Book Reviewed: Jesus the Jew: A Historian's Reading of the Gospels by Geza Vermes

Historical Jesus Jesus the Jew is a highly readable portrait of Jesus Christ who led the life of a Jewish man (Hasid) rather than as a figure detached from Judaism. He was a healer, exorcist, and teacher whose authority comes from personal charisma rather than from an institutional power. Terms like prophet, Messiah, Son of Man, and Son of God are explained in their Jewish historical meanings and not as emerging Christian ideas. This book is not inspired by traditional Jewish attitudes towards 'the founder of Christianity', and it does not depict him as a 'Jewish' Jesus either. The author examines the gospels which in essence are a biography of Jesus: his sayings (parables), his miracles, the resurrection narrative, and the virgin birth. This offers a strong foundation for the Pauline Epistles and other later New Testament books. The author observes that the work of Jesus was distorted by both Christian and Jewish myth alike; according to him, Jesus was neither the Christ of the Church nor the apostate of Jewish faith. There is a significant discussion in this book about the death and resurrection stories of the gospel of Mark, the earliest gospel, and the latter two, Mathew and Luke add more to the resurrection story which become the pillars of Christian theology. The author observes that Jesus’ mission was healing the sick: the physically, mentally, and spiritually diseased, He was not only a healer of his time, but also a dispenser of forgiveness to sinners which comes from charismatic Judaism. The primitive Christianity turned from this alternative of faith in divine mediation to the novel belief in an act of divine impregnation, with as its consequence, the birth of a Son of God is more related to the psychology of a religion that would later become the dominant faith system of human beings. This is an enjoyable book to read; it is a compelling, clearly explained work that is founded on textual and historical evidence. Strongly recommended.

Book Reviewed: The Promise of a Nation: Commemorating 250 Years of Patriotism, Resilience, and Aspirations from the National Collection by Smithsonian Institution

The enduring strength of the United States This book is a commemorative and an educational resource suitable for general readers, and American history enthusiasts. This work emphasizes: Patriotism and civic ideals as how Americans have defined freedom and democracy; the resilience in responses to conflicts, inequality, and social issues; advances in science, technology, and space exploration; cultural evolution through music and activism, and national identity. Each chapter representing each decade from the 1770s to the 2020s with Smithsonian objects and artifacts help bring each decade into life from the perspectives of Smithsonian experts, who bring a wealth of knowledge to the narratives. There are photographs of many objects like; the signing of the Declaration of Independence (1818), one of four monumental paintings by John Trumbull (1756-1843) hanging inside the US Capitol Rotunda. Despite its title, the scene depicts the moment on June 28, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress received a draft of the Declaration of Independence; An unidentified immigrant mother and child in Lewis Hine's photograph Peace on Ellis Island. Madonna (1905) represent the "huddled masses yearning to breathe free; and photograph of Harriet Tubman, portrayed in this rare carte de visite portrait, was born into chattel slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland. Between 1850 and 1860, Tubman made more than a dozen journeys across the Mason-Dixon line guiding many from slavery to freedom through the Underground Railroad

Book Reviewed: The Gospels of Mary: The Secret Tradition of Mary Magdalene, the Companion of Jesus by Marvin W. Meyer

The sacred smile of Mary This work of Marvin Meyer, a renowned Biblical scholar is about the gospel of Mary Magdalene in which he has provided a new translation of this gospel and her role as beloved disciple of Jesus. However, her prominence in early Christian communities and later church authoritarian structures marginalized her. The author discusses as how the related gnostic gospels such as Gospel of Philip, Gospel of Thomas, the Dialogue of the Savior, and Pistis Sophia supported Mary’s gospel. This book includes selections from canonized gospels, extracanonical history, and gnostic gospels to support the belief that Mary was an undisputed leader of the apostolic team. In early Christian texts, Mary Magdalene emerges as the closest and an insightful disciple of Jesus. Her teachings were focused on inner spiritual knowledge, the soul’s ascent, and the nature of true freedom. The soul’s journey upward through hostile powers requires to overcome fear, ignorance, and internal conflict. This is parallel to the teachings of Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism. The central theme is that salvation comes from inner understanding and not external authority. According to her gospel, there is no such thing as “sin” which sharply contrasts the teachings of the canon, and John the Baptist. Her teachings were revolutionary for those who read synoptic gospels (Mark, Luke, and Matthew) and John. The authors describe Mary’s role as a beloved disciple of Jesus among the Christian gnostic communities. But the latter-day bishops and church leaders marginalized her. The authors discuss the Mary centered gnostic texts like, Gospel of Philip, Gospel of Thomas, the Dialogue of the Savior, and Pistis Sophia. It emerges from this book that the church leaders including the 12 apostles were reluctant to accept a woman's leadership. Peter and Andrew directly challenged Mary’s authority. Mary Magdalene was loyal to Jesus throughout his life; she was present at the crucifixion, and the tomb of Jesus. Some Gospel accounts describe the male disciples running for their lives when Jesus was crucified, but Mary stays at the site of the execution. She becomes the first person to encounter the risen Christ and proclaim the good news of the resurrection. This is pivotal moment in the history of the Christian movement. Mary emerges from the shadows of history in the gospel of Mary and other gnostic scriptures, but early church leaders disliked the relevance of the message which contrasted the canonized gospels. They were building a strong faith for the future, and they were in no mood to accommodate alternative ideas. They made sure almost all gnostic texts including the gospel of Mary were destroyed, and gnostic communities were severely restricted from practicing the gnostic faith. There was no room for the gospel of Mary to grow and evolve into the canonized gospel of the New Testament. What we see from this study is the sacred smile of Mary fast disappearing from the landscape of the ministry of Jesus Christ. This paved the way for establishment of the canonized gospels, Pauline epistles, Acts and Revelation of the New Testament. This book is strongly recommended to readers interested in the gospel of Mary, the early Christian history, the extinct gospels, and the apocrypha. Mary’s rise to become the closest disciple of Jesus and the leader of pack of 13 (including the 12 apostles) is partly inspired by the Jewish women from Tanak (the Old Testament.) Examples include, Deborah, a judge, prophetess, and a military leader; Miriam, a prophetess; Esther, a political strategist; Huldah, a prophetess; Abigail, a diplomatic leader; and Ruth, a covenant leader.