Jesus of Nazareth: His Life, His Message, His Passion

The Biblical Research Institute and Andrews University Press are pleased to announce the immediate availability of a new textbook, authored by William G. Johnsson, intended for use in the undergraduate class, “Life and Teachings of Jesus.”

The text was commissioned by the General Conference Biblical Research Institute and is the first in a series of specialized textbooks in Adventist biblical studies and theology developed by BRI and published by Andrews University Press for use in undergraduate and graduate programs in Adventist colleges and universities. Future topics will include an undergraduate text on general Adventist doctrines, and graduate level texts on the Sabbath, Daniel and Revelation, the sanctuary, and the Spirit of Prophecy.

The purpose of the series is to provide desperately needed textbook resources to the expanding Adventist higher education system around the world. To accomplish this, BRI has partnered with Andrews University Press, the Church’s primary academic publishing house, to produce a series of new textbooks for our colleges. While this first textbook in the series is comparable priced in North America, the goal is to find creative ways to make the book inexpensive for students in colleges and universities outside North America.

William G. Johnsson has served as a New Testament professor at two Adventist universities, and is known around the Adventist world as editor and executive publisher of Adventist Review for more than two decades. He is a member of the Ellen G. White Estate Board of Trustees, and has authored nearly 30 books and more than one thousand articles.

Teachers and administrators worldwide can immediately begin working with Andrews University Press to establish Jesus of Nazareth as the standard text for “Life and Teachings of Jesus” classes in their institutions.

For more information on purchase and distribution, contact Ronald Knott, director of Andrews University Press (knott@andrews.edu; 1-269-471-6915).

CONTENTS

Preface IX

Prologue XV

PART I. HIS LIFE

Chapter 1. His Land and Times 3

Chapter 2. Can We Trust the Gospels? 15

Chapter 3. The Eternal Word 27

Chapter 4. God with Us 37

Chapter 5. Man with a Mission 47

Chapter 6. The Cousins 57

Chapter 7. Lord of the Temple 67

Chapter 8. A Man for All People 77

Chapter 9. Galilee and the Galileans 87

Chapter 10. Jesus and Conflict 95

Chapter 11. Jesus and the Weak 105

Chapter 12. The Shadow of the Cross 115

Chapter 13. Darkness and Light 125

Chapter 14. A Spectacular Miracle 135

PART II. HIS MESSAGE

Chapter 15. What Jesus Taught about God 149

Chapter 16. What Jesus Taught about Himself 159

Chapter 17. What Jesus Taught about the Holy Spirit 171

Chapter 18. What Jesus Taught about the Kingdom of Heaven 181

Chapter 19. What Jesus Taught about Grace 193

Chapter 20. What Jesus Taught about Discipleship 205

Chapter 21. What Jesus Taught about the Sabbath 215

Chapter 22. What Jesus Taught about the End 227

Chapter 23. What Jesus Taught about Prayer 237

Chapter 24. What Jesus Taught about Power, Sex, and Money 249

PART III. HIS PASSION

Chapter 25. From “Hosanna!” to “Crucify Him!” 261

Chapter 26. Messiah versus the Temple 269

Chapter 27. The Last Thursday 281

Chapter 28. The Judge on Trial 291

Chapter 29. Calvary 301

Chapter 30. He Is Risen! 313

Chapter 31. Story without End 323

additional reading 333

notes 361

image credits 365

scripture index 367