Killing Jesus

A History

By: Bill O'Reilly, Martin Dugard

Narrated by: Bill O'Reilly

Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Millions of people have thrilled to best-selling authors Bill O'Reilly and historian Martin Dugard's Killing Kennedy and Killing Lincoln, works of nonfiction that have changed the way we view history. Now the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor details the events leading up to the murder of the most influential man in history: Jesus of Nazareth. Nearly 2,000 years after this beloved and controversial young revolutionary was brutally killed by Roman soldiers, more than 2.2 billion human beings attempt to follow his teachings and believe he is God. Killing Jesus will take listeners inside Jesus' life, recounting the seismic political and historical events that made his death inevitable and changed the world forever.

©Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard (P)2013 Macmillan Audio

The Jesus story in context

Where does Killing Jesus rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

If you are searching for a different take on the Jesus story... You won't find it here. (While NOT a religious book, the book follows the gospels.) Where it excels, is placing the events in historical and cultural context. By freeing the main character (Jesus) from the restraints of strictly gospel and putting him amid the political chaos, cultures, and religious traditions of the time; the story of Jesus simultaneously become more complex and yet amazingly simple. Most Christians are aware of the life and death of Jesus. Most are NOT aware of the politics and religious traditions of the day that led to the series of events chronicled in the gospels.A book aimed at the history buff more than the religious zealot.

What other book might you compare Killing Jesus to and why?

Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy
Why: We know how it ends.

Which character – as performed by Bill O'Reilly – was your favorite?

It was more about how all the characters work together to form the context of the death of Jesus that is most compelling.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

Don't get the book to be inspired to believe nor to find some amazing nugget of faith. Get the book to better understand historical context; Jewish law, tradition, and historical politics; and how those things worked together to ensure the sacrifice.

Well researched

Would you listen to Killing Jesus again? Why?

I will listen to this book many times. For extreme fundamentalists, there may be some issues, none of which are significant. Mostly because the put the historical evidence in line with what the bible states. Also, most Christians feel the Jesus started his public life at 30, but this references starts his public life at 33. It also puts many of the events into some contect. For everyone else, this is an amazing historical reference to align the biblical life of Jesus on earth with the historical evidence available. In many respects it reminds me of Og Mandino's "The Christ Commission." On the other hand, having a historical alignment makes understanding the times and the events even more prolific.

What other book might you compare Killing Jesus to and why?

I'd suggest The Christ Commission by Og Mandino (regretfully not availablel here). Mr. Og was a pen pal of mine before his passing. We first communicated when I just wanted to thank him for my favorite book (The Greatest Miracle In The World). When I read The Christ Commission, it gave me a great understanding of the faith of those that followed Christ in the times immediately following his time physically here. I have strove to do the same ever since.

What does Bill O'Reilly bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Perhaps the inflections of the author, also a historian and public figure.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely.

Great Listen

Just like all the books in the “Killing” series, this was such an easy and entertaining listen! Well worth it!

Vivid picturesque storytelling .

Very well done. great walk-through on the story of Jesus. Well done. Hat tip to you

Great context!

a fantastic book putting a lot of questions and themes of the Bible into context!

Enjoyable

I enjoyed this book and audio book (I have both). The information was well researched, easy to understand, and enjoyable. I was very impressed with the details in both the main context and the additional footnotes. I was not prepared for the wonderful Roman background, however, it added such depth to the overall story and book. I will definitely be keeping this book and reading it again.

Great History Lesson

I've been a follower of Christ for many years. Through those years I have struggled to understand the timeline that Christ took. This book brought everything to life and has offered me clarity that I did not have before.

History lesson

This book provides a perspective that is easy to follow and engaging. I feel I have understood more through this book than historical or religious books.

Excellent, Colorful Portrayal Quality References

Bill O'Reilly did an excellent job narrating this story. As the author of the story, he used colorful language to put the reader in the moment. The writing was historical, yet done so in a manner to keep your attention. Additionally, the writing did not come across as opinion, but rather as fact. I didn't question the references.

Learned the Great History of Jesus

The Bible had a great new supplement that Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard put together that solidifies the facts.