I was recently in a restaurant browsing a flip chart with pictures of mouth watering luscious desserts. I ordered and eagerly awaited the delicacy. When it arrived I was delighted to find the dessert looked even better than the picture. On my first taste I was delighted to find it was much richer and tastier than I had anticipated.

Such was my experience with David Bivin’s new book New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus. I have gained from David Bivin’s research and writings from Jerusalem Perspective for several years. So when I heard about this new book I eagerly awaited its arrival. On my first read I was delighted to find it was much richer and more exciting than I had anticipated.

New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus is much more than its title portrays. Bivin goes far beyond explaining difficult passages. Bevin introduces you to Jesus in a new, exciting and intriguing way.

Philippians 3 says “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” We get to know people by learning about them; the more we learn, the more we know. How can you learn about our Hebrew Lord without understanding the culture of His time? How can you understand His sayings that sound so strange to our Western ears unless you put them in the proper setting?

This book will direct you to know Jesus and the Jewish background of the way he thought and taught. It is scholarly but an easy and enjoyable read. Bivin gives several examples of confusing passages from Greek translations that become immediately clear when translated back into Hebrew. This work is fascinating! Don’t miss it.

Click Here to View Sample Pages (PDF)

What if we could step back into the first-century world of Jesus, walking on a dusty road with him as one of his first Jewish disciples? What if we heard his teachings in the context of the rabbinic conversations that surrounded him? Here we examine Jesus’ lifestyle as a first-century Jewish rabbi and look at how his words would have been understood within the larger framework of first-century Judaism. His words will grow in clarity and depth when seen in the light of their original setting. We are delighted to offer this new book by David Bivin.

Bivin is the founder and editor of Jerusalem Perspective (JP), a magazine that explores the Jewish context of the Gospels. He has traveled and lectured internationally for more than 25 years. This book contains dozens of his best articles on the Jewishness of Jesus, edited for the general reader.

Reviews by Marvin Wilson and Dwight Pryor

“In Jerusalem, David Bivin has interacted for decades with some of the best Jewish scholarship in the world. This book displays many of the brilliant Hebraic gems the author has mined that help illuminate the pages of the Gospels. Clearly written and very readable, Bivin shows why Christians need rabbinic sources if they intend to know and understand Jesus in his first-century Jewish setting. New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus is a valuable resource for every serious student of Scripture.” -Marvin R. Wilson, Professor of Biblical Studies, Gordon College, Wenham, MA

“In this stimulating collection of writings, David Bivin will be your personal tour guide through the multi-hued Jewish landscape that frames the words of our Lord. Few guides are better equipped to show you these exciting vistas. Bivin’s insights into the life and times of Messiah are nuggets mined from a lifetime of labor, with scholarly skill and faithful determination. Reading New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus will increase your love and respect for the man, Jesus, and summon your heart to walk after him in paths of discipleship.” -Dwight A. Pryor, Founder & President, Center for Judaic-Christian Studies, Dayton, Ohio and Jerusalem, Israel.

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