Review of "The Bible Jesus Read"

The Bible Jesus Read

by Phillip Yancey

Reviewed by Pat Beaty

            This author states in his preface that he is discussing the Old Testament, which is the only Bible that Jesus had during his life as a human being.  Yancey reads the Bible “as any ordinary reader does, interacting with the content, trying to understand the author’s original intent.”  He divides this treatise into what he feels are its major sections:  history, prophecy, poetry, and wisdom literature.  He cites Oswald Chambers who once said that, “ the Psalms teach you how to pray; Job teaches you how to suffer; the Song of Solomon teaches you how to love; Proverbs teaches you how to live; and Ecclesiastes teaches you how to enjoy.”

            The author has chosen Job, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the Prophets to concentrate on, and he admits that this work is personal and subjective.  In sincere agreement with the writer, it is not felt that some of the conclusions that the author comes to are appropriate to meet the needs of every believer in his walk with Christ.

            Yancey quoted from 2 Timothy that “all scripture is God-breathed and useful for teacher, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.”  He re-emphasized that the fact that the Old Testament was the only Bible its readers had at that time.

            In an opening summary, this writer related his own experiences in coming to a final belief in the value of this first half of the Holy Word of God.  In his chapter on Job, the author writes beautifully of this sufferer and relates it to the later suffering of the Hebrew people.  Yancey feels that this portion of scripture contains gorgeous poetry and he paraphrases God’s words in the following way:  “until you know a little more about running the physical universe, Job, don’t tell me how to run the moral universe.”

            In discussing Deuteronomy, the author retells the “bittersweet story of God’s relationship with the Israelites, as well as with Moses.”  However the author’s experience with Psalms, as well as his opinions about this book, easily make this the most fascinating portion of this most absorbing book.  Although the Prophets and Ecclesiastes were treated in a wonderful fashion, it is felt that this entire work by Yancey is well worth anyone’s time to read.