Background Paper: Encountering Jesus in the Real World of the Gospels

ENCOUNTERING JESUS IN THE REAL WORLD OF THE GOSPELS Student’s name Course Date Overview of the Text Cyndi Parker’s book “ Encountering Jesus in the Real World of the Gospels” briliantly describes the context characterizing the life and ministry of Jesus, right from the Garden of Eden to His death and ressurection. The book is magnficently written to shift the reader’s imagination into the historical events and geographical features that surounded the life of Jesus. Given that not everything is captured in the Gospels, Cyndi Parker’s book enhances the richness of the life and ministry of Jesus. Parker ephasizes the signficance of context in understanding Jesus’ life and minsitry. The book is divided into two parts, with part one focusing on the origin of the Gospel story, the geographical context of the gospel, the influence of the international drama, and how Jews engaged in lifelong learning when they were nolonger defined by kingdom borders. After laying the foundation for Jesus’ story, Parker in part two takes the reader to the events that charaterized His birth, ministry, and finally death and resurrection. By beginning her book with the signficance of Genesis as the origin of the Gospel story, Parkers expertly sets the stage for contextualizing Jesus’ story and ministry. In this sense, Jesus’ role as the Jewish Mesiah is enhanced by linking Him with the Israelite story. Right from Adam and Eve, Noah, Abhraham, Moses, to King David, the author describes how God interacted with his people and does well to tie the old testament narrative to the life of Jesus. After Babylon rose and Israelites were exiled, the author goes forward to describe the land that characterized the restoration and a new beginning for God’s people.[Parker, Cyndi. 2021. Encountering Jesus in the Real World of the Gospels (ebook edition). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, ch.1.] In describing the value of land in the Bible, Parker explains how people’s lives were intertwined with the land’s natural cycle, which also formed part of their identity with God. With Narazeth being isolated compared to Carpenaum, Jesus moved his home based to the later to faciliate the spread of his message of restoration and hope. As informed by the author, the land of the Gospels was long and narrow, surounded by a sea and a desert. It contained important trade routes that connected different superpowers. In essence, georgraphy and land cyles were signficant contextual aspects that influenced the culture and traditions during the period of Jesus. In addition, the reigns of Alexander the Great, the Seleucids, and Pompey shaped to a great extend the role of Jesus in restoring hope for the people of God. Life long learning is described by the author as an important practice for the Jewish community during the time of Jesus. In essence, Jesus was born in an environment that emphasized learning education, which was integral in preparing Him for His ministry. After describing the political and geographical factors that shaped Galilee and surounding jurisdications, Parker takes the reader to the events marking the birth, ministry, mirables, death and ressurection of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ birth is put is put into context in the sense that He was born in ...