The Wrong Messiah : The real story of Jesus of Nazareth by Nick Page
Hodder & Stoughton, 2012 313 pages £8.99 ISBN 978 0 340 996 287
A book with the subtitle ‘the real story’ would, almost certainly, raise the suspicion that the author has an axe to grind. That is not so in this case, unless the axe be the patent honesty and diligent investigation of the author who is a gifted and successful writer, not a theologian or Bible scholar. That says something too for the language used – it’s easy to read.
Nick Page takes us through the life of Jesus, patiently, step by step, using the travels of Jesus round the Holy Land. Geography and chronology are followed in 9 chapters, beginning at Bethlehem and ending at Jerusalem. Each event or meeting is described with an introductory quote and is then dissected in minute detail using the published research of modern experts as well as the contemporary evidence of Josephus and others, not forgetting the teaching of the Mishnah ( the Jewish historical rule book of oral tradition).
The approach of the author is painstaking and thorough and discrepancies, of which there are a multitude, are faced honestly without equivocation. With due regard to historical accuracy, where difficulties or ambiguities present themselves (as they frequently do), a sensible resolution is suggested or left open with no certainty.
As a comparative synthesis of the four gospels telling the story of Jesus, you would go far to find anything as readable and convincing as this excellent production.
Preachers, in particular, would find Nick Page’s care, diligence and common sense not just helpful but eminently rewarding in providing authoritative background to almost any story from the life of Jesus as portrayed in the gospels.
Here you will find history with no axe being ground, rather a genuine desire to establish a reasonable and coherent analysis of the facts with as little speculation as is necessary or warranted.
Highly Recommended