Jesus Before Pentecost [Hardcover]

Jesus before Pentecost studies the history of Jesus' ministry from William P. Atkinson's Pentecostal perspective. This perspective affects both his method and the book's content. In terms of method, Atkinson puts forward a strong argument for looking carefully at John's Gospel, as well as the synoptic gospels, as a reliable historical source for Jesus' life. And in terms of content, his main areas of study follow key Pentecostal interests, summed up in the foursquare Pentecostal rubric of Jesus as savior, healer, baptizer in the Spirit, and soon-coming king. The picture that emerges offers fresh insights into Jesus' life: notably, the symbolic meaning Jesus invested in the feeding of the five thousand; the personal cost to Jesus of his approach to healing the sick; the involvement of God's Spirit in his life and in the lives of those around him; and, lastly, his enigmatic predictions of his future coming. Overall, the study is both academically rigorous and warmly engaging. It will appeal to anyone who is seriously interested in Jesus, whether or not they are Pentecostal. Precisely because he goes into this project with his eyes wide open, William Atkinson helps open our eyes to possibilities we'd not seen before. There are new challenges to consensus positions offered here; you'll start by raising an eyebrow, but to reply effectively, you'll need to raise your game. --Conrad Gempf, Lecturer in New Testament, London School of Theology; author of Jesus Asked Within the recognizably Pentecostal framework of the fourfold Gospel, Atkinson's marvelously lucid book examines the work of Jesus by engaging closely with the biblical text and a range of scholarly studies. The result is original and inspiring. It will benefit pastors, scholars, and students in equal measure. --William K. Kay, Professor of Pentecostal Studies, University of Chester Written with clarity and verve by a Pentecostal for Pentecostals, Atkinson offers a highly readable and creative contrlH