The Complete Gospels : Annotated Scholars Version (Revised & expanded)

Rating:
Summary: Extremely Helpful
Review: This collection of early Christian gospels is one of the many that I own, and definitely one of the best. The collection includes narrative gospels, sayings gospels, infancy gospels, fragmentary gospels, Jewish-Christian gospels, as well as "orphan" sayings and studies. Also included is extremely helpful commentary that provides context and explanation for often hard-to-understand verses. Considering the fact that the gospels were often written specifically for communities that would know exactly what they were talking about, some explanation is often needed. Illustrations and cameo essays are included that give a more complete view of the more important concepts and historical points. The titles of narrative segments in the margins of the pages are inmeasurably helpful when attempting to compare/contrast or to find a specific passage. The book gives a remarkably complete view of early Christian thought, Gnostic, Jewish Christian, and otherwise. The only complaint I can think of is that the title "The Complete Gospels"-- is not entirely accurate, it is not a COMPLETE collection, though it does include all of the gospels that are really important (the ones that are not included are either too hypothetical, too obscure, redundant, etc.) I like the translation, even if it at first seems different from other translations, certainly very different from the KJV or the NIV. It is not very poetic, but very focused on exact translation, both word-for-word and original meaning. One example of this is the constant translation of the usual "Kingdom of God" phrase as "The Imperial Rule of God"-- something that can convey both the original meaning as well as keeping the phrase somewhat intact. Where these two cannot be reconciled, there is usually a footnote that elaborates on the original context/meaning/words/etc. The book itself contains most everything that one needs to understand not only the canonical gospels but the first years of the religion itself. It gives you a clear picture, if not of Jesus, than Christianity in its early expansion (from around 50 C.E.-the second century.) And just for that alone it deserves five stars.