Pope Benedict XVI: Jesus of Nazareth Book Review

I read Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger's book Jesus of Nazareth published recently because I am quite frankly baffled and confused by present day use of His name to explain, justify and excuse acts of people and institutions consisting of people. This review is not presented as a learned scholar of religion, history or research methodology, but as a person who is seeking an understanding of Jesus.Christ in 2007.

I am not going to paraphrase or interpret the words of Pope Benedict because his words are chosen carefully and his research spanning decades are pain staking. His references to scholars range from Rabbinical, Atheists, Roman Catholic and the Pontifical Biblical Commission scholars. He presents not a historical set of proofs necessarily, but a holistic approach to understanding Jesus, Man, Son of God, Bread, The Shepherd and The Living Torah.

Jesus of Nazareth was born in approximately 3 A.D. and was raised in the town of Galilee by a relatively poor family. Joseph the Son of David and Mary also of the House of David was chosen by the Holy Ghost to be the earthly mother of the promised one. Emmanuel named Jesus. The town of Galilee was a mixed religious town of Pagans and Jews. Galilee was not noted for its religious esteem among the hierarchy of Judaism. The first three books of the New Testament; Matthew, Mark and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels.

Synoptic is a synopsis. These gospels are memoirs of the teachings and events of the short time Jesus was among men. They were meant to convey to all in the Hebrew tongue, Aramaic understandable text of their Savior, The Messiah, I AM, Jesus Christ. In all likelihood they were written as a remembrance and took place after the Resurrection, but before the destruction of the Holy City of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., according to the St. Joseph Edition of the Old and New Testament.

John's Gospel is narrative. He was the favored disciple who was charged with the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary and who lived a long life and wrote the last Gospel at the behest of the early Church elders.

Pope Benedict XVI Paints an Infinite Collage Mural of Jesus: