The Bible Jesus Read: Why the Old Testament Matters

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.

The author does a very good job in helping the reader understand the importance of the Old Testament to Christ and why we as Christians should value it in our lives. I first read the book when it came out in 1999. While I already had a deep appreciate for the OT, it provided an even deeper appreciation. We recently downsized and I had to get rid of hundreds of books in my library. The Kindle book was temporarily reduced in price and this book was one that I wanted to be able to access for teach adult classes at church.

I was thoroughly impressed at the depth provided about the Old Testament. With this information I will reread the old testament with a much better understanding of the books and the importantance to the coming of the New Testament. We all need to understand our hidtory if we are to better understand our relationship with God. Philp Yancey does that for us. Wonderful book with many insights.

I too love The Old Testament and the perspective of this book gave me an even deeper appreciation for these ancient writings. I found this book to be thought provoking and a tantalizing read. The references were spot on and I found myself going back and forth from the references in the Bible to the book. Definitely a great read for anyone who questions the relevance of the Old Testament writings.

This is an enjoyable read, but it's not an analytical discussion of the Bible, it's more of an autobiographical look at the author's own thoughts and experiences from his studies. Some interesting insights make it worth the time. Please note: Amazon has not listed this accurately. The MP3 audio book I received was ABRIDGED and read by the author himself, so it has only a 3-hour run time, which was disappointing.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. But without a doubt i have gained some insight and a perspective of the Bible that Jesus read. I would recommend this to anyone who has struggled reading the old testament...which I have and still do.. but with this new perspective I have a new way of reading it. Enjoy!!!

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.

First, I am a huge Philip Yancey fan and I LOVE the book "The Bible Jesus Read." But this video was very disappointing. Hoped it would complement the book and add more depth or inspiration, but it did neither. Sorry to be a downer but I would read the book and save your money on the video and participants guide.

This book shows you how you can use the Old Testament prophets as companions on your Christian pilgrimage. For example, he shows you how you can deal with absence in your life by highlighting how Israel had to move forward into the Promised Land in the physical absence of Moses after his death. I found myself identifying with Moses in a way I didn't when I studied 'The Pentateuch' at university.It also shows you to how to deal with loss by highlighting how Job lost his worldly possessions and loved ones. How would you respond if you lost your job or your girlfriend? The 39 chapters of suspended dialogue represents the waiting and waiting of Christians who have unfulfilled promises in their lives. You realise that the battleground of faith is all about loss and abandonment, and the same way that Israel had the law to take them into the Promised Land in Moses' absence, we have God's Word to guide us through our times of loss and abandonment.When you study the prophets, you discover that God also feels forsaken and abandoned by Israel who have pursued idol worship in the temple. The prophets embody this loss and abandonment to the people which provides you with spiritual comfort and companionship in your own loss.

Fascinating and refreshing and thought provoking, thank you.

Very good. We had a bible study at church aiming to improve our knowledge of the old testament. Funnily, we had differences of opinion about each chapter ... I enjoyed most of them bar Psalms.

Yancey is primarily a journalist - his writing is accessible, informative and thought provoking.

We used the book, The Bible Jesus Read, as our Lent course this year. The DVD did help with setting the scene. Very interesting discussions came out of them both.