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Jesus the Great Philosopher: Rediscovering the Wisdom Needed for the Good Life
Many of us tend to live as though Jesus represents the "spiritual part" of our lives. We don't clearly see how he relates to the rest of our experiences, desires, and habits. How can Jesus, the Bible, and Christianity become more than a compartmentalized part of our lives?
Highly regarded New Testament scholar and popular teacher Jonathan Pennington argues that we need to recover the lost biblical image of Jesus as the one true philosopher who teaches us how to experience the fullness of our humanity in the kingdom of God. Jesus teaches us what is good, right, and beautiful and offers answers to life's big questions: what it means to be human, how to be happy, how to order our emotions, and how we should conduct our relationships.
This book brings Jesus and Christianity into dialogue with the ancient philosophers who asked the same big questions about finding meaningful happiness. It helps us rediscover biblical Christianity as a whole-life philosophy, one that addresses our greatest human questions and helps us live meaningful and flourishing lives.
Highly regarded New Testament scholar and popular teacher Jonathan Pennington argues that we need to recover the lost biblical image of Jesus as the one true philosopher who teaches us how to experience the fullness of our humanity in the kingdom of God. Jesus teaches us what is good, right, and beautiful and offers answers to life's big questions: what it means to be human, how to be happy, how to order our emotions, and how we should conduct our relationships.
This book brings Jesus and Christianity into dialogue with the ancient philosophers who asked the same big questions about finding meaningful happiness. It helps us rediscover biblical Christianity as a whole-life philosophy, one that addresses our greatest human questions and helps us live meaningful and flourishing lives.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2020
80 people are currently reading
1601 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan T. Pennington
30 books83 followersJonathan T. Pennington (PhD, University of St. Andrews) is associate professor of New Testament interpretation at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is the author of Heaven and Earth in the Gospel of Matthew and has published a number of tools for learning biblical languages, including New Testament Greek Vocabulary and Old Testament Hebrew Vocabulary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
December 9, 2020
I feel like I have been persistently haunted by the philosophical and educational skeletons in my closet. Similar to college students and young twenty-somethings coming from rather secluded conservative Christian backgrounds, the university system has rightfully catapulted me into a multitude of political, philosophical, and theological debates, such debates that represent closets I have been far too ignorant and fearful to open. Jonathan T. Pennington’s Jesus The Great Philosopher: Rediscovering the Wisdom Needed for the Good Life aided me in understanding the Christian ethic in light of these great debates that take root in ancient thought. I first appreciated Pennington’s intellectual honesty. He is quick to point out that we moderns have failed to see Jesus as a philosopher and Christianity as a life-philosophy. It is evident, through Pennington’s historical and literary archeology, that the ancients do not fall into such a vice, properly viewing Christ as the philosopher-sage who sought to make sense of the many ethical, metaphysical, and epistemological questions that daunt us today. In an age defined by the lights and show of postmodern evangelicalism, we have lost the ancient Greek and Roman roots of the Christian metaphysic. The repercussions of failing to see Jesus as such are evident, where many enter university without a comprehensive understanding of their own worldview and how that worldview fits in relation to others. Pennington helpfully asserts that Christian Scriptures are a microcosm of the intellectual debates of their time, offering commentary on how Jesus understands Manichaeism, Platonism, and Jewish law. Pennington takes to the Scriptures to discern how Christ makes sense of his contemporaries, while also drawing comparisons with Epicureanism, Aristotelianism, and Stoicism. Unlike many of his reformed contemporaries who outrightly reject the utility of paganism, Pennington sees many pagan philosophies as necessary to be grasped in best understanding the Christian worldview. Instead of writing such doctrines off because of their alienness to Christianity, Pennington encourages the reader to apprehend the similarities and differences between opposing systems of belief. This pseudo-synthesis way of understanding was helpful.
May 16, 2024
Faculty common read. There's more going on, but one takeaway is that Christianity is more than pietism. I didn’t dislike it as much as my colleagues did.
Only a few quibbles: He quotes "Dante" to make a point about how humans seek virtue (28), but in Dante's Inferno, it is Ulysses/Odysseus (in the circle of fraud!) who makes this point, and he is doing so to trick his men into following him on a wicked errand. He also describes Jesus as despairing (100) and seems to imply that anger is a sin (118).
Only a few quibbles: He quotes "Dante" to make a point about how humans seek virtue (28), but in Dante's Inferno, it is Ulysses/Odysseus (in the circle of fraud!) who makes this point, and he is doing so to trick his men into following him on a wicked errand. He also describes Jesus as despairing (100) and seems to imply that anger is a sin (118).
November 11, 2020
Excellent and timely. The kind of book 2020 needs, suggesting that following Jesus actually offers the best resources to live in the world as is, not as we would wish it to be. Fit to be read by a wide audience that has been left jaded after a bitterly difficult year.
July 2, 2024
I enjoyed this book for several reasons. One, I've known Jonathan for a while and loved seeing the fruit of his studies. Two, this book talks about an important topic, 'What is the good life?' Pennington shows that the earliest followers of Jesus saw him--among other things--as teaching a philosophy that would lead to human flourishing. Three, Jonathan draws from early Christian history, classical literature, the biblical text, and great thinkers. Also, he engages with those in the search for happiness in the modern world including those looking from an atheistic perspective. I love the chapter on friendship and relationships.
January 1, 2024
2024 reads: 01
Rating: 4.5 stars
Rating: 4.5 stars
January 21, 2021
This is a well-done look at the philosophical nature of Christian faith. Pennington does a great job unpacking major themes of Western philosophy and then putting them in conversation with biblical texts. The chapter on relationships is especially good, and doubles as theological reflection and personal/devotional insight. Anyone who doubts that Christianity is a totally formed view of reality with wisdom that is aware to the real world needs to read this book.
February 21, 2025
Hi this is a fantastic book. I think I have spoken about it to others at least once every single day since starting it.
November 6, 2025
(I write these reviews for myself. So, if you don't want to read my longest review yet, which is basically a summary of my favorite parts, here is the end of the matter: If you're a Christian—and particularly one who has been tempted to view Christianity as "merely a religion," this is a great book; it's also a great book for those simply looking for a philosophy of life. Jonathan Pennington, New Testament scholar, beautifully crafts a discussion (you'll be talking to yourself for sure!) and argument that posits Jesus as the answer to the age-old question: "How to live the Good Life.")
Now the matter at hand:
The Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6) came to bring abundant life (Jn 10:10), and that abundant life starts now. Jonathan Pennington sets out on a quest to ask big questions to Christians, non-Christians and philosophers, hoping to reorient the way we as a modern society view the Good Life—since all humans need “someone to help us figure out how to live well” and who can provide “both a model and principles for real life” (13).
Throughout this spectacular work, Pennington argues that Christians used to see Jesus as the Great Philosopher, but along the way, this idea got lost. Perhaps due to compartmentalization that began during the Enlightenment period, Jesus The Philosopher faded into obscurity. Pennington suggests that this loss has created problems, including: (1) seeing Christianity as a part (religion) of a whole (our life) rather than a philosophy of life; (2) looking to “gurus” to show us how to live the Good Life; (3) not asking the “big questions” of how the world and life work (that the Bible sets out to answer), like metaphysical, epistemological (knowing), ethical and political (societal structure) questions; and (4) limiting our witness (218–219). He shares that the Old Testament is “the story of Israel from creation through the prophets” that “casts a vision of the possibility of deep flourishing even in the midst of inevitable loss and suffering”—which he later calls hope (212).
He references many philosophers and their methods for achieving the Good Life (see the review I wrote yesterday on Cicero’s De Amicitia): “We [Christians] needn’t cut ourselves completely off from their [ancient philosophers’] wisdom. Rather, we can gather lumber from whatever trees are available as we build the Christ-shaped temple of our lives, with Holy Scripture as the building inspector” (203). Let’s do it.
