Understanding Jesus: Cultural Insights into the Words and Deeds of Christ - Paperback

by Joe Amaral (Author)

Modern-day Christians often bring their own presuppositions and assumptions to the reading of the Bible, not realizing how deeply their understanding of Christ's life and teachings is affected by a 21st-century worldview. In Understanding Jesus, author Joe Amaral delves deep into Jewish history, societal mores, and cultural traditions, closing the gap created by geographical distance and over two thousand years of history. Using a chronological approach to the life of Christ, he guides the reader through significant events such as Jesus' birth, baptism, and crucifixion, pointing out illuminating details that that the Western mind would normally miss.

Amaral's premise is that to understand Jesus, we must understand the time and place in which he was born, the background from which he drew his illustrations, and the audience he spoke to. Throughout the book he explores specific terms, places, and events for their significance and shows how they add richness and meaning to the text. Topics include the connection between Jesus and John the Baptist, the annual Feasts and why they are important to modern Christianity, Jewish customs such as foot-washing, clean and unclean foods, paying tribute to political governments, and the significance of various miracles.

In Understanding Jesus, Amaral draws back the curtain on a way of life that existed during the reign of the Caesars, and in doing so, reveals truths about the way we live more than two thousand years later, half a world away.

Author Biography

Joe Amaral has traveled the world many times over as a sought-after Bible teacher and speaker as an Itinerant Minister. Joe has also served as host and director of a weekly TV program on Israel and its history. He is the author of Understanding Jesus and What Would Jesus Read?, and also acted as the daily host of Canada's longest-running daily TV show 100 Huntley Street. Having served as the Teaching Pastor of PORTICO Community Church in Mississauga, Joe inspired congregations to better know Jesus and His teachings by having a deeper understanding of the world and time in which Jesus lived. Amaral founded the Christian Research Group in 2018.