When Mark, Matthew, and Luke decided to give a written account of Jesus Christ, they were faced with a formidable challenge. How could they tell the story of the man who spoke and acted like God? They used several titles, such as 'prophet', 'Messiah', 'Son of God', 'Son of Man', 'Servant of the Lord', and even 'Lord' itself. But none of these really did justice to the person of Jesus. Through a carefully crafted narrative, the synoptic evangelists painted pictures of Jesus that went beyond all of Israel's expectations and showed a man who was God's humble, suffering servant and at the same time God's equal. Sigurd Grindheim shows how the Synoptic Evangelists reinterpreted Israel's hopes in light of the Jesus story. He shows how they went beyond Old Testament and Jewish material regarding the messiah, drawing heavily upon the expectations of God's own intervention in history. The result is a picture of Jesus who fulfills all of Israel's hopes, not only those relating to God's eschatological agent, but also those pertaining to God himself.
Review
'This book is an ideal choice for serious students of thegospels or the life of Jesus. It is well organized, clearly written, andeasily intelligible without being simplistic. Dr. Grindheim is abreast ofthe latest scholarship and interacts with it appreciatively, but takes his owncarefully argued approach to the presentation in the synoptic gospels of Jesus'relationship to God. The result is a book that introduces students to thebasic issues in the field, and, at the same time, provides interesting andthrought-provoking reading.' - Frank Thielman, Professor of Divinity, BeesonDivinity School, USA (Frank Thielman)
'In this exceptionally rich, informative andrewarding study, Sigurd Grindheim explores the Christology of the SynopticGospels by first focusing on contemporary Jewish eschatological expectations.This sets the stage for the study of the individual Synoptics with a focus ontheir distinctive Christologies. The whole discussion is set fully in thefirst-century theological context by frequent reference to non-canonicalliterature. An ideal textbook for courses on the Synoptic Gospels.' - Donald A.Hagner, George Eldon Ladd Professor Emeritus of New Testament, FullerTheological Seminary, USA. (Donald A. Hagner)
'This book is an ideal choice for serious students of thegospels or the life of Jesus. It is well organized, clearly written, andeasily intelligible without being simplistic. Dr. Grindheim is abreast ofthe latest scholarship and interacts with it appreciatively, but takes his owncarefully argued approach to the presentation in the synoptic gospels of Jesus'relationship to God. The result is a book that introduces students to thebasic issues in the field, and, at the same time, provides interesting andthrought-provoking reading.’ - Frank Thielman, Professor of Divinity, BeesonDivinity School, USA (Sanford Lakoff)
'In this exceptionally rich, informative andrewarding study, Sigurd Grindheim explores the Christology of the SynopticGospels by first focusing on contemporary Jewish eschatological expectations.This sets the stage for the study of the individual Synoptics with a focus ontheir distinctive Christologies. The whole discussion is set fully in thefirst-century theological context by frequent reference to non-canonicalliterature. An ideal textbook for courses on the Synoptic Gospels.’ - Donald A.Hagner, George Eldon Ladd Professor Emeritus of New Testament, FullerTheological Seminary, USA. (Sanford Lakoff)
'In this careful work, Dr. Grindheim has provided arefreshing study on the relationship between Christ and God the Father. Payingclose attention to both the historical background of the various christologicaltitles as well as the narrative contexts in which they are situated, he hasdemonstrated how the christological confessions articulated in the Nicene Creedfind their roots in the earliest gospel witnesses. This will serve as a clear,informed, and reliable guide for those entering the field of New TestamentChristology.’ - Dr. David W. Pao, Professor of New Testament and Chair of theNew Testament Department, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, USA. (Sanford Lakoff)
About the Author
Sigurd Grindheim teaches New Testament at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology
Description:
When Mark, Matthew, and Luke decided to give a written account of Jesus Christ, they were faced with a formidable challenge. How could they tell the story of the man who spoke and acted like God? They used several titles, such as 'prophet', 'Messiah', 'Son of God', 'Son of Man', 'Servant of the Lord', and even 'Lord' itself. But none of these really did justice to the person of Jesus. Through a carefully crafted narrative, the synoptic evangelists painted pictures of Jesus that went beyond all of Israel's expectations and showed a man who was God's humble, suffering servant and at the same time God's equal. Sigurd Grindheim shows how the Synoptic Evangelists reinterpreted Israel's hopes in light of the Jesus story. He shows how they went beyond Old Testament and Jewish material regarding the messiah, drawing heavily upon the expectations of God's own intervention in history. The result is a picture of Jesus who fulfills all of Israel's hopes, not only those relating to God's eschatological agent, but also those pertaining to God himself.
Review
'This book is an ideal choice for serious students of thegospels or the life of Jesus. It is well organized, clearly written, andeasily intelligible without being simplistic. Dr. Grindheim is abreast ofthe latest scholarship and interacts with it appreciatively, but takes his owncarefully argued approach to the presentation in the synoptic gospels of Jesus'relationship to God. The result is a book that introduces students to thebasic issues in the field, and, at the same time, provides interesting andthrought-provoking reading.' - Frank Thielman, Professor of Divinity, BeesonDivinity School, USA (Frank Thielman)
'In this exceptionally rich, informative andrewarding study, Sigurd Grindheim explores the Christology of the SynopticGospels by first focusing on contemporary Jewish eschatological expectations.This sets the stage for the study of the individual Synoptics with a focus ontheir distinctive Christologies. The whole discussion is set fully in thefirst-century theological context by frequent reference to non-canonicalliterature. An ideal textbook for courses on the Synoptic Gospels.' - Donald A.Hagner, George Eldon Ladd Professor Emeritus of New Testament, FullerTheological Seminary, USA. (Donald A. Hagner)
'This book is an ideal choice for serious students of thegospels or the life of Jesus. It is well organized, clearly written, andeasily intelligible without being simplistic. Dr. Grindheim is abreast ofthe latest scholarship and interacts with it appreciatively, but takes his owncarefully argued approach to the presentation in the synoptic gospels of Jesus'relationship to God. The result is a book that introduces students to thebasic issues in the field, and, at the same time, provides interesting andthrought-provoking reading.’ - Frank Thielman, Professor of Divinity, BeesonDivinity School, USA (Sanford Lakoff)
'In this exceptionally rich, informative andrewarding study, Sigurd Grindheim explores the Christology of the SynopticGospels by first focusing on contemporary Jewish eschatological expectations.This sets the stage for the study of the individual Synoptics with a focus ontheir distinctive Christologies. The whole discussion is set fully in thefirst-century theological context by frequent reference to non-canonicalliterature. An ideal textbook for courses on the Synoptic Gospels.’ - Donald A.Hagner, George Eldon Ladd Professor Emeritus of New Testament, FullerTheological Seminary, USA. (Sanford Lakoff)
'In this careful work, Dr. Grindheim has provided arefreshing study on the relationship between Christ and God the Father. Payingclose attention to both the historical background of the various christologicaltitles as well as the narrative contexts in which they are situated, he hasdemonstrated how the christological confessions articulated in the Nicene Creedfind their roots in the earliest gospel witnesses. This will serve as a clear,informed, and reliable guide for those entering the field of New TestamentChristology.’ - Dr. David W. Pao, Professor of New Testament and Chair of theNew Testament Department, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, USA. (Sanford Lakoff)
About the Author
Sigurd Grindheim teaches New Testament at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology