The Complete Idiot's Guide To Jesus

by Bell Jr., James Stuart; Macon Sumner, Tracy

• ISBN13: 9781592573479
• ISBN10: 1592573479
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-03-01
• Publisher: DK Publishing, Inc.

Summary

Movies and books today are causing Christians - and others - everywhere to ask "what was Christ s life really like? " To aid the examination of life 2, 000 years ago, The Complete Idiot s Guide to Jesus answers their questions. How did Jesus, Mary, and Joseph flee to Egypt and how long were they there? What was a day like for Jesus as a child? As an adult? As a carpenter? What was happening politically and culturally at the time to cause so many to be so ready to believe - and to be so threatened? Authors Bell and Sumner dig into archaeology, Biblical research, historical records, and scholars writings to bring it all together in one chronological story - the story of Jesus life. Starting with prophecies and ending with the last journeys of his disciples, these authors provide a readable and accessible account with historical context, perfect for the Bible study expert or the new believer.

Author Biography

James Stuart Bell, the owner of Whitestone Communications, is an experienced Christian book author and editor. He has authored and co-authored numerous books, including The Complete Idiot-'s Guide to the Bible, The Complete Idiot-'s Guide to Prayer, and The Complete Idiot-'s Guide to the Reformation and Protestantism.
Tracy Macon Sumner is an experienced author, editor, and journalist. He has co-authored numerous books, including It Takes Commitment and The Complete Idiot-'s Guide to the Reformation and Protestantism.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Setting the Stage for the Messiah	1	(48)
The Man Who Would Be King (of Kings)	3	(12)
You're Telling Us You're Who?	4	(1)
What Others Were Saying	4	(1)
Yes, I'm His Son!	4	(1)
So Where's the Proof?	5	(1)
A ``Garden-Variety'' Messianic Prophecy	5	(1)
He's a Prophet, He's a Priest, He's a King!	6	(1)
The Promise of a Prophet	7	(1)
The Promise of a Priest	7	(1)
The Promise of a King	7	(1)
Isaiah's Messianic Message	7	(3)
The Messiah Is Coming, but First	8	(1)
The ``Other Side'' of the Messiah	9	(1)
Okay, but Why Did He Have to Suffer?	10	(1)
It's All in the Details	10	(2)
Oh Little Town of Bethlehem	10	(1)
A King Riding on a Donkey	11	(1)
Betrayed . . . for Silver	11	(1)
A Kangaroo Court Trial and Sentencing	12	(1)
Seeing the Crucifixion	12	(1)
Sound Like Anyone You Know?	13	(2)
The World Jesus Came Into	15	(12)
The Geography of Palestine 101	16	(1)
Who Lived Where in Palestine	16	(2)
Galilee	16	(1)
Perea	17	(1)
Judea	17	(1)
Samaria	17	(1)
Decapolis	17	(1)
So What's the Problem?	18	(1)
Stepping Back . . . Just a Few Thousand Years	18	(1)
All Good Kingdoms Must Come to an End	19	(1)
Now, This Is Our Kind of Conqueror!	20	(1)
This Hellenization Thing: It's All Greek to Us!	21	(1)
The Ptolemies	21	(1)
The Seleucids	22	(1)
Jewish Life Under the Cruelest of the Cruel Tyrants	22	(1)
We're Mad As Heck, and We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore!	22	(1)
An Uphill Battle, but a Successful One	23	(1)
Let the Good Times Roll . . . but Not for Long	23	(1)
Haven't We Been Here Before?	23	(1)
Life Under a Puppet King	24	(1)
Just What's So ``Great'' About This Herod?	24	(2)
Even the Worst Despot Has His Good Side	25	(1)
When Things Headed Downhill	25	(1)
Who's Next?	25	(1)
Nobody Knows the Troubles I've Seen	26	(1)
The Jewish Religion of Jesus' Time	27	(12)
This Is Not Our Fathers' Faith!	28	(1)
This Hellenism Isn't So Bad or Is It?	28	(1)
We Know He's Coming, but When?	29	(1)
God, Come Down, It's a Mess	29	(1)
Phonies, Fakers, and Posers	29	(1)
Jerusalem: Many Reasons to Party!	30	(1)
Who's in Charge Here?	31	(1)
Our Customized Messiah?	32	(1)
The Pharisees, I See	32	(2)
Pharisees, Holier Than Thou	32	(1)
There's a Whole New World Beyond	33	(1)
Jesus: Way Too Liberal and Free	33	(1)
A Few Friends in High Places	34	(1)
The Sadducees: Who Dies with the Most Toys Wins	34	(1)
There's Strength in (Lesser) Numbers	35	(1)
Pharisees and the Great Class Warfare	35	(1)
Smaller Parties, but Still Big Players	35	(1)
Essenes, the Jewish ``Monks'' of Jesus' Time	35	(1)
Zealots with a Capital Z	36	(1)
The Herodians: We Can Make This Work	36	(1)
Ascribe to the Scribes the Name of ``Rabbi''	36	(1)
Setting Straight Those Crazy, Mixed-up Kids	36	(3)
The Gospels: Four ``Snapshots'' of Jesus' Life	39	(10)
Not a Loose Canon	40	(1)
The Synopsis and the Deeper Version	40	(1)
A Taxing Experience for the Jews	40	(2)
Matthew's Messianic Message for the (Jewish) Masses	41	(1)
A Very ``Fulfilling'' Gospel Message	41	(1)
Back to the Roots of the Family Tree???	42	(1)
Making a ``Mark'' for the Gospel Message	42	(2)
Let's Hire a Ghostwriter	42	(1)
It's Not All Greek, but a Lot Is	43	(1)
To Mark, Brevity Was a Virtue	43	(1)
Is There a Doctor in the House?	44	(1)
Moonlighting As a Historian	44	(1)
The Stories Within the Story	44	(1)
John, and Not the Baptist	45	(1)
A Gospel with a Lot of Spirit	46	(1)
Comparison of the Four Gospels	46	(3)
Part 2: Jesus' Early Life	49	(36)
Angels We Have Heard in Unusual Places	51	(12)
Better Late Than Never	52	(1)
Clam Up, Zach!	52	(1)
This Child Is Everything Rolled into One (Luke 1:26--38)	53	(1)
I Can't Conceive of This	53	(1)
Now Two Tiny Miracles (Luke 1:39--56)	54	(1)
Even a DNA Test Wouldn't Solve This One (Matthew 1:19--21)	54	(1)
What Would the Neighbors Think?	54	(1)
A Strange Dream but I'll Go with It	55	(1)
Being Circumspect About Circumcision (Luke 1:57--80)	55	(1)
Better Listen to Your Wife!	56	(1)
Let's Come to Our Census (Matthew 2:1--12, Luke 2:1--7)	56	(1)
A Natural Birth Experience	57	(1)
A Silent but Holy Night (Luke 2:8--20)	57	(2)
There We Were, Just Minding Our Own Sheep	58	(1)
An Angel Gave Me Permission---Honest!	58	(1)
Just Another Nice Jewish Boy? (Luke 2:21--40)	59	(4)
First Circumcised, Now Consecrated	59	(1)
I'm Dying to See This Child	60	(1)
Blessings and Heartaches	60	(1)
Back to Bethlehem First	60	(3)
When God Was a Child	63	(12)
We Weren't Kings, There Weren't Three of Us, and We Weren't There on Christmas Day (Matthew 2:1--12)	64	(2)
Who Are These Wise Guys?	65	(1)
A Star Is Born	66	(1)
What News of the Newborn One? (Matthew 2:1--12)	66	(2)
Even a Baby Could Do Your Job	66	(1)
The Good Shepherd from Bethlehem	67	(1)
Take the Long Way Home . . . or Else!	67	(1)
Now the Story Gets Spicy	68	(1)
Makin' a Run for the Border (Matthew 2:12--18)	68	(2)
Taking No Prisoners Under Two	69	(1)
A Different Kind of Pyramid Scheme	69	(1)
Ding Dong, the Tyrant's Dead!	70	(1)
Avoiding the Mourning Hours	71	(1)
There's No Place Like Home (Matthew 2:19--23)	71	(1)
My Three Sons	71	(1)
Galilee? Dream On!	72	(1)
When Jesus Became ``Jesus of Nazareth''	72	(3)
The Life of the Boy Jesus	75	(10)
A Quick Glimpse of Jesus As a Child (Luke 2:41--51)	75	(3)
Pass the Mint Jelly	76	(1)
Say, Have You Seen This Twelve-Year-Old?	77	(1)
You May Be Grounded, Young Man	77	(1)
Acting His Age . . . and Quite a Bit More	78	(1)
Heading Back Home with the Boy Genius (Luke 2:51--52)	79	(1)
So What More Do We Know About the Boy?	79	(1)
Nice Try, but No One's Buying This	79	(1)
Okay, Now for What We Do Know!	80	(1)
Nazareth: The Place Jesus Called ``Home''	80	(1)
Quoting Chapter and Verse	81	(1)
Time to Hit the Books	81	(1)
When Education Goes ``Formal''	81	(1)
The Board of Education	82	(1)
Observe and Learn	82	(3)
A Country Boy at Heart	83	(2)
Part 3: Jesus' Teaching and Work	85	(98)
Jesus Launches His Ministry	87	(12)
It's a Whole New---But Still Ancient---World	87	(1)
My Son in the Law	88	(1)
A Trailblazer on the Scene (John 1:6--37)	88	(2)
Clothes Definitely Didn't Make This Man	89	(1)
Honey Makes the Locusts Go Down Smoothly	89	(1)
John's ``Turn or Burn'' Message	89	(1)
Is That Any Way to Talk to Religious Leaders?	90	(1)
Clean Inside and Out	90	(1)
Fire and Water: Both Are Needed	90	(1)
No Longer ``Distant'' Cousins (John 1:29--34)	91	(1)
It's Tempting, but No Thanks (Luke 4:1--13)	92	(1)
A Time of Vulnerability and of Strength	92	(1)
Promising Him the World	92	(1)
Rollin' on the River (John 2:19--27)	93	(1)
John, You're Still a Mystery	93	(1)
Only a Servant to the Main Man	93	(1)
You See a Man, He Sees a Lamb	94	(1)
On His Way to an Even Dozen (John 1:35--50)	94	(1)
This Man Knows How to Keep a Party Going! (John 2:1--11)	95	(1)
I'm Not Ready Yet, Mom	95	(1)
Hey, This Is Good Stuff!	96	(1)
Now Your Followers Believe, Too	96	(3)
The Message Makes This Man	99	(14)
The Not-So-Meek-and-Mild Jesus (John 2:13--25)	100	(2)
What in the Name of Everything Holy Is Going On Here?	100	(1)
Credentials, Please	101	(1)
I'm on Your Wavelength (John 3:1--21)	102	(2)
A Pharisee Who's Fair, I See	102	(1)
Have You Ever Welcomed a Snake on a Pole?	103	(1)
The Gospel Message in Miniature	104	(1)
Not in a Thousand Years Would I Go There (John 3:22--4:3)	104	(1)
Jacob's Well---A Deep Subject (John 4:4--42)	104	(3)
This Water Is Heavenly	105	(1)
The Samaritan Version of Celebrity Marriages	106	(1)
True Worship Comes from Within	106	(1)
It's Yours Truly!	107	(1)
A Bunch of Good Samaritans (John 4:39--42)	107	(1)
International Harvesters (John 4:31--38)	107	(1)
Local Boy Makes It out Alive . . . Barely (Luke 4:16--30)	108	(2)
As I Read, It's Fulfilled	108	(1)
The Carpenter Moonlighting As a King?	108	(1)
The End Is a Real Cliffhanger	109	(1)
Time to Raze the Roof (Mark 2:1--12)	110	(3)
A Deeper Kind of Healing	111	(1)
Going to the Mat with His Opponents	111	(2)
Some Really Radical--and Practical--Teaching	113	(12)
What a Difference a Day Can Make (Matthew 12:1--21)	114	(1)
I Told You, Now I'm Going to Show You	115	(1)
He's My Right Hand Man	115	(1)
Give Me a Dozen, Please (Matthew 10:2--4)	116	(2)
Reeling Them In	116	(1)
Resumes That Will Knock 'Em Dead	117	(1)
You're All in a High Tax Bracket	117	(1)
Hangin' Out in the 'Hood	117	(1)
A Foolproof Way to Inherit Both Earth and Heaven (Matthew 5--7)	118	(1)
Beatitudes Begin with Good Attitudes (Matthew 5:3--11)	118	(1)
Blessed When You're Trashed? (Matthew 5:11--16)	119	(1)
Living Out the Law---Perfectly (Matthew 5:17--48)	119	(1)
Murder Begins in the Mind	119	(1)
Adultery: Not Just a Deed	120	(1)
Promises, Promises	120	(1)
Revenge: It's So Old School!	120	(1)
Loving the Guy Who Wants to Help and Hurt	120	(1)
Can It Be Both Right and Wrong? (Matthew 6:1--18)	120	(1)
A Secret Among the Three of Us	121	(1)
Keeping Prayer in the Closet	121	(1)
You Really Can't Take It with You (Matthew 6:19--34)	121	(1)
Some Really Relaxed Birds and Flowers	122	(1)
You're Golden If You Keep the Rule (Matthew 7:1--12)	122	(1)
Lose Weight to Get Through the Gate (Matthew 7:13--27)	123	(1)
Time for Some Fruit Inspection (Matthew 7:15--23)	123	(1)
Go Ahead, Rock My World	123	(1)
Saying It with Style	124	(1)
Deep Compassion and Mysterious Stories	125	(10)
A Gentile Who's a Gentleman (Matthew 8:5--13)	126	(1)
I Don't Schmooze with the Jews	126	(1)
You Say ``Jump,'' I Say ``How High?''	127	(1)
Heaven: Land of Equal Opportunity	127	(1)
You Can't Keep This Young Man Down (Luke 7:11--16)	127	(1)
A Baptist Behind Bars (Luke 7:18--35)	128	(1)
The Messiah: Complex	128	(1)
Darned If We Do, Darned If We Don't	129	(1)
What Do Weeds, Seeds, Pearls, and Nets Have in Common? (Matthew 13:1--52)	129	(1)
What's the Story . . . and Why?	129	(1)
More to This Than Meets the Eye	130	(1)
It All Depends on Where You Sprout	130	(1)
A Good Crop of Followers	131	(1)
To Kingdom Come	131	(2)
Infiltrated by the Enemy (Matthew 24--30, 36--43)	132	(1)
Look Out, You May Be in Deep Weeds	132	(1)
More Symbols of the Kingdom	133	(1)
Something Old, Something New	133	(2)
Showing the Disciples How It's Done	135	(12)
This Guy Can Sleep Through Anything (Matthew 8:18--27)	136	(1)
Complain About the Weather? He Did Something About It!	136	(1)
Another Miracle That Rocked the Boat	137	(1)
A Man You Wouldn't Want to Meet in a Dark Alley (Luke 8:26--40)	137	(3)
This Exorcism Is Not Kosher!	138	(1)
A Mixed Review for a Miracle	138	(1)
Say, Do You Have Room for a Thirteenth? (Mark 5:29--30)	139	(1)
When Desperation Turned into Faith (Luke 8:40--56)	140	(1)
Faith Overcomes Fear (Mark 5:37--43)	140	(1)
Who's Laughing Now?	140	(1)
The Disciples' Marching Orders (Matthew 9:37--10:42)	141	(1)
First Class Mission, Economy Class Travel	141	(1)
Persecution and Prosecution	142	(1)
The Pay's Not Great, but the Benefits Are Heavenly	142	(1)
You Deserve a Break Today . . . but You Won't Get It (Mark 6:30--44)	142	(1)
We Gotta Make Some Bread, Man (John 6:1--13)	142	(2)
The Miracle That Keeps on Giving	143	(1)
A Draft-Dodger of a Different Kind (John 6:14--15)	143	(1)
Taking the Red-Eye to Capernaum (Matthew 14:22--36)	144	(3)
A New Kind of Late-Night Stroll	144	(1)
If God Is My Co-Pilot, Maybe I'll Take the Train This Time (Matthew 14:28--33)	144	(3)
Setting the Stage for the Main Event	147	(14)
Some Food for Thought (John 6:26--59)	148	(1)
Isn't This Getting Too Personal?	148	(1)
Don't Take Me Too Literally	148	(1)
The Greatest Question Ever Asked (Matthew 16:13--19)	149	(2)
God, Prophet, or Megalomaniac?	149	(1)
Oh Lord, I Just Figured It Out!	150	(1)
The Good Times Won't Roll Forever	151	(1)
This Is Not a Rose-Strewn Path	151	(1)
You Look Positively Glowing (Matthew 17:1--9)	152	(2)
Peter Thinks He's Got a Bright Idea	152	(1)
What's Elijah Got to Do with This?	153	(1)
John, the Mystery Man, Revealed	153	(1)
To the Bad Hat Brothers: You Go on Ahead (John 7:1--52)	154	(1)
A Wanted Man, Though We're Not Sure Why	155	(1)
Bread, Water, and Light---Life's Essentials	155	(1)
Caught in the Act (John 8:1--11)	155	(2)
The Stones That Backfired	156	(1)
This Woman Gets a Complete Makeover	156	(1)
Another ``On Site'' Healing (John 9:1--41)	157	(3)
Here's Mud in Your Eye	157	(1)
A Seeing Man in Blind Man's Clothing	158	(1)
Jesus, Take a Sabbatical!	158	(1)
Parental Guidance Suggested	158	(1)
Can't You Guys See the Point?	159	(1)
Double Vision: Physical and Spiritual	159	(1)
The Proof Is Before Your Eyes	160	(1)
Love, Prayer, and Getting a New Lease on Life	161	(10)
You Can't Choose Your Neighbors (Luke 10:25--37)	162	(1)
Hitting the Road . . . Literally	162	(1)
The Original Good Samaritan	163	(1)
A Primer on Prayer (Luke 11:1--13)	163	(2)
A Midnight Supper? Don't Knock It Too Much!	164	(1)
The Scorpion Trick Won't Work	164	(1)
Home Cooking and Home Teaching (Luke 10:38--42)	165	(1)
Just Chill . . . and Listen!	165	(1)
I'm Not Dying to Get There (John 11)	165	(1)
Asleep . . . or Just Dead Tired?	166	(1)
Rise and Shine	167	(2)
Believe and Live Forever	167	(1)
Two Words That Say It All: ``Jesus Wept''	168	(1)
This Could Be a Stinky Situation	169	(2)
Seeking the Lost to Find Them an Eternal Home	171	(12)
We're Divided, and So We're Sad You See (John 11:45--57)	172	(1)
Cleaning Ten Leper-Skin Coats (Luke 17:11--19)	172	(1)
The Lost-and-Found Department	173	(1)
Ninety-nine Down, One to Go (Luke 15:1--32)	173	(1)
It's Not Just Pocket Change	173	(1)
This Place Has Gone to the Pigs (Luke 15:1--32)	174	(1)
An Opportunity for Rapid Advancement	174	(1)
Dad Always Did Like You Better	175	(1)
Rags to Riches . . . and the Reverse	175	(1)
Hell? . . . Yes	176	(1)
A Look at the ``Other Place''	177	(1)
Don't Be Childish, Be Childlike (Mark 10:13--16)	177	(1)
You're Okay, but Give It All Away (Luke 18:18--34)	178	(1)
Start a Long-Term (Heavenly) Trust	178	(1)
The Rich Deserve Some Needling	179	(1)
Mysterious Tax Increases (Luke 19:1--9)	179	(1)
A Tree-mendous Opportunity	179	(1)
A Little Man but Not Small-Minded	180	(1)
A Dinner in Preparation for a Funeral (John 12:1--9)	180	(1)
It Has a Heavenly Scent, but Is It Heaven Sent?	180	(3)
Part 4: Jesus' Final Week of Ministry	183	(50)
Taking the Message to the Holy City	185	(12)
A Date with Destiny	186	(1)
A Cosmopolitan Celebration	186	(1)
No Stretch Limos, Just a King on a Colt (Luke 19:28--44)	187	(3)
Life in the Slow Lane	187	(1)
A Grand but Humble Entrance	188	(1)
Hallelujahs Heard in the Highest Heavens	188	(1)
Some Wet Blankets in the Crowd	189	(1)
Let's Have Some Crowd Control	189	(1)
Your Ratings Are About to Drop	189	(1)
The Tree That Couldn't Give a Fig (Mark 11:12--14, 18--25)	190	(1)
Another Religious Scam (Matthew 21:12--17)	191	(1)
Out of the Mouths of Babes (Matthew 21:14--17)	191	(1)
No Murder Among the Masses	191	(1)
What Business Is This of Yours? (Matthew 21:23--27)	192	(1)
If You Go to the Vineyard You'll Start ``Wining'' (Matthew 21:28--32)	192	(1)
These Guys Are a Bunch of Sour Grapes (Mark 12:1--12)	193	(2)
We May Need a Change in Management	194	(1)
I Would Kill for This Job	194	(1)
There's a Violent Streak Underneath (Luke 20:17--19)	194	(1)
A Stone That Will Break Your Bones	195	(1)
This Same Stone Hit Them in the Temple	195	(2)
This Message Is Anti-Establishment	195	(2)
Getting to the Heart of True Religion	197	(10)
Trap Doors That Fell Through (Matthew 22:15--22)	197	(1)
Trick Questions? Go Ahead, Make My Day!	198	(1)
The Flip Side of the Coin	199	(1)
Seven Grooms for One Widow? (Luke 20:27--39)	199	(1)
Married Now, Single for Eternity	200	(1)
Give It All You Got! (Mark 12:28--34)	200	(2)
Do As They Say, but Not As They Do (Matthew 23:1--36)	202	(1)
The Percentage (Not the Amount) Counts	203	(1)
It's All Greek to Them (John 12:20--36)	203	(2)
A Death That Produces Lives	203	(1)
Did I Hear Thunder, an Angel, or God?	204	(1)
A Short-Lived Messiah	204	(1)
Undercover Believers (John 12:37--50)	205	(2)
Getting Ready for a Return Visit	207	(12)
Know Jesus, Know Peace; No Jesus, No Peace	208	(1)
The Must-See Temple Attraction (Mark 13:1--2)	208	(1)
The Stones Will Be Rolling	209	(1)
It's Not the End of the World, or Is It? (Matthew 24:3--26:15)	209	(1)
The Times They Are a Changing	209	(1)
No Profit from False Prophets	209	(1)
The Future? Let's Not Go There!	210	(1)
Flee, or Go on an Unwanted Vacation	210	(1)
The Wrong Roman Solution	211	(1)
Enough Is Enough Already!	211	(1)
Who Turned Out the Lights? (Matthew 24:29--31)	211	(2)
See Me on Center Stage (Matthew 24:32--43)	213	(1)
To Get There, Watch the Signs	213	(1)
Talkin' 'Bout My Generation (Matthew 24:34)	213	(1)
No Rain Check for This Party	214	(1)
The Real Party Comes Later	214	(1)
Some Very Talented Servants (Mark 13:34--36)	215	(1)
It's Safer Than in a Mattress, but That's All	215	(1)
No Talent for Finances or Flattery	216	(1)
Use It or Lose It	216	(1)
Here Comes the Judge (Matthew 25:31--46)	216	(1)
Make It Thirty, and It's a Deal (Luke 22:1--6)	217	(2)
The Final Hours	219	(14)
A Dinner Scene Worthy of da Vinci (Mark 22:7--16)	220	(1)
Some of Us Are More Equal Than Others? (Luke 22:24--26)	220	(2)
You're Head Honcho . . . No, You Are!	221	(1)
What's Stubborn and Has Twenty-Four Feet? (John 13:1--17)	221	(1)
An ``All or Nothing'' Kind of Guy	221	(1)
Teacher, Lord, and Chief Foot Washer	222	(1)
Raise Your Hand If You're with Me . . . Not So Fast, Judas (John 13:18--31)	222	(1)
I Give You Myself (Matthew 26:26--30)	223	(1)
Going AWOL at the Worst Time (Mark 14:27--31)	224	(1)
You Won't Be Crowing About Your Courage	224	(1)
There's No Other Route to Heaven (John 14:1--14)	224	(1)
My Name Will Work Miracles (John 14:16--26)	225	(2)
When I Leave, You'll Need Counseling	226	(1)
Peace in the Heart, Not on Earth (John 14:27--30)	226	(1)
Getting Ready to Branch Out (John 15)	227	(1)
Be Back Shortly! (John 16)	227	(1)
My Friends Need a Helping Hand (John 17)	228	(1)
One Big Happy (Future) Family	228	(1)
Gut-Wrenching Prayers (Luke 22:39--46)	228	(2)
Strengthened for Suffering	229	(1)
These Aren't Bedtime Prayers	229	(1)
Not Your Garden-Variety Betrayal (Matthew 26:47--56)	230	(3)
The Disciples' Last Stand	230	(1)
The Bad News That Reached His Ears (Luke 22:49--53)	230	(1)
The First of Many Dark Moments	231	(2)
Part 5: A Life with an Ultimate Purpose	233	(66)
A Very Speedy Trial	235	(12)
No One Can Pass This Exam (John 18:13, 19--23)	236	(1)
No Skeletons in His Closet	236	(1)
Let's Execute Him (I Mean ``This'') Quickly (Matthew 26:57--67)	237	(1)
A Sham of a Farce of a Mockery of a Trial	237	(1)
Body Rebuilding in Three Days?	238	(1)
The ``Yes'' That Shook the World (Matthew 26:63--68)	238	(1)
Caiaphas Comes Undone at the Seams	239	(1)
Peter Gets Sudden Amnesia (Mark 14:54, 66--72)	240	(2)
Amnesia Turns to Paranoia	241	(1)
Three Strikes, You're Out . . . for Now	241	(1)
Change the Verdict and Keep Your Change (Matthew 27:3--10)	242	(1)
A High-Strung Response	242	(1)
Blood Money	243	(1)
Deja-Vu Demands (Luke 22:66--71)	243	(1)
The Trial That Was a Tribulation	244	(3)
Rules Were Made to Be Broken?	244	(1)
Terminator Too? Not the Jews	245	(2)
Jesus Is Sentenced to Death	247	(14)
A Pilate Flying High (for a While)	247	(3)
I'm Your Boss, Not Your Friend	248	(1)
A Leader with Image Problems	248	(1)
Go Ahead, ``Punch Us'' Pilate!	249	(1)
Pilate's Eventual Crash	249	(1)
Pilate's Rude Awakening (Matthew 27:1--14)	250	(1)
We Wouldn't Be Caught Dead in Here	250	(1)
The Sanhedrin's Revolutionary Approach	251	(1)
This Is Not Rome's Battle	251	(2)
My Kingdom Is Out of This World	252	(1)
Rebel with a Very Different Cause	252	(1)
No Crime in Pursuing Truth	252	(1)
This Is Herod's Hot Potato	253	(1)
A ``Re-Headed'' John the Baptist? (Luke 23:6--12)	253	(1)
The Messiah? Show Me the Miracle	253	(1)
This Is Not a Show Trial	254	(1)
He's Innocent, Twice Over (John 18:39--40)	254	(2)
How About a Real Criminal?	254	(1)
Don't Disappoint a Wife's Dreams	255	(1)
The Poorest Choice on Earth	255	(1)
An Alternative to Reading the Riot Act (John 19:1--16)	256	(1)
A Cruel and Very Unusual Punishment (John 19:1--3)	256	(1)
Elements of a Mock Trial	257	(1)
Who Are You . . . Really?	257	(1)
Playing ``the Friend of Caesar'' Card	257	(1)
Pilate: Competing Interests Combine with True Motives	258	(1)
Leaders with Cross Purposes?	258	(3)
Behold the Man of Sorrows	261	(12)
TGIF: A Friday We (Eternally) Thank God For	261	(1)
A More Civilized Death Crossed Out	262	(1)
Crossroads in History	262	(2)
An Ancient Campaign of Shock and Awe	263	(1)
A Christian End to Crucifixion	263	(1)
The ``Via Dolorosa'' (Way of Sorrows) (John 19:16)	264	(2)
The Load Lightens . . . Just a Little (Mark 15:21)	265	(1)
Still Behind Him---All the Way (Luke 23:27--31)	265	(1)
The First Passion Play: The Final Act	266	(1)
The Heart of the Passion of the Christ (Mark 15:22--31)	266	(2)
Appearances Can Fool You	267	(1)
``King'' in a Language Everyone Understands	267	(1)
Humiliation . . . Another Cross to Bear	268	(1)
A Savior Who Can't Save Himself?	268	(1)
Two Views from the Cross (Luke 23:39--43)	269	(1)
No Paradise for You . . . Until Later Today!	269	(1)
A New Mother-Son Relationship (John 19:25--27)	269	(1)
A Cry of Despair, or Hope? (Mark 15:33--39)	270	(1)
Did He Say ``Eloi'' or ``Elijah''?	270	(1)
Maybe We Made a Mistake . . . (Matthew 27:51--54)	271	(1)
The Piercing Truth: He's Truly Dead (John 19:31--37)	271	(2)
A Broken Heart for His Enemies	272	(1)
You Can't Keep a Perfect Man Down	273	(12)
The Darkness Before the Dawn	274	(1)
No Body Would Want to Stay Here Long	274	(1)
Not Your Average Joe (Luke 23:50--56)	275	(1)
Finding More Than Common Ground	275	(1)
Grave Matters (John 19:38--42)	276	(1)
Let's Keep a Lid on This Thing (Matthew 27:62--66)	277	(1)
Ahead of a Good Man Is a Good Woman (Luke 24:1--12)	278	(1)
Spices Only a Dead Person Can Handle	278	(1)
An Earth-Shattering Experience	279	(1)
Lying Down on the Job	279	(1)
Yes, We Have a Vacancy	279	(1)
The Case of the Missing Corpse (John 20:2--18)	279	(1)
Turning Tears to Joy (John 20:11--18)	280	(2)
He's Now Your Father, Too	281	(1)
The Proof Is in the Person (Matthew 28:8--10)	281	(1)
You Missed the Son Rise, but You'll See Him in Galilee	281	(1)
