The Power of Parable

March 1, 2012

Crossan (emeritus, DePaul Univ.; The Greatest Prayer; The Historical Jesus) is one of the most admired as well as one of the most controversial scholars of the New Testament in general and the life of Jesus in particular. His latest book examines the ways that the teaching method of Jesus, who challenged his audiences with the parable, an early form of fiction, came to be applied to Jesus's own life story and argues that we should be wary of applying literal historical standards to texts from the ancient world. VERDICT A fascinating book, written with Crossan's usual lucidity but likely to disturb conservative Christians; a must for most academic and seminary libraries as well as many church groups and pastors.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 15, 2012
One of the most insightful and thought-provoking exegetes of the New Testament says both the little stories Jesus tells in the extant versions of the Gospel and the big stories of Jesus' life that the four canonic versions tell are parables. While explaining the purposes of parableas riddles to limit group membership, as examples of desirable behavior, as challenges to common practices and understandings, and as attacks on enemiesCrossan also establishes the form's tradition in ancient Mediterranean culture by citing parables that both ante- and postdate Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and their contemporaries in early Christian literature. (His discussions of particular parables of Jesus are usually keenly illuminating; e.g., that of the parable of the talents or, as he calls it, the Master's Money.) Crossan thinks the challenge parable is the most characteristic of Jesus as the pacific revolutionary he believes him to have been. When followers took up Jesus' cause and wrote up the Gospel, however, they injected ever greater doses of denouncing their enemies the Jews (though the denouncers were also Jews)to the shame of the church ever since. Crossan's exceptional clarity and methodical presentation combine to make this one of the best, most enthralling Bible-study courses many readers will ever take.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)