The Bible Jesus Read

by Philip Yancey

Quite simply, this is a book about the Old Testament. Admittedly, Yancey can't cover the entire thing in just 219 pages, so he seeks to cover portions from various sections of it. Job, Deuteronomy, the Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the Prophets are his interests in this volume. Far from an in depth or technical study, Yancey approaches this topic as he does all of his writing: through the perspective of his own journey of faith.

I have never had such mixed feelings about a Yancey book (with perhaps one exception Church, Why Bother). This one, however, left me confused as to whether or not I really liked it. The introduction and conclusion chapters were valuable—interesting and enlightening. The Job chapter was good, but little was different than what he said in Disappointment with God.

The Deuteronomy chapter struck me as bizarre. He said little that helped me better understand Deuteronomy and between each sub-section, he attempted to write an account of Moses' speech—though less of the speech and more of what must have been the backdrop for it: things that would have been going through Moses' mind, etc. I tend to allow as much poetic license (or, perhaps here, 'prosaic license') as anyone, but this chapter left me feeling uneasy from time to time.

Deuteronomy was followed by a chapter on the Psalms, which was as good as anything I've ever read on the Psalms. Next was Ecclesiastes, where he had good things to say, but little that surprised me: I can't say that this chapter taught me anything new. Finally, the prophets, another chapter that was valuable in places but awfully mediocre in others.

Also, in this book, Yancey let his dispensational predilections show a little more than usual, though most of those references were subtle and could be missed in a cursory reading.

In the final analysis, this book is probably worth reading for the chapters on Job (if you haven't yet read Disappointment) and Psalms, as well as the first and last chapter. And if you're not familiar with Ecclesiastes, you'll do well to read Yancey's chapter on that book. Otherwise, I have a take-it-or-leave-it feel about this one.

The Editors do not advocate everything taught by the authors of the books we review. Like us, these authors are fallible humans and those who choose to read these books should measure them by the bible, the one true standard.