Day Christ Died

by Jim Bishop

storytelling

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

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

James Alonzo "Jim" Bishop (November 21, 1907 – July 26, 1987) was an American journalist and author.
Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, he dropped out of school after eighth grade. In 1923, he studied typing, shorthand and bookkeeping, and in 1929 began work as a copy boy at the New York Daily News. In 1930, he got a job as a cub reporter at New York Daily Mirror, where he worked until 1943, when he joined Collier's Magazine. He remained until 1945.
His plans to write for his friend and mentor, Hollywood producer Mark Hellinger, ended with Hellinger's death in 1947. Bishop wrote a biography of Hellinger in 1952. From 1946 to 1948, he was executive editor of Liberty magazine, then became director of the literary department at the Music Corporation of America until 1951. He was then founding editor of Gold Medal Books (the juvenile division of Fawcett Publications) until 1953. In the 1950s, Bishop would do his writing at the Jersey Shore in Sea Bright, New Jersey, going back to his home in Teaneck, New Jersey on weekends to see his wife and children.[1] In 1957, he started his column, "Jim Bishop: Reporter" with King Features Syndicate, which continued until 1983. It also landed him on the master list of Nixon political opponents.
The remainder of his career was spent writing biographical books about notable figures, and Christian-themed books. His book The Day Lincoln Was Shot was published in 1955, and became an instant best-seller. Bishop also wrote The Day Christ Died, The Day Christ Was Born, and The Day Kennedy Was Shot. Perhaps his most critically acclaimed book was FDR's Last Year: April 1944-April 1945, which brought to public awareness the secrecy that surrounded President Franklin D. Roosevelt's declining health during World War II.
The Day Lincoln Was Shot was dramatized on TV twice, first as a 1956 live special starring Raymond Massey as Abraham Lincoln and shown on the Ford Star Jubilee anthology series, and again as a 1998 made-for-television film starring Lance Henriksen as Lincoln. The Day Christ Died was made into a television film in 1980, starring Chris Sarandon as Jesus Christ, and Keith Michell as Pontius Pilate.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a confirmed Jew I had a strong belief in God. As a young adult I had spiritual grounding but no home. As I longed for God and examined my beliefs, I was given "The Day Christ Died" by Tim Bishop. This book, though a novel, was grounded in the Bible and provided a context for the life and death of Christ that made me realize that Christianity is not a departure from the God of Abraham, but the next step in our relationship with Him that brings Jews and gentiles into His presence. It also helped me to see how God uses our relationships and our politics and our individual actions for his purpose.

[K.D. Absolutely · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Gospels + Historical Facts + Jim Bishop's imagination + Jim Bishop's skillful writing = Very Good Book.

This simple equation summarizes how this book made me more reflective (and almost pious) during this Holy Week.

This book chronicles the last hours of Jesus' stay on earth. It starts with Jesus and his disciples' entry to Jerusalem, to the Last Supper, to his Passion and the taking down of His body from the cross. The writing is detailed and vivid with Bishop's imagination providing the added color to what we already know happened based on the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. So even if we all know the story of Jesus by heart, we don't know what could be the feeling of the characters for example while the Last Supper was happening: what was Judas possibly felt when Jesus said that he was the one who would betray him. In the book, based probably in Bishop's research or imagination (I don't really care which one), Judas is the treasurer so he has this pocket inside his gown aside from the small bag that he has at his side. Those little details add to the readability of the story we all know about. Mind you, I watched the 2014 movie The Son of God by Christopher Spencer and I liked it but there were portions of it that I felt sleepy that I almost dozed off. When my wife asked why I felt sleepy watching a good movie that I said I liked, I said because I already know how the story goes.

Same with this book. Had those details not added by Bishop via his research, hypothesis (the possibility of happening) or imagination, I would have just returned to the Bible and probably sleep also after a few minutes of reading.

A very good book to spend your Holy Week (maybe next year?).

