Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration Audiobook

" This was a meaty book in many ways and well presented. The thoughts were lucid and methodical. They addressed Jesus in both a scholarly and faith promoting fashion. I enjoyed this biography of Jesus. "

" Very short yet surprisingly rich treatment of the subject. "

" A mixed bag, really. Papa B does a good job showing how infancy narratives reflect the hopes and aspirations of Israel and anticipate the life, teachings, passion and resurrection of Jesus. But it falls short when Benedict weighs in on the current historical controversies surrounding the texts. The book does not possess the length or scope to address such complex questions, in my humble opinion. In addition, he tends to be a bit too dismissive of the historical critical method used in biblical scholarship. Is 7:14 is a case in point. There is no conflict in searching for a more immediate object of the prophecy, while holding to the belief that the prophecy is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. And the fact that there are multiple theories as to what that object is does not relieve scholars of the responsibility of searching for one. "

" Somewhat short, but a fascinating view into the two infancy tales of Jesus. "

" My first time reading a bible-study-type book, so it took some getting used to. But Pope Benedict's insights helped me understand the infancy narrative in a way I never had before, like a '3-D version'. I was able to see more of the depth of the story I've known my whole life -- rather than just imagining the nativity scene 2 dimensionally, as I had since childhood. It always amazes me how the Bible has intrigued centuries of thinkers. I am glad for being introduced to "the tip of the ice burg", by reading the Pope's gentle explanations. "

" Not a heavy read, but enlightening. A pretty quick read, too, considering. "

" An excellent read, easy to follow and full of new insights and thoughts. Must read for students and/or readers of the Bible. "

" Fittingly, I finished this book on the Feast of the Holy Family. The pope explains how events in the Old Testament foreshadow Jesus's fulfilling of the scriptures and how history verifies events in his early life. Informative and a bit complicated, this book is well worth the read. "

" This wonderful little book is as readable as the second installment was. Lots of scholarship and reflection was involved in it's writing. It is an enjoyable and inspiring read. "

" Beautifully crafted. Now we have the entire life of Jesus from one of the best minds and holiest men on the planet "

" Great book, a quick read, but not ground-breaking like the first two installments. "

" The Pope strikes a nice balance between being scholarly and pastoral--perfect for his target audience of over a billion! "

" Easy to read. So insightful. I couldn't put it down. "

" Excellent, though shorter than his other two books in the series "

" Solid theology. Really enjoy reading anything by Benedict XVI. "

" Pretty short, but very good. He spent a fair amount of time on the Magi, which was what I was particularly looking for. "

" A fantastic search written by one with a real passion and gentleness in his theology. I can hardly wait for Part 2!! "

" A big promise from the outset and a challenge to read... probably a difficult book to translate. "

" This is an excellent book on Jesus of Nazareth by a man who knows him well. It is filled with wonderful bits of history, theology and wisdom. Like several of Pope Benedict XVI's books, it can be dry at times but that excellent insights make it worth the read and invite a reread. "

" Great!!! But I need to read it again. There is alot in it. Wow!!! He definitely know of what he writes about. "

" I loved the first 30 pages!, and the rest of course. "

" Ratzinger's first book as Pope Benedict XVI. He attempts to recover the true image of Jesus which has been blurred by historical-critical scholarship in the last two centuries. Alas, he adds another picture of Jesus, that is, the Roman Catholic Jesus. "

" This is a little deep, but I found parts of it really interesting, and learned some things. I liked how he brought in authors (that I've never heard of) and either agreed with their interpretations or refuted their arguments. "

" I really enjoyed this book, but it was WAY above my head for a lot of it. I really liked reading a book by the Pope, though. It made me feel like I know him better. "

" Surprisingly readable, and very fascinating! Favorite chapters: Chapter Two on the Temptations of Jesus, Chapter Four on the Sermon on the Mount, and Chapter Five on The Lord's Prayer. I particularly love his respectful references to our faith's Jewish roots. "