Messiah’s Ministry: Crises of the Christ
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
The Jews in the first century wondered: who would He resemble? Would He be a prophet like Moses? A priest like Melchizedek? A king like David? He would surprise them all, from the day He entered the Jordan until He went through a metamorphosis on a mountain. He would be tested in a harsh wilderness, deliver those tormented by demons, and miraculously feed both a Jewish and a Gentile multitude, and yet be rejected by his own neighbors. So here is His ministry, in the midst of an intensely Jewish world of Pharisees and Sadducees and Essenes, confounding them all because no one spoke quite like Him. When you hear him teaching beside the lovely waters of the Sea of Galilee, beholding His ministry in light of the Scriptures that He so loved, lived, and fulfilled, you will never be the same.
- Foreword
- Preface
- Chapter 1: What Is a “Messiah”?
- Chapter 2: Messiah as “the” Prophet
- Chapter 3: Messiah and Josephus
- Chapter 4: Messiah and the Men of Qumran
- Chapter 5: Messiah in Matthew
- Chapter 6: Messiah and Moses
- Chapter 7: Messiah in the Water
- Chapter 8: Messiah in the Wilderness
- Chapter 9: Messiah in the Hometown
- Chapter 10: Messiah and Women
- Chapter 11: Messiah and the Goyim
- Chapter 12: Messiah and the Madman
- Chapter 13: Messiah’s Metamorphosis
- Chapter 14: Messiah and the Mystery Man
- Chapter 15: Messiah Jesus—Should Jews Believe in Him?
- Further Reading
This volume on the ministry of Jesus is a fitting climax to Dr. Varner’s trilogy on Jesus the Messiah. Having written masterful works on His advent as well as His death and resurrection, Varner now writes an informative work on His life while on earth. What makes this book even more valuable are the chapters on the history and culture of the Jewish people prior to Christ’s advent. He discusses Josephus, the men of Qumran, Moses, and Melchizedek for instance, giving us a more well-rounded understanding of the Jewish world Jesus encountered during His life. He has also taken selected events from Christ’s three years of ministry and given us a snapshot of who He was and what He did. He is to be commended on the surprising depth of his work.
—Thomas Halstead, The Master’s University
The issues addressed by Dr. William Varner in Messiah’s Ministry relate to the credibility of Jesus’ stunning claims concerning Himself. Throughout His ministry, Jesus claimed to be the Messiah/Christ and to be God come in the flesh (Matt 16:16; John 11:27; Matt 26:63; John 20:30–31). When Paul told them about the remarkable claims and accomplishments of the Nazarene, the Bereans “searched the Scriptures to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11) and thus believed. You will be blessed to walk with Dr. Varner through some of those Old Testament Messianic anticipations which God used to impact the truth-seeking Bereans so long ago.
—Dr. Douglas Bookman, Shepherds Theological Seminary
The best way to describe this excellent work by Dr. Varner is to point out that these are highlight aspects of the Life and the Ministry of Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah. There are two things which are quite unique to this work. First, he covers what many other similar books cover about the Messiah being a Prophet, Priest, and King. Some of the insights in these three categories, however, are still unique to him and are worthy of consideration and study. Second, here are some new emphases that most books on the Life of Messiah simply do not cover: backgrounds from the Hebrew Scriptures and a frame of reference from rabbinic theology prevalent in first century Israel which is what the Messiah had to interact with whether it came from the Pharisees or from the Sadducees or from the Herodians. This material provides additional perspective in understanding Messiah’s person and work and points out the uniqueness of Dr. Varner’s work. This work is highly recommended, and I encourage all to read this volume as well as the other two volumes in the trilogy.
—Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Director of Ariel Ministries
- Title: Messiah’s Ministry: Crises of the Christ
- Author: William Varner
- Publisher: Fontes Press
- Print Publication Date: 2021
- Logos Release Date: 2023
- Pages: 154
- Era: era:contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Historicity of Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ Historicity; Middle East Palestine; Palestine Description and travel; Travel
- ISBNs: 9781948048620, 9781948048613, 1948048620, 1948048612
- Resource ID: LLS:MSSHSMNSTRCHRST
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-04-25T19:48:19Z
Dr. William Varner is Professor of Bible and Greek at The Master’s College in Santa Clarita, California. After earning degrees from Bob Jones University and the Biblical Theological Seminary, he served as a pastor in Pennsylvania for seven years, during which time he earned another master’s degree and took his first trip to Israel—an experience that would leave an indelible mark on his ministry. While serving for 17 years with The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry in New Jersey, he earned a third master’s degree (in Jewish Studies at Dropsie College, now the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania) and a doctorate (at Temple University in Philadelphia).
Besides teaching Bible exposition courses and Greek Exegesis at The Master’s College, Dr. Varner is Director of IBEX, the college’s overseas campus in Israel, and has led 46 study trips to Israel. He has also pastored the Sojourners fellowship in Grace Community Church for 16 years.
Dr. Varner is the author of several books, including The Chariot of Israel: Exploits of the Prophet of Elijah, Awake O Harp: A Devotional Commentary on the Psalms, and The Letter of James. He has also written over 100 articles appearing in academic journals and popular magazines. He loves participating in Civil War reenactments, reading the fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien and Daniel Silva, and traveling overseas with his wife Helen.