Yeshua book brings Gospel closer to people

In an effort to make Bible appealing to a largely secular readership, a Kerala-based publishing house has brought out a combined and chronological account of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in a single narrative.

The 'Yeshua' book does away with the traditional "chapter and verse" style format and presents the Gospel in a novel-like fashion.

The book, published by Chrisent Publishing, does not have a religious look and feel and is available in a paperback format.

Yeshua combines the four separate accounts in the New Testament into a single narrative, presenting a comprehensive picture of all that Jesus did and taught. It also contains maps and notes with archaeological, historical and cultural information.

"People not from a traditional Christian background often find it difficult to read and understand the life and teachings of Jesus. Some people have a traditional reluctance to read the scriptures, especially of a religion that they do not belong to," says Rinu Jacob of Christen Publishing.

"Although Jesus is a well-known figure and respected by Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Muslims, the story of his life and teachings is not available in a popular format today. Additionally, there are certain teachings of Jesus that are misunderstood," Jacob adds.

And those interested are often baffled by the diverse versions of the Bible such as the NIV, KJV, RSV, ESV, NASB or the Good News Bible.

The language used in several versions also varies widely from the archaic English. Then there are the Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox versions of the Bible. "Even if one picks a particular version, it is not easy to get a comprehensive view of the whole," says Jacob.

There is not one, but four separate accounts of the life of Jesus written by four separate authors. While some information is common to these four accounts, few incidents are found only in one or two of the accounts. "The Yeshua book might be the answer. It uses simple and contemporary language to explain the text," says Jacob.

Uniquely tailored to appeal to secular readership, the introductory chapters in Yeshua include, the Water Turning to Wine, Sermon on the Mount, The Transfiguration, The Last Supper and The Garden of Gethsemane. The book provides a timeline for all the events it describes.

A copy of the Yeshua can be got at OM, ELS and other Christian bookstores across the country.