A Walking Tour of the Gospels: Experience the Life and Lessons of Jesus

by John A. Beck

No detail is insignificant!
 
Let's be honest. Parts of the Bible can seem . . . well, uninspired. What's the point of a boring genealogy? Why did this nameless bystander appear in the best-selling book of all time? What difference does it make that a certain meeting with Jesus took place in one location instead of another? 
 
With a warm and easy tone, John A. Beck helps us to look more closely at the people and locales of the Gospels and see the unexpected and profound significance of seemingly unimportant details. By leaving us with practical application in every powerful scene, Beck provides life-changing lessons that will help us remain humbly focused on Christ. 
 
The truths unpacked through 150 readings don’t just inform us of the who, what, and where of key events in the life of Christ; they help us accept our role in continuing the work of Jesus in building His geographically and culturally diverse kingdom. With full-color photographs, intriguing history, and biblical wisdom for life today, A Walking Tour of the Gospels is perfect for individual study or family devotions.
 

336 pages, Paperback

Published June 6, 2023

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor John Beck has done an outstanding job
Working thru the gospels with his accumulated
Knowledge of the holy land and expertise on the life
And times of the life of Jesus. Great new lessons
And interpretation of the Gospels. Very short
2 page chapters and readings.

[IrenesBookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was like having a guide show you the places Jesus walked and connecting that to the verses in the Bible where they were mentioned. I thought it was easy to understand, easy to follow and had just the right amount of information so as not to overwhelm you. Author John Beck did an excellent job with this book. I look forward to gifting this one to as many people as I can. A++ rating from me!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Our Daily Bread Publishing, for the temporary digital ARC that I read and gave my honest opinion of.

[Robert Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Walking Tour of the Gospels is a phenomenal read! The author, John A. Beck actually walked where Jesus walked and takes the reader along our Savior’s journey from the manger to His ascension. Along the way Beck relates the geography, culture and OT scripture that is so relevant at each of 150 events of Jesus’ life. There are pictures and maps that enhance the experience of studying the text. Beck has brought together the truth of the Gospels and the experience of virtually being with Jesus and all the people He touched. This book transformed the way I look at Jesus’ life.

To further appreciate his writing this short biography gives validation of the author’s knowledge and ability to present this look at Jesus: “Dr. John A. Beck is a scholar and educator, who has been writing on the topic of biblical geography for more than twenty years, both within and outside of the Middle East. With a PhD in theology (Hebrew and Old Testament) from Trinity International University, he is an adjunct faculty member at Jerusalem University College in Israel.”

In the Conclusion of the book the author gives us insight of what it means to follow the geography of walking with Jesus. “No one can fully know us until they understand the geography that shapes us. The same is true of the stories of Jesus. And that has been the purpose of this tour, to put the stories about Jesus in their geographical and cultural homeland.” I will never read the Bible the same! This tour is over, but my journey has just begun. Still learning and growing!

[Amanda Alviz · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're interested in the history of Jesus this book is for you!
This is more of a brief overview and not an overly in depth book. However, it follows the life of Jesus and explains the Bible verses, who is involved and where, what the text is talking about, and what does it teach. It then goes on to explain a little more in depth and links other Bible verses that are relevant. It can become a lot more in depth if you choose to study the related verses that are listed at the end each story. There are plenty of beautiful pictures throughout this book as well.

The layout is in chapters and each chapter has multiple stories. There are over 150 gospel stories discussed. They are each quick reads. If you are looking for a specific item it may be a bit harder to find. I think this is meant to be read more from cover to cover.

A great addition to add to your Bible reference collection.

Thanks to Netgalley and Our Daily Bread Publishing for a digital ARC.

[Psusan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Walking Tour of the Gospels, Experience the Life and Lessons of Jesus by John A. Beck is a book that is informative, easy to read and downright interesting. There are more than 150 stories with cultural and geographical context. I enjoyed viewing the full-colored illustrations as a well as the maps that were part of the book.

Not an in-depth study of the life and lessons of Jesus but certainly one that provides an overview and has thoughts to gleam from it. I have recently visited some of these places, still this book gave new insights and different perspectives on the area.

The publisher through Net Galley provided a complimentary digital copy. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.

[Meagan | The Chapter House · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this high-level, semi-devotional-style overview of the Gospels and their setting. Of most interest to me was the photography--a great reminder of my own trips to Israel, and inspiration for future trips to biblical locations I haven't visited yet, both inside and outside the country. I do wish there were more pictures included--not every devo had one (which is fine, of course; the topics--genealogy, for example--didn't always lend itself to inclusion, but I do think others that didn't could have merited).

The writing style also wasn't entirely my cup of tea--a bit on the simpler side--but others may appreciate it more..

Still, a beneficial and inspiring read.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love learning about the historical and geographical context of the Bible. This book walks you through the gospel stories and provides that context with lots of images. The information is provided in a devotional format.

[Rebecca Baughman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I need to reread it, and use all the scriptures that goes with each article. There were a couple of places that I wasn't sure of, but it could be just the way I read it.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time about Jesus and the customs of the Holy Land. It was easy to read and well references. I did two sub-chapters a day as my devotions and learned a lot.

[Gretchen Garrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Part of me is from there. I was not born in Israel. But each year, I spend months in the Holy Land studying its geography and exploring its ancient culture. I have walked the trails Jesus walked, contemplated the views he used to teach, enjoyed the scent of the soil and flowers he smelled, felt the soft rain and hard stone he touched. These experiences have changed me and changed the way I read the story of Jesus in the Gospels."

Someday I would love to go to Israel. But for now, I appreciate authors who can bring that location to life. John A. Beck's books do exactly that. As a frequent traveler to Israel, he knows how to bring the country to life. Since he is also a scholar and educator, he is able to research and share interesting tidbits about all of the places.

This book is organized according to the chronological life of Jesus. Eight different chapters feature places that make up parts of Jesus' story. On almost every page spread, there is a photo the location, a map or an illustration that helps bring the place to life. Reading about places can fall a bit flat if they cannot be pictured.

As a geography teacher, I love it when modern places are connected to historical narrative. Especially when the book involved is the Bible. This book has found a permanent place on my shelves as I will reference often as I study the gospels.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5) to this thoughtful and concise book. I would estimate about 2/3 of the entries in the book met my expectations in terms of being a "tour" of specific locations in the Gospels. Most of the entries had analysis about specific locations in the Gospels' stories, but some entries felt more like summary of the Gospels. That could just be my interpretation though; I was raised in the church and so might have more familiarity with the stories than someone who is newer to the faith. I appreciated that this book clearly presented the good news/gospel: that we must repent and depend on Jesus to save us and to have a restored relationship with God.

In the "What Does This Text Teach?" section, there were also some interesting points of analysis of Scripture that go beyond just summarizing the story - e.g., why it was important that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, or parallels between the Old and New Testaments. Those were often as insightful, or more insightful than, the commentary on the locations of different Gospel stories.

I also appreciated the style of the book, which is organized, clear, and to-the-point - approachable for any reader.

This book will be helpful to new and mature believers alike.