Jesus' Little Instruction Book: His Words to Your Heart

by Thomas Cahill

Jesus' teachings have reached across two millenia, inspiring, informing, and uplifting people from all walks of life.  In this elegant little volume, a noted religious publisher and biblical student has collected Jesus' key messenges, culled from the Gospels.  Organized thematically, Jesus' words speak directly to contemporary lives and convey a man unlike any other man whose life contains a message for all.  Engaging and nondoctrinal commentary throughout places the sayings in their historical context and drawn to this simple and beautiful rendering of Jesus' unique--an, even today, unconventional--message for the heart.

Genres: Religion, Christianity

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1994

About the author

Born in New York City to Irish-American parents and raised in Queens and the Bronx, Cahill was educated by Jesuits and studied ancient Greek and Latin. He continued his study of Greek and Latin literature, as well as medieval philosophy, scripture and theology, at Fordham University, where he completed a B.A. in classical literature and philosophy in 1964, and a pontifical degree in philosophy in 1965. He went on to complete his M.F.A. in film and dramatic literature at Columbia University in 1968.

In anticipation of writing The Gifts of the Jews, Cahill studied scripture at Union Theological Seminary in New York, and spent two years as a Visiting Scholar at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, where he studied Hebrew and the Hebrew Bible. He also reads French and Italian. In 1999, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Alfred University in New York.

Cahill has taught at Queens College, Fordham University, and Seton Hall University, served as the North American education correspondent for The Times of London, and was for many years a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times Book Review. Prior to retiring to write full time, he was the Director of Religious Publishing at Doubleday for six years. He and his wife, Susan, also an author, divide their time between New York and Rome.

—Wikipedia

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Thomas Cahill very much as a historian. His Hinges of History books--I've read two so far--are wonderful. How the Irish Saved Civilization is a wonderful romp through the Middle Ages, and Desire of the Everlasting Hills is one of the best comprehensive books about the orgins of Christianity that I have ever read. Cahill is an excellent writer, and insightful historian, and a joy to read.

Jesus' Little Instruction Book, though, was a disappointment. Essentially, nearly every thing Jesus says in the synoptic Gospels, and a much thinner selection of sayings from the Gospel of John, are laid out somewhat thematically. I'm not sure if it was the lack of context (i.e. not having the narrative surrounding the sayings and stories of Jesus) or the translation (which I had never heard of before), but this book is flat. Boring, even. It's like Cahill just snipped Jesus' words out of his Bible and pasted them into a book. I found this book neither informative nor insightful.

With that said, I am very much looking forward to reading the next two of Cahill's Hinges series, The Gift of the Jews and Why the Greeks Matter.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book presents Jesus’ words in the Gospels. In a notebook, I summarized each Scripture by writing “Jesus said…” statements. It was a very good way to get to the heart of Jesus’ teachings, and now I have a handy reference list, too!

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely compilation of quotes from the gospels. A great guide for new believers!

[Charlene Mathe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful little book compiled by the brilliant scholar and writer, Thomas Cahill. It showcases quotations of Jesus from the gospels in a proverbs-like format. The quotations are organized by themes and associated with phases in Jesus' life and ministry. Cahill provides occasional footnotes and historical commentary that further opens up these teachings. As N. T. Wright discusses in his 2012 book, "How God Became King: the Forgotten Story of the Gospels," most Christians learn mostly about Jesus' birth narratives and crucifixion accounts. His actual teachings are skipped over. N. T. Wright even contrasts Jesus actual teachings with what Christianity came to teach in His name. This little book is an excellent resource for Christian and non-Christian to read the actual teachings of Jesus as recorded in the gospels. New copies are still available on line for a few dollars that make delightful gifts for many occasions.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a little book of quotes from the Gospels (including a couple from non-canonical Gospels, if I am not mistaken). A nicely put together collection of inspiring sayings and parables.

[Andrea Engle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skims the surface ... however, Cahill's use of the non-standard New Jerusalem Bible will intrigue even the most jaded daily Bible-reader ... well worth the time spent