[James Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not As Good As His Other Books
Over the years, I have enjoyed several books by Jim Bishop. His books on the Lincoln and Kennedy assassinations are masterpieces. So, I had high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. While I enjoyed the extrabiblical history and Bishop’s retelling of the last day of Christ’s life, I often found the book to be dry and full of Catholic theology. Still, I would recommend to anyone wanting to delve deeper into the passion narrative.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book during Lenten/Easter season 2012. A very insightful and illuminating book about the last day of Jesus' life on earth. The hour by hour account begins with the Last Supper where Judas leaves abruptly to betray his Lord. From there the drama elevates in the Garden of Gethsemane (The Olive Press), where Jesus feels the pressure of the ordeal and pain that is awaiting him. He cries out to God with anguish and distress. The accounts of the high priests and the Roman occupation is also detailed throughout the book. The scheming and deception of these two forces play a vital role in the will of the Father to bring Jesus to his bout with death. The disciples scatter in fear and Jesus is bound the face the judgement of the Sadducees, Pontius Pilate and the people. The verdict is death by crucifixion. Throughout the beatings, whippings and ridicule, Jesus stands firm in his choice to die for mankind. Death was slow and excruciating, but the pieces were in place for God's ultimate show of grace and mercy. The book ends with Jesus being taken down from the cross, prepared for burial, and placed in the tomb. The tomb was sealed. This book had me pondering Jesus' final hours from several angles: the Jews who wanted him to die, the Roman leaders and soldiers who carried out the sentence,Jesus' followers who either fled or stood by Him at the cross, and obviously the main "character," Jesus who fulfilled prophecy by His death and resurrection. The book also has three chapters committed to explaining the Jewish world, an account of the life of Jesus, and the Roman world. These were helpful insights to the Man and the world around Him during those fateful days. I appreciated the experience of reading this book and plan to read it again next year at this time. Bishop wrote a well researched and written book that I believe brings a fresh perspective to the Gospels. It by all means does not replace the Gospels, but it has helped me view the day Christ died with a deeper understanding and appreciation.

[Terri Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Actually this book is mis-shelved. It should be under "Fiction" and not "non-fiction". I don't mean to ruffle anyone's feathers , ah hell, maybe I do. I get tired of tip-toeing around people who actually believe in ancient mythology and want me to pretend that they are not ignorant for doing so.

Sorry folks but I am an historian and I am here to tell you that there was NO historical Jesus. None, I don't care what Mama and the Preacher told you. I can show you (if you are up to a very long overseas trip with me) coins commemorating the birth of the Persian god Mithras that far predate the alleged birth of Jesus and show the human mother and her son Mithras born in a stable/cave to god, attended by shepherds and angels saying the exact same things they would say MUCH later in the Christian bible and showing the three wise men following a star, riding camels, and bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh to young Mithras.

It's a good fairy tale which is why it kept getting passed around (with names changed) but the Persians issued coins for their story a long time before the Jesus story borrowed the details. There is no historical evidence for any of the events surrounding the Jesus myth and it copies details from older Mediterranean/Middle Eastern mythology. Christians often try to use Josephus as proof of a Jesus but unfortunately the original copies of Josephus did not have the couple of paragraphs mentioning a Jesus in the Histories of the Jews. These were added later-and admitted to being forged- by a medieval bishop in medieval language no less, because he was upset that there was no proof of Jesus. The Christians also trot out Pliny who only said they were having trouble with people who called themselves followers of Crestus which no more proves the bible myths than it would if Rush Limbaugh and Rick Santorum had a run in with followers of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and talked about it on the radio.

Obviously I don't have space here to go into the details but if you have any respect for truth and real history, pick up a copy of The Jesus Mysteries: Was the "Original Jesus" a Pagan God? by Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy and work through the book, checking the real historical references out for yourself. Unfortunately most Christians are too scared to do that, so I understand if you are too though it is a shame to go about ignorantly believing old fairytales are true.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this on Good Friday, but it’s not the kind of book I can, or would want to, read quickly. I finished it on the third Saturday of Easter, which might seem strange, but I really got a lot out of it and I think it enhanced my experience not just of Holy Week, but also this season of Easter.

One sentence on the back cover says, “Ever aware of the human anguish and divine will mingling in Jesus, The Day Christ Died immerses the reader in the time and events of these staggering hours when God’s and human history intersected.” It’s a good description, because this book immerses the reader into Jewish life in Jerusalem under Roman rule at the time of Christ, as well as in the events of what we think of as Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

At times Bishop, who wrote this book in 1957, tells us that he is speculating, but he does it magnificently, helping readers to imagine what was going on. Since I’m a preacher, many Biblical stories are too familiar for me to see them with new eyes at least 90% of the time. Familiarity definitely has its advantages, but for me reading this book gave me a new perspective, one packed with small details I’d never noticed or that weren’t in the Biblical record but were the fruit of Bishop’s detailed examination and study of the Bible and all the other information at hand in the 1950s. Bishop was a journalist, and did his job well.

I’m sure there are things that are wrong; I’m sure there is information that has been updated, sometimes drastically, in the past 63 years, but I’m not sure that matters. It didn’t matter for me; I didn’t always agree with Bishop’s interpretation of Jesus’ own words and actions. But still, he told the story in a captivating, detail-rich way. I kept thinking that perhaps this is what Ignatian Exercises require – at least I’ve heard that you put yourself into a scene and imagine the dust or the heat or the look on Jesus’ face, etc.

There are also three background sections, interspersed between the chapters (each chapter is an hour in the last 22 hours of Jesus’ human life): “The Jewish World,” “Jesus,” and “The Roman World.” I thought “The Jewish World” was the best of the three; the “Jesus” chapter was long and quoted scripture extensively – page after page of the Sermon on the Mount, with a little commentary. That’s the only part that I didn’t particularly like, because I know it so well already and I can and do read it in the Bible, but then I realized that for someone who isn’t familiar with the Bible, it could be mind-blowing. “The Roman World” was a short chapter, but very interesting.

I will use this book for my preaching. I may also read it again some time. The experience reminded me of my recent reading of Eugene Peterson’s translation of the Bible, The Message, which did the same thing. It was exciting, moving, and inspiring.

Here are some of the passages I found interesting:

The couches from which Jesus and the twelve ate were called triclinia. They came in different sizes, from about seven feet in length to twelve. Among the Jews, the curved part of the U was considered the side of special favor, and three places were set on that side. As host, Jesus would be in the middle. . . .
[In previous meals shared with Jesus] after Jesus, Peter and Judas were seated [Peter as the “head apostle” and Judas as the treasurer] the remaining ten would often jostle for position. They would not make spectacles of themselves in this matter . . . but they would whisper and shove and try to fall on a couch as close as possible to Jesus. 12

[Some reviewers called this book fiction, and obviously took exception to paragraphs like the last one; no, we don’t know exactly how meals played out, but given the rest of the story, the behavior of the apostles seems complete in keeping with what we know of them.]

From the chapter “The Jewish World,” a description of the three classes that made up the Sanhedrin:

Normally, the Great Sanhedrin consisted of seventy-one members, including its chief member, who was always the high priest. Sometimes the number was reduced by deaths, but it was in best balance when the court was full.
The membership fell into three classes. The most important were the priestly families; they were apt to be Sadducees—men who denied the authority of oral tradition. They believed in the written law. Usually these men had served in the office of high priest or were members of their families. These were the elite of the land—the rich, the conservative.
The second group of members was the Ancients. These were, as the term implies, the elderly men who had attained success as laymen and who were appointed to the high court as a mark of respect. Many of the Ancients were also Sadducees.
The third group was the Scribes. These were mostly younger men, the doctors of the law, the fervent and sometimes brilliant and dynamic fragment of the court. Some of the Scribes were Sadducees, but for the most part, they were Pharisees, that is to say, men who interpreted and reinterpreted the oral law and tried hard to find an inner meaning of the ancient written law. 45

Some of the rules of the Great Sanhedrin are very interesting and it is clear that they attempted to create an impartial legal system with diversity in its members.

