The Jefferson Bible: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth
by Thomas Jefferson
|
|
Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of The Jefferson Bible: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth.
discuss this book
friend reviews (0)
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
lists with this book
This book is not in any lists. Go add it to a list.
other reviews (showing 1-20 of 102)
This is an illuminating and important book historically. Not only does it represent Thomas Jefferson's fearless edit of the Gospels of Matthew,Mark, Luke and John from the New Testament the Bible extracting what he thought was of value from "a groundwork of vulgar ignorance, of things impossible, of superstitions, fanaticisms and fabrications"but sheds a light on the inquiring minds of the intellectual elite of his day. He basically cut and pasted and shared his work with John Adams an...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in March, 2008
Interesting versions of bible excerpts related solely to Jesus' life and his parables. There were a couple parables that, having never understood them before, seemed to have a clearer meaning. Whether that's because Jefferson's telling is biased or not, I have no idea (and don't really care). Another interesting inference is that Jesus' was not above being a bit of a hypocrite. At some points, he bitches at people for waste or excesses and then at other points, when his followers bitch at pe...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
The best summation (from wikipedia): "The Jefferson Bible, or The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth as it is formally titled, was Thomas Jefferson's effort to extract the doctrine of Jesus by removing sections of the New Testament containing supernatural aspects as well as perceived misinterpretations he believed had been added by the Four Evangelists."
See Jesus as a man. Definitely worth reading.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in October, 2007
Definitely a puzzling project for Jefferson to undertake. I really didn't like how he jumps from chapter to chapter. It's not like the Bible is exactly easy to read in the first place, but Jefferson's approach to the translation of the New Testament is even more beguiling.
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Has a copy to sell/swap
As Thomas Jefferson is arguably the most important figure in American History. I had to pick this one up. While nothing but a re-telling of the New Testement, and even though it is written with a strange mixture of Old Enlish and Contemperary American. It allows for a fresh look at the New Testement with out all of the religious stuff thrown in.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in June, 2007
recommends it for:
You. And your mother, too.
Essentially the story of Jesus and his teachings sans virgin birth, miracles or resurrection. Though those things have important meaning to a lot of people, for me they can often distract from what I view as the most important thing Jesus gave the world: a better way to live one's life.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
my entire congregation
I first read this almost twenty years ago. I pick it up every couple ofyears and read it again. What remains shocking to me is not that Jefferson did the redaction, but that modern people feel like they can't. Preaching on this in a week.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in February, 2007
I don't understand the purpose of removing the miracles from the Gospels. Wouldn't it be better to either accept them as they are or reject them completely?
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Jefferson, a Deist, re-wrote the New Testament, taking out everything he felt corrupted the teachings of Jesus. I'm curious to see what was left!
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
like it or not, you have to admit - it sure makes the whole death-obsession thing a little easier to ignore!
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
TJ really whittles down the bible to the essentials...the spoken word of Jesus.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in February, 2008
recommended to Chelsea by:
Vincent Eric Scullinrecommends it for: Any literate organism.
I voted Jefferson today.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
