Rating: 
Summary: Putting Jesus' life into Cultural Context - nicely done.
Review:
Yancey gives a detailed cultural information about the social, religous and political environment into which Jesus was born. Then he uses this as a backdrop to develop a more detailed and realistic rendering of what Jesus was really like. In his approach he stressed seeing the events through the eyes of Jesus' various contemporaries, trying to imagine what to make of Jesus without the benefit of "knowing what happened". This approach did help me to see the gospels in a new and interesting way.For example, did you know that the "zealots" (as in Simon the zealot, the disciple) were essentially Jewish terrorists who advocated armed revolt against Rome and wouldn't even talk to or acknowledge non-Jews or those who "played ball" with the Romans. Given that piece of information, it's interesting to note that Simon probably didn't just gush and smile when Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, - he probably had to resist pulling his hair out!!! Examples like this abound throughout the book and Yancey digs deeper into peoples motivations to make sense of events that we're so used to glossing over while reading the gospels. Why would fisherman just toss down their nets and follow someone? Why are the pharisees mentioned so much more often than the Essenes, Zealots and Sadduccees? Essentially, Yancey paints a much more thorough, realistic, and human portrait of what Jesus was really like. However, Yancey himself did still seem to have a few blind spots that I would have liked to see him address. For example, why was the temptation even necessary at all? What difference would it have made if Jesus did throw himself off the cliff at Satan's tempting (I don't see why that would be a sin for Jesus to do it)? Why didn't Jesus write anything down? Overall, the book is an engaging and refreshing look at Jesus and the culture he lived in - well worth reading!
Rating: 
Summary: Great first half, not-so-great second half.
Review: I actually will give 3.5 stars. I enjoyed his book at the outset, and continued to enjoy it. I appreciated his insights on the life of Jesus. So informative that I will perhaps use the book (if I don't pass it on) for my homily preparations in the different seasons. Good wholesome thoughts for an evangelical, who as a group are sometimes depicted as shallow. I saw the work as a comparison to some of the works I read by Fulton Sheen, who also gives a wider scope, and incorporates history, art, literature, and the like to the study of Christ. My desire for the book went down when the old comparison between work and grace came up. Old habits never die, and there was a dig at doing "works" over against accepting "grace" behind the masks of the lives of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. This undertow continues through the rest of the book. In the end there is another Evangelical hallmark: looking at the lowlights of the history of the Church. Pointing out the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the like. Somehow the Church is to be tolerated, seen perhaps as a mistake of Christ. High-brow thinking. Perhaps Rev. Yancey is too good to be stuck with the rest of us. Perhaps in his mind it is only Jesus-and-me. A mistake. Whenever I hear that song, I Come to the Garden Alone, I envision Jesus asking, "Why didn't you bring your brothers and sisters?"
The final chapter is the summation of the book. All the luster is gone, and it is back to the bare-bones Christological outlook. It is the paucity of a fundamentalist outlook, unable to admit the many contradictions and weaknesses of the Bible, while pointing them out in the Church.
So I will eat the meat and spit out the bones, if I keep it, and will warn friends if I give it away.
Rating: 
Summary: Read, and re-read it...
Review: Great book... very thought provoking... and will bring a few new concepts to surface about Jesus (i.e. He wasn't like Mr.Rogers, but was someone that the establishment saw as a big enough threat to actually want to exterminate, He had Jewish instead of Anglo-Saxon roots, etc...). Most of what Philip Yancey writes is very articulate, very well written, and well informed. This book is no exception, and it's encouraging to see a devout follower of Christ who has some depth, and has, obviously, struggled through the issues he is presenting rather than throwing out simple answers. The videos (old movies about Jesus) Yancey references, and many of his resources are available in the study pack, as well. And, it's worth going to check out from the local library to watch as you read (when he references something). Again, a solid book. At Christian bookstores, the tendency is to put the more popular fluff up front, so you may not have even seen this one before (it's several years old). Should be moved back up front, though... needs to be read, then, perhaps, re-read in tangent with the Gospels. It will defintely add a new dimension to them.
Rating:
Summary: Well written, interesting, but still one-sided
Review: It's refreshing to read a book approved by the evangelical Christian community (there's a blurb on the back from Billy Graham) yet obviously written by someone with significant depth and a willingness to look for answers beyond the Bible. Yancey does that here, referring to esteemed Russian novelists Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky (sp?) for insights. Yancey also makes it clear there are things that leave him wistful and wondering, like why (according to the gospel writers, anyway) did Jesus ascend into heaven so soon instead of sticking around and doing more good? That said, this book still has the approval of the evangelical community, which means viewpoints held with a vice-grip intensity are not questioned...i.e. that Jesus was God in the flesh (sorry Phillip, you SO didn't provide adequate evidence, since the Bible doesn't either, in my opinion). So if you're a questioning person who wants a variety of viewpoints, I suggest checking out Tom Harpur's excellent For Christ's Sake.
Rating:
Summary: Read it for Sermon on Mount discussion
Review: The author draws heavily on the writings of others and his conclusions are not always soundly based. However, the book is worth reading for the author's discussion of the Sermon on the Mount.
Rating:
Summary: OUTSTANDING!...
Review: This is a Great book about Jesus!... I would highly recommend it to anyone, (scholar, new Christian, or pagan). Your "Christology" may not be the same after reading this book. Yancy does a superb job at analyzing Jesus and all his words and deeds, and explaing what they mean to him now, and what he thought they meant in the past. He tells you who Jesus was, and who he was not -- who he claimed to be, what he spent his time and emphasis on, etc. He takes tough words of Jesus (i.e. the first shall be last, blessed are the meek, etc. etc.) and gives deep thought to what could he have meant by these words, and what could he have not meant. After I read this book, I reexamined my Christology. To those of you who view him as Shrewd, Crafty, Clever, Meek, Sly, Evasive, Bold, Caring, Loving, Gentle, Loyal, 'good teacher', good moral leader, prophetic, etc. etc. -- After reading Yancy, you will no doubt be opened to some new sides of Jesus you never saw before. If you want to KNOW Jesus better and have a deeper understanding of him (I would hope all Christians would)-- This is a must read for you!! I would give it a sixth star if possible!... Eric
Rating:
Summary: Take your first real look at the Man/God of Jesus....
Review: Yancey has given us much food for thought with this book. Certainly separated the Sunday School pablum from the true meat of the scriptures. Refreshing, thought provoking, best of all interesting. I really apperciated the references made to other Christian wrtiers & their views on the same subject. Having their thoughts added even more insight. I feel a bit better knowing that even Jesus's followers didn't always "Get It" & floundered in the begining. Blessed be, L<><
Rating:
Summary: Too busy, read What's So Amazing about Grace
Review: I recognize that many of the reviews for Amazing about Grace state that it is too repetitive with The Jesus I Never Knew.
Personally, although Mr. Yancey's style makes both reads enjoyable, this book covered a lot of ground and none of them thoroughly enough to be satisfactory. The other reviews are right, your hunger for God increases after reading this book. My theory is that this is because you are intrigued by all the paths it takes not because you were fed on any path. Choose what Mr. Yancey calls the one unique quality of Christianity, "Grace". What's So Amazing about Grace, covers much of the same ground but feeds you a full helping of views on Grace. Again, both books are good, but Grace is superior.
Rating:
Summary: I NEVER BELIEVED JESUS WAS GOD UNTIL READING THIS BOOK
Review: I thought this book was going to go off the beaten path, such as looking at Him as a Revolutionary or a Magicial being of some sort.......it really brings the human & the God in Him out!!! i love this author, check out What's so Amazing about Grace, one the best books i've ever read :)
Rating:
Summary: A Great Start to Knowing Jesus Again
Review: Many Christians have pre-conceived notions of who Jesus is, was and will be, without having actually read the Bible for themselves. This book certainly helps to remove the popular myths and stories of who Jesus is. Yancey has a very engaging style that is honest, funny at times, but always thought provoking. When I was reading the book, I kept turning back to the Bible, to read passages that I "thought I knew", but now seeing and understanding better, and knowing Jesus once again. While one may not agree with all of Yancey's observations, let the contents of the book kickstart you to know Jesus better for yourself.
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