Solid Concept, Slack Execution

Before launching into this book review, I must divulge a bias that I possess – any book that incorporates in its title something new about God, Jesus, or the Bible immediately arouses my skepticism.   Thus, Judah Smith’s book Jesus Is _____:  A New Way to be Human was evaluated under a strong microscope.  Whether or not that type of evaluation is fair, I cannot say; but I wanted to offer my bias up front for anyone that may read this review. 

Let me offer an explanation.  The term “new” is often utilized as a marketing strategy to distinguish the author from others in order to increase sales.  Also, the term casts a poor light on previous scholarship which can lead to an elevation of modernity over antiquity.  The latter is my concern because God’s Word is characterized as antiquated and many want to “update” it for the modern age.  Doing so means that God is old fashioned, needs to be repacked for people today, and that man is the only one that can save God’s out-dated message and restore its power.

The book is based on a marketing campaign implemented by his church to get people in his area to think more about Jesus (see comment above about marketing).  According to the author, it produced more success than he could imagine as the webpage received thousands of responses, was hacked by folks, and has been mentioned on all sorts of third-party websites.  As a by-product, it transformed the church’s mission statement.  My question is simple though – is that their measure of success?  How many people trusted Christ and were discipled?  How many church-goers changed their lives to live more like the Light of the World (Christ) when our dark world desperately needs that example?   Those details were omitted.

Throughout the book, Judah Smith as the ability to turn a neat phrase that will stay with a reader.  For instance, page 74 contains this ditty:  “Grace is so simple that we have a hard time believing it could be true.  But I’m convinced that unless it’s too good to be true, it’s not grace.”  The implication is powerful there – man cannot conceptualize the free gift of salvation through God’s grace and wants to earn our way to Him (which is impossible).  Grace is something that we should ponder much more than we do because it can and will transform our lives.  I walked away from this book with a greater motivation to pour through Scripture to seek more information and life application for His grace in my life.  

Unfortunately, based upon the evidence provided by Smith himself, I believe he is trying to update or revitalize God’s message for the world.  On page xvii of the introduction, he says that he will write other books but that “I doubt I will ever write one as important as this.”  On the next page, xviii, he says that he will “often retell Bible narratives in my own words” by throwing in a “good dose of humor.”  These hyperbolic statements shift the focus from God to the filter than man has in order to make God more palatable in this contemporary period.  That, my friends, is dangerous territory.

Overall, I found Smith’s work hard to follow.  He admitted in his introduction that he was an all-over-the-place person, and his book is just that.  He accepts that this will frustrate some – it did me -- His attempts at infusing humor kept the book on a shallow level rather than digging deeply for the truth that he wanted to advance.  These phrases may attract those that do not know much about the Bible, but it lacks the necessary depth for those that have sought Jesus for many years. 

My greatest criticism of the book is in its scope.  There are six responses to the fill in the blank question Jesus Is ____, and they are:  (1) your friend, (2) grace, (3) the point, (4) happy, (5) here, and (6) alive.  Strangely, the most important of all answers to that question is missing – He is God!  If He is not God, then nothing else matters.  Smith is quick to point out how the Pharisees focused on rules and wanted adulterers put to death by stoning.  Jesus noted their sin and forgave the adulterer.  However, Smith is quick to omit any mention of God’s holiness and justice which makes His love and grace so powerful for us as we deserve His justice but, instead, receive His love and grace (IF we accept His gift).  

I will summarize this way – the concept of the book is solid but the execution was lacking.  If you use this in a small group discussion, someone will need to spend a significant amount of time in preparation to go to the needed depth that is lacking herein.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”