So, what are the Holy Scriptures teaching? This is the bulk of his exploration.
I have multiple friends who either know Pennington personally or have benefited from his lectures at Southern—particularly regarding the Sermon on the Mount. (That’s actually why I discovered this book. Thanks, Trace.) The way he teaches on this subject seems to have revolutionized many of my friends’ thinking. (Apparently, according to my friend Isaiah, this is just a dumbed-down and severely abridged version of his lectures. Bummer for me!)
Pennington sees Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount as statements of makarios (happiness or flourishing), meaning this “very first teaching in the very first Gospel shows Jesus to be giving his own authoritative opinion on what constitutes true happiness” (65). That, frankly, is vastly different from the way I’ve ever read these three New Testament chapters. He later says that “in some early biblical manuscripts the whole Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7) was titled ‘Concerning Happiness,’ because it was clear to Matthew’s readers that this is what Jesus was offering” (206). Astounding. Jesus was a philosopher—the True Philosopher. And we can learn from him. He wants to change our whole lives. How does one live according to the Good? By “looking at God… who is teleios [perfect]” (66; Matt. 5:48).
Now, that’s great in theory (and reality, if we’re being honest), but why don’t we talk about it? Well, I think it’s the same reason we don’t talk about enjoying the gifts God has given us (spoiler alert) to enjoy. Pennington assumes the source of that thinking to be Immanuel Kant and altruism (duty over delight). Thanks to this influence, Christians have inherited a resistance to enjoying life and seeking or longing for enjoyment in God. I believe Ecclesiastes (and Bobby Jamieson’s book Everything Is Never Enough) is a great commentary on how we are to accomplish such a feat.
It made me wonder, though, what other worldly philosophies Christians are prone to believe before turning to the Scriptures. (Again, not all of philosophy’s conclusions should be thrown out—they’re just incomplete.)
On this topic of human flourishing, I don’t believe this overarching idea is unfamiliar to the modern Christian Reformed audience. Many have experienced a similar tension with John Piper’s commentary on “Christian hedonism.” However, biblical happiness is—as Pennington shares from David Naugle’s observation—“edenistic” and not “hedonistic” (216). Where Piper’s concept centers on joy as a co-product of glorifying God (like we see in the Westminster Chatechism on "What is the chief end of man?"), this "edenistic" vision roots joy in creation’s design for flourishing. So, that means this is not a fleshly pursuit, but a godly pursuit. Jesus gives us joy and allows us to experience a fullness of joy (Jn 15:11). Praise God.
How? Well, let’s find this intersection of philosophy and our Great Philosopher. “For the Greeks, the organizing structure of the world, the blueprint and pattern of how things came into being and hold together, was called the logos.” Sound familiar? It should—since “the Gospel of John opens with [a pronouncement of] Jesus as the co-creator of the world, [calling] him the Logos” (70–71, modified).
Jesus, the Great Philosopher, the way, the truth and the life, came to bring life abundant. That’s the best news all these ancient (and modern) philosophies and philosophers can’t give. They can’t even come close. We are disciples of the One who is the epitome of virtue, who holds the entire universe in his hands, who has all wisdom and knowledge of all things, who tells us how to live and love, who shows us how to live and love, who gives us a whole-life philosophy; but who also, with joy in full view, gave his very own life so that we who know him can enjoy this life in him for all of eternity. Like, it doesn’t get any better than that, people. Come on!
May we, by God’s grace, have the wisdom to walk in the Good Life offered to us by Jesus Christ through God the Father, who himself is teleios. And may we look to him and his Holy Scriptures to answer the questions of life and what is good and right and beautiful, because Christ alone has the ability to answer. He is our whole-life philosopher.
Praise God that Jesus is our Great Philosopher.
Now the matter at hand:
The Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6) came to bring abundant life (Jn 10:10), and that abundant life starts now. Jonathan Pennington sets out on a quest to ask big questions to Christians, non-Christians and philosophers, hoping to reorient the way we as a modern society view the Good Life—since all humans need “someone to help us figure out how to live well” and who can provide “both a model and principles for real life” (13).
Throughout this spectacular work, Pennington argues that Christians used to see Jesus as the Great Philosopher, but along the way, this idea got lost. Perhaps due to compartmentalization that began during the Enlightenment period, Jesus The Philosopher faded into obscurity. Pennington suggests that this loss has created problems, including: (1) seeing Christianity as a part (religion) of a whole (our life) rather than a philosophy of life; (2) looking to “gurus” to show us how to live the Good Life; (3) not asking the “big questions” of how the world and life work (that the Bible sets out to answer), like metaphysical, epistemological (knowing), ethical and political (societal structure) questions; and (4) limiting our witness (218–219). He shares that the Old Testament is “the story of Israel from creation through the prophets” that “casts a vision of the possibility of deep flourishing even in the midst of inevitable loss and suffering”—which he later calls hope (212).
He references many philosophers and their methods for achieving the Good Life (see the review I wrote yesterday on Cicero’s De Amicitia): “We [Christians] needn’t cut ourselves completely off from their [ancient philosophers’] wisdom. Rather, we can gather lumber from whatever trees are available as we build the Christ-shaped temple of our lives, with Holy Scripture as the building inspector” (203). Let’s do it.
So, what are the Holy Scriptures teaching? This is the bulk of his exploration.
I have multiple friends who either know Pennington personally or have benefited from his lectures at Southern—particularly regarding the Sermon on the Mount. (That’s actually why I discovered this book. Thanks, Trace.) The way he teaches on this subject seems to have revolutionized many of my friends’ thinking. (Apparently, according to my friend Isaiah, this is just a dumbed-down and severely abridged version of his lectures. Bummer for me!)
Pennington sees Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount as statements of makarios (happiness or flourishing), meaning this “very first teaching in the very first Gospel shows Jesus to be giving his own authoritative opinion on what constitutes true happiness” (65). That, frankly, is vastly different from the way I’ve ever read these three New Testament chapters. He later says that “in some early biblical manuscripts the whole Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7) was titled ‘Concerning Happiness,’ because it was clear to Matthew’s readers that this is what Jesus was offering” (206). Astounding. Jesus was a philosopher—the True Philosopher. And we can learn from him. He wants to change our whole lives. How does one live according to the Good? By “looking at God… who is teleios [perfect]” (66; Matt. 5:48).
Now, that’s great in theory (and reality, if we’re being honest), but why don’t we talk about it? Well, I think it’s the same reason we don’t talk about enjoying the gifts God has given us (spoiler alert) to enjoy. Pennington assumes the source of that thinking to be Immanuel Kant and altruism (duty over delight). Thanks to this influence, Christians have inherited a resistance to enjoying life and seeking or longing for enjoyment in God. I believe Ecclesiastes (and Bobby Jamieson’s book Everything Is Never Enough) is a great commentary on how we are to accomplish such a feat.
It made me wonder, though, what other worldly philosophies Christians are prone to believe before turning to the Scriptures. (Again, not all of philosophy’s conclusions should be thrown out—they’re just incomplete.)
On this topic of human flourishing, I don’t believe this overarching idea is unfamiliar to the modern Christian Reformed audience. Many have experienced a similar tension with John Piper’s commentary on “Christian hedonism.” However, biblical happiness is—as Pennington shares from David Naugle’s observation—“edenistic” and not “hedonistic” (216). Where Piper’s concept centers on joy as a co-product of glorifying God (like we see in the Westminster Chatechism on "What is the chief end of man?"), this "edenistic" vision roots joy in creation’s design for flourishing. So, that means this is not a fleshly pursuit, but a godly pursuit. Jesus gives us joy and allows us to experience a fullness of joy (Jn 15:11). Praise God.
