style of writing, and the different characters with their thoughts and motivations. Since three of the Gospels (the Synoptic Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke) are similar and are read in different years of the Christian calendar it is easy to forget the subtle differences of each narrative. This author does a good job in showing those differences and bring the stories more alive to even the most religious person.

Anyone who is a Christian will enjoy this booklet and get a lot out of it, especially for the Easter Season.

[Rick Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book contains essays on the four gospel Passion Narratives, along with some thoughts and reflections as to how one should understand them in relation to each other. The book is backed by the impeccable scholarship of Raymond Brown; but presented in a way that is well within the grasp of thoughtful laypeople. It's perfect for use in, say, a Lenten study group at church; which, in fact, is exactly the way that I'm going to use it! Anything by Ray Brown is well worth reading, and this volume is no exception.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding short work that illuminates the variances in Passion narratives between the Gospels, analyzes them, and in conclusion provides a compelling explanation for such variances.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://thatjeffcarterwashere.blogspot...

[Fr. Thomas Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, helpful and insightful. Raymond Brown continues to be one of my favorite tutors.