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The Bible Jesus Read: Why the Old Testament Matters Paperback – February 1, 2002

by Philip Yancey (Author)

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Take a pilgrimage through some of the most challenging—and rewarding—parts of the Old Testament with bestselling author Philip Yancey.

Because it is often daunting, many Christians approach Old Testament carefully. Or avoid it altogether. But each of the books of the Old Testament—"the Bible Jesus read"—contains an essential part of the story of grace.

"The more we comprehend the Old Testament," Yancey writes, "the more we comprehend Jesus."

In The Bible Jesus Read, Yancey challenges the perception that the New Testament is more important than the Old. Writing with keen insight into the human condition and God’s provision for it, he sets off on a personal journey through the parts we most like to keep at arm’s length—Job, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the Prophets—and he asks us to bring our own questions, concerns, and our openness to the wonders of God.

We may discover that this set of writings that comprise the Old Testament is at once as mystifying and strangely satisfying as life itself—that it’s worth the effort it takes to read and wrestle with. Because reading the Scriptures that Jesus so revered gives us a profound new understanding of Christ, the Cornerstone of the new covenant.

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Who Is Philip Yancey?

Philip is a bestselling author who has written twelve award–winning books and won two ECPA Book of the Year awards. Four of his books have sold over one million copies. In 1992 he and his wife Janet moved to the foothills of Colorado, where they currently reside.

What Is Philip’s Passion?

Philip explores the most basic questions and deepest mysteries of the Christian faith.

How Did Philip Get His Start?

Philip worked as a journalist in Chicago for some twenty years, editing the youth magazine Campus Life while also writing for a wide variety of magazines.

From the Publisher

Bible, Old Testament, Jesus, Christ, Messiah, Emanuel, God, Christianity, Scripture, Philip Yancey

Philip Yancey, hope, healing, trial, tragedy, God, Christ, recovery, hardship, pain, suffering

I feel a need to apologize for what you will not find in this book.

Though I am writing about the Old Testament, I feel neither qualified nor inclined to delve into such matters as author, date of composition, and the insights of literary or form criticism. I read the Bible as any ordinary reader does, interacting with the content, trying to understand the author’s original intent. I also peek “behind the curtain” to speculate why the author used a certain illustration, chose an unusual metaphor, or started here and not there.

After a chapter introducing the Old Testament as a whole, I have chosen a sampling from each of its major sections: history, prophets, poetry, and wisdom literature. Why these particular books?

I’m afraid I made my selections out of my own doubts and struggles, not because I expect these books to teach me the secrets of life. I find in these particular books companions for my pilgrimage. In them, I discover myself — and for this reason I have written about them personally and subjectively, not analytically.

—Philip Yancey


	What’s So Amazing About Grace?	Where Is God When It Hurts?	The Jesus I Never Knew	Prayer: Does it make any difference?	Vanishing Grace: Bringing Good News to a Deeply Divided World	Church: Why Bother?

Customer Reviews	1,127	1,165	2,162	1,079	1,094	184
Price	$12.43	$12.06	$12.99	$13.90	$17.59	$13.70
More Exceptional Books by Philip Yancey	Discover grace as you've never known it before: the most powerful force in the universe and our only hope for love and forgiveness.	Where Is God When It Hurts? honestly explores pain—from physical wounds to emotional and spiritual pain—and sheds new light on God's presence in our suffering.	How does the Jesus of the New Testament compare to the Jesus we think we know so well? Join bestselling author Philip Yancey as he conducts an enlightening biblical and historical investigation into the real Jesus.	Philip Yancey probes the very heartbeat of our relationship with God: prayer. What is prayer? Does it change God's mind or ours or both? This book is an invitation to communicate with God the Father who invites us into an eternal partnership.	In a time of division and discord, Christians have come to be seen not as bearers of good news and love but of judgement and intolerance. How did we get here? And what can we do about it?	Why are there so many more professing Christians than churchgoing Christians? Is it because something is wrong with the church? Gain insights from Philip Yancey's personal pilgrimage away from and back to the church.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Philip Yancey has a way of confronting our most cherished but misguided notions about faith. In The Bible Jesus Read, he challenges the perception that the New Testament is all that matters and the Old Testament isn't worth taking the time to read and understand.

