I read this book in this time of Christmas, 2001-2002. The content was incredibly interesting and changed my mind about the narratives of Jesus infancy. The two initial chapters of Matthew and Luke now say different things than I understood just a month ago. Recommendable only for people with a very well cemented faith. Short and very interesting and clear reading. That is the reason why I am a father Brown's fan.

This booklet contains an excellent summary of some of the important conclusions reached in Father Brown's comprehensive and scholarly work, "The Birth of the Messiah." Father Brown's concern in the booklet is the theological message of the evangelists--he views this as the most important aspect of the message, and something that can get lost amid modern searches to either prove or disprove each item of the stories as historical events.

As usual, the late great Father Brown did an excellent job. He explores the Old Testament roots of Mathew's and Luke's Birth Stories and analyzes broad and beautiful topics such as "the Meaning of the Magi" (the Good News is for all who will believe, including Gentiles) and the "Importance of the Shepherds" (they symbolize an Israel that comes to recognize and glorify its Lord Jesus, the Davidic Messiah foretold in the Jewish Scriptures).

Father Brown said he hopes the regognition that there is an adult Christ in the message of Christmas--i.e., that the theological meaning of God's gift of Jesus is included in these beautiful opening verses--will lead believers to proclaim that revelation to others, and that they will respond in faith. It was a wonderful thing to have this brilliant and intellectually honest scholar also put his faith on display.

This book is short (50 pages) and well written. It can form the basis of an lay class on Christmas or Advent, either led by clergy or laity. Excellent resource.
This book is an exacting and thoughtful set of essays by the most eminent bibical scholar of our time, the late Fr. Raymond Brown. It is a summation of much of what he wrote elsewhere in his volumnious work (for example, his epic "The Birth of the Messiah"). In this 50-page book he explains why the gospel writers wrote the birth stories the way they did, with differing plot twists. Brown reaches profound insights with major implications for the spirituality and theology of the Christian Church. His insights about the centrality of Mary is particularly interesting, especially for a Roman Catholic. He sees the miracle of Mary not so much as the "virgin" birth or as the theotokos (mother of God) of the early Church, but rather as the first and most loyal disciple of Jesus. And that should have implications about the role of women in the Church and priesthood.
Brown, as ever, does his homework. His scholarship is solid -- even the footnotes are worth reading.

I found spiritual insight in this slim volume by Fr. Raymond E Brown, S.S. "A COMING CHRIST in ADVENT" is a collection of essays on the gospel narratives preparing for the birth of Jesus. As such, it is a commentary of the first chapters of Matthew and Luke. The subjects include the genealogy of the CHRIST, Jesus, as presented in Matthew, the three Annunciations as well as the Benedictus. The subject is given the characteristic thoroughness Fr Brown applies to his larger works. Two themes which I found intriguing are first, that the Lucan Infacy Narratives contain figures from the Hebrew Scriptures (Zechariah and Elizabeth) and Gospel figures (John, the Baptist) encountering each other in order to bridge the two periods of GOD's salvific action. The second theme which was presented in a new light for me is the role of Mary as a disciple of the CHRIST. Fr Brown writes, "In all of this Luke has anticipated a christological terminology that is appropriate to Jesus' ministry and beyond." Jesus defines 'family' in terms of accepting his gospel about the LORD (Mark 3:35; Luke 8:21). Mary's answer in the Annunciation is "Let it be done to me according to your word." Again, from Fr Brown, "The evangelist is descrbing not only one who is consenting to be the physical mother of Jesus but also and very importantly one who meets Jesus' criterion for his family of disciples -- indeed the first one." If you are interested in understanding the Gospel message in the Infancy Narratives, this book will be interesting to you.

Raymond E. Brown is best known for his large The Birth of the Messiah and the two volumes on the death of Christ. Those are readable texts aimed at a more scholarly crowd. A Coming of Christ in Advent is one of a group of slim volumes that collect his essays for magazines. In these essays he shows the same skill for scholarly work and equal skill at making it meaningful to today's Christian - not as Biblical study but as meaningful to one's life.

My favorite section in this particular volume is the study of the genealogy in Matthew's Gospel - the points regarding the women mentioned as all being "outsiders" was one of several provocative points. I'm sure other readers would pick out different highlights depending upon the conditions under which they read the book - there are many possible highlights to chose between.

The "New Jerome Biblical Handbook" remains one of the most important books to come out of religious publishing in some time. It is an absolute essential for the busy clergyman who does not have the time for the in-depth reading and studying required for the far more academic "New Jerome Biblical Commentary". It will also make a worthy addition to the personal shelf of any informed layperson who wishes to become more biblically literate. It should also be found in every parish library.

What the "Handbook" does, is condense and distill the dense and academic material in the "Commentary" and present it in an easily recoverable fashion. The reader will gain insights into every book of the Bible, as well as into the basics of modern critical methodology, without requiring the technical training of the academic or seminarian.

From a theological standpoint