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400 Questions and Answers about the Life and Times of Jesus Christ
In this engaging volume, renowned gospel scholar and teacher Susan Easton Black explores more than 400 questions many inspired by her own students about the life and times of the Savior. Organized chronologically from the Nativity to the Resurrection, the author's skillful responses lend valuable insight into the childhood and adolescence of Jesus as well as His mortal ministry and atoning sacrifice. Many of these descriptive passages provide key details regarding New Testament geography, politics, and culture that illuminate and enhance the scriptural text, while others address more complex doctrinal topics in a succinct and sensitive manner. Colorfully illustrated with more than 80 images, this book is an ideal companion for students and teachers in a variety of settings, from Seminary to Gospel Doctrine class to personal and family scripture study. The research in this book is backed by extensive documentation, as well as deep and evident love for the subject matter. Dr. Black provides a fascinating view of the historical and religious identity of Jesus Christ through the lens of the restored gospel.
254 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2010
7 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
About the author
Susan Easton Black
97 books44 followersSusan Easton Black is a retired professor of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. She is also an author of several books related to Joseph Smith, Jr. and the early history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 24, 2017
This book has a number of interesting insights about the cultures, history, and surrounding background of the New Testament times. This adds in some cases a depth to our understanding how and what our Savior taught and people's reactions to Him. I notice that, compared to other religious books I have read, I highlighted about half as much of the book as I normally do.
I was disappointed by the kinds of questions being asked. While the introduction suggests they were questions from students, many seem unlikely to have originated from undergrads of my experience and seem rather an excuse to share a factoid. As a few others have noted, this is a scholarly book, not a doctrinal one. A large number only ask "Did X really happen as the Bible says" (Can it be assumed that John really ate locusts and wild honey? Can it be said with confidence, knowing that there are two Bethlehems in Palestine, that Joseph and Mary journeyed to Bethlehem of Judea?), or focus on amazingly trivial issues (can it be assumed Jesus saw the two brothers fishing in the daylight hours?. Only rarely is the answer to a question No, but they do vary between Yes and We don't know. I would have preferred a more doctrinal focus.
I was disappointed by the kinds of questions being asked. While the introduction suggests they were questions from students, many seem unlikely to have originated from undergrads of my experience and seem rather an excuse to share a factoid. As a few others have noted, this is a scholarly book, not a doctrinal one. A large number only ask "Did X really happen as the Bible says" (Can it be assumed that John really ate locusts and wild honey? Can it be said with confidence, knowing that there are two Bethlehems in Palestine, that Joseph and Mary journeyed to Bethlehem of Judea?), or focus on amazingly trivial issues (can it be assumed Jesus saw the two brothers fishing in the daylight hours?. Only rarely is the answer to a question No, but they do vary between Yes and We don't know. I would have preferred a more doctrinal focus.
July 11, 2019
This book is mainly answering questions in regard to history, culture and tradition during the life of Jesus Christ. It doesn't tend to deal with doctrine but adds tremendous insight when studying the scriptures. I used it to teach Sunday School and in my personal study. I learned thing that I hadn't known before and weren't in the normal study guides.
February 10, 2023
The answers to these 400 questions brings depth to ones' understanding of Jesus and the culture of Israel and it's neighbors during his life and ministry. It is easier to see why he may have acted and spoken as he did in different circumstances. Well done and easy to understand.
November 29, 2018
There's a lot of good information about the life of Jesus Christ. I liked the Q and A format.
December 31, 2018
Audiobook. This was a nice overview. If you want a better understanding of the New Testament, read Julie Smith's Search, Ponder and Pray
April 22, 2019
Thorough and comprehensive and scholarly ...
Most informative and inlightening ... I recommend this book to all ... The questions answered by this book were intriguing...
Most informative and inlightening ... I recommend this book to all ... The questions answered by this book were intriguing...
April 14, 2011
I feel a little thrill every time I pick up a book written by Dr. Black. From past experience, I know that the pages will contain a deluge of pertinent information presented in an accessible manner that will enrich my understanding of whatever topic the book covers. 400 Questions and Answers about the Life and Times of Jesus Christ is no different. Dr. Black distills the essential facts regarding common and not-so-common questions about life in Palestine under Roman rule from dozens of authoritative resources.
As the title suggests, the book is laid out in a question-and-answer format, color-coded and chronologically grouped into periods of the Savior's life: “The Child Jesus,” “Early Galilean Ministry,” and “The Last Week,” for example. Sometimes the questions seem a bit leading (i.e., “Is it symbolic that the baptism of Jesus was in the lowest river on earth?”) but most are forthright queries, many of which I have asked myself while reading the New Testament. A few examples:
* What was the dominant language spoken by the Galileans at that time?
* What medical options did the sick have for alleviating afflictions at that time?
* Was there a strict order to worship services in the synagogues?
* What rituals were associated with the Feast of the Tabernacles?
* Was it unusual to lend an upper room to strangers during the Passover festivities?
As a Gospel Doctrine teacher in my ward, 400 Questions and Answers about the Life and Times of Jesus Christ has been invaluable to me as a resource while studying and preparing lessons. Knowing a bit more about the Jewish customs and traditions of the time provides a deeper, richer understanding of the events documented by the Gospel writers and the truths they convey.
My major complaint about the book is that there is no index and no table of contents, so in order to find information for my upcoming lesson or re-find a relevant fact I read earlier, I have to do quite a bit of flipping and skimming. Some of the answers are tantalizingly brief, occasionally even a little too terse, and almost every answered question raises even more questions that aren't addressed in the book. Dr. Black does relate alternate interpretations when her sources differ and endnotes point readers to those sources for additional in-depth reading, if desired.
400 Questions and Answers about the Life and Times of Jesus Christ is a useful, basic resource for better understanding the context of the Gospels. Unless you are already a New Testament scholar, you will find numerous insights to enrich your personal study, as I have.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
As the title suggests, the book is laid out in a question-and-answer format, color-coded and chronologically grouped into periods of the Savior's life: “The Child Jesus,” “Early Galilean Ministry,” and “The Last Week,” for example. Sometimes the questions seem a bit leading (i.e., “Is it symbolic that the baptism of Jesus was in the lowest river on earth?”) but most are forthright queries, many of which I have asked myself while reading the New Testament. A few examples:
* What was the dominant language spoken by the Galileans at that time?
* What medical options did the sick have for alleviating afflictions at that time?
* Was there a strict order to worship services in the synagogues?
* What rituals were associated with the Feast of the Tabernacles?
* Was it unusual to lend an upper room to strangers during the Passover festivities?
As a Gospel Doctrine teacher in my ward, 400 Questions and Answers about the Life and Times of Jesus Christ has been invaluable to me as a resource while studying and preparing lessons. Knowing a bit more about the Jewish customs and traditions of the time provides a deeper, richer understanding of the events documented by the Gospel writers and the truths they convey.
My major complaint about the book is that there is no index and no table of contents, so in order to find information for my upcoming lesson or re-find a relevant fact I read earlier, I have to do quite a bit of flipping and skimming. Some of the answers are tantalizingly brief, occasionally even a little too terse, and almost every answered question raises even more questions that aren't addressed in the book. Dr. Black does relate alternate interpretations when her sources differ and endnotes point readers to those sources for additional in-depth reading, if desired.
400 Questions and Answers about the Life and Times of Jesus Christ is a useful, basic resource for better understanding the context of the Gospels. Unless you are already a New Testament scholar, you will find numerous insights to enrich your personal study, as I have.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
January 4, 2011
400 questions and yet you'd think in this day and age with the subject of marriage and family being so hotly debated by every society and group on earth the ONE question formost on everyone's mind, "Was Jesus married?" "Was Mary Magdalene married?" would be addressed but, no, this reader was sorely dissapointed.
Only on p. 62 is the subject given a mere passing reference under the question, "Whose wedding did Jesus and His disciples attend in Cana?" had Jesus not been married, we would undoubtedly read of accusation against him because marriage was number one of the commandments God had given from the beginning.
This book is not very helpful as a reference book as it contains no index or table of contents. Susna Easton Black relies heavily on the writings of James E. Talmadge and Bruce R. McConkie. As an amature scholar I'm already familar with those books in my own search for answers to questions about Jesus. I would direct the reader to those authors and their works and save yourself the trouble as there's nothing new to be found here.
Only on p. 62 is the subject given a mere passing reference under the question, "Whose wedding did Jesus and His disciples attend in Cana?" had Jesus not been married, we would undoubtedly read of accusation against him because marriage was number one of the commandments God had given from the beginning.
This book is not very helpful as a reference book as it contains no index or table of contents. Susna Easton Black relies heavily on the writings of James E. Talmadge and Bruce R. McConkie. As an amature scholar I'm already familar with those books in my own search for answers to questions about Jesus. I would direct the reader to those authors and their works and save yourself the trouble as there's nothing new to be found here.
December 26, 2010
This is the book I've been waiting for. Although written by a Mormon scholar, the book is almost totally devoid of LDS Doctrine, and I would recommend it to anyone who is curious about Jesus' time. Several of these historical insights made his parables make far more sense than I previously thought. I found this much more interesting than Talmage's Jesus The Christ, as I would not consider this a DOCTRINAL book, but rather a scholarly work to explain why his teachings/parables/terminology were so relevant and controversial to the people and societies he taught to.
This book also does a great job of de-bunking my assumptions about basic things like ("lead us not into temptation" doesn't mean "temptation" as we know it, but rather refers to Jewish Tribunals of the day)the Christmas story, Herod's plan to kill babies and so-forth. Great read, I highly recommend it.
This book also does a great job of de-bunking my assumptions about basic things like ("lead us not into temptation" doesn't mean "temptation" as we know it, but rather refers to Jewish Tribunals of the day)the Christmas story, Herod's plan to kill babies and so-forth. Great read, I highly recommend it.
August 17, 2011
This book gave me a lot of great perspective on the times of Christ, and put a lot of the New Testament in context. Jewish customs and traditions, as well as structure that you may not be familiar are explain in depth in the book, and it lends some insights into some of the things that happen to Christ, or decisions that might have been made in that time.
It's not a "sit down and read 'till you're done" kind of book. This is a 'sit down and read when you have 5 minutes' kind of book, as each question is segmented from the next. It's good for browsing, waiting for the bus, or wherever (You know where I'm talking about...)
It's not a "sit down and read 'till you're done" kind of book. This is a 'sit down and read when you have 5 minutes' kind of book, as each question is segmented from the next. It's good for browsing, waiting for the bus, or wherever (You know where I'm talking about...)
April 26, 2012
A good reference book. Murrieta friends can borrow it if they want. It gives lots of interesting follow through to questions you can't easily find answers to in the NT institute manual or BD. Like the dove was present at the two most important baptisms: Christ and the earth with Noah. And repentance is the first thing out of John the Baptist and Jesus' mouths (in Jerusalem and America). I am reading it as I prepare the Gospel Doctrine lessons for the week. It only deals with the Gospels obviously.
November 12, 2014
"the number of occasions in the ministry of Jesus when food played an important role in His farewells. His Galilean ministry closed with the feeding of five thousand. His ministry to the gentile federation of Decapolis ended with his feeding the four thousand. His Judean ministry ended with the Passover feast.
In the closing of the Judean ministry there was a new beginning. 'The final Passover was, in reality, two events rather one: a formal celebration of the annual Passover supper and the first observance of the Lord's Supper in commemoration of the atoning act of Jesus Christ.'"
In the closing of the Judean ministry there was a new beginning. 'The final Passover was, in reality, two events rather one: a formal celebration of the annual Passover supper and the first observance of the Lord's Supper in commemoration of the atoning act of Jesus Christ.'"
January 16, 2011
This was a fascinating book -- what I liked most was all of the things I learned about Jewish and Roman culture. I liked the format, the way the book focuses on each period of Christ's life, and the non-preachy tone. It's about the history -- and I also like that it presented more than one interpretation if there is conflicting thought. The pictures were great too.
September 1, 2011
I enjoyed this book and found it very interesting and informative. Getting the historical background of the time and circumstances in which Jesus lived gives more meaning and understanding to what we read about Jesus in the New Testament. There was so much information in it, I wish I could remember it all.
July 10, 2014
I loved the printing format and the subject matter, but I didn't really understand how the questions and answers fit together all the time. There were a few gems, and this is a useful book for very brief cultural insights, but I think I was expecting something with a bit more information for each answer.
November 30, 2011
How in the world does she know all of this graeat information? She knows the most obscure facts. It is amazing to me. The last part about the crucifiction and the atonement was especially inspiring. It makes you want to read everything she has ever written.
April 13, 2015
A 229 page list of questions and explanations. The author didn't always actually answer the question that was posed. Whether that is because she didn't have a answer or editing removed the actual answer is unclear. I did learn things about the customs and culture of the Jews under Roman rule.
September 22, 2014
LOVE Susan Easton Black. She is a great speaker and I am enjoying this book. It is easy to read and it gives so much insight into the events of the New Testament.
February 24, 2011
Some very insightful and fascinating information about Christ and his times, Jewish traditions, laws, customs. I couldn't put it down.
February 20, 2014
I really enjoyed listening to this book (that's how I do most of my reading these days..I have a 40 minute commute each way). I loved the question and answer format.
Want to read
August 27, 2015burned under church
April 11, 2017
These are 95+% overly simplistic questions that I can't imagine anyone ever asking and a few ok questions. I was also frequently frustrated that Black seemed to be speaking opinion as though it were fact (often her citations of Talmage, McConkie).
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews