The Crucifixion of the King of Glory: The Amazing History and Sublime Mystery of the Passion

by Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou

The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ are central events in our salvation. Yet few Christians have a good grasp of the first-century historical and religious context in which the Crucifixion took place, nor of its true significance for the people of that time-and hence for our time as well. Biblical scholar and attorney Dr. Jeannie Constantinou puts modern readers in the center of the events of Christ's Passion, bringing the best of modern scholarship to bear while keeping her interpretation faithful in every particular to the Orthodox Tradition.

Genres: Religion, Christianity, Theology, History, Christian, Nonfiction, Spirituality

370 pages, Paperback

First published February 16, 2022

Reviews

[Kereya Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently listened to the audible version of this during my commute to and from work. My only regret was that my work was not farther away so I could listen for a longer time.

This book was captivating. The historical context behind the crucifixion was riveting, and made the mystery of the Crucifixion so much more awe-inspiring, so much more devastating, and yet so much more glorious in its victory in the Resurrection. It's clear that so many details (the "who's who") is taken for granted when we read this passages every year during Holy Week, so I really appreciated all of the research that was put in to describe who Caiaphas was, who the Sanhedrin were, etc. I also really appreciated that some phrases were provided in the Greek to further clarify the discourses that occurred during the time of Christ's Passion. If I had to point out one thing that I wish was further expanded, it would be the discussion on the Right-Hand Thief.

For those "speed listeners," I listened to the Audible audiobook at 1.6x speed and was able to keep up.

For sure, I will be purchasing a physical copy of this book so I can annotate it for Holy Week next year. Look forward to more works by this wonderful author.

[Michelle Ule · Rating 5 out of 5]

Details, fascinating, and beautifully researched insight into Holy Week. I picked up my copy a week before Holy Week and after starting it, through out my planned Bible study lesson for Holy Week, took 23-pages of notes, and taught right out of the book.

I've written often about different aspects of Holy Week on my blog, but found so much I either didn't know, or hadn't seen before, not to mention the writings of the early Church Fathers. Constantinou is a Greek Orthodox Presbytera, but that didn't bother me at all, indeed, her church's teaching added additional flavor and ideas I'd not heard before.

High recommended. Here's my blog post: https://www.michelleule.com/2022/04/1...

[James Koenig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent!

This book takes the interested reader step by step through the final 7 days of Jesus’ life and provides historical proofs and details that most christian’s are entirely unaware.

Jewish culture and customs are explained in relation to Jesus being an observant Jew.

The book culminates with the crucifixion of Jesus the Messiah. Each detail from The Last Supper to the burial of Jesus is examined and explained through historical records and Jewish customs. I’ve read many books and articles on the Passion of Jesus, but this book explains it in a way that vividly paints into the reader’s mind that agonies and suffering of Jesus. He voluntarily accepted the cross to reconcile mankind to God the Father, and as he breathed his last, he said, “It is finished”. His mission to reveal the Father’s love was complete.

I most highly recommend this book to believers and non-believers alike. The believers will discover details that they’d never before considered. And agnostics and non-believers will explore the historicity of Jesus and the reality of his life and crucifixion.

Jesus told his followers that they must “take up their cross and follow his example”. In this excellent and most readable book, we discover just what taking up our cross means.

Read this book. You will be blessed. You will be enlightened. Most of all, you will see the deep and inexplicable love that Jesus has for all of us.

A more perfect book about the Passion could not have been written.

I’d give this book 10 stars if I could.

[Steph Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me a while to read because I did my own research and thought throughout. An incredible journey.

[Iz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Crucifixion of the King of Glory

This book is an absolute masterpiece! I’ve never been so captivated by a book that centered on the crucifixion of Christ. The way Dr.Constantinou embeds the historical facts of the first century and the biblical context in more laymen’s terms ( in my opinion) gave me new insight into our Lords last days on this earth.

I felt like I was there almost. You could feel the emotions of everyone involved.

The addition of historical background that was given really helped me understand the time of the first century, because I will be honest my first century historical knowledge is lacking. So I very much enjoyed having it. I appreciated the authors biblical knowledge because she was able to explain things that I would have never known how they went. She explained them in a way that made me understand them and now I can take that knowledge and share it with my children. Speaking of children, when my eldest is a bit older I will have him read this book so he can have a better understanding of the crucifixion and the events that came before it. I believe it will be a great addition to many families that home educate.

Reviewing this book opened me up to more of the authors work and i have since purchased her other book. I am recommending this book to everyone I know that has been asking for a book recommendation for Lent. I honestly could not have been happier with this book as my Lenten reading, but alas… I finished it too quickly!

[Mikal Lambdin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wrote a rather long review for this one, read through it, and decided it was too mean to post haha. I will simply say, not a fan.

[Adam Goff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book that I have read this year so far. Even though I know the story already, the depth that she (the author) goes into was very informative and interesting. I am glad that I read this book and will look into other books that she has written. Definitely a must read.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read several books like this, but really enjoyed the deep dive the author did into the historical context, without sacrificing the theological meaning of the incidents in the Gospels. It also served as a useful introduction to Orthodox theology, which I have to admit was new for me.

[Isaiah the Ox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring, serious, deep, and powerful. Wonderful devotional and reflection for the time of Lent and all times, to reflect on the Cross and the Lord's Passion.

[Alex of Yoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no excuse for why this took me forever to read, because it's very good and very readable. Life just got in the way! Once things calmed down, I was really able to plow through it. Once again, Dr. Constantinou has delivered a masterpiece!

This is an in-depth study of the events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus. It dives deep into the historical and cultural contexts of the day to answer the who, what, when, where, and why of everything from the build-up to Christ's death to His burial in the tomb. It explores the rites and politics of ancient Judaism and the Roman world, drawing on historical sources and copious research to put the reader into the heart of Jerusalem on that fateful Friday and helping them to truly understand and appreciate what it was like to be there and the significance each detail would ultimately have. It debunks common myths and brings in new studies and research to help paint as historically accurate of a picture of the death of Jesus as a modern researcher can do.

I just applaud Dr. Constantinou for the labor of love that this work it. The amount of research that went into this is astounding. Everything from ancient Judaic customs to Roman law and history to Jewish politics to medical reports and experiments to architecture, and even archaeology and astronomy are all brought together into this work to create a real, meaty masterpiece. The author does more than just explain the details, but she goes further to give the reader a sense of the psychology behind what was going on at the time as well as the miraculous way the Old Testament prophecies were woven into this event seamlessly and stunningly. I was blown away by the thoroughness of this book.

Even though it's a historical piece, I still found myself drawn nearer in love to the person of Christ. The theology is apparent through it, and I found myself understanding the Person of Jesus in a deeper and more personal way. It brings life to Scriptures and stories that we've heard maybe a thousand times but never truly appreciated or understood because of how far removed we are from their context. Dr. Constantinou fixes that, placing the reader directly into that context in a way that's readable, not too technical, and full of deep insight and observation.

Though she obviously writes from an Orthodox perspective, I think this book is definitely accessible to any Christian, and I highly recommend it to them (although, if you're attached to atonement theory, prepare to be challenged). I think this book is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand the events of the crucifixion better, why exactly this event was so important to so many people, and how it had such an impact. It's absolutely worth it and is the best, most cohesive exploration of the death of Christ that I have ever read.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quotes:

The Romans destroyed the [Second] Temple in AD 70 - remarkably, on precisely the same date that Solomon’s Temple was destroyed centuries earlier. The Jews themselves concluded that the ruin of both temples on the same date was no mere coincidence. It must have been the will of God, they realized, but Jews have never agreed why God allowed the Second Temple to be destroyed and never rebuilt. Christians, however, remembered the Lord’s prophecy that the Temple would be destroyed (Matthew 24:2; John 4:21) and understood why it happened. Worship of the Lord would no longer be centered at the Temple, nor would it require the blood of animals, for the Lamb of God poured out his blood, creating the New Covenant that Jeremiah had foretold (31:31). God would be worshiped spiritually, and the Law would be spiritual, written on the people’s hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). The Temple of Jesus’ body, which the chief priests had sought to destroy, would become the Body through which the faithful would commune with God in spiritual worship, in every epoch and every conceivable culture, language, and location. The entire world had been sanctified by the presence of God on earth and had become, in its own way, the temple of God, since the Son of God himself was in it. Every individual believer receiving Christ through Holy Communion would become a living, breathing, walking, talking temple of the Living God.

No rational explanation exists for why Christ died on the cross. One attempt at explanation favored by many Christians today - that the crucifixion of the Lord was necessary because Jesus had to die to pay the price for our sins or needed to appease the wrath of God - is, to Orthodox Christians, heretical… The bloody, painful death of the Son of God was not required for any reason. The death of Christ was a voluntary sacrifice made out of pure love, the ultimate example of humility. To regard the crucifixion as an element in a transaction robs the cross of its power. The crucifixion is an example to be imitated, not a payment of a debt. It is the paradigm par excellence of profound humility and unspeakable love, such as the world had never before experienced and could never imagine.

The Father “did not spare his own Son” (Romans 8:32) but willingly gave him, not out of obedience as Abraham had done, nor out of necessity because sin required it, but out of love - a love so completely selfless it can only be divine. God the Father had nothing to gain by giving us his Son. Neither did Jesus have anything to gain by voluntarily accepting the cross. But God the Father so loved the world that he gave us his Only-Begotten and Beloved Son (John 3:16).

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Crucifixion of the King of Glory by Eugenia Constantinou, is an all encompassing account of the last week of Christ's life. Dr. Constantinou does a wonderful job of pulling in many different facets of that week to weave an in-depth narrative that will help the reader better understand Christ's last days. While narrating the last week of Christ's life, she writes about the history, archaeology, philology, medical concepts, religious practices (both Jewish and Pagan), and mentality of the people of that time. All of this helps the reader to attain a mindset closer to that of the people of that time and understand the motives of those involved as well. All of this leads one to find His last week to be more awesome and glorious than previously understood.

The author does well driving home points that one may already “know”, but not fully understand. For me personally, her writing on the Sanhedrin's relentlessness to have Christ crucified and not killed in any number of other ways was very eye-opening to me. Even though you can read explanations in other books, the Author's style of putting you in the mindset of those asking for his crucifixion helps you to “fully” understand rather than just “know”. This fuller understanding occurred many times throughout the book, through the author's explanation of the sacrificial lamb, crucifixion, arrest in the garden, and many other points that allowed me to appreciate the events more fully as God's glory. This book is fantastic and easy to read. I will be recommending it to many friends and family and it is in the top 5 books I would recommend to Christians of any denomination.

[Theresa Madrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is now a part of my annual Lenten reading rotation –

Thank you, Dr. Jeannie for this work. What I usually hear each season are the many prophecies Jesus fulfilled during the trial and crucifixion and that certainly is a part of this book. But what was eye opening for me was why the Jewish leaders thought the way they did and how the Temple operated and the basic structure of the Jewish hierarchy. It was helpful learning the specifics as to which words were used in Hebrew, Greek and Latin and why one version of a word was considered more accurate than another and the way a person of that time would have understood the words.

I like the layout of the book, starting with the issues that led to the arrest and trials of Jesus and then the in-depth review of the betrayal and trials. It is very interesting how Roman law worked during that time and the major differences from our modern law. The last section covering the Cross was well done and covered many nuances I had not known or overlooked before.

I read it through this time without spending much time looking into the bibliography references. I may just go back and read all the references at the bottom of the pages as I found many things of which I wasn’t aware in them. I look forward to reading this again and spending time reviewing the references in more detail.

[Ted · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author writes with clear and firm conviction of her belief in the Orthodox reading of the crucifixion as found in the 4 Gospels. The book might help any Orthodox who have been troubled by questions raised against the Gospel or the Christian faith by shoring up basic beliefs. Questions have been raised by non-believers as well as by modern scholars whose research has caused them to doubt the veracity of certain aspects of the Gospel, especially those relying on a literal reading of the Gospel. Constantinou addresses many of the questions and concerns that she had become aware of following her own research into the questions and challenges raised.

[Skip Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you know that the exact time Jesus was hung on the cross the priests in the temple were leading the lambs into the area of the temple to be slaughtered and the exact time he died was when those lambs were being slaughtered ?

This is an exceptional account of the death of Jesus, blending history, Jewish tradition, philosophy, and medical expertise to the story of the death of Christ.

It goes deep into what Jesus would have felt, thought, and how those around him would have interpreted certain details we skip over.

Highly recommend, 5/5 STARS

[Susan Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep and profound

I highly recommend this book for meditation during Lent and Holy Week. And then it needs to be revisited again and again.

[Carter Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading Brad Jersak's "A More Christlike Word", I had the stark realization that my understanding of the Gospel story was fragmented. Over the last few years, I've been reexamining different bits of my inherited theology, remodeling different aspects, as it were, but during my read of that book, I realized that what that left was a kind of Frankenstein's monster of a theological edifice with bits and pieces from various perspectives of varying degrees of quality and clarity. That started me on a path of reclaiming the historical Christian perspective on Jesus's life and his message in an attempt for a "clean start" (by no means am I trying to "solve" the issue or do I think this journey is something I can complete with a few reads, or in fact, with the entirety of my life).

I found Constantinou's book a fantastic starting place for this journey, honing in on the events of Great Week. I particularly enjoyed the blended approach she used, incorporating historical, biblical, medical, theological, and (most delightfully to me) patristic research into her storytelling. She alternates between vivid physical details, bringing the sights and sounds of Jerusalem to life, and deep theological reflection, anchored in her Eastern Orthodox background. She covers a tremendous amount of ground in this book, deep-diving hyper specific issues of key details of the Great Week and giving broad theological reflections on the nature of Jesus's ascension to the cross. I particularly appreciated learning more Eastern Orthodox perspectives on the gospel; her continual retrieval of Chrysostom, particularly, I found consistently additive and enjoyable.

A point of frustration for me was her handling of competing scholastic opinions. I get that in a 400 page book, there simply isn't enough space to engage opinions with detailed consideration and nuance, but her handling of divisive facets of the gospel narrative were disarmingly quick and succinct at points, leaving little room for argument or conversation. And yet, I also appreciate her boldness to make definitive claims, and her arguments were almost always very compelling.

Overall, this is a delightful read for those wanting to situate themselves like eyewitnesses to the events of Great Week - with Constantinou a gracious sage pointing out paradigm-shifting details otherwise tragically missed.

[jes olga alspach · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Crucifixion of the King of Glory is written in a different manner from its predecessor. It is more ‘fact’ based in medicine and history.

In this book, Dr Jeannie Constantinou describes the vast beauty of the Temple; the levels of priests and their functions; the Jewish and Roman trials and legal systems; Christ’s last words on the Cross and their symbolism; and so many other beautiful details of His walk to Golgotha. The first half of the book, and the last few chapters are amazing! I loved them. Other than some repetitive phrases, there is so much to learn about the symbolism and history of Christ’s walk to the cross.

A big critique and hesitation I have of this book, however, is her vivid explanation of Christ’s crucifixion and theories surrounding it.

She is sure to make clear that Christ did not have a cause of death, citing His words from John 10:17-18. 👍🏼She then goes on to discuss the various theories of how His body died in graphic detail. I personally do not feel comfortable contemplating the physiological death of Christ, it is among our Mysteries. I have not experienced these vivid details in any other Orthodox teachings so far, and it reminded me a lot of “Passion of the Christ,” or the Catholic “Stations of the Cross.” It’s my understanding in our Faith that these kinds of details don’t necessarily benefit us to contemplate; His Death conquered death, and that should be our focus - not the details of His Body dying. If you’re like me, I recommend lightly reading those chapters, or skipping them all together.

With this said, I don’t think the whole book should be disregarded, as there is a lot of beauty.

I recommend this book for the skeptic: she addresses a lot of valid questions and doubts in this book. Also, the Christian who wants to better understand Christ’s walk to the cross and each detail and significance along that road. This is also for the scientifically-minded; and for the Jew for whom He first came to save.

I do recommend discussing with your priest any new information you may learn from Dr Constantinou in this book. We do have a lot to learn from her! But he will be your best guide.

[Laura Wining · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Crucifixion Of The King Of Glory by Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou, PHD


I was given an audible copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book is long, about 15 hours on audible and pretty academic. It’s not an easy weekend read, in my opinion. But, I would recommend it to anyone wanting to get a better understanding of the cross or someone looking for a good Lenten reading.
The first section of the book was a bit challenging for me to get through as it was mostly focused on the history of the Jewish customs. But, it was necessary to lay the ground work so I encourage you to press on if you find yourself struggling.
The last section of the book walks you through every step Jesus went through from the last supper on. It was great to read as we were approaching Holy Week in the church. I feel like I will now have a greater understanding than ever before as I attending the services. Dr. Jeanie went to great lengths to take you through the process and explain actions of the people around him. I found my heart aching so many times as she explained the horror and pain Jesus accepted for us. He laid down his life for us, it wasn’t taken from him. How moving this is! This quote from Augustine that Dr. Jeanie quoted gave me chills,“While Christ, the second Adam was asleep on the cross, his bride, the church was formed from his side. “
I HIGHLY recommend reading this book during lent and especially as you draw closer to Holy Week and ultimately Pascha. 10/10

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essentially, The Crucifixion of the King of Glory leads you through the historical and Jewish context for the Passion of Christ. There's history, theology, apologetics, as well as a chronological overview of the overall passion narrative. And it's all written by a capable author (Constantinou describes her degrees at length in the intro, but not im an arrogant way.)

Overall, I learned quite a bit from this reading. Several times, I had to pause this audiobook to fact check what I'd heard. Here's a few examples:
- Golgotha was the traditional burial place for Adam.
- There's at least four examples of rabbinic literature about God's presence leaving the Temple between 30-70AD
- There's pagan literature from 50AD confirming the three hours of darkness during the Passion

I could go on – this was a good listen! That said, there were a few dull moments, especially in the first half. I felt like I didn't know what I was reading at first, and the author spent too much time talking about the biblical plot that I already knew about. Additionally, the audiobook is very slow (I listened to it at 1.6x speed). Lastly, Constantinou is bold in her Orthodox theology, and brings it up through this book. That doesn't bother me, but it isn't always necessary and I could see it as being a turnoff for some people.

I'd recommend The Crucifixion of the King of Glory for anyone wanting to know more about the Passion Story overall. The person who recommended it told me it was one of the best books they'd ever read, and that makes sense.

[Ana Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. One of the best investments of time I’ve ever made in any book. This is one you need to read before you die – a statement that, in this case, carries more urgency than in any other. If you are a humble layman (as opposed to a Bible scholar) and think you know anything about the crucifixion, this volume will show you how wrong you most probably are. Its virtues are so many that I won’t even try to enumerate them – just read it.

From a personal perspective, one of the many things this book did for me was to drive home something obviously true, yet something I never truly thought about – how meaningful and symbolic every little detail related to the crucifixion is: nothing accidental, nothing beyond divine control. It also corrected no small number of misconceptions I had. Finally, it opened me up to the poetry and beauty of the entire divine work. I always had a sense that God was a poet, but this book really made it clear… I should also add that the book's concluding sections are nothing short of glorious and deeply illuminating.

Despite the harsh and hard-to-take truths served in the book, I had a warm feeling of being at home while reading it. The only reason I was OK with finishing it was that there were other books waiting for me. Otherwise, I could have stayed in this one forever, reading hundreds and hundreds more pages, always surprised and in awe. A brilliant, brilliant book.

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book that enlightens us about many aspects of first-century Judaism and the Crucifixion that are not well known. The book is very well referenced.
As a Catholic, I disagree with some of the author's statements, such as that Christ was not a victim because he was a "voluntary" one. To me, a victim is one who suffers unjustly. The Orthodox claim that Christ died to cure our "spiritual illness" is incomplete and seems to minimize the evil of our sins. The author calls the claim that Christ died for our sins "heretical" to the Orthodox. I prefer St. Paul's view that Christ "was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification" (Romans 4:25). Similarly, the claim that crucifixion was not required by God seems contradicted by the the Old Testament prophecies about the event. To assert that Christ, being God, had "no cause of death" is puzzling. He died as a man and thus had a cause of death. Finally, the author cites Psalm 34:20 "Not one of them [his bones] is broken," yet contradicts this verse by suggesting that Christ's ribs (ribs are bones) may have been "bruised or broken" in the scourging!
Despite these disagreements, it is refreshing to read an analysis of the Crucifixion that is written by a believer in Christ's divinity. The abundance of details that are unknown to most of us today is extremely enlightening and helps to increase our gratitude for Christ's sacrifice. This book is worth reading because of that.

[Pinel Getu · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Crucifixion of the King of Glory: The Amazing History and Sublime Mystery of the Passion," by Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou is a comprehensive exploration of the passion of Jesus Christ from historical and theological perspectives. Drawing on a range of sources, the author provides a detailed account of the events leading up to the crucifixion, the crucifixion itself, and the resurrection of Christ. The book offers a thought-provoking analysis of the political and religious context of the time, the role of Jewish leaders, and the theological significance of the crucifixion, emphasizing its role in human salvation and the ultimate sacrifice of Christ for humanity's sins. Overall, this scholarly and insightful book is an excellent resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the crucifixion's historical and theological significance and its ongoing relevance for contemporary Christian faith and practice.

[John Coatney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The rating reflects my subjective experience of the book, and not its objective quality. I was extremely excited to read this book, having just finished Constantinou's "Thinking Orthodox." I am hungry for an examination of the crucifixion through the lens of an Orthodox phronema, as this is one place where relatively few resources exist in English, especially as compared to Western takes. This book is a wonderful reader-friendly deep dive into the biblical account of the crucifixion, with wonderful background detail. I highly recommend this book. However, I rate books on Goodreads based on my subjective experience, and I came to this book expecting a more Orthodox theological approach towards our Lord's Passion. Be aware that this book is not that, but it does a great job doing what it intends to do.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, an excellent overview of what occurred at the crucifixion of Jesus, synthesizing socio-cultural and historical background with forensics, exegesis, and theology. It is great having all this information laid out so clearly in one place. I give it less than four stars only because the writing was a little repetitive at times and because the author chose to take a very snide and dismissive attitude to the Western Christian tradition, despite relying pretty much exclusively on the work of western scholars (Catholic and Lutheran) for her modern sources (Fr. Raymond Brown's Death of the Messiah, Dr. Frederick Zugibe's The Crucifixion of Jesus: A Forensic Inquiry, Martin Hengel's Crucifixion, and Joachim Jeremias' Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus). She did also bring in patristic sources and interact with rabbinic sources, which was helpful. A very good book, despite these drawbacks.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The historic details were fascinating, especially details of the practices of first century Judaism. However, the theology and conclusions don’t reflect my understanding of what God’s Word reveals about what Christ’s death actually accomplished on the cross. It is anti-climatic to merely see Christ conquering sin and death and becoming an example of love for us to emulate, rather than the means of reconciliation with God. Christ’s finished work on the cross was the source of our peace and salvation, accomplished what we could never hope to achieve, and allows the believer to rest in His love both now and for eternity.

[w gall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both devotional and informative. Very detailed. Briefly she refutes the substitutionary atonement theory as unworthy of God; rather, the Cross, through Jesus' willingness to be crucified, demonstrates the wondrous love of God and serves as an example for all Christians to pick up and follow. She also mentions forgiveness, but does not elaborate. After 22 years as an Orthodox Christian, I still do not understand how Christ's crucifixion and forgiveness, which are linked in first Corinthians 15, relate in the Orthodox Church. Subtract one star for the omission.

[Alice Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this academic book prior to and during Holy Week, 2024. It was great preparation for more in-depth worship of my Savior. Because of my fortunate, rather in-depth theological background, much of the book was a good review for me, but I did learn a variety of new things which further bolstered my faith. I would recommend this book to anyone willing to take a deep dive into this subject. Answers many questions and directs the reader to worship.

[Elizabeth Quaintance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou has given us a remarkably detailed recounting of Passion week, using information from historical sources and research that fills in all the spaces between the lines in the Gospel accounts. It is obviously a labor of love, and gives glory to God who redeemed us through the obedience of the Son. A good read for Lent.

[Patrick Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loath to give a five star rating. This book serendipitously came to my attention as I was falling deeper into a drought of faith. I encourage anyone in need of such a boost to settle in & take on this book. Soo much of my faith education had been rudimentary - this stressed to me how laxed my comprehension had been.