BookTrib.com

Jim Alkon

December 11, 2024

"Jesus’ Every Word and Deed is a fascinating, intelligent, scholarly and extraordinary work that should take its place on the shelves of some of the prominent books that help readers study the life and teachings of Jesus."

In Jesus’ Every Word and Deed: Woven from the Scriptures, author and scriptural scholar John C. Burkhalter tries to present readers with just that — Jesus’ every word and deed. But he does it in a unique way that makes the story of Jesus more accessible and authentic than many traditional works before it.

A Labor of Love Thirteen Years in the Making

It took him 13 years, but Burkhalter meticulously combined the four Gospels into one continuous read, taking parts of each and using only the exact words found in the Scriptures, to offer a complete tracing of Jesus’ life, teachings, death and resurrection.

While the four Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John — observe the story of God taking the form of a man in Jesus from different points of view, what Burkhalter’s project does is help paint a total persona of Jesus and what he stands for, with the full content of each perspective. This ambitious and wonderfully assembled work is true to the words in the Scriptures, nothing more, nothing less. For that reason, there is no questioning its integrity.

Staying True to Scripture Without Alteration

The author emphasizes that his work is not meant as an alternative to the Bible but rather a supplement to gain the same information from the four Gospel books presented in a combined, concise format.

In that Burkhalter stays true to the words of the Scriptures, he would probably defer to being regarded as the book’s author — the words of his book are the words of God, as communicated by the Gospels. Perhaps Burkhalter should be regarded as God’s able project manager.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than a double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (As quoted in the Introduction from Hebrews 4:12)

The substance of the manuscript traces the life of Jesus in great specificity: from his Baptism to his teachings to his critics to his journeys to Jerusalem to his arrest, crucifixion and resurrection.

Every Word Sourced, Every Prophecy Connected

The book includes a reference section in which every word from the Bible is sourced by book, chapter and verse. It also includes 59 Old Testament Prophecies where they coincide with the relevance in Jesus’ life.

Jesus’ Every Word and Deed is available in paperback and ebook, and a new audiobook version has just been released.

A Scholarly Masterpiece for Believers and Seekers

So why combine the writings of the four Gospels into one volume?

“While there is great value in reading and studying each separately,” says Burkhalter, “there is also a certain simplicity and cohesiveness in reading the whole message with all the details in one place.”

That’s what he hopes to accomplish — not only for newcomers to Christianity but for current believers to supplement their own knowledge and understanding. In the realm of Bible education, Jesus’ Every Word and Deed is a fascinating, intelligent, scholarly and extraordinary work that should take its place on the shelves of some of the prominent books that help readers study the life and teachings of Jesus.