Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before and After Jesus (The Hinges of History)

From the bestselling author of How the Irish Saved Civilization and The Gifts of the Jews , his most compelling historical narrative yet. How did an obscure rabbi from a backwater of the Roman Empire come to be the central figure in Western Civilization? Did his influence in fact change the world? These are the questions Thomas Cahill addresses in his subtle and engaging investigation into the life and times of Jesus. Cahill shows us Jesus from his birth to his execution through the eyes of those who knew him and in the context of his time—a time when the Jews were struggling to maintain their beliefs under overlords who imposed their worldview on their subjects. Here is Jesus the loving friend, itinerate preacher, and quiet revolutionary, whose words and actions inspired his followers to journey throughout the Roman world and speak the truth he instilled—in the face of the greatest defeat: Jesus' crucifixion as a common criminal. Daring, provocative, and stunningly original, Cahill's interpretation will both delight and surprise. KLIATT In this biography of Jesus, Cahill looks at the context of historical settings, events, culture, and persons that surrounded the life of Christ and later the spread of his message. The title derives from an Old Testament blessing that expresses the human desire for an end to suffering. This is the third book in a projected series of seven called Hinges of History. The first two are How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe and The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels. The book begins and ends with the question, concerning Jesus, "Did he make a difference?" Though the New Testament is Cahill's primary source of information about the life of Jesus (no other piece of literature written contemporaneously with him mentions Jesus), he brings fresh perspectives. Instead of jumping right into Christ's birth era, as most stories of the time of Christ do, we get sketches of the slave revolt led by Spartacus, the conquests of Alexander the Great, the exploits of the Maccabees and their successors, and the value systems of the major players of the time. Focusing first on the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), Cahill explores the origins of the various written accounts, for whom they were written, the pattern of Jesus' life, the cultural and social context in which he presented his message, and how it developed that the teachings of this obscure teacher, born among people held in little regard, came to be a powerful cultural force. Cahill includes an exploration of Luke's gospel, which was aimed at non-Jewish persons, a view of the early church,and a look at John's special relationship with Jesus, important because it is in John's gospel where Jesus is proclaimed as God for the first time. A long chapter is devoted to the personality, teachings, and effect of Paul, who brought to the "Jesus Movement" purpose and sophistication far beyond the capability of the first disciples. He notes that apocalyptic teachings, exemplified by the book of Revelation, were widespread at the time. Cahill pays attention to the role of women both in the teaching and behavior of Jesus and in the writing of Paul. He reiterates the significance of Judaism in the foundation of Christianity: "the world view of the Jews is the rock-solid promontory that supports the Christian faith." This is not inspirational literature and, because it emphasizes cultural processes, it may elicit fierce argument among some traditionalists. But it is interesting because of insights not usually considered by those who examine the life of Christ and the impact he had on the world of his day and after. Cahill concludes: "He is the mysterious ingredient that laces everything we taste, the standard by which all moral actions are finally judged." Cahill, a journalist and director of religious publishing at Doubleday, has taught at the university level. This book is not inappropriate for teens but is a more scholarly treatment than most will stick with for long. (Hinges of History) KLIATT Codes: A—Recommended for advanced students, and adults. 1999, Random House/Anchor, 353p, illus, notes, index, 21cm, 99-16560, $14.00. Ages 17 to adult. Reviewer: Edna M. Boardman; Retired Lib. Media Spec. Minot, ND, May 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 3) Cahill's most daring and provocative subject yet: Jesus of Nazareth, the central figure of Western civilization. In Desire of the Everlasting Hills, Thomas Cahill takes up his most daring and provocative subject yet: Jesus of Nazareth, the central figure of Western civilization. Introducing us first to "the people Jesus knew," Thomas Cahill describes the oppressive Roman political presence, the pervasive Greek cultural influence, and especially the widely varied social and religious context of the Judaism in which Jesus moved and flourished. These backgrounds, essential to a complete understanding of Jesus, lead to the author's stunningly original interpretation of the New Testament--much of it based on material from the ancient Greek brilliantly translated by the author himself--that will delight readers and surprise even biblical scholars. Thomas Cahill's most unusual skill may lie in his ability to bring to life people of a faraway world whose concerns seem at first to be utterly removed from the present day. We see Jesus as a real person, sharp-witted and sharp-tongued, but kind, humorous, and affectionate, shadowed by the inevitable climax of crucifixion, the cruelest form of execution ever devised by humankind. Mary, while not quite the "perpetual virgin" of popular piety, is a vivid presence and forceful influence on her son. And the apostle Paul, the carrier of Jesus' message and most important figure in the early Jesus movement (which became Christianity), finds rehabilitation in Cahill's realistic, revealing portrait of him. The third volume in the Hinges of History series, this unique presentation of Jesus and his times is for believers and nonbelievers alike (for Jews and Christians, it is intended by the author as an act of reconciliation). With the same lively narration and irresistible perceptions that characterize How the Irish Saved Civilization and The Gifts of the Jews, Thomas Cahill invites readers into an ancient world to commune with some of the most influential people who ever lived. NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the bestselling author of How the Irish Saved Civilization comes a compelling historical narrative about Jesus—an obscure rabbi from a backwater of the Roman Empire who became the central figure in Western Civilization.'Divertingly instructive...gratifying...[Cahill] makes Jesus a still-living literary presence.'—The New York TimesIn his subtle and engaging investigation into the life and times of Jesus, Thomas Cahill shows us Jesus from his birth to his execution through the eyes of those who knew him and in the context of his time—a time when the Jews were struggling to maintain their beliefs under overlords who imposed their worldview on their subjects. Here is Jesus the loving friend, itinerate preacher, and quiet revolutionary, whose words and actions inspired his followers to journey throughout the Roman world and speak the truth he instilled—in the face of the greatest defeat: Jesus'crucifixion as a common criminal. Daring, provocative, and stunningly original, Cahill's interpretation will both delight and surprise. How did an obscure rabbi from a backwater of the Roman Empire come to be the central figure in Western Civilization? Did his influence in fact change the world? These are the questions Thomas Cahill addresses in his subtle and engaging investigation into the life and times of Jesus. Cahill shows us Jesus from his birth to his execution through the eyes of those who knew him and in the context of his time -- a time when the Jews were struggling to maintain their beliefs under overlords who imposed their worldview on their subjects. Here is Jesus the loving friend, itinerate preacher, and quiet revolutionary, whose words and actions inspired his followers to journey throughout the Roman world and speak the truth he instilled -- in the face of the greatest defeat: Jesus' crucifixion as a common criminal. Daring, provocative, and stunningly original, Cahill's interpretation will both delight and surprise "How did an obscure rabbi from a backwater of the Roman Empire come to be the central figure in Western Civilization? Did his influence in fact change the world? These are the questions Thomas Cahill addresses in his subtle and engaging investigation into the life and times of Jesus. Cahill shows us Jesus from his birth to his execution through the eyes of those who knew him and in the context of his time -- a time when the Jews were struggling to maintain their beliefs under overlords who imposed their worldview on their subjects. Here is Jesus the loving friend, itinerate preacher, and quiet revolutionary, whose words and actions inspired his followers to journey throughout the Roman world and speak the truth he instilled -- in the face of the greatest defeat: Jesus' crucifixion as a common criminal"--Publisher's description Greeks, Jews, and Romans: the people Jesus knew The last of the prophets: the Jesus the apostles knew The cosmic Christ: Paul's Jesus The gentile Messiah: Luke's Jesus Drunk in the morning light: the people of the way The Word made flesh: the Jesus the beloved disciple knew Yesterday, today, and forever: the world after Jesus.