Yancey admits that, like many Christians, he usually avoided the Old Testament. After all, why bother with writings that can be so baffling, boring, even offensive to the modern mind?

But a surprising discovery awaited Yancey when he began to explore how the Old Testament related to his life today. Those seemingly irrelevant Hebrew Scriptures took on a startling immediacy, portraying a passionate relationship between God and people against the broad backdrop of human experience. Like nothing else, the Old Testament depicts the cries, the complaints, the deep, insistent questionings of the heart, the stuff of life we all must contend with.

With his candid, signature style, Yancey interacts with the Old Testament from the perspective of his own deeply personal journey. From Moses, the amazing prince of Egypt, to the psalmists' turbulent emotions and the prophets' oddball rantings, Yancey paints a picture of Israel's God--and ours--that fills in the blanks of a solely New Testament vision of the Almighty.

Probing some carefully selected Old Testament books--Job, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the Prophets--Yancey reveals how the Old Testament deals in astonishing depth and detail with the issues that trouble us most. The Old Testament in fact tackles what the New Testament often only skirts. But that shouldn't surprise us. It is, after all, the Bible Jesus read.

The Bible Jesus Read will give you abundant new insights into the heart of God the Father. And as you read with a fresh eye the prayers, poems, songs, and bedtime stories that Jesus so revered, you will gain a profound new understanding of Christ. "The more we comprehend the Old Testament," Yancey writes, "the more we comprehend Jesus."

About the Author

Philip Yancey previously served as editor-at-large for Christianity Today magazine. He has written thirteen Gold Medallion Award-winning books and won two ECPA Book of the Year awards, for What's So Amazing About Grace? and The Jesus I Never Knew. Four of his books have sold over one million copies. He lives with his wife in Colorado. Learn more at philipyancey.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The Bible Jesus Read

By Philip Yancey

Zondervan Publishing Company

Copyright © 2002 Philip Yancey
All right reserved.
ISBN: 9780310245667

Chapter One

SESSION ONE

Is the Old Testament Worth the Effort?

Apart from the Old Testament, we will always have an impoverished view of God. God is not a philosophical construct but a Person who acts in history: the one who created Adam, who gave a promise to Noah, who called Abraham and introduced himself by name to Moses, who deigned to live in a wilderness tent in order to live close to his people. From Genesis 1 onward, God has wanted himself to be known, and the Old Testament is our most complete revelation of what God is like. -Philip Yancey

Questions to Think About

1. When you hear the words "Old Testament," what thoughts and feelings come to mind?

2. What personal challenges have you faced when you have tried to read and understand the Old Testament?

3. What have you enjoyed about your ventures into the Old Testament, and what might be some of the benefits of becoming more familiar with it?

Video Presentation: "Is the Old Testament Worth the Effort?"

God wants us to know about him

What Jesus read

Why read the Old Testament?

Discomfort is not bad

Honest feelings

Video Highlights

1. If the New Testament doesn't give a complete picture of what God wants us to know about him, what do you hope to learn from the Old Testament?

Discovering the Old Testament

There is so much of benefit for us to discover in the Old Testament. If only we would read it, we would:

Gain a better understanding of the Old Testament concepts and allusions found in Hebrews, Jude, Revelation, and other New Testament books.

Begin uncovering the layers of richness in the Epistles and Gospels that shed light backward on the Old Testament.

Understand more about what God is really like and how he has worked-and is working-in the lives of his people.

Benefit from the lessons of faith discovered by ancient Old Testament heroes.

Have a richer, deeper understanding of the redemptive love story between God and his people that continues to unfold today.

Begin to grasp the degree to which what we say, how we behave, and even what we think and feel influences God and how much he delights in us.

Learn the lessons of faith-faith that is entirely human, yet rock-solid-that sustained so many Old Testament characters and can sustain us when we face life's challenges.