In criminal cases, when all of the testimony was in, the clerks called the names of the members, starting with the youngest members so that, if they differed with the elders, they would not be embarrassed. . . . In civil cases a majority of one vote was enough for a verdict either way; in criminal cases a majority of one vote could acquit, but a majority of two was required to convict. 47

Jesus' relationship with his apostles
Jesus maintained patience with [his apostles] because he understood how difficult it was for the human mind to imagine two divine person in one divine being. He knew that he could make them all believe him—even Caiaphas and Annas would fall prostrate before him if he would consent to show his divinity by some tangible thing—but the major point of his teaching was that man must believe without seeing, and sometimes, without understanding. (121)

Who knows if this is true, but it makes sense to me; I've never heard it put this way: Some of his neighbors would, in time, stand before Jesus and accuse him of performing miracles everywhere but in his own town. He dreaded to hear the word miracle. He understood the weaknesses of man—he had promised his Father to give his life in expiation of these weaknesses—but it was an almost horrifying thing to learn that they preferred the working of miracles to being told the road to heaven. They were children, and everywhere he went they grinned and rubbed their hands together and nodded their heads and asked for “a sign.” 121

Instance showing that Rome tried to be fair to its subjects
Most galling of all was the face that the Romans did not collect the taxes themselves. In all towns and villages, they leased the right to collect taxes to the Jews . . . and back the man’s authority with soldiers. . . . For this service, Rome might be willing to let the publican keep 10 per cent as his fee. … The Romans kept close watch on these matters, and seldom permitted the collectors to gouge the people beyond small amounts of graft. They also watched the collectors to prevent double dealings [reducing the amount a merchant was taxed, who would then give money to the tax collector secretly] The publican then made up the deficit by overtaxing the poor and the ignorant. Rome flogged such men. 227

The owners of merchant ships always announced in February that Roman Jews could book passage at once for the Passover pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When these were heavily booked by the eight thousand Jews who lived in Rome, the merchants extorted bribes from the passengers. This practice became so flagrant that Caesar Augustus took official notice of it and issued an imperial rescript guaranteeing to all Jews the right to go “home” [the temple] for the holy days at a nominal fee. 227

Although the Jews did not eat meat except on holidays, the Syrian troops stationed in Jerusalem received two pounds of meat and grain per man per day. The shepherds in the hills around Jerusalem and Bethlehem sold a great deal of their lamb and mutton to the Romans 230 Is that true? That Jews only ate meat on holidays?

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough narrative that accurately expounds on historical context that is important, and all too often lost on modern readers of the Bible, especially in Jesus' time.

Bishop is careful not to credit himself for any of his relayed wisdom, as his complete research gave him a lot of very interesting insight to share with the readers. I am deeply grateful for his expansive research as well as his blessed talent to be able to knit them all together accurately and cohesively. This was not meant to replace the gospels, but I believe it helps to enhance it for the modern reader who would otherwise not be able to know some deeper cultural context to significant aspects in the gospels. Small acts seem like detail in the accounts in the New Testament, but Bishop helps us see how or why they were included based on their cultural significance.

This will be a book I have our children read as they age and grow in their faith. It provides a modern transcript that is deeply educational on an academic and spiritual level. Absolutely recommend this to all believers, regardless of where you are on your journey with your relationship with God.

[Rossrn Nunamaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books pulls together the story of Jesus' final day on earth as a man from all parts of the Bible as well as from scholarly text known then (it was written in the late 1950s). In doing so, the reader is given a chronological and coherent story with background for better understanding of the times. The latter part of which helped quite a bit in understanding some of the context.

The author specifically notes upfront that he is not going to notate sources throughout as he felt it would pull the reader out, however, I personally would have liked to have gone to some of the source material in certain sections for further reading.

