How the Story of the Prodigal Son Illuminates Jesus's Genius
When someone thinks of Jesus, 'genius' is not likely the first word that comes to mind. But when studied in detail, Jesus's teachings and interactions with others combined high levels of knowledge and insight, verbal skill, and simplicity—showing his genius.
In The Surprising Genius of Jesus, Peter J. Williams examines the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 to show the genius, creativity, and wisdom of Jesus's teachings. He used simple but powerful stories to confront the Pharisees and scribes of the day, drawing on his knowledge of the Jewish Scriptures to teach his audience through complex layers and themes. Williams challenges those who question whether Jesus really was the source of the parables recorded in the Gospels, pointing readers to the truth of who Jesus is and why that matters for them today.
- Clear and Insightful: Accessible for general readers with in-depth footnotes for those wanting to learn more
- Biblical: Comprehensive, interscriptural analysis of the story of the prodigal son
- Written by Peter J. Williams: Author of Can We Trust the Gospels? and principal of Tyndale House, Cambridge
Is there evidence to believe the Gospels?
The Gospels-Matthew, Mark, Luke, John-are four accounts of Jesus's life and teachings while on earth. But should we accept them as historically accurate? What evidence is there that the recorded events actually happened?
Presenting a case for the historical reliability of the Gospels, New Testament scholar Peter Williams examines evidence from non-Christian sources, assesses how accurately the four biblical accounts reflect the cultural context of their day, compares different accounts of the same events, and looks at how these texts were handed down throughout the centuries. Everyone from the skeptic to the scholar will find powerful arguments in favor of trusting the Gospels as trustworthy accounts of Jesus's earthly life.
