The Challenge of Jesus (original: 1999; edição: 2000)

I didn't think Wright offered anything new and fresh in this book. Learning more about the historicity of Jesus and understanding Him within the context of 1st century Judaism is certainly not a new concept. Hermeneutics has applied this method to all aspects of Scripture for many years. Wright claims we now have more resources at our disposal than ever before to help us better understand who Jesus is. But, with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls (which Wright often alludes to) we have had these "new resources" for over 50 years. The Dead Sea Scrolls have only verified and confirmed what we already know about a messiah, Judaism, and Jewish culture.

Wright suggests that Jesus' proclamation about the kingdom of God was not about a future heavenly abode where believers will eternally dwell, but a charge for 1st century Jews to enter into a new covenant and fulfill the Abrahamic promise that Israel will become a great nation. This is certainly one aspect of the kingdom of God, but there are several more components as well. Confining Jesus only to the context of 1st century Judaism is I believe a grave mistake. Jesus' messages transcends all ages and time and should never be limited to the hearers of 1st century Palestine. Proper hermeneutics certainly allows for this to some extent, but should not be solely limited to it. If the message is applicable to our time and culture, then we must certainly apply it to our lives today. And, the kingdom of God is a kingdom that exists on earth today with the presence of the church and the Holy Spirit, and will someday be fully consummated upon Christ's return when He establishes His kingdom on earth.

I heard great things about N.T. Wright and I've always enjoyed many of his articles and podcasts online. I agree in most part with his theology. But overall, I wasn't that impressed with what was my first N.T. Wright book. I didn't find anything new and fresh, but found it to be full of presuppositions and speculations. Nothing scholarly nor life-changing. Wright certainly had some interesting perspectives and good insight, but nothing profound. However, I haven't given up on Wright and look forward to reading some of his other works. ( )

Blew my mind AND frustrated me. The which took hold of me and wont leave me go is the idea of the Kingdom of God as an alternative to other "kingdoms" in the world and the fact that Jesus' preaching is often polemic against these kingdoms in favour of the KOG. The last two chapters should be essential reading for all christians interested in following God in the postmodern world. Wright understand the message of the KOG as the metanarrative to bring hope to a world burnt out from all metanarratives.
That said wrights claim that we have failed (or at least done poorly) to read Jesus in a proper historical setting is on the surface a good idea but it seems to me that frequently his exegesis of passages to support this idea is stretching the passages in question to places they were never meant to go.
Wrights theme is that Jesus enacts the end of the exile for the Jews. He takes the punishment they deserve for their failure to be the covenant community and lives as they should have. Wright claims that this understanding of the gospels free us from imposing an "ethical" understanding of his teaching. THere is much here i can vibe with but sometimes i have as much time for him as i do a fresh batch of haemorrhoids. ( )

A shorter discussion of Wright regarding his understanding of Jesus in His first century context and how believers today can reflect that image in a postmodern world.

While much of the discussion about the historical quest and the analysis of Jesus' life is covered in the Christian Origins and the Question of God series (with many quotations, especially from Jesus and the Victory of God), here Wright goes beyond just discussing how it is that Jesus can be properly understood in His first century context and goes on to provide those who believe in Him today a way to begin to communicate the message of Jesus to our own age.

Chapter 7 at least, if not also chapter 8, should be required reading for all believers. Wright does quite well there at showing the challenges of the Enlightenment and postmodernity and viable means by which the ethic of the Kingdom can be communicated in such an environment.

Many great thoughts here; very much worth consideration. ( )

Great read. Really helps demonstrate how Jesus fulfilled prophecy. Also good at putting events like the cleansing of the temple and the Last Supper in historical and scriptural context. ( )

Listen to some and Wright is a demon. Listen to others and he's the savior of Christianity, at least academically. I find him somewhere in between. I've read the first three chapters and I certainly don't agree with everything, but his historical research really brings Jesus teaching about the Kingdom of God to life. Unfortunately, his new spin on what it means to be justified comes throught, and I can't endorse that at all. He recast justification to mean inclusion in the covenant community rather than a legal declaration of righteousness before God. This seems to undermine the historic Reformational teaching on justification. That being said, I'm really enjoying the other 85% of this book... ( )