None-the-less this presentation of the day Christ died was well worth reading.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was in high school. It helped me to understand more clearly what Jesus did for me. What pain he must have felt on that cross? I have kept the book all of these years which tells you how good I found it to be.

[Clay Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book about the time, place and events in history

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

On page 182: Jesus said to his disciples "Beware of the Scribes who fancy fine robes for outdoor wear, and crave ceremonious greetings in public places, and front seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at meals. These men devour the fortunes of widows and recite long prayers for show will receive more than ordinary punishment."

The worship of religion is subject to one's personal interpretation. This may be why Christ cautioned his disciples to be careful of Scribes, those who interpret the law, in this case, oral law. One might consider this as modern-day interpretation of an attorney or a theologian whose view of religious law may not be as Christ intended.

The Ten Commandments given to Moses for Jews to follow were not enough, so God was to try another way to seek compliance --- someone in our image to whom we could, hopefully, relate. In sending Christ, he was trying another method --- through faith and love.

When was he young, Christ went missing for several days. His parents, Mary and Joseph, found him in the synagogue with rabbis, who were intrigued with his knowledge of religious law. During his two and half years of preaching his new faith and setting his church, one of the many things that Christ did was to expel moneychangers from the synagogue and caution of false prophets. For some reason, I believe that when he returns to Earth, he again is going to have cast moneychangers from the churches and, again, address false prophets.

This is was a very interesting book, although some parts speculative. The hour-by-hour account of Christ's death, beginning with Maunday Thursday dinner until his 4 P.M., Good Friday burial is a very novel concept.

There is not more to add in critiquing this book. The writer's look at Jewish life was very enlightening; his take on Roman rule was somewhat the life of a soldier and their difficulty in a foreign lands.

[Denley · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, this is easily one of the best books I've ever read.

Jim Bishop did an amazing job writing this book - it is very well written and easy to read and he clearly put a lot of research into it.

I found that this book helps to enhance the gospels by giving cultural and historical context that otherwise might not be known or that may seem as insignificant. Pain is a difficult thing to describe and the author does an excellent job of describing the price Christ paid in full for your salvation and mine.

10/10 would recommend.

[Susie Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although a novel, this book follows the Bible timeline of Jesus from 6pm Holy Thursday to Good Friday at 4pm The author, Jim Bishop, writes in a way that takes you back to the time of Jesus writing individual chapters of Jewish history and Roman history which I found fascinating. I recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn more about the events leading up to the crucifixion of Christ.

[Patrick Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read intermitantly, this story is from one of my father's favorite newspaper columnists. The title describes the story. Well written with much interesting background on Christ's time.

[Peter Corrigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. Written quite a while ago (1957) about events that transpired QUITE a while ago! But it stands the tests of time thoroughly. It is obvious that Jim Bishop did a lot of research on the life of Jesus and the time period and that work is integrated very well into this very readable and sympathetic narrative. It is a highly useful exercise in conflating all four Gospels (which are essentially the only source for the events of the day) into one seamless account. He does not hide the fact that much is imagined but also that the events are are based on the Gospels and subsequent research resulting from them. Everything in the text that I 'fact-checked' in the Bible was consistent and true other than the internal 'thoughts' of the various people. This book examines Jesus' final hours from multiple viewpoints; the Jews priests (Sadducees and Pharisees) who plotted his execution, Pilate of course and his moral wavering, including the attempt to draw Herod into the judgement (only described in Luke), the soldiers who carried out the sentence, Jesus' followers who betrayed him, fled or stood by Him at the cross, and Jesus himself who fulfilled prophecy by His death (and resurrection, which is not really dealt with). The book also has three chapters providing a much wider context--the Jewish world, an account of the life of Jesus, and the Roman world. I guess my only 'criticism' is that it was not always clear which Gospel is the source for particular episodes and statements which I suppose should be a criticism of my own shortcomings too!

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

In 'The Day Christ Died,' Bishop sought to create a complete narrative of the day of the passion, with filler narrative explaining the people, culture, and times surrounding Jesus including his early life and ministry.

