Review: Good solid narrative that both entertains and instructs.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 6, 2014
Scholarly yet straightforward explanation of the story we call the Gospels.  The narrative and the scriptural quotations are nicely balanced and presented in everyday English.  The reader need not even be Christian to easily follow Jesus during his day to day ministry."Behind Enemy Lines" presents Jesus as a man on a mission.  Put simply, he would sacrifice his life to save ours, preferably with the help of his disciples, but in spite of them, if necessary.The Synoptic gospels are presented for comparison and contrast, with possible reasons given where they do not agree.  The Gospel of John is not neglected, either.  John is quoted when he presents a unique clarification of Jesus's actions or sayings in the other three books.Just as in "Earthly Beginnings," the broad description of the people and society takes the reader to a fuller understanding of why and how things progressed as they did.  Jesus behaved with love and compassion: somewhat unusual for a leader there and then.  Everyone else creates a huge puzzle that is difficult for us moderns to decipher. The author's approach is most welcome when he is considering other major players, such as Pilate and Herod, their actions and pronouncements."Behind Enemy Lines" makes a perfectly acceptable stand-alone account of Christ's last days.  Read on the heels of "Earthly Beginnings" this book is a highly satisfying conclusion to Jesus life, ministry and death.