Jerusalem, We Have a Problem (Matthew 28:11--15)	282	(3)
The Son Rising Might Cause an Uprising	282	(1)
A Story That Began Under the Table	282	(1)
Scared Men Don't Die for a Lie	283	(2)
He'll Be with Us Always ... to the End of Time	285	(14)
Rumors of My Life After Death Weren't Exaggerated (Luke 24:13--34)	286	(2)
A Stranger, or a Friend You Have Met Before?	287	(1)
His Appointment Amidst Their Disappointment	287	(1)
No Pain, No Gain	287	(1)
End of a Warm-Hearted Meeting	288	(1)
It Already Appears He's Appeared (John 20:19--25)	288	(3)
Frightfully Good of You to Come!	289	(1)
Perfect Man, Now with a Perfect Body	289	(1)
Always a Doubting Thomas in the Bunch (John 20:26--31)	289	(1)
A Locked-Room Mystery Solved	290	(1)
Believe It When You Haven't Seen It	290	(1)
Get a Commission Before You Sell the Idea (Mark 16:14--18)	291	(1)
International Ambassadors for King Jesus (Matthew 28:16--20)	291	(1)
Now for Your Assignment, Class	292	(1)
Something's Fishy About That Stranger (John 21:1--23)	293	(1)
The ``Right'' Way to Fish	293	(1)
The ``All You Can Eat'' Fish Breakfast	293	(1)
A Second Chance Three Times Over (John 31:15--33)	294	(1)
Receiving Death with Open Arms	295	(1)
This Message Will Go Far (Mark 16:19--20, Acts 1:3--11)	295	(4)
Now You See Me, Now You Don't	296	(1)
A Done Deal Offered to Everyone	296	(3)
Part 6: A Roman Empire ... Soon to Become the Holy Roman Empire	299	(40)
The Legacy of Jesus and His Followers	301	(12)
Filled with the Spirit, Not Spirits (Acts 2)	302	(1)
Repent? You're Speaking My Language!	302	(1)
A ``Reinvented'' Peter (Acts 3:1--4:30)	303	(1)
Miracles Are to Be Seen but Not Heard (Acts 4:1--5:42)	303	(1)
You're Just Fanning the Flames (Acts 7:54--8:3)	304	(1)
'Saul Over? No, Just Beginning!	304	(1)
A Pharisee Who Makes House Calls	305	(1)
I've Seen the Light, but Nothing Else (Acts 9:1--7)	305	(2)
With Friends Like These . . .	306	(1)
Preach the Opposite, Brother!	306	(1)
Cool Reception for a Former Hothead	307	(1)
The Gospel Message Goes International (Acts 13:1--15:35)	307	(2)
We'll Worship You; No, We'll Kill You	307	(1)
Adding Greece to the Mixture (Acts 16:1--5)	308	(1)
Athens: A Bit Stoic Toward the Message (Acts 17:16--34)	308	(1)
Tentmaker---A Preacher Leading a ``Sheltered'' Life (Acts 18)	309	(1)
Idol Silversmiths Not Wanting to Be Idle (Acts 19:21--41)	309	(1)
Good News Pauline Style	310	(1)
Romeward Bound (Acts 21:37--28)	311	(2)
Aren't You That Egyptian Terrorist?	311	(1)
A Plan That Was Not Shipshape	311	(2)
The Triumph of Jesus' Message	313	(26)
A Life That Didn't Just ``Peter'' Out	314	(1)
Reading Someone's Mail . . . for Centuries	315	(1)
Two P's in a Very Unpleasant Pod	315	(1)
A Mandatory Island Vacation	315	(1)
Unique Exploits and Unusual Endings	316	(1)
Jesus and Other ``Gods'' Don't Get Along	317	(1)
Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight	318	(1)
Being a ``Yes Man'' Has Consequences	319	(1)
Now a Sign of Victory, Not Defeat	319	(1)
Mixing Politics and Religion	320	(1)
We Blew It . . . but God Isn't Finished	321	(1)
Jesus' Final Chapter	321	(2)
Crashing Symbols to a Grand Theme	322	(1)
It's Not over 'til the White Horse Appears	322	(1)
Beasts and Their Burdens	323	(1)
Happily (For)ever After	323	(1)
See You at the Pearly Gates!	323	(2)
Appendixes
A Bibliography	325	(4)
B Scriptural Prophecy Regarding Jesus	329	(10)
Index	339