2. Which thoughts and emotions began to surface as you watched this video? What surprised you or stood out above the rest?

3. Philip Yancey spoke of the relevance and realism of the Old Testament. What hope does the graphic realism of the Old Testament offer you in relationship to your walk with God?

Large Group Exploration: Why Read the Old Testament?

Years ago most people knew at least something about the Old Testament-the story of David and Goliath, some of the Ten Commandments, or the story of Noah. Today, however, knowledge of the Old Testament is fading fast among Christians and has virtually vanished in popular culture. Let's consider some of the challenges to and benefits of reading the Old Testament.

Perspective

The Old Testament is not, as one theologian suggested, "reading someone else's mail"; it is our mail as well. The people who appear in it were real people learning to get along with the same God that I worship. I need to learn from their experience even as I try to incorporate the marvelous new message brought by Jesus. -Philip Yancey

1. It's easy to think that we ought to read the Old Testament and therefore lump it into the same category as other things we should do-floss our teeth, exercise regularly, eat right, or listen more attentively to a spouse. In what ways have you felt obligated to read the Old Testament? If you have ever attempted to read through the Bible, such as in a "Read the Bible in a Year" program, how did it work out?

2. From the reading or study you have done, describe the ways in which you have found the God featured in the Old Testament to be similar to or different from the God featured in the New Testament.

3. As he walked along the road to Emmaus, Jesus explained to two of his grieving disciples "what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself" (Luke 24:27). What does this tell us about Jesus' view of the Old Testament Scriptures? What does it reveal about his love for, commitment to, and understanding of the Old Testament?

4. What unique perspectives on our relationship with God-including our doubts, struggles, and pain-might the Old Testament provide?

Jesus Knew His Bible Well

Jesus often referred to the Old Testament writings and pointed out important facts about himself and his mission. The following chart reveals some of the times when Jesus quoted directly from the Old Testament.

Situation What Jesus Said Matthew 13:13-15; Mark 4:12 Isaiah 6:9-10 Mark 7:6-7 Isaiah 29:13 Mark 7:10 Exodus 20:12; 21:17; Leviticus 20:9; Deuteronomy 5:16 Mark 9:48 Isaiah 66:24 Mark 11:17 Isaiah 56:7 Luke 4:4 Deuteronomy 8:3 Luke 4:8 Deuteronomy 6:13 Luke 4:10-11 Psalm 91:11-12 Luke 4:12 Deuteronomy 6:16 Luke 4:18-19 Isaiah 61:1-2 Luke 7:27 Malachi 3:1 Luke 10:27 Deuteronomy 6:5 Luke 18:20 Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20 Luke 20:17 Psalm 118:22 John 6:31 Exodus 16:4; Nehemiah 9:15 John 13:18 Psalm 41:9

Small Group Exploration: Opening the Curtain on a Bigger Picture of God

The Old Testament reveals a rich picture of what God-the personal God who loves us and wants to be in relationship with us-is like. Let's break into groups of three to five and look at a few "snapshots" of what the Old Testament reveals about God and his relationship with us.

1. What imagery did David use to describe God's care for his people? In what ways is this like or unlike the New Testament image of God? (See Psalm 17:8-9; 57:1; 91:1-4.)

2. What does Isaiah 62:2-5 reveal about God's desire and love for his people? To what does he compare his relationship to his people? What is your response to these expressions of honor and delight?

3. What imagery is used in Isaiah 40:9-11 to show God's love for his people?

4. The Old Testament records times when God allowed people to exert an influence on him as well as times when he exerted his influence on them. Discuss what happened in the following situations, particularly in terms of the relationship between God and his people.

a. Genesis 18:22-33

b. 1 Samuel 7:2-10

5. God wanted the ancient Hebrews to continually remind themselves that the world revolved around God, not themselves. Look up the following verses and describe what God commanded the Israelites to do in order to stay focused on him.

a. Exodus 13:1-16

b. Numbers 15:37-41

Perspective

I've met a lot of Christians who have only read the New Testament. They may have tried the Old Testament here or there, and found it a little off-putting and just gave up. I feel sad for those Christians, frankly, because I don't think we get a full picture of how a life with God works from the New Testament. -Philip Yancey

Group Discussion

1. The Old Testament is a timeless, inspired message given to us by God that tells us what God wants us to know-about him, about life, and about ourselves. In what ways has what we have seen and discussed together today influenced your view of the Old Testament?

2. The Old Testament gives us an advanced course in life with God and, in so doing, expands our concept of God and helps deepen our relationship with him. Take a few minutes to consider your personal relationship with God in light of what you have explored today.

Personal Journey: To Begin Now

No wonder those of us who have grown up with abstract concepts of God find it confusing to try to make logical sense out of the Old Testament! The Old Testament presents laws and history, but it also speaks to us in images of a God and Creator who desires to be in close relationship with us.

Take some time now by yourself to consider what you have discovered in this session and how it applies to your daily life.

Read Deuteronomy 6:1-12.

1. What kind of a relationship does this passage indicate God wants to have with his people?

2. What was God's overarching concern about his relationship with his people? What things did God want his people to do in order to preserve their relationship with him?

3. Jesus considered the command to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" to be the essential commandment. What can you incorporate into your daily life that will help you obey this commandment?

Did You Know?

Unlike many Christians today, the New Testament Christians eagerly pursued the Old Testament Scriptures. They found in the Old Testament a wealth of understanding about the kind of relationship God desired to have with them. Paul, for example, constantly referred to the Old Testament in his writings. Note the many Old Testament connections that appear in the third chapter of Galatians alone!

Galatians 3 Old Testament Connections v. 6 Mentions Abraham's belief Genesis 15:6 v. 8 Mentions God's promise Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18 to bless all nations through Abraham v. 10 Quotes from Deuteronomy 27:26 the Old Testament Law v. 11 Quotes from Habbakuk 2:4 an Old Testament prophet v. 12 References Leviticus 18:5 the Old Testament Law v. 13 Quotes an Deuteronomy 21:23 Old Testament verse v. 16 Analyzes several Genesis 12:7; 13:15; and 24:7 Old Testament references

Personal Journey: To Do between Sessions

Set aside at least one hour away from distractions to do the following exercise.

1. Take an inventory of what you believe about the Old Testament. List your likes and dislikes, the things that confuse or excite you, your favorite passages, etc. Be sure to include at least two ways in which you might benefit from further exploration of the Old Testament.

2. Write down some ways in which you might be able to use the above "inventory" to chart a new approach toward the Old Testament. For example, if you tend to be bored by all the history in the Bible, you may want to reread portions of it through the lens of a specific perspective. Instead of focusing on the violence or trying to follow the historic sequence, you may want to look for insight into God's character or look for evidence of his desire for relationship.

Perspective

It may prove dangerous to get involved with the Bible. You approach it with a series of questions, and as you enter it you find the questions turned back upon you. King David got swept up in a story by the prophet Nathan and leaped to his feet indignant-only to learn the barbed story concerned himself. I find something similar at work again and again as I read the Old Testament. I am thrown back on what I truly believe. I am forced to reexamine.... After spending time exploring the Old Testament, I can truthfully say that I come away more astonished, not less. -Philip Yancey

3. Begin reading the Old Testament. Consider how much of an investment you want to make in exploring the Old Testament and set a goal for yourself. If you get bogged down in a difficult area, feel free to take a refreshing break by going to one of your favorite Old Testament passages then approaching the more difficult passage again later, or, choose a new passage.

Two-Week Old Testament Reading Plan

The Student Bible has a two-week Old Testament reading plan that provides an overview of Old Testament highlights. If you are just beginning to study the Old Testament, it's a good way to start.