I enjoyed the easy narrative-styled writing; Bishop is easy to read and can be engaging.

I did not enjoy the amount of artistic liberty Bishop took with Scripture. There are so many 'details' he had to make up in order to create a 'complete' narrative for his reader. This book has accolades as a modern 'gospel,' but many of the details included either misinform the reader historically, carry on various church traditions that have no basis, or completely skew the image of the Messiah in ways that Gospel-writers never would.

This book is more of a historical fiction than a representation of the day Christ died.

If you are looking for a better historical retelling, albeit with some challenging content, read 'The Last Week' by Borg and Crossan -- I understand they were part of the Jesus seminar, but the scholarship in the first 3/4 of the book is remarkable and accurate.

I would pass on Bishop's retelling.

[Kenneth Litwak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging, and good, if you can accept the fictional embellishments. I can and I enjoyed reading this. My only objection is that it is too Roman Catholic. There's no biblical reason to believe that Mary the mother of Jesus was always a virgin. To do so requires an odd reading of the biblical text and inadequate historical thinking. Nothing in the Bible says that Joseph refrained from sexual intercourse with Mary after Jesus was born. In fact, the text seems to imply that he did. As a Protestant, I can honor Mary for fulfilling her calling to a hard task, but that doesn't mean I have to invent nonsense about her to do so.

[Mina Atef · Rating 4 out of 5]

ده مش كتاب ولا مجرد حدوتة عن صلب المسيح!
ده سير مع الحبيب في درب الصليب، أنا تقابلت مع يسوع في الكتاب ده.
.
.
قد مات يسوع انتصارا ما بعده انتصار، لقد أتى ليموت عن الإنسان، ولقد حقق هدفه هذا.
لقد أتى لينادي بإنجيل الحياة عن طريق الموت، ولقد عاش هذا الإنجيل وأختبره وحققه في حياته وموته.
لقد أتى ليبشر ببشارة المحبة المضحية، المحبة التي تصل إلى أبعد حدود التضحية.. وليس لأحد حب أعظم من هذا أن يضع أحد نفسه لأجل أعدائه.
لقد أتى ليموت ولكنه مات لينقض الموت.
وهو لم يضع حياته لأجل اليهود، ولم يتجرع الكأس لأجل الأمم.
لقد أتى ليموت عن الإنسان في كل مكان وفي كل جيل، وشعب، وجنس.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read, although some discrepancies are evident

I would recommend, however with caution: if you're not Biblically familiar, then PLEASE turn to God and ask Him to open His understanding/interpretation up to you. Throw out ALL you've been indoctrinated by man and seek God's wisdom and understanding. As with most authors, this one also takes on literary freedom to pen, not according to God's Word, but also dogma handed down from generations.

[Teresa Biggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fictional account of the last 24 hours of Jesus' life. Of course the author does not know what words were actually said or how the apostles felt but knowing human nature , it is safe to be able to take some liberties. I enjoyed the facts of the time.... how the Romans and the Jews lived... how they worked , dressed, worshipped, celebrated passover, punished, buried their dead. These historical facts filled in the gaps from the Bible. I found it very meaningful.

[Michael Hermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. A look at the last day of Jesus' life told in a historical perspective. Jim Bishop does a great job explaining the culture and lives of the Jewish and Roman people of the time, as well as giving the reader a good understanding of Jesus as a person. If you are at all interested in the historical perspective of the Passion story, you should definitely give this book a chance.

[Jennifer Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read for around the Easter holiday. This book gave me new insights into what happened on Good Friday and I definitely think that anyone looking to learn more about what Jesus went through during his last 24 hours before he died on the cross should give this book a try.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five stars for the subject matter of the book — my Saviour, Jesus Christ. As for the writing, three stars is too low and four stars seems too high. Probably 3.5 is accurate.

The book takes an intriguing hour-by-hour look at the last day of Jesus, beginning with the last Supper and ending with His burial. The author states that he wanted to focus on the humanity of Jesus, but I think, at times, too much license was taken in this regard. Also, it is clear that there is a Roman Catholic bias running throughout the book as the author elevates Mary to a place of reverence — even going so far as to suggest that Jesus began His earthly ministry before He was ready to put of obedience to His mother. The author also includes the false doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary.

The redeeming content of the book has to be the well-researched summaries of both the Jewish world and the Roman world at the time of Christ. Both of these historical backgrounds help the reader put the life and crucifixion of Christ into proper historical context. The author also includes a 78-page summary of the life of Christ. This is not unlike a harmony of the Gospels, but in narrative form.

A worthwhile read for the historical benefit, but definitely not a book from which to glean your theology.

[Debbie Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Day Christ Died got off topic

Interesting book and I learned from it but was disappointed that it wasn't only about the day that Christ died. I purposely picked this book for that particular reason. The first chapter started on Holy Thursday around 6:00, I think with the preparation of the Last Supper. Then the next chapter was 7:00 and the arrival for the last supper. The following chapter, it interrupted the flow of the story and went into a long version of how Jesus was born. This kept happening throughout the book with even a break in the story about Romans and their lifestyle during that time period. It was very long and made the book difficult to read and keep up sign-up this the 3 stars. I just wanted to read about what happened to Jesus on the day he died!

[John Rhoads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first-time I read it was shortly after my father died. Found atop a desk he used to design things and prepare correspondence with. I knew he was a believer as a youngster, but something made me ask Ollie ,his second wife, if I could take. She said yes and it became part of him that I have yet today. To my knowledge, it contains the most graphic, anatomically correct description, ever written of the price Christ paid-in-full for your salvation and mine. Pain is a difficult thing to describe. The historian Josephus is listed as one of the references. You will not want to put down. John rhoads, Sun city, az.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the author himself says in his introduction, this story is "... a practical approach to the events of that day ; a journalistic historian's approach rather than that of a theologian." Although the author's Christian beliefs are obvious when he speaks of Jesus' life and mission, I'm not sure that this book will give enough evidence to convert a non-believer. However, Mr. Bishop is an excellent story-teller of Jesus' last day and he does an excellent job of defining the history and culture of the times while portraying the personalities of the key characters in this famous story.

[Neil Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relying on a variety of sources, Jim Bishop weaves an intricate narrative that pieces together the last day of Jesus' earthly life. The hour-by-hour account is interspersed with background information about Jesus himself and the Jewish and Roman worlds of which he was a part. Rich detail is balanced with a restrained narrative to tell a simple but profound story that anyone looking to understand can read.

I read THE DAY CHRIST WAS BORN a couple of years back, and told myself then I would follow up with THE DAY CHRIST DIED. It proved to be a meaningful Lenten read. One can't help but be moved by it.

[Tamika Koehn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve meant to read this book for the last several Easters and finally got around to it. It was interesting but it needs to be shelved under fiction instead of nonfiction in my opinion. It seemed to me the author took many liberties in supposing what everyone was feeling when there’s no way to know that. Also things like the author saying Jesus was an only child... the Bible says at one point Jesus mother and brothers were asking to talk to him. Just small things like this through out the book kinda annoyed me. But I did like the details of the culture etc. (if they can be trusted)

[Larissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book weaves narrative and anthropological facts seamlessly by breaking down the day Jesus was crucified to each hour. I picked this book up as a source when I was preparing an Easter Journey to the Cross experience for our church. It gave me a lot of valuable information such as the political landscape, cultural context, and most importantly, the motives of the key players in Jesus’ crucifixion. Closing this book makes me appreciate and love my Savior even more for all the things He endured because He loves us so much!

[Eddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book. It seems on first glance that it should be a narration of Christ last day, but probably about half was historical side notes that add context to the narrative. That being said, it was very interesting and presented several facts and scenarios that I had never heard before which helped to expand my understanding and appreciation for the events as they unfolded. And I love that the last two pages were great testimony of Jesus. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book.