The Lost Sayings of Jesus: Annotated & Explained
The Lost Sayings of Jesus: Annotated & Explained: Teachings from Ancient Christian, Jewish, Gnostic and Islamic Sources
Andrew Phillip Smith
Foreword by Stephan A. Hoeller
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Buy Through Amazon.co.uk
5.5 x 8.5, 240 pp, Quality Paperback , ISBN 978-1-59473-172-3
$16.99/£14.99
Andrew’s Comment: I think this is the best non-academic collection of agrapha—sayings of Jesus from outside the New Testament—available. It’s organised according to tradition, so there are sections on Christian, Jewish, Gnostic and Muslim sayings. And I had fun including a section with sayings from unusual sources such as the Mandaeans and modern apocryphal gospels. The book is in the text and annotation format which gives me the scope to comment on the sayings a bit, and also to explain where they all come from. I don’t believe that it’s really possible to say which sayings might go back to Jesus—that’s difficult even if you take a critical view of the sayings in the New Testament gospels—so I don’t really get into that, instead I show why I think it’s impossible. I also say point out that the sayings are beautiful and profound whether they come from Jesus or not. It's also available in German as Die Verborgenen Worte Jesu.
Publisher’s Blurb
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are not the only record we have of the words spoken by Jesus. Designed to challenge, enlighten and inspire, they are also quoted in a wide variety of other ancient sources—including the Qur’an, writings by early Christian church fathers, and fragments of lost gospels only recently discovered. Some of these sayings are familiar; many are surprising; all expand our conventional understanding of the scope and essence of Jesus’s original teachings.
More than a “Christian” compilation, this collection of more than three hundred sayings reveals a Jesus whose words encapsulate spiritual truths that resonate across religious boundaries. From the encouraging “I am hope for the hopeless,” to the wise and practical
“Love those who hate you and you will not have an enemy,” to the candid “Give no opportunity to the evil one,” these pointed sayings not only reveal how Jesus was understood and portrayed across a wide variety of cultures long ago—they will also penetrate to your heart, challenge your assumptions, and energize your own spiritual quest. Now you can experience the wisdom and power of Jesus’s sayings even if you have no previous knowledge of these little-known texts.
Endorsements:
“Marvelous.... Will provide spiritual seekers, committed Christians, and academic scholars [insight into] sayings attributed to Jesus that they may not know existed. A valuable sourcebook and significant contribution to the study of the history of Christian ideas.”
—Stevan Davies, professor of religious studies, College Misericordia and author of The Gospel of Thomas: Annotated & Explained
“A fascinating kaleidoscope of ‘other takes’ on Jesus from early Christianity’s closest religious neighbors.”
—Cynthia Bourgeault, author of Encountering the Wisdom Jesus
“An invaluable contribution to historical Jesus research.... Insightful, even-handed and refreshingly succint ... an essential collection.”
—Rev. Jeffrey J. Bütz, author of The Brother of Jesus and the Lost Teachings of Christianity
“Compelling and enlightening.... Allows us to hear the wisdom that was Jesus.”
—Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of The Sacred Art of Lovingkindness: Preparing to Practice
“If the gospels represent the tip [of Jesus’s sayings], Andrew Phillip Smith has provided the rest of the iceberg. Here is proof that [Jesus’s] voice has never fallen silent.”
—Robert M. Price, professor of scriptural studies, Johnnie Colemon Theological Seminary
“Excellent ... an invaluable aid in our endeavor to hear [Jesus’s] authentic voice.”
—Ron Miller, author of The Hidden Gospel of Matthew: Annotated & Explained
Listen to an interview with Andrew on The Lost Sayings of Jesus
.
Andrew Phillip Smith
Foreword by Stephan A. Hoeller
Buy Through Amazon.com
Buy Through Amazon.co.uk
5.5 x 8.5, 240 pp, Quality Paperback , ISBN 978-1-59473-172-3
$16.99/£14.99
Andrew’s Comment: I think this is the best non-academic collection of agrapha—sayings of Jesus from outside the New Testament—available. It’s organised according to tradition, so there are sections on Christian, Jewish, Gnostic and Muslim sayings. And I had fun including a section with sayings from unusual sources such as the Mandaeans and modern apocryphal gospels. The book is in the text and annotation format which gives me the scope to comment on the sayings a bit, and also to explain where they all come from. I don’t believe that it’s really possible to say which sayings might go back to Jesus—that’s difficult even if you take a critical view of the sayings in the New Testament gospels—so I don’t really get into that, instead I show why I think it’s impossible. I also say point out that the sayings are beautiful and profound whether they come from Jesus or not. It's also available in German as Die Verborgenen Worte Jesu.
Publisher’s Blurb
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are not the only record we have of the words spoken by Jesus. Designed to challenge, enlighten and inspire, they are also quoted in a wide variety of other ancient sources—including the Qur’an, writings by early Christian church fathers, and fragments of lost gospels only recently discovered. Some of these sayings are familiar; many are surprising; all expand our conventional understanding of the scope and essence of Jesus’s original teachings.
More than a “Christian” compilation, this collection of more than three hundred sayings reveals a Jesus whose words encapsulate spiritual truths that resonate across religious boundaries. From the encouraging “I am hope for the hopeless,” to the wise and practical
“Love those who hate you and you will not have an enemy,” to the candid “Give no opportunity to the evil one,” these pointed sayings not only reveal how Jesus was understood and portrayed across a wide variety of cultures long ago—they will also penetrate to your heart, challenge your assumptions, and energize your own spiritual quest. Now you can experience the wisdom and power of Jesus’s sayings even if you have no previous knowledge of these little-known texts.
Endorsements:
“Marvelous.... Will provide spiritual seekers, committed Christians, and academic scholars [insight into] sayings attributed to Jesus that they may not know existed. A valuable sourcebook and significant contribution to the study of the history of Christian ideas.”
—Stevan Davies, professor of religious studies, College Misericordia and author of The Gospel of Thomas: Annotated & Explained
“A fascinating kaleidoscope of ‘other takes’ on Jesus from early Christianity’s closest religious neighbors.”
—Cynthia Bourgeault, author of Encountering the Wisdom Jesus
“An invaluable contribution to historical Jesus research.... Insightful, even-handed and refreshingly succint ... an essential collection.”
—Rev. Jeffrey J. Bütz, author of The Brother of Jesus and the Lost Teachings of Christianity
“Compelling and enlightening.... Allows us to hear the wisdom that was Jesus.”
—Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of The Sacred Art of Lovingkindness: Preparing to Practice
“If the gospels represent the tip [of Jesus’s sayings], Andrew Phillip Smith has provided the rest of the iceberg. Here is proof that [Jesus’s] voice has never fallen silent.”
—Robert M. Price, professor of scriptural studies, Johnnie Colemon Theological Seminary
“Excellent ... an invaluable aid in our endeavor to hear [Jesus’s] authentic voice.”
—Ron Miller, author of The Hidden Gospel of Matthew: Annotated & Explained
Listen to an interview with Andrew on The Lost Sayings of Jesus
.