A runner-up in the 2023 For the Church Book Awards
How the Story of the Prodigal Son Illuminates Jesus’s Genius
When someone thinks of Jesus, “genius” is not likely the first word that comes to mind. But when studied in detail, Jesus’s teachings and interactions with others combined high levels of knowledge and insight, verbal skill, and simplicity—showing his genius.
In The Surprising Genius of Jesus, Peter J. Williams examines the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 to show the genius, creativity, and wisdom of Jesus’s teachings. He used simple but powerful stories to confront the Pharisees and scribes of the day, drawing on his knowledge of the Jewish Scriptures to teach his audience through complex layers and themes. Williams challenges those who question whether Jesus really was the source of the parables recorded in the Gospels, pointing readers to the truth of who Jesus is and why that matters for them today.
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Clear and Insightful: Accessible for general readers with in-depth footnotes for those wanting to learn more
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Biblical: Comprehensive, interscriptural analysis of the story of the prodigal son
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Written by Peter J. Williams: Author of Can We Trust the Gospels? and principal of Tyndale House, Cambridge
144 pages.
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: A Brilliant Story
Chapter 2: Connecting with Genesis
Chapter 3: More Stories Inspired by the Old Testament
Chapter 4: Was Jesus the Genius?
Chapter 5: Much More Than a Storyteller
Surprising Genius of Jesus, The: What the Gospels Reveal about the Greatest Teacher is in the following collections:
