What the Gospels Meant | 
 enlarge | Author: Garry Wills
Publisher: Viking Adult
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 13431
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.6 x 1
ISBN: 0670018716
Dewey Decimal Number: 226.06
EAN: 9780670018710
ASIN: 0670018716
Publication Date: February 14, 2008
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Product Description
New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner Garry Wills interprets the four Gospels
Garry Willss recent New York Times bestselling books What Jesus Meant and What Paul Meant were tour-de-force interpretations of the teachings of Jesus and the Apostle Paul. Now Wills turns his remarkable gift for biblical analysis to the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Wills brilliantly examines the goals, methods, and styles of the evangelists and how these shaped the gospels messages. The earliest book, Mark, emphasizes Jesus the sufferer; in Matthew, Jesus the teacher; in Luke, Jesus the reconciler; and in John, Jesus the mystic. Hailed as one of the most intellectually interesting and doctrinally heterodox Christians writing today (The New York Times Book Review), Wills guides readers through the maze of meanings that have accrued around these foundational texts, revealing their essential Christian truths. What the Gospels Meant will prove to be a valuable source of wisdom and inspiration for all.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 What the Gospels Meant July 14, 2008
Very interesting premises. Well written. Wonder what the other titles from this author would be like.
The Meaning of the Gospels July 11, 2008
The author has provided significant scholarship on the
meaning of the gospels. For instance, he contrasted
the lengths of the gospels. This turned up a 19,000
word document by Luke's gospel- the longest rendition.
There is an excellent section on the Sermon at the Mount.
The beatitudes are set forth in great detail together
with understandable prose to support the biblical script.
The miracle of Cana is described ; wherein, Christ turned
water into wine. The apostle Mark spent about 1/3 of his
writings on Christ's passion. Luke's gospel described the
famous prodigal son. The death and resurrection of Jesus
is told in strict accordance with the biblical account.
Overall, the book is an excellent rendition for biblical
enthusiasts. I was looking for more discussion of
"the end times" as related to the official biblical scripture.
The Yin & Yang of the 4 Gospels ! June 7, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Prof. Wills put forth this book to deepen our understanding of the Gospels. The Gospels are not biographies, or history books, or treatises (P.5). The Gospels thus find Jesus present in persecution (Mark), in instruction (Matthew), in consolation (Luke), and in mystical exaltation (John) (P.8)
He quoted from scholar Raymond Brown in explaining and commenting on the four Gospels with comparison and contrast. It is a highly readable scholar work in understanding how, what and why on the Gospels, quite different from the Sunday sermon on the historical Jesus.
He pointed out the truth in the Gospels including the Mark Appendix - Whoever believe and is baptized shall be saved (Mk 16:16)
Reading this book will help the meaning and appreciation of history and theology, belief and lie, Jesus and Christ who helped shape and impact Western Civilization for over two thousand years.
The four Gospels help and guide reader to find God, meaning of life and good work for an everlasting life.
Another Thought Provoking Triumph June 3, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
So far in this series of books, Garry Wills has goaded our brains into comtemplating What Jesus Meant and What Paul Meant. In examining the Gospels, both the Synoptics and John, Wills moves chronologically farther away from the historical Jesus and more into the young church's interpretation of his words and deeds. The important part of this scholarship is the relation of the gospel's Jesus and the character and needs of each individual congregation addressed by Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John. This is interpretation uncluttered by church teachings. Surely anyone wishing an accessible, readable book on early Christianity could benefit from this volume.
A must-read for any Church or Bible study group May 30, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Although I have been reading Christian nonfiction and biblical commentary for a couple years now, I actively avoided reading Gary Wills 'What X, Y, Z Meant' series. I feared he would be another neo-evangelical with a infantile understanding of the Bible, its traditions and history. I was dead wrong. Gary Wills is nearly the polar opposite of a Max Lucado, Rick Warren and other similarly popular Christian authors. Wills is a true scholar, a lifelong student of the Bible who is widely read and incredibly itelligent. More importantly, he conveys his knowledge of the Gospels with a clarity and cogency to rival Elizabeth Johnson.
What the Gospels Meant owes much to late-New Testament scholar Raymond Brown. So much so, the book is dedicated to Fr. Brown and borrows much of his material from his studies of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In a brisk 200-pages, Wills explains the distinctions between the various gospel-traditions (i.e. Synoptic and Johanine) and why they are there. The book is certainly not a plot summary of four distinct and rick works of ancient Christian tradition. It is a deeper analysis and understanding of what a serious student of the New Testament should take heed of while reading. There are good reasons for the evalgalists differing accounts of Christ's final words on the cross. There is a deeper meaning to the various parables than what we are told in homilies and sermons every Sunday. What the Gospels Meant is worthy of being placed in the "must-read" category of any church group or Bible study seeking to learn more about those precious books describing the life of Jesus.
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