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The real Jesus
used/yellowing of pages. no marks. we ship daily
310 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
About the author
Garner Ted Armstrong
78 books2 followersSon of Herbert W Armstrong.
Ministers of Worldwide Church of God,Church of God International,Intercontinental Church of God.
Ministers of Worldwide Church of God,Church of God International,Intercontinental Church of God.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 20, 2019
Anytime someone claims they are going to teach me something new I get hooked as I like to learn. Unfortunately this book followed up with that it would shock me and make me angry. Okay I like a challenge so bring it on.
When it comes to getting to know Jesus as a person there really isn't much source information to go on, especially if you don't know where to look. Most of the information was taken from the Bible but only in a few rare instances was the version given. For a book like this I would have loved to know the Bible versions used and a list of non-canonical works for further personal study instead of the examples scattered throughout the book.
As for the author himself the information included wasn't really much new for me or probably for much other Christians. There were rumors I had heard that weren't mentioned in the book that would have been fun to have him addressed and stuff that I had been taught otherwise through personal study and/or church sermons.
What I did find new if it is believable is that Jesus was surrounded by angels from conception onwards. It isn't hard to believe if we think in guardian angels but the way the author put it they were specifically making sure that no harm, no foul was done while I would think that would hinder Jesus' development as a babe and child if he couldn't learn like the rest of us. He also made mention that Jesus wasn't into competitive sports that ended up belittling and/or hurting people and that Judas was possessed by Satan at the time of the Last Supper.
And that leads me to my next point. Ted Garner Armstrong really had it out for Judas Iscariot while I wish I knew the reasoning behind it. As a result he was very toxic to the man and made him seem even more of a villain than is normally seen.
The writing itself was a mixture with a lot of the biblical stories paraphrased in his words. In some cases the author did a great job in presenting his case and it was readable. At other points he was wordy, repetitive and quite dull. This mixture had me eyeballing the chapter lengths throughout my reading.
The last two pages in which he summarizes the Jesus that he has given the reader was probably the cream of the crop for his reader.
And for those who don't like graphic scenes he was pretty heavy on what Jesus suffered at his arrest, trial and crucifixion. Although we have such movies like The Passion, in these words it is quite chilling to read.
In the end I know I wasn't a participant or a witness to Jesus in real life so I may be wrong and he may be right or vice versa or neither of us. As they say if you are interested in getting to see more insight into it as there are a few good spots then read this with just a grain of salt. In my case, though, it just encourages me back into reading the Bible to see what all was true or not that was taken from the NT.
When it comes to getting to know Jesus as a person there really isn't much source information to go on, especially if you don't know where to look. Most of the information was taken from the Bible but only in a few rare instances was the version given. For a book like this I would have loved to know the Bible versions used and a list of non-canonical works for further personal study instead of the examples scattered throughout the book.
As for the author himself the information included wasn't really much new for me or probably for much other Christians. There were rumors I had heard that weren't mentioned in the book that would have been fun to have him addressed and stuff that I had been taught otherwise through personal study and/or church sermons.
What I did find new if it is believable is that Jesus was surrounded by angels from conception onwards. It isn't hard to believe if we think in guardian angels but the way the author put it they were specifically making sure that no harm, no foul was done while I would think that would hinder Jesus' development as a babe and child if he couldn't learn like the rest of us. He also made mention that Jesus wasn't into competitive sports that ended up belittling and/or hurting people and that Judas was possessed by Satan at the time of the Last Supper.
And that leads me to my next point. Ted Garner Armstrong really had it out for Judas Iscariot while I wish I knew the reasoning behind it. As a result he was very toxic to the man and made him seem even more of a villain than is normally seen.
The writing itself was a mixture with a lot of the biblical stories paraphrased in his words. In some cases the author did a great job in presenting his case and it was readable. At other points he was wordy, repetitive and quite dull. This mixture had me eyeballing the chapter lengths throughout my reading.
The last two pages in which he summarizes the Jesus that he has given the reader was probably the cream of the crop for his reader.
And for those who don't like graphic scenes he was pretty heavy on what Jesus suffered at his arrest, trial and crucifixion. Although we have such movies like The Passion, in these words it is quite chilling to read.
In the end I know I wasn't a participant or a witness to Jesus in real life so I may be wrong and he may be right or vice versa or neither of us. As they say if you are interested in getting to see more insight into it as there are a few good spots then read this with just a grain of salt. In my case, though, it just encourages me back into reading the Bible to see what all was true or not that was taken from the NT.
August 27, 2024
A CONTROVERSIAL PRESENTATION OF JESUS BY THE FAMED TV PERSONALITY
Garner Ted Armstrong (1930- 2003) was the son of Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of the Worldwide Church of God, and formerly hosted the radio/TV program "The World Tomorrow," until he and his father (NON-amicably) parted ways in 1978; he then started the Church of God International and had his own (much smaller) television ministry. He has written many books/booklets such as 'The Passover--is it for Christians?,' 'After death...then what?,' 'What is the Mark of the Beast?,' etc.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1977 book, "It's time you met the real Jesus... It's time you knew that Jesus ... appreciated feminine beauty... It's time that you realized that Jesus was not a vagabond; that He was a professional builder in the construction business... Few know that Jesus was a Jew... that Jesus did NOT come to save the world two thousand years ago, that He has NOT been trying to save it since, and that He is NOT trying to save it today... that He was not crucified on 'Good Friday'; that He was not resurrected on 'Easter Sunday'; that neither Jesus nor His disciples ever celebrated ... Christmas or Easter..." (Pg. 1-3)
He observes, "the creator being who is called 'God' (Elohim or YHWH) in the Old Testament is the same individual who became the Jesus Christ of the New Testament!... The Bible absolutely PROVES the fact that Jesus Christ of the New Testament is the same person as the God of the Old Testament!" (Pg. 17, 18)
He suggests, "the human physical family of Jesus Christ of Nazareth did not necessarily die in the first century; that some of those family members no doubt DID survive and continue to build families and leave progeny after themselves. If this is true... then the descendants of those families directly related to Jesus Christ through Mary... may still be walking this earth today!" (Pg. 39) Later, he adds, "In God's wisdom, none of the family members were ever revealed---though surely, somewhere, on the earth at this precise time, are the living descendants of those children of Joseph and Mary, the half brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ of Nazareth." (Pg. 307)
He asserts, "only when you are really born of the spirit and literally become spirit have you been fully 'born again.' ... many religious leaders... cannot seem to accept the plain statement that Jesus became, following His Resurrection, the 'first born among many brethren' (Rom 8:29) and this 'rebirth' was the act of being changed from human to divine, from physical to spiritual, from a fleshly body to a spiritual body. I have been criticized for allegedly claiming that 'Jesus had to be born again.' ... But Jesus was 'born again' in the BIBLICAL meaning of the term." (Pg. 148)
He argues, "The enormous importance of the Sabbath in Judaism... is powerful corroboratory evidence that neither Jesus nor any of the following apostles ever 'did away' with Sabbath observance as the day God created for rest and worship. The few scriptures (primarily in Paul's writings) often quoted in an attempt to end the obligation of Christians to keep the Sabbath pale by comparison with the overwhelming significance of the Sabbath... IF Jesus and His apostles had taught ... the total abrogation of the Sabbath ... the religious controversy and disputations would have to have filled the gospels, the book of Acts and all the epistles! There was no such enormous controversy ... because the Sabbath was not 'done away.'" (Pg. 202)
He observes about the Last Supper, "Jesus intended sitting down to a Paschal lamb supper about 20 to 21 hours before all of the other Jewish homes would be doing the same thing!" (Pg. 229) He adds, "Jesus had died late on the afternoon of Wednesday... At roughly three o'clock, some 72 hours after His death and burial... Jesus... stepped through solid rock into the Sabbath afternoon of Jerusalem." (Pg. 284-285)
Armstrong's interpretations were taken from his father, of course, and will be deemed erroneous (or even "cultic"!) by most traditional Christians. But he presents his biblically-based arguments cogently, and this book may be a stimulating experience for Christians of all stripes.
Garner Ted Armstrong (1930- 2003) was the son of Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of the Worldwide Church of God, and formerly hosted the radio/TV program "The World Tomorrow," until he and his father (NON-amicably) parted ways in 1978; he then started the Church of God International and had his own (much smaller) television ministry. He has written many books/booklets such as 'The Passover--is it for Christians?,' 'After death...then what?,' 'What is the Mark of the Beast?,' etc.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1977 book, "It's time you met the real Jesus... It's time you knew that Jesus ... appreciated feminine beauty... It's time that you realized that Jesus was not a vagabond; that He was a professional builder in the construction business... Few know that Jesus was a Jew... that Jesus did NOT come to save the world two thousand years ago, that He has NOT been trying to save it since, and that He is NOT trying to save it today... that He was not crucified on 'Good Friday'; that He was not resurrected on 'Easter Sunday'; that neither Jesus nor His disciples ever celebrated ... Christmas or Easter..." (Pg. 1-3)
He observes, "the creator being who is called 'God' (Elohim or YHWH) in the Old Testament is the same individual who became the Jesus Christ of the New Testament!... The Bible absolutely PROVES the fact that Jesus Christ of the New Testament is the same person as the God of the Old Testament!" (Pg. 17, 18)
He suggests, "the human physical family of Jesus Christ of Nazareth did not necessarily die in the first century; that some of those family members no doubt DID survive and continue to build families and leave progeny after themselves. If this is true... then the descendants of those families directly related to Jesus Christ through Mary... may still be walking this earth today!" (Pg. 39) Later, he adds, "In God's wisdom, none of the family members were ever revealed---though surely, somewhere, on the earth at this precise time, are the living descendants of those children of Joseph and Mary, the half brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ of Nazareth." (Pg. 307)
He asserts, "only when you are really born of the spirit and literally become spirit have you been fully 'born again.' ... many religious leaders... cannot seem to accept the plain statement that Jesus became, following His Resurrection, the 'first born among many brethren' (Rom 8:29) and this 'rebirth' was the act of being changed from human to divine, from physical to spiritual, from a fleshly body to a spiritual body. I have been criticized for allegedly claiming that 'Jesus had to be born again.' ... But Jesus was 'born again' in the BIBLICAL meaning of the term." (Pg. 148)
He argues, "The enormous importance of the Sabbath in Judaism... is powerful corroboratory evidence that neither Jesus nor any of the following apostles ever 'did away' with Sabbath observance as the day God created for rest and worship. The few scriptures (primarily in Paul's writings) often quoted in an attempt to end the obligation of Christians to keep the Sabbath pale by comparison with the overwhelming significance of the Sabbath... IF Jesus and His apostles had taught ... the total abrogation of the Sabbath ... the religious controversy and disputations would have to have filled the gospels, the book of Acts and all the epistles! There was no such enormous controversy ... because the Sabbath was not 'done away.'" (Pg. 202)
He observes about the Last Supper, "Jesus intended sitting down to a Paschal lamb supper about 20 to 21 hours before all of the other Jewish homes would be doing the same thing!" (Pg. 229) He adds, "Jesus had died late on the afternoon of Wednesday... At roughly three o'clock, some 72 hours after His death and burial... Jesus... stepped through solid rock into the Sabbath afternoon of Jerusalem." (Pg. 284-285)
Armstrong's interpretations were taken from his father, of course, and will be deemed erroneous (or even "cultic"!) by most traditional Christians. But he presents his biblically-based arguments cogently, and this book may be a stimulating experience for Christians of all stripes.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews