his book, the author tells us, arose out of feelings of irritation and amazement which came to him after an Advent service. Irritation, because the congregation sang of the prophets who foretold Christ, whereas modern scholarship has taught us that these prophets did not have miraculous foreknowledge of the future; moreover, such a view is basically antisemitic, presupposing that the Jews were blind and hard of heart in rejecting a Messiah so clearly announced. Amazement, that a pious Jew crucified as a criminal two thousand years earlier was celebrated all over the world as risen Lord.
How could this be?
Answering that question leads Lucas Grollenberg to look again at the messianic prophecies, the political and spiritual background to the life of Jesus, at Easter and Pentecost and the new community to which they gave rise, and its adoption of scriptures old and new. Finally, he considers what Jesus can truly be said to fulfil.
Those who have enjoyed Fr Grollenberg's Jesus, Paul and other books will welcome this new work, which has all the clarity and charm of its predecessors.