Day 1: Genesis 1-The story of Creation Day 2: Genesis 3-The origin of sin Day 3: Genesis 22-Abraham and Isaac Day 4: Exodus 3-Moses' encounter with God Day 5: Exodus 20-The gift of the Ten Commandments Day 6: 1 Samuel 13-David and Goliath Day 7: 2 Samuel 11-David and Bathsheba Day 8: 2 Samuel 12-Nathan's rebuke of the king Day 9: 1 Kings 18-Elijah and the prophets of Baal Day 10: Job 38-God's answer to Job Day 11: Psalm 51-A classic confession Day 12: Isaiah 40-Words of comfort from God Day 13: Daniel 6-Daniel and the lions Day 14: Amos 4-A prophet's stern warning

Continues...
Excerpted from The Bible Jesus Readby Philip Yancey Copyright © 2002 by Philip Yancey. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Zondervan; First Edition (February 1, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0310245664
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0310245667
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.9 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.95 x 8.45 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #42,431 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #683 in Christian Personal Growth
- #688 in Christian Inspirational
- #1,380 in Christian Spiritual Growth (Books)

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Philip Yancey

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I started my career working as an Editor and then Publisher for Campus Life magazine. During those ten years I learned journalistic skills (there's no tougher audience than teenagers), but every year it seemed I wrote fewer and fewer words. In 1980 my wife and I moved to downtown Chicago where I began a career as a freelance writer. (She has worked as a social worker and hospice chaplain--which gives me plenty of material to write about!) We lived there until 1992, when we moved to the foothills of Colorado.

I've written over 30 books, most of them still in print, thankfully. Three of them I coauthored with Dr. Paul Brand, who influenced me more than any single person. A recent book, "Fearfully and Wonderfully: The Marvel of Bearing God's Image" is a revised compilation of that content. My other favorites include "Soul Survivor" and "Reaching for the Invisible God" because both of them forced me to dig deep and get personal.

I had two new books released in 2021. “A Companion in Crisis” offers a paraphrase of John Donne’s ‘Devotions’ with commentary and application to our current suffering. My long-awaited memoir, “Where the Light Fell” gives readers a backstory of sorts, revealing the secrets of my turbulent childhood and teen years, and the impact on my written work.

I'm a pilgrim, still 'in recovery' from a bad church upbringing, searching for the possibility of a faith rooted in grace instead of fear. I feel overwhelming gratitude that I can make a living writing about the questions that interest me.

Official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/PhilipYancey

More details, including blog entries, book sales, and release notices: philipyancey.com

SUBSCRIBE to my monthly blog: https://bit.ly/PhilipYanceyBlog

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Sujittra Chaturongkul

God Loves People, One at a Time. We MATTER to God

Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2023

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Philip Yancey is likely to be an intellectual or a smart person type for he views the Old Testament as realistic and that it portrays the world as it is, and his writing style is also like that. He seems to have true faith to the Bible as the word of God and he interprets it rather literally. "I (Philip) had grown up in airtight fundamentalism." P. 143

To the question of why the Old Testament matters, I can sum up what he says in 6 answers.

1. It probes and reveals the hidden human recesses.

2. It gives the advanced course on God and the clearest picture of what God is like.

3. It's realistic. It treats life as it is.

4. We matter to God. God loves human beings that's why he sends Jesus.

5. The more we comprehend the Old Testament, the more we comprehend Jesus.

6. It tells that God is sovereign, the world revolves around God, not us.

Be prepared to know the Book of Job, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Ecclesiastes and the Prophets real well for he talks about them in greater details. He says that in them, he discovers himself. P. 9

The following quote is what I think is best in his book: "God loves people not as a race or species, but rather just as you and I love them: one at a time. We MATTER to God." P. 205

5 people found this helpful

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CDBall

Philip Yancy is a favorite for a reason

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2023

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I have read as many Philip Yancy books as I could get my hands on. He is one of my “go to” authors and it’s for a very good reason. This book is super insightful. It has really been helpful to have this perspective of what was the culture like because I often will think of things in terms of what I know now. Instead, I should really be trying to understand from that time period and that culture, etc. An excellent, excellent resource!

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Jason T.

Insightful

Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2014

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As I've come to expect from Yancey, this book is well worth the time to read it. I do feel that the title is a little misleading. It sounds like it would be more of a historical look at the Scriptures during the first century, but it's actually a set of brief studies of selected books/sections of the OT. The way he does it, though, sets this book apart from other books of a similar nature. Yancey takes a look at some of the parts of the OT that are more often overlooked or neglected, most notably are Ecclesiastes and the Prophets. This book helps to give a different perspective of some challenging Scriptures which allows for a better understanding of them. I actually wish it were a bit longer so as to cover a little more ground. Overall, it's a good addition to your bible study library.

14 people found this helpful

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L. Varhola

Exceptional!

Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2023

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This book is a must read if you have struggled with reading some of the Old Testament. Thank you Mr Yancey for all you have written here.

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Joseph G. Tinnerello

Another great book by Philip Yancey!

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2022

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This author is a master! His writing is clear and his thoughts are insightful. My relationship with the Lord is more personal as a result. Thank you Mr. Yancey. You are doing the Lord’s work!

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Kindle Customer

Excellent book

Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2022

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I truly loved this book and had a hard time putting it down. Phillip Yancey has a way with words that it helped me understand a bit more about the Bible. I would recommend this book to anyone who truly wants to know God. He gives good advice on getting to know God.

3 people found this helpful

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LuvMiracles

Very Interesting & Thought Provoking!

Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2017

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This is a really Interesting and thought provoking book. I am still reading it because I'm savoring it as well as looking up several of the author's biblical references along the way. Mr. Yancey is a journalist and, therefore, goes into great detail about the points he wishes to make. I can tell that he is very thorough in his research of the subject. I might have chosen another title for this book simply because Mr. Yancey has limited his topic to a select few books in The Old Testament. He is basically asking God "why is there suffering"? I think he questions this mostly because his father was stricken with polio when he was only two years and when his father was preparing to go to Africa to do missionary work.

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Morgan

Job

Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2022

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Loved the thoughts on Job.

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Wendy Bowe

Interesting, relevant and well written

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2021

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I am giving this book to my niece for Christmas. I have already bought a second hand copy (nice one) and previously read it. It is clearly written, relevant, interesting and relates to the reader with regular reference to the Old Testament and how the Jews and Jesus would have understood. It explains the life of Jesus and why he is relevant and necessary for peoples lives and grips the readers attention throughout. I would recommend this for everyone to read. They will not be disappointed!

One person found this helpful

Sathish

Great Book to start old testament reading

Reviewed in Canada on February 1, 2018

Verified Purchase

Great synopsis of Old testament books and sparks interest to read old testament books and deals with some questions we have with Old testament books

One person found this helpful

Amazon Customer

I appreciate Dr. Yancey's inimitable style of presentation. ...

Reviewed in India on March 3, 2017

Verified Purchase

I appreciate Dr. Yancey's inimitable style of presentation. I always believed the relevance of the Old Testament to my faith. This book buttressed my belief. Thank you, Dr Yancey!

Brian Burgess

Revived Importance

Reviewed in Australia on April 28, 2019

Verified Purchase

Exceptional, lucid ,carefully considered, honest assessment of the essential need of the Old Testament to believers.
This book will be enjoyed by those who want to strengthen their faith and those looking to understand the gift of Jesus and the promise of eternal life.

Rev. H

OT into

Reviewed in Canada on December 19, 2016

Verified Purchase

Excellent overview of several OT genres that will help Christians engage these scriptures more. I will be recommending this book to my congregation.

One person found this helpful

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The Bible Jesus Read: Why the Old Testament Matters Paperback – February 1, 2002

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The Bible Jesus Read: Why the Old Testament Matters Paperback – February 1, 2002

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Resources by Philip Yancey

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Video Studies

Who Is Philip Yancey?

What Is Philip’s Passion?

How Did Philip Get His Start?

From the Publisher

I feel a need to apologize for what you will not find in this book.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

About the Author

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The Bible Jesus Read

Zondervan Publishing Company

Chapter One

Product details

Videos

About the author

Philip Yancey

Customer reviews

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