Review of "Jesus Asked."

One of my favorite books that I have read recently is Jesus Asked. What He Wanted To Know by Conrad Gempf. The basic premise of the book is turning the assumption we have of Jesus as the Great Teacher upside down. Jesus the Great Conversationalist pretty much goes by the wayside as well.

Gempf's own assumptions are questioned when a friend points out that, by our usual standards, Jesus didn't impart a whole lot of information or end up with a large following. What information he did pass along was not always clear nor a direct answer. More questions was the standard fare when you got a chance to ask, if he wasn't downright rude to you at times.

Don't believe me? Read the gospels. Really. Don't blow through the conversations; actually take a look. How many people leave a chat with Jesus angry, disappointed, or just confused? These stories in the gospels may just be purposefully challenging and disturbing, not just to the people at that time, but to us as well. Which is exactly what Gempf hopes happens to us - no fence sitting when you have a face to face encounter with Jesus!