How? Well, let’s find this intersection of philosophy and our Great Philosopher. “For the Greeks, the organizing structure of the world, the blueprint and pattern of how things came into being and hold together, was called the logos.” Sound familiar? It should—since “the Gospel of John opens with [a pronouncement of] Jesus as the co-creator of the world, [calling] him the Logos” (70–71, modified).
Jesus, the Great Philosopher, the way, the truth and the life, came to bring life abundant. That’s the best news all these ancient (and modern) philosophies and philosophers can’t give. They can’t even come close. We are disciples of the One who is the epitome of virtue, who holds the entire universe in his hands, who has all wisdom and knowledge of all things, who tells us how to live and love, who shows us how to live and love, who gives us a whole-life philosophy; but who also, with joy in full view, gave his very own life so that we who know him can enjoy this life in him for all of eternity. Like, it doesn’t get any better than that, people. Come on!
May we, by God’s grace, have the wisdom to walk in the Good Life offered to us by Jesus Christ through God the Father, who himself is teleios. And may we look to him and his Holy Scriptures to answer the questions of life and what is good and right and beautiful, because Christ alone has the ability to answer. He is our whole-life philosopher.
Blessed [Happy] is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers. (Ps. 1:1–3a)
Praise God that Jesus is our Great Philosopher.
July 27, 2025
This book was a delight! I wish I had read something like it back when I was studying philosophy in college—it would have helped immensely. Pennington does a fantastic job of showing how the Bible is a deeply philosophical work and how Jesus is, in many ways, the greatest philosopher to have ever walked the earth. He presents compelling evidence that the biblical writers and early church saw Jesus not only as Savior and King, but also as a philosopher—one who offered a way of life that led to wisdom and human flourishing, the very aim of ancient philosophy.
Pennington argues that modern philosophy has essentially broken away from its ancient roots. Whereas ancient philosophers sought to live wisely, many modern philosophers merely analyze and discuss ideas without embodying them. As Thoreau once said, “There are nowadays professors of philosophy, but not philosophers.” Pennington suggests the church has similarly lost its connection to philosophy as a way of life, and this has led to several consequences:
1. Our Christian faith is often disconnected from other aspects of our human lives. Christianity has become merely a religion rather than a philosophy of life.
2. We naturally look to other sources—alternative gurus—to give us the wisdom needed to live flourishing lives, to find the Good Life.
3. We have stopped asking a set of big questions that Holy Scripture is seeking to answer—questions about how the world really works and how to live in it.
4. We have limited our witness to the world!
Brilliant insights all around. If you’re not into philosophy, this may not grip you like it did me. But if you’re curious about the growing popularity of Stoicism, or you’re wondering how your relationship with God should shape your daily life, this book is well worth your time.
Pennington argues that modern philosophy has essentially broken away from its ancient roots. Whereas ancient philosophers sought to live wisely, many modern philosophers merely analyze and discuss ideas without embodying them. As Thoreau once said, “There are nowadays professors of philosophy, but not philosophers.” Pennington suggests the church has similarly lost its connection to philosophy as a way of life, and this has led to several consequences:
1. Our Christian faith is often disconnected from other aspects of our human lives. Christianity has become merely a religion rather than a philosophy of life.
2. We naturally look to other sources—alternative gurus—to give us the wisdom needed to live flourishing lives, to find the Good Life.
3. We have stopped asking a set of big questions that Holy Scripture is seeking to answer—questions about how the world really works and how to live in it.
4. We have limited our witness to the world!
Brilliant insights all around. If you’re not into philosophy, this may not grip you like it did me. But if you’re curious about the growing popularity of Stoicism, or you’re wondering how your relationship with God should shape your daily life, this book is well worth your time.
October 21, 2025
Pennington is such a gifted writer. He is accessible, humorous, and contains much depth. This work will surely enhance your view of the institution of Christianity as more than a religion, but a way of life. Pennington helps us see that the works of the New Testament and Old are engaging other voices claiming to know the way to the "good life." In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is presented as the philosopher who tells us of the truly good life in which humans can flourish. This is a brief work that discusses modern and ancient philosophy that is well worth your time.
January 7, 2021
Intriguing, reforming, and immensely practical. Pennington argues that biblical Christianity offers a whole-life philosophy that leads to true human happiness and prosperity. Modern Christians have forgotten much of this and suffer a lack of mature and robust understanding of our world. In particular, Pennington explains how the philosophy of Christianity addresses our emotions, our friendships, and our happiness.
Those uninterested in Pennington’s short surveys of Greek philosophical history may find these portions taxing, but the contrasts drawn between these and the philosophy of Christianity vividly portray the brilliant glory of the Christian life in the midst of a broken world.
While the entire book is great, at a minimum, every Modern Christian would be helped by reading the chapters on emotions and friendships.
Those uninterested in Pennington’s short surveys of Greek philosophical history may find these portions taxing, but the contrasts drawn between these and the philosophy of Christianity vividly portray the brilliant glory of the Christian life in the midst of a broken world.
While the entire book is great, at a minimum, every Modern Christian would be helped by reading the chapters on emotions and friendships.
January 10, 2022
Absolutely phenomenal. If you’re a skeptic of Christianity or a fan of Ryan Holaday or looking for a “why” of things, or even a follower of Christ interested in a more comprehensive connection between what you believe and a whole way of thinking about life, this books is for you.
All my kids will be required to read this. It’s very helpful for shaping and educating the mind and understanding what Aristotle, Plato and all the rest said about the most important things of life. Most importantly though, it explains why the philosophy of Jesus was far more sophisticated and satisfying than those old Greeks.
All my kids will be required to read this. It’s very helpful for shaping and educating the mind and understanding what Aristotle, Plato and all the rest said about the most important things of life. Most importantly though, it explains why the philosophy of Jesus was far more sophisticated and satisfying than those old Greeks.
October 31, 2020
if all the southern baptists were like Jonathan Pennington the world would be a better place
December 18, 2020
I appreciated Pennington’s book. He did a good job showing that “Christianity is more than a religion. It is a deeply sophisticated philosophy” (p. 159).
July 21, 2023
Als Theologen schätze ich von recht konservativ-baptistischer Seite besonders Jonathan Pennington. Sein Buch „Reading the Gospels Wisely“ fand ich damals sehr überzeugend. Deshalb bin ich auf dieses Buch gestossen.
Pennington packt ein Thema an, dass der westlichen Christenheit verloren gegangen ist: Jesus - unser Herr und Philosoph. Er zeigt anhand der frühen Kirche auf, wie auf verschiedenen Fresken in Kirchen Jesus als Philosoph dargestellt wurde. Das Paradebeispiel der frühen Kirchenväter ist Justin der Märtyrer (und Philosoph). Er brachte Jesus ins Gespräch mit den damals führenden Philosophien.
Nach diesem ersten Teil spricht Pennington die Themen Emotionen, Beziehungen und Glück an. In jedem Teil geht er zuerst auf die damaligen (und teilweise auch gegenwärtigen) Vorstellungen in der Philosophie ein und versucht dann das Thema biblisch zu beleuchten. An manchen Stellen fand ich es gelungen. An anderen nicht. ZB fand ich wirklich schwach, wie er Glück in der Bibel beschreibt. Hat mich nicht überzeugt. Hatte ehrlich gesagt etwas mehr von einem Neutestamentler erwartet.
Insgesamt fand ich den ersten Teil sehr stark (in dem er erläutert, dass Jesus als Philosoph verstanden wurde). Die weiteren Teile (Emotionen, Beziehungen, Glück) haben mich nicht so überzeugt. Deshalb eig 3,5 Sterne, die hier auf 4 Sterne aufgerundet werden.
