THE SURPRISING GENIUS OF JESUS:
What the Gospels reveal about the
Greatest Teacher
By Peter J. Williams
Crossway. 144 pages. £11.99
ISBN 978 1 433 588 365
It’s easy to become so familiar with the content of the Gospels and ponder the things Jesus said, that we miss His genius, intellect, and storytelling mastery. This book brings those latter qualities to the fore.
Using the parable of the lost son in Luke 15 as his primary material, Williams demonstrates an underlying ingenuity to Jesus’ story, highlighting the significance both of what Jesus said and what he left unsaid. The book brings interesting elements of the story to the surface that we might otherwise miss, but its real aim is to show the depth behind Jesus’ carefully chosen words to specifically connect with his audience.
One particular highlight was a parallel from the story of Esau and Jacob in Genesis, where the wronged older brother Esau welcomes back his rebellious brother, Jacob, by running to him, falling on his neck and kissing him – exactly the embrace the younger, rebellious brother receives from his Father in Luke 15. Parallels such as this, argues Williams, should have left the Scribes and Pharisees pondering their own unwillingness to welcome the repentant tax collectors and sinners.
As the book develops, so does the argument that this creative genius permeates so many of Jesus’ parables, d e m o n s t r a t i n g a mastery of the Old Testament. It helps to illuminate a broader principle that many pages of the Bible are full of ‘echoes’ from other parts. When the Bible is read with such lenses, it can so often lead to deeper appreciation of what God is seeking to communicate but can be equally hazardous if taken too far or applied too rigidly – something Williams helpfully recognises when admitting some of the ‘echoes’ may be coincidental.
Despite an obviously high level of academic research, the book flows well and would be, for the most part, easily accessible for the average reader. The latter chapters certainly contain information to pique the interest of a more academic reader, but this shouldn’t put anyone off. This book is bound to deepen your amazement at the genius of Jesus and the depth of His words.
