Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus

By: Ann Spangler, Lois Tverberg

Narrated by: Laural Merlington

Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

A rare chance to know Jesus as his first disciples knew him.

What would it be like to journey back to the first century and sit at the feet of Rabbi Jesus as one of his Jewish disciples? How would your understanding of the gospel have been shaped by the customs, beliefs, and traditions of the Jewish culture in which you lived?

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus takes you on a fascinating tour of the Jewish world of Jesus, offering inspirational insights that can transform your faith. Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg paint powerful scenes from Jesus’ ministry, immersing you in the prayers, feasts, history, culture, and customs that shaped Jesus and those who followed him.

You will hear the parables as they must have sounded to first-century Jews, powerful and surprising. You will join the conversations that were already going on among the rabbis of his day. You will watch with new understanding as the events of his life unfold. And you will emerge with new excitement about the roots of your own Christian faith.

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus will change the way you read Scripture and deepen your understanding of the life of Jesus. It will also help you to adapt the rich prayers and customs you learn about to your own life, in ways that both respect and enrich your Christian faith.

By looking at the Jewishness of Jesus, Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg take you on a captivating journey into the heart of Judaism, one that is both balanced and insightful, helping you to better understand and appreciate your own faith.

©2009 Ann Spangler (P)2010 Zondervan

I Loved 60% of This Book

Pros (60%):
This book's feel is reminiscient of a casual afternoon garden stroll; never hurried, gently paced & free from overly-complicated issues. For the most part, it is straight-forward in its analysis & historical context, providing background & context for its claims. 60% of the book falls into this category & it is done well. Although I would've preferred more in-depth analysis & evidence, the authors did not attempt to push the topics beyond their means.

Cons (40%):
The authors repeatedly interject their own opinions on ways to put their analysis & conclusions into action, much like a daily devotional, when the majority of the book does not lean that way. It feels awkward & forced at times, often making me cringe & zone out until it's over. The narrator is also hit-or-miss, never truly pulling you into the narration, nor doing enough to push you away. If this was an actual book, skipping these sections would make the read much more enjoyable.

This books is full of fascinating & enlightening information concerning the ministry & meanings beyond Jesus' teachings. If you stick to these moments & focus on the positives, then the book is highly recommended. Regardless, I must recommend this book, if for no other reason than to help others grow in their faith & understanding of the Lord's Truth.

I hope this review has been helpful & the book offers some new insight for new listeners.

Enjoy!

13 of 14 people found this review helpful

A pleasant surprise around several corners!

What did you like best about this story?

This story brought to light many things that a Rabbi in Jesus day would do and use to teach others the truth of God. My favorite was the use of a Hebrew Scripture that was well known to the followers, we see an answer that Jesus gives to a question given Him, but the people he was talking to at the time would hear his answer as the start of a scripture (from the Hebrew Scriptures) and would interpret His answer by the rest of the scripture that He started. Wow, that really changes the interpretation of what Jesus meant when he answered! If this short description doesn't make sense, read(or listen) to the book and it will become crystal clear.

Any additional comments?

Tune in to Rabbi Jesus by reading or listening to this great explanation of learning from a Rabbi in Jesus time!

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Life changing perspective!

There have been a few books in my walk with God that have been life changing. The Bible of course, is first. "The Barbarian Way", "The Way of the Wild at Heart", "Waking the Dead" and now "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus". I am grateful to have discovered this book, by God's sovereign hand, I am sure. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to understand not just Jesus' words but also better understand the cultural context in which they were delivered to His original hearers.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

A Blessing.

If you wish to walk closer to God this will start you in that direction. I am a senior citizen who has been a christian for as long as I can remember. I attend a Hebraic Christian Congregation where we observe the Jewish Feasts and study the Torah as well as the Bible. If you want to understand the New Testament (Covenant) you need to study the Old Testament (Covenant). God's word is is true from start to finish.
This book helps you understand in a whole new light. I hope you are blessed as much as I have been.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Inspiring insights.

Understanding Jesus is first century your day and historical and cultural context is crucial to comprehending much of the meaning of the gospel as well as his ministry. Subtleties like Jesus, wearing tassels containing sections of scripture on scrolls, to finding out which portions of Scripture Jesus quoted the most. As well as some very good advice on how to apply all of this in your daily life. All makes this a very worthwhile read.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Good book annoying narrator

The book itself has good information although it is Jewish life seen through Christian eyes so the author still misses some of the deeper Hebraic meaning. But the narrator's voice grated on my last nerve! She is monotone in parts and sing songish in others. But the very worst part is hearing her mispronounce Hebrew words. It was like nails on a chalkboard! She almost sounded like Siri in several places. It made it hard to listen to her.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Excellent book

I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to deepen their understanding of Jesus' life and teaching. My only negative comment would be that the pronunciation of Hebrew in the audiobook recording was very American, but that's certainly a minor point

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Sometimes advanced, sometimes simple

This was good. I learned some new things, saw some new insights. At times it delved into first century rabbinic thought, which was great, and at other times it felt like a new Christian's bible study guide. Most of the connections she made were good, some were off.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Very interesting read

I enjoyed the content, it made many seemingly meaningless details come to life.

Unfortunately, I think the reader was too close to the mic and I often found this literally painful to listen to, particularly the S sounds.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Loved this book!

This book renewed my love for the Old Testament and gave e me new intrigue for Jewish culture.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Wonderful

This book is informative and well worth having. The narrator is easy to listen to. And the book itself is brimming with fresh insight on the Jewish context of the scriptures.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

a beautiful read

This is one book that you don't forget in a hurry its one of my favorites following this I purchased two more books by Ann Spangler. She explains much of the culture at the time of Jesus and explains scriptures in the light of the Messiah being Jewish.

Enlightenment defined

loved it! captivating and enlightening. Amazing history lesson in cultural life of Rabbi Jesus. Must read