Joseph Ratzinger – Pope Benedict XVI
All the seemingly disparate stories written over a thousand years or more by a multitude of authors begin to make sense when one sees their fulfilment in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, as Pope Benedict masterfully portrays in the first volume of his three-part series. Every page is filled with new and insightful connections to the Old Testament, as well as modern parallels to past events—some of which are unfolding now. Although taking over 20,000 words of notes slowed my reading considerably, I found something profound and poignant on every page. It should be required reading for all new catechumens, and I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the perfect plan of events and prophecies in the Old Testament, all leading to the final culmination of ancient history in the Crucifixion of Christ and the rebirth of history in the Resurrection of Jesus.
The book has ten chapters focusing on the main events of Jesus’ life starting with the baptism in the Jordan and ending with Jesus declaring his identity. Below is a list of the Chapters in the book where I will link to the relevant reviews of those chapters or parts thereof when I’ve completed the posts.
Introduction
An Initial Reflection on the Mystery of Jesus
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
The Nature and Purpose of the Parables
Three Major Parables from the Gospel of Luke The Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37)
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Lk 16, 1931)
Chapter Eight
The Principal Images of John’s Gospel
Introduction: The Johannine Question The Principal Johannine Images
Chapter Nine
Two Milestones on Jesus’ Way: Peter’s Confession and the Transfiguration