Pennington packt ein Thema an, dass der westlichen Christenheit verloren gegangen ist: Jesus - unser Herr und Philosoph. Er zeigt anhand der frühen Kirche auf, wie auf verschiedenen Fresken in Kirchen Jesus als Philosoph dargestellt wurde. Das Paradebeispiel der frühen Kirchenväter ist Justin der Märtyrer (und Philosoph). Er brachte Jesus ins Gespräch mit den damals führenden Philosophien.
Nach diesem ersten Teil spricht Pennington die Themen Emotionen, Beziehungen und Glück an. In jedem Teil geht er zuerst auf die damaligen (und teilweise auch gegenwärtigen) Vorstellungen in der Philosophie ein und versucht dann das Thema biblisch zu beleuchten. An manchen Stellen fand ich es gelungen. An anderen nicht. ZB fand ich wirklich schwach, wie er Glück in der Bibel beschreibt. Hat mich nicht überzeugt. Hatte ehrlich gesagt etwas mehr von einem Neutestamentler erwartet.
Insgesamt fand ich den ersten Teil sehr stark (in dem er erläutert, dass Jesus als Philosoph verstanden wurde). Die weiteren Teile (Emotionen, Beziehungen, Glück) haben mich nicht so überzeugt. Deshalb eig 3,5 Sterne, die hier auf 4 Sterne aufgerundet werden.
December 21, 2024
For a philosophy-adjacent book this felt very warm and personal to me. I found the arguments encouraging and interesting.
Main idea is that Christianity is not just a religion but a whole-life philosophy. Too many have disconnected their faith from other parts of life and seek alternative “gurus” for them. Pennington hopes to show us just how much Jesus and Christianity have to offer on the most significant issues of life. He explores biblical wisdom concerning relationships (particularly friendships), politics, emotions, and happiness. Jesus is explored as a philosopher in both the eyes of historical followers and as a lover of wisdom who teaches the good life. As he lays out Christianity as a whole-life philosophy, Pennington uses comparisons to alternative philosophical systems to offer helpful contrast. Ancient philosophers are praised for their concern for the good life, modern philosophers criticized as esoteric, and Kant deemed the bogeyman.
Ultimately, I’m not sure how important it is or how much I believe that Jesus should be considered a philosopher. He certainly is a lover of wisdom but he’s more of an appeal to authority than making arguments guy. Which honestly makes sense, given who He is. Regardless, I think it’s a neat twist on the always needed reminder that Jesus and the Bible hold immense wisdom and guidance for daily life.
Thanks Josh for the recommendation!
Main idea is that Christianity is not just a religion but a whole-life philosophy. Too many have disconnected their faith from other parts of life and seek alternative “gurus” for them. Pennington hopes to show us just how much Jesus and Christianity have to offer on the most significant issues of life. He explores biblical wisdom concerning relationships (particularly friendships), politics, emotions, and happiness. Jesus is explored as a philosopher in both the eyes of historical followers and as a lover of wisdom who teaches the good life. As he lays out Christianity as a whole-life philosophy, Pennington uses comparisons to alternative philosophical systems to offer helpful contrast. Ancient philosophers are praised for their concern for the good life, modern philosophers criticized as esoteric, and Kant deemed the bogeyman.
Ultimately, I’m not sure how important it is or how much I believe that Jesus should be considered a philosopher. He certainly is a lover of wisdom but he’s more of an appeal to authority than making arguments guy. Which honestly makes sense, given who He is. Regardless, I think it’s a neat twist on the always needed reminder that Jesus and the Bible hold immense wisdom and guidance for daily life.
Thanks Josh for the recommendation!
October 20, 2020
The journey of every great teacher is to journey deep into the mountainous forest of complexity, and, rather than stay there lost in the dense scholarship, they come back down the mountain with simple wisdom for us normal folks in the lowlands.
That, my friends, is exactly what world-renowned New Testament scholar Jonathan Pennington has done in this excellent book. He has spent decades traversing the deep things of God in his biblical scholarship, and with Jesus the Great Philosopher, he has come back down the mountain to bring Jesus’ comprehensive philosophy of life down to the level where normal (emotionally complex) people can receive it.
From helpful and simple overviews of where certain ideas came from and how they’re still around in our day, in books, movies, and TV personalities, all the way to relationally-rich (as one who has lived through troubles) discussions of human emotion and how to live the good life.
While some scholars (like Jordan Peterson) have tried to bring complexity down to us simpletons but ended up with a mixed bag of overlong paragraphs and dense cultural exegesis, Pennington writes with short, clear, and illustrative prose that never spends too long in one place, but reads like a story, like a cohesive whole.
So, if you’re a normal person navigating a world of normal (troubled) human relationships, with others and with yourself, do yourself a favor, read, laugh, and inwardly digest this wonderful book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
That, my friends, is exactly what world-renowned New Testament scholar Jonathan Pennington has done in this excellent book. He has spent decades traversing the deep things of God in his biblical scholarship, and with Jesus the Great Philosopher, he has come back down the mountain to bring Jesus’ comprehensive philosophy of life down to the level where normal (emotionally complex) people can receive it.
From helpful and simple overviews of where certain ideas came from and how they’re still around in our day, in books, movies, and TV personalities, all the way to relationally-rich (as one who has lived through troubles) discussions of human emotion and how to live the good life.
While some scholars (like Jordan Peterson) have tried to bring complexity down to us simpletons but ended up with a mixed bag of overlong paragraphs and dense cultural exegesis, Pennington writes with short, clear, and illustrative prose that never spends too long in one place, but reads like a story, like a cohesive whole.
So, if you’re a normal person navigating a world of normal (troubled) human relationships, with others and with yourself, do yourself a favor, read, laugh, and inwardly digest this wonderful book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 15, 2021
I put off finishing this book until I could settle down and enjoy it. I don't regret that. I do regret taking so long to do it.
Serious contender for book of the year. A wonderful, fresh, direct and whimsical challenge to embrace the Christian philosophy.
Go and read it if you haven't already.
Serious contender for book of the year. A wonderful, fresh, direct and whimsical challenge to embrace the Christian philosophy.
Go and read it if you haven't already.
August 1, 2022
Okay.
November 30, 2021
When you think of philosophers, you probably think of Plato, Aristotle, Buddha, or Confucius. When Christians especially think of Jesus, they think of God, the Bible, and "the founder of Christianity." Certainly, Jesus is all of those things, but He is also, in the ancient sense, a philosopher. To the ancient mind, a philosopher is one who loves wisdom, who thinks about what a good life is, and teaches the path toward that life. Anyone who calls Himself "the way, the truth, and the life," anyone who teaches the key to happiness, anyone who points people to eternal glory would be counted as a philosopher, and that's exactly what Jesus did.
Jonathan Pennington expounds all of these ideas clearly and concisely in his book, "Jesus the Great Philosopher." Pennington elaborates what a philosopher is, how he spoke, what he talked about, and how Jesus epitomizes those things. The author, who teaches at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, is no liberal. He does not reduce Jesus to merely a great teacher, as He is viewed by some other religions. Pennington exalts Christ as God in the flesh, while helping us to see that as this perfect giver of wisdom surpassed all previous and future philosophers in his teaching.
Jonathan Pennington expounds all of these ideas clearly and concisely in his book, "Jesus the Great Philosopher." Pennington elaborates what a philosopher is, how he spoke, what he talked about, and how Jesus epitomizes those things. The author, who teaches at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, is no liberal. He does not reduce Jesus to merely a great teacher, as He is viewed by some other religions. Pennington exalts Christ as God in the flesh, while helping us to see that as this perfect giver of wisdom surpassed all previous and future philosophers in his teaching.
May 8, 2021
Jonathan Pennington believes that while Christians take Jesus seriously as their Savior, they do not take him seriously as a philosopher. Non-Christians, meanwhile, underestimate the holistic vision of Jesus’ vision for life. In Jesus the Great Philosopher Pennington argues that Jesus is not just a religious leader, but a philosopher, and then goes onto explain how Jesus’ philosophy is coherent and distinct from alternate philosophies.
At its core, philosophy is a the examination of how to live a good life. Pennington explains that “Christianity is more than a religion. It is a deeply sophisticated philosophy.” Pennington spends quite a bit of time explaining the many times where Jesus’ teaching is philosophical and how the early church understood that Jesus was a philosopher. I particularly enjoyed Pennington’s reflection on Moses’s role as a philosopher as well. Pennington’s analysis is so persuasive, it’s hard to imagine a serious argument being made against this position.
What difference does it make that Jesus was a philosopher? It means that Jesus’ ministry is not just about the spiritual aspect of our lives, but about all of our lives: how to be happy, how to shape our desires and emotions, and the purpose of relationships. In short, Pennington explores metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and politics.
"Love is more than an emotion, but it is not less than one. Love is a way of seeing and being in the world that is rooted in the heart, which necessarily includes the emotions. God's people are regularly commanded to obey - to do certain actions and to avoid others. But undergirding all of these commands and arching over them all are the two greatest commandments, which focus on love. To do what is moral, to be ethical, requires obeying God with love, and this obedience focuses on the emotions of the person."
The book is certainly introductory in nature. The reader shouldn’t expect a lengthy treatise navigating the complexities of the philosophical tradition. But the benefit is the anyone with even a passing understanding of philosophy can easily pick up this book. While introductory in nature, Pennington largely avoids caricatures of the philosophical traditions.
What is great about this approach is that Pennington has the freedom to have fun. This isn’t your stuffy standard introduction to philosophy book. In one section Pennington had me laughing out loud as he confessed his love for My Little Pony and drew philosophical insights. In other words, Pennington is the perfect guide to make what could be a dry journey enjoyable.
As I hinted at before, my only disappointment was in the book’s length and depth. I would have loved to see Pennington dig deeper into subjects and include a few more areas. I had a few minor quibbles as well, including his treatment of Kant, which I think could have been a bit more nuanced.
I encourage you to pick up the book and consider how Jesus invites us not just into a new spirituality or even religion, but into a philosophy that addresses our most significant questions and invites us to more meaningful lives.
For more reviews see www.thebeehive.live.
At its core, philosophy is a the examination of how to live a good life. Pennington explains that “Christianity is more than a religion. It is a deeply sophisticated philosophy.” Pennington spends quite a bit of time explaining the many times where Jesus’ teaching is philosophical and how the early church understood that Jesus was a philosopher. I particularly enjoyed Pennington’s reflection on Moses’s role as a philosopher as well. Pennington’s analysis is so persuasive, it’s hard to imagine a serious argument being made against this position.
What difference does it make that Jesus was a philosopher? It means that Jesus’ ministry is not just about the spiritual aspect of our lives, but about all of our lives: how to be happy, how to shape our desires and emotions, and the purpose of relationships. In short, Pennington explores metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and politics.
"Love is more than an emotion, but it is not less than one. Love is a way of seeing and being in the world that is rooted in the heart, which necessarily includes the emotions. God's people are regularly commanded to obey - to do certain actions and to avoid others. But undergirding all of these commands and arching over them all are the two greatest commandments, which focus on love. To do what is moral, to be ethical, requires obeying God with love, and this obedience focuses on the emotions of the person."
The book is certainly introductory in nature. The reader shouldn’t expect a lengthy treatise navigating the complexities of the philosophical tradition. But the benefit is the anyone with even a passing understanding of philosophy can easily pick up this book. While introductory in nature, Pennington largely avoids caricatures of the philosophical traditions.
What is great about this approach is that Pennington has the freedom to have fun. This isn’t your stuffy standard introduction to philosophy book. In one section Pennington had me laughing out loud as he confessed his love for My Little Pony and drew philosophical insights. In other words, Pennington is the perfect guide to make what could be a dry journey enjoyable.
As I hinted at before, my only disappointment was in the book’s length and depth. I would have loved to see Pennington dig deeper into subjects and include a few more areas. I had a few minor quibbles as well, including his treatment of Kant, which I think could have been a bit more nuanced.
I encourage you to pick up the book and consider how Jesus invites us not just into a new spirituality or even religion, but into a philosophy that addresses our most significant questions and invites us to more meaningful lives.
For more reviews see www.thebeehive.live.
October 5, 2024
Overall, this is an insightful and perceptive treatment of "the philosophy of Christianity/Christ." Pennington draws from his earlier work on Matthew's Gospel (and especially the Sermon on the Mount), expanding the range of his approach to answer the godless (but at points helpful, by his reckoning) philosophies of ancient and recent times. He forcefully rebuffs abstract Kantian deontological ethics in favor of relational/personal (and, preferential) virtue ethics. His brief treatment of reordering loves and values is compelling. Self-denial is not about depriving oneself of the Good Life, but about being renewed in the innermost man so as to put pride and self-centeredness to death, and thereby to achieve the Good Life that Christ alone gives. I also appreciated Pennington's treatment of hope as central to the Christian faith, and joyous resilience in the face of this-worldly trials.
I'm not convinced that correcting pietism/fundamentalism by casting Christianity as "more than a religion" (i.e., a philosophy) is the most tenable move. There is certainly a philosophy of Christianity, but Christianity as a way of life is more properly regarded as true theology (i.e., the doctrine of living to God the Father through Christ the Son by the Holy Spirit in the church according to the Word). I think that it is better to start with Christianity as a theology that the various philosophies of human history can only imitate (and poorly, at that) rather than Christianity as a totalizing philosophy that answers the partial and incomplete proposals of human philosophies.
It was not always clear for whom Pennington was writing. Is he writing to/for the secular humanist to respond to objections and alternatives to Christianity (unlikely)? Is he writing to fellow scholars/philosophers/exegetes (unlikely)? Is he writing to young Christians in college (likely)? Is he writing for psychologists and those engaged in what Ted Turnau calls "popologetics" (unlikely)? It is jarring at times to read a work that weaves together engagement with Cicero, Epicurus, Kant, de Botton, and Yazony with references to shallow pop psychology (e.g., self-help books), superhero movies, and children's cartoon programming. The frequent breaks in the writing (indicated by three dots separating sections in the chapters) only adds to the disjointed feel. But there is a certain strain of modern popular philosophical prose that does this with some frequency, so maybe that's the kind of book that Pennington set out to write, in which case he is successful.
To end on a high note, Pennington is an excellent writer and always delightful to read. This is true of his other work that I've read and used in my teaching and ministry. Though I would caution readers that Pennington is far too winsome as he interacts with what Paul calls "philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world" (Col. 2:8), I can recommend this book to those who want to think deeply (but not academically, per se) about Christianity as a way of life in opposition to stoicism, epicureanism, humanism, and pop psychology.
I'm not convinced that correcting pietism/fundamentalism by casting Christianity as "more than a religion" (i.e., a philosophy) is the most tenable move. There is certainly a philosophy of Christianity, but Christianity as a way of life is more properly regarded as true theology (i.e., the doctrine of living to God the Father through Christ the Son by the Holy Spirit in the church according to the Word). I think that it is better to start with Christianity as a theology that the various philosophies of human history can only imitate (and poorly, at that) rather than Christianity as a totalizing philosophy that answers the partial and incomplete proposals of human philosophies.
It was not always clear for whom Pennington was writing. Is he writing to/for the secular humanist to respond to objections and alternatives to Christianity (unlikely)? Is he writing to fellow scholars/philosophers/exegetes (unlikely)? Is he writing to young Christians in college (likely)? Is he writing for psychologists and those engaged in what Ted Turnau calls "popologetics" (unlikely)? It is jarring at times to read a work that weaves together engagement with Cicero, Epicurus, Kant, de Botton, and Yazony with references to shallow pop psychology (e.g., self-help books), superhero movies, and children's cartoon programming. The frequent breaks in the writing (indicated by three dots separating sections in the chapters) only adds to the disjointed feel. But there is a certain strain of modern popular philosophical prose that does this with some frequency, so maybe that's the kind of book that Pennington set out to write, in which case he is successful.
To end on a high note, Pennington is an excellent writer and always delightful to read. This is true of his other work that I've read and used in my teaching and ministry. Though I would caution readers that Pennington is far too winsome as he interacts with what Paul calls "philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world" (Col. 2:8), I can recommend this book to those who want to think deeply (but not academically, per se) about Christianity as a way of life in opposition to stoicism, epicureanism, humanism, and pop psychology.
July 13, 2021
Is Jesus a philosopher? What would you think if you saw a big banner at your church proclaiming Jesus as our great “Immanuel, Savior, Healer, and Philosopher” (ch. 1)? It’s basically what a church in the third century did, only instead of a banner they painted Jesus on their walls, healing, teaching, and performing miracles, dressed as a philosopher. In the early second century, Justin Martyr, a Christian apologist and philosopher, saw both Jesus and the Old Testament prophets as philosophers. He explained that “philosophy is a way of finding true life,” and he had found this true life in Jesus (ch. 1). Even in 1999, George W. Bush refereed to Christ as a philosopher who had had the most influence on his life. Jonathan Pennington writes, “Christianity is not just a set of doctrines but a divine whole-life philosophy worth dying for, if need be” (I reviewed this book through NetGalley. It didn’t have page numbers, so I don’t have any for the quotes).
In chapter one, Pennington, associate professor of New Testament Interpretation at SBTS, shows the results of not thinking of Christianity as its own philosophy:
Faith is too often disconnected from other parts of our life.
We separate our life into different drawers. Just as socks, underwear, and pants go into their own drawers, we separate health, money, education, relationships, and faith from each other.
We look for other sources/alternative gurus (from Jordan Peterson to Oprah, from Marie Kondo to Nick Offerman) to advise us on hoot live the good life.
We have stopped looking to Scripture to tell us “how the world really works and how we should live in it.”
We have a book of ultimate authority and all the answers, but do we know the questions to ask? Are we asking the right questions?
What is reality?
What does it mean to be human?
Where is true happiness found, how do I get there, and what do I do when I get it?
“We have limited our witness to the world.”
Christianity needs to be big enough to make sense of your whole life, not taught in a way that divorces it from our normal life.
A Vision for Life Itself
But doesn’t philosophy just ask big, nonsensical questions without providing any answers? As Steve Martin put it, “you remember just enough” from college “to screw you up for the rest of your life” (ch. 2).
But in the ancient world, philosophy was the frame or “the vision for life itself,” helping people understand “Good and the goodness of life.” It went from meaning being wise in certain fields such as mathematics, biology, or physics, to being “a pursuit of a comprehensive understanding of all the world,” focusing “on character traits and habits that, if practiced, will result in a flourishing life and society.” Students were taught to know politics, music, and astronomy (and more) because as we see the how different aspects of the world work in harmony, we will develop a deeper inner harmony.
Four Big Questions
The philosopher was someone who had knowledge, training, years of experience, as well as virtue and integrity who could “serve as instructors and models.” These were teachers who knew the information and could teach how it fit in with the rest of life. Even the Hebrew Scriptures “actually present themselves as a philosophy of life in the ancient sense” (ch. 3). It answers the four big questions of metaphysics (what is the true nature of the universe?), epistemology (How do we know things?), ethics (what is right, and how do we live it out?), and politics (how do we structure society and institutions in the best and wisest ways?).
Jesus, the Philosopher, and the Gospels
In he early first centuries of Christianity, Jesus was depicted most often as either a king or a philosopher (just think about wise king Solomon). One of the most influential ways of writing about one philosopher teacher was through bios, “the retelling of the ‘life’ of someone famous” (ch. 5). This method was well established by the time Jesus came on the scene, and it explained the teachings, life, and dignified death of the teacher.
One way we can know the Gospels present Jesus as a philosopher is because the “form and content of the Gospels closely resemble the many Lives that were written about other ancient philosophers.” Aphorisms (short, pithy sayings), parables, and winsome arguments are a few ways we can see how Jesus functioned as a philosopher, for philosophers also regularly taught others through these styles. Jesus is “a disciple-making wisdom teacher,” and his teachings are collected into “five major topical epitomes” or blocks.
Philosophers asked what the Good was and how could we live in right accordance with it. Jesus taught the same thing, only we find the Good by looking at God who is whole, mature, complete, and perfect. Jesus teaches these truths in the Sermon on the mount, where he is a better Moses, God in the flesh, a great philosopher king giving out wise laws. John, Paul, Peter, James, and the whole New Testament in fact teaches us to imitate our great Teacher, who saved us and makes us whole, complete, and perfect.
I Got 99 Problems…
In chapter nine, Humans, We Have a Problem, Pennington writes that all humans have a problem (if you couldn’t guess). That problem revolves around “meaningful happiness.” It’s the nagging question that asks, “Does any of what we do really matter?” If it gives meaning, is it lasting? Will it make me happy? (Think Ecclesiastes.) Even in his The City of God, Augustine noted that everybody wants to be happy. However many disagree on “what this happiness looks like and how to obtain it.” Family? Food? Achievement? Religion?
According to Yuval Noah Harari in his bestseller Sapiens, are we, homo sapiens, “simply an ‘animal of no significance’”? But, concerning happiness, we often discern happiness in our lives by weighing all of our happy moments vs our bad moments instead of seeing our lives in their “entirety as meaningful and worthwhile.” We flourish through living intentionally and thoughtfully. But why do we have so many happiness gurus? Why does life feel like reading a menu at the Cheesecake Factory? Should I follow the veto diet, do CrossFit, pay it forward, do hot yoga, or (and?) journal every day?
…But Finding Happiness Ain’t One
In the end (chapter 10), Pennington points to Jesus as the one who came into the world “that they may have life, and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10). Jesus’ Beatitudes tells us what true flourishing is. We are allowed to long for happiness, and we find it fully in God himself. Psalm 1 even begins with the idea of being happy/flourishing, but certainly when you read through the rest of the psalter, it doesn’t look like very many are flourishing. But yet they are. In a covenantal relationship with God, God’s people flourish.
Recommended?
I found this to be a great book that really helped me to see another facet of Jesus, one of a philosopher, as well as what philosophy is really meant to be. I haven’t read much philosophy (from any era), but Pennington shows how Jesus and the Gospels give us the answers to happiness. Jesus answers your deepest needs. He doesn’t merely give you a list of rules to follow but changes your entire orientation to life. Pennington shows how the Bible helps us understand our emotions and how we thrive in relationship to other people. While many today don’t know how to integrate the teachings of Jesus into their new lifestyle as Christians, Pennington shows that Christianity has always wrestled with life’s important questions (despite what the new atheists say), and it offers everyone the answers to those questions.
In chapter one, Pennington, associate professor of New Testament Interpretation at SBTS, shows the results of not thinking of Christianity as its own philosophy:
Faith is too often disconnected from other parts of our life.
We separate our life into different drawers. Just as socks, underwear, and pants go into their own drawers, we separate health, money, education, relationships, and faith from each other.
We look for other sources/alternative gurus (from Jordan Peterson to Oprah, from Marie Kondo to Nick Offerman) to advise us on hoot live the good life.
We have stopped looking to Scripture to tell us “how the world really works and how we should live in it.”
We have a book of ultimate authority and all the answers, but do we know the questions to ask? Are we asking the right questions?
What is reality?
What does it mean to be human?
Where is true happiness found, how do I get there, and what do I do when I get it?
“We have limited our witness to the world.”
Christianity needs to be big enough to make sense of your whole life, not taught in a way that divorces it from our normal life.
A Vision for Life Itself
But doesn’t philosophy just ask big, nonsensical questions without providing any answers? As Steve Martin put it, “you remember just enough” from college “to screw you up for the rest of your life” (ch. 2).
But in the ancient world, philosophy was the frame or “the vision for life itself,” helping people understand “Good and the goodness of life.” It went from meaning being wise in certain fields such as mathematics, biology, or physics, to being “a pursuit of a comprehensive understanding of all the world,” focusing “on character traits and habits that, if practiced, will result in a flourishing life and society.” Students were taught to know politics, music, and astronomy (and more) because as we see the how different aspects of the world work in harmony, we will develop a deeper inner harmony.
Four Big Questions
The philosopher was someone who had knowledge, training, years of experience, as well as virtue and integrity who could “serve as instructors and models.” These were teachers who knew the information and could teach how it fit in with the rest of life. Even the Hebrew Scriptures “actually present themselves as a philosophy of life in the ancient sense” (ch. 3). It answers the four big questions of metaphysics (what is the true nature of the universe?), epistemology (How do we know things?), ethics (what is right, and how do we live it out?), and politics (how do we structure society and institutions in the best and wisest ways?).
Jesus, the Philosopher, and the Gospels
In he early first centuries of Christianity, Jesus was depicted most often as either a king or a philosopher (just think about wise king Solomon). One of the most influential ways of writing about one philosopher teacher was through bios, “the retelling of the ‘life’ of someone famous” (ch. 5). This method was well established by the time Jesus came on the scene, and it explained the teachings, life, and dignified death of the teacher.
One way we can know the Gospels present Jesus as a philosopher is because the “form and content of the Gospels closely resemble the many Lives that were written about other ancient philosophers.” Aphorisms (short, pithy sayings), parables, and winsome arguments are a few ways we can see how Jesus functioned as a philosopher, for philosophers also regularly taught others through these styles. Jesus is “a disciple-making wisdom teacher,” and his teachings are collected into “five major topical epitomes” or blocks.
Philosophers asked what the Good was and how could we live in right accordance with it. Jesus taught the same thing, only we find the Good by looking at God who is whole, mature, complete, and perfect. Jesus teaches these truths in the Sermon on the mount, where he is a better Moses, God in the flesh, a great philosopher king giving out wise laws. John, Paul, Peter, James, and the whole New Testament in fact teaches us to imitate our great Teacher, who saved us and makes us whole, complete, and perfect.
I Got 99 Problems…
In chapter nine, Humans, We Have a Problem, Pennington writes that all humans have a problem (if you couldn’t guess). That problem revolves around “meaningful happiness.” It’s the nagging question that asks, “Does any of what we do really matter?” If it gives meaning, is it lasting? Will it make me happy? (Think Ecclesiastes.) Even in his The City of God, Augustine noted that everybody wants to be happy. However many disagree on “what this happiness looks like and how to obtain it.” Family? Food? Achievement? Religion?
According to Yuval Noah Harari in his bestseller Sapiens, are we, homo sapiens, “simply an ‘animal of no significance’”? But, concerning happiness, we often discern happiness in our lives by weighing all of our happy moments vs our bad moments instead of seeing our lives in their “entirety as meaningful and worthwhile.” We flourish through living intentionally and thoughtfully. But why do we have so many happiness gurus? Why does life feel like reading a menu at the Cheesecake Factory? Should I follow the veto diet, do CrossFit, pay it forward, do hot yoga, or (and?) journal every day?
…But Finding Happiness Ain’t One
In the end (chapter 10), Pennington points to Jesus as the one who came into the world “that they may have life, and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10). Jesus’ Beatitudes tells us what true flourishing is. We are allowed to long for happiness, and we find it fully in God himself. Psalm 1 even begins with the idea of being happy/flourishing, but certainly when you read through the rest of the psalter, it doesn’t look like very many are flourishing. But yet they are. In a covenantal relationship with God, God’s people flourish.
Recommended?
I found this to be a great book that really helped me to see another facet of Jesus, one of a philosopher, as well as what philosophy is really meant to be. I haven’t read much philosophy (from any era), but Pennington shows how Jesus and the Gospels give us the answers to happiness. Jesus answers your deepest needs. He doesn’t merely give you a list of rules to follow but changes your entire orientation to life. Pennington shows how the Bible helps us understand our emotions and how we thrive in relationship to other people. While many today don’t know how to integrate the teachings of Jesus into their new lifestyle as Christians, Pennington shows that Christianity has always wrestled with life’s important questions (despite what the new atheists say), and it offers everyone the answers to those questions.
October 20, 2020
Jesus a great savior? Absolutely. Jesus a perfect shepherd? Of course. Jesus a great philosopher? Hey, wait a second.
Today, philosophy in many Christian communities is viewed with some suspicion and little necessary for the Christian faith. And it seems even more alien and scandalous to us, to say that Jesus was a philosopher. This alarmism arises from ignorance or baseless prejudices, because the truth is that Jesus is the greatest and best philosopher.
To help us come out of the shadows, and discover this impressive aspect about Jesus, we find this book entitled "Jesus the great philosopher", written by Dr. Jonathan T. Pennington, who with great skill and with a friendly and academic style, makes us see that as Christians we can confidently say that Jesus is the great philosopher and therefore he offers us the best philosophy. As the author writes “Christianity is not just a set of doctrines but a divine whole-life philosophy worth dying for, if need be”.
Therefore, it is time to know and follow Jesus and his philosophy.
In this book, the reader will find a good short introduction to philosophy, and how Christianity from its inception has promoted the true philosophy. For this, the author presents us the great philosophical ideas found in the Scriptures, particularly presenting Moses as a philosopher, who presented the life instructions to the people and how the prophets spoke of this, to finally speak of the Gospels as testimony of the life of Jesus, and of how the philosophy of Christian life is presented. All this under four criteria: metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and politics.
Then the author takes us to a more practical part, in which he talks about emotions, relationships and happiness. Issues that directly address our understanding of the philosophy that we find in Scripture. There would be a lot more to say, especially on the approach to stoicism, which is very good. But, I encourage you to get this book.
I believe this book will challenge our understanding of who Jesus is, leading us to see our Lord as the one who shows us how to live. Only in Jesus the Messiah, we find true eudaimonia and ataraxia.
Today, philosophy in many Christian communities is viewed with some suspicion and little necessary for the Christian faith. And it seems even more alien and scandalous to us, to say that Jesus was a philosopher. This alarmism arises from ignorance or baseless prejudices, because the truth is that Jesus is the greatest and best philosopher.
To help us come out of the shadows, and discover this impressive aspect about Jesus, we find this book entitled "Jesus the great philosopher", written by Dr. Jonathan T. Pennington, who with great skill and with a friendly and academic style, makes us see that as Christians we can confidently say that Jesus is the great philosopher and therefore he offers us the best philosophy. As the author writes “Christianity is not just a set of doctrines but a divine whole-life philosophy worth dying for, if need be”.
Therefore, it is time to know and follow Jesus and his philosophy.
In this book, the reader will find a good short introduction to philosophy, and how Christianity from its inception has promoted the true philosophy. For this, the author presents us the great philosophical ideas found in the Scriptures, particularly presenting Moses as a philosopher, who presented the life instructions to the people and how the prophets spoke of this, to finally speak of the Gospels as testimony of the life of Jesus, and of how the philosophy of Christian life is presented. All this under four criteria: metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and politics.
Then the author takes us to a more practical part, in which he talks about emotions, relationships and happiness. Issues that directly address our understanding of the philosophy that we find in Scripture. There would be a lot more to say, especially on the approach to stoicism, which is very good. But, I encourage you to get this book.
I believe this book will challenge our understanding of who Jesus is, leading us to see our Lord as the one who shows us how to live. Only in Jesus the Messiah, we find true eudaimonia and ataraxia.
March 2, 2021
"Love is more than an emotion, but it is not less than one. Love is a way of seeing and being in the world that is rooted in the heart, which necessarily includes the emotions. God's people are regularly commanded to obey - to do certain actions and to avoid others. But undergirding all of these commands and arching over them all are the two greatest commandments, which focus on love. To do what is moral, to be ethical, requires obeying God with love, and this obedience focuses on the emotions of the person."
"Altruism has become so deeply embedded in modern ethics that most Christians do not realize how thoroughly unbiblical it is. [...] Altruism is indeed death to biblical to biblical (and ancient philosophical) ethics. ...it is precisely the desire for happiness that drives all that we do. And that's okay. It is how God made us and exactly how God motivates us. It is the "staggering rewards" that Jesus continually promises us that are not condemned but commended."
This book is an excellent introduction to Christianity as a whole-life philosophy which both answers the longings of the ancient philosophers and corrects the philosophical errors of our own day. It's message is much needed, perhaps especially in my own Presbyterian and Reformed circles, where emotions and the desire for happiness are often dismissed either subtly or overtly.
"Altruism has become so deeply embedded in modern ethics that most Christians do not realize how thoroughly unbiblical it is. [...] Altruism is indeed death to biblical to biblical (and ancient philosophical) ethics. ...it is precisely the desire for happiness that drives all that we do. And that's okay. It is how God made us and exactly how God motivates us. It is the "staggering rewards" that Jesus continually promises us that are not condemned but commended."
This book is an excellent introduction to Christianity as a whole-life philosophy which both answers the longings of the ancient philosophers and corrects the philosophical errors of our own day. It's message is much needed, perhaps especially in my own Presbyterian and Reformed circles, where emotions and the desire for happiness are often dismissed either subtly or overtly.
November 4, 2021
"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition ..." - see? The bible tells me to be aware of philosophy; scary word, ain't it? But what if Christianity is a philosophy? Not only philosophy but a philosophy of life? Even more: what if Jesus was a philosopher?
Pennington's book argues that not only was Jesus a philosopher but that He IS the Great Philosopher! He talks about the 'perversion' of philosophy in modern times (he really "hates" Kant), about virtue, about living life as salt and (in) light (of the Good, the True and the Beautiful). He talks about the good, human-natural-longing-for-flourishing Life, he talks about how others (Roman and Greek philosopher, with a keen eye on Stoics, for which he sympathizes) talked about it and, in the end, describes the makarios (blessedness, flourishing) Jesus is calling us to embrace by becoming His disciples.
The book is a short, insightful read intro to Christianity as a philosophy of life, as a religion that is not merely vertical but horizontally-expanding, a way of life that incorporates the whole human being and enables him/her to truly become human! Great read!
Pennington's book argues that not only was Jesus a philosopher but that He IS the Great Philosopher! He talks about the 'perversion' of philosophy in modern times (he really "hates" Kant), about virtue, about living life as salt and (in) light (of the Good, the True and the Beautiful). He talks about the good, human-natural-longing-for-flourishing Life, he talks about how others (Roman and Greek philosopher, with a keen eye on Stoics, for which he sympathizes) talked about it and, in the end, describes the makarios (blessedness, flourishing) Jesus is calling us to embrace by becoming His disciples.
The book is a short, insightful read intro to Christianity as a philosophy of life, as a religion that is not merely vertical but horizontally-expanding, a way of life that incorporates the whole human being and enables him/her to truly become human! Great read!
May 7, 2021
Based on the title alone (and Pennington's area of expertise), I expected this book to deal with how Jesus' teachings in the four canonical Gospels relate to wider philosophical discussions. And that's part of the book. But Pennington's scope is wider. Jesus the Great Philosopher sets out to discuss how the Bible presents a broader, whole-life philosophy, and how we should embrace that today. Following introductory chapters, including two on how both Testaments present big philosophical ideas, Pennington singles out emotions, relationships, and happiness for discussion. He engages with big philosophical voices in antiquity, but includes lots of material from more contemporary sources, and engages with much of popular culture.
This is a very good book and quite easy to read. I don't think I've ever heard a sermon by Pennington, but given his exegetical depth, emphasis on application, and use of pop culture illustrations, I'd venture to say he's a very useful preacher. Given what he's written here I'm also keen to read his book on the Sermon on the Mount.
This is a very good book and quite easy to read. I don't think I've ever heard a sermon by Pennington, but given his exegetical depth, emphasis on application, and use of pop culture illustrations, I'd venture to say he's a very useful preacher. Given what he's written here I'm also keen to read his book on the Sermon on the Mount.
March 7, 2024
4.25 - This was a fascinating look at Jesus as a philosopher. In all art depictions of Jesus during that time and after, Jesus is always depicted as a philosopher. So why don’t we view him (or Christianity as a whole) as the true wholistic way of life now rather than a just a religion that takes up one part of our life.
Pennington makes a great argument and overview of Jesus’ philosophy for how to achieve the “good life” through obeying God’s commands and how wholistic Jesus’s view of this life is in our pursuit of happiness (which is a Godly desire). He breaks down so many good points in pulling from ancient philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, and Epictetus and seeing how when Jesus came, as the author of life, he was able to take the good points of the ancient philosophies, seeing that they were a glimpse of God’s design of this world, and perfect them through his teachings and ultimately, through living a perfect life as the son of God.
Such a good book, would absolutely recommend.
Pennington makes a great argument and overview of Jesus’ philosophy for how to achieve the “good life” through obeying God’s commands and how wholistic Jesus’s view of this life is in our pursuit of happiness (which is a Godly desire). He breaks down so many good points in pulling from ancient philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, and Epictetus and seeing how when Jesus came, as the author of life, he was able to take the good points of the ancient philosophies, seeing that they were a glimpse of God’s design of this world, and perfect them through his teachings and ultimately, through living a perfect life as the son of God.
Such a good book, would absolutely recommend.
July 23, 2021
A novel approach to reckoning with the uniqueness of Christianity as understood through a philosophical perspective. Pennington illumines the reader to how Christ, rightly understood as a philosopher in the sense of Greco-Roman antiquity, sought to bring flourishing by means of a new community wrought according to holy loves and motivations in the kingdom of God. Philosophy is an enterprise dedicated to pursuing “the Good Life,” not analytic abstractions, making it an incredibly beneficial work for those prevaricating about philosophy’s importance within the Christian faith. However, at times Pennington stresses the need for making the content applicable at a popular level to the point of diluting its substance. Nevertheless, his overall thesis about the social imaginary the gospel invites us all to according to ancient biblical wisdom comes through soundly and swimmingly.
March 16, 2024
“Any wisdom in the world is from God, who created all, but we Christians have the grace that enables complete understanding. This includes the grandest human philosophical question: what does it mean to live a whole, meaningful, and flourishing life? What is the wisdom we need for the Good Life?
Jesus sums up his own purpose, as coming into the world, “that they may have life, and have it to the full”.
“Shalom” is how the Old Testament describes it. “Flourishing” or “entering the kingdom”, or “being glorified”, or “entering life” is how the New Testament talks. The Bible is a book about true happiness.”
Jesus sums up his own purpose, as coming into the world, “that they may have life, and have it to the full”.
“Shalom” is how the Old Testament describes it. “Flourishing” or “entering the kingdom”, or “being glorified”, or “entering life” is how the New Testament talks. The Bible is a book about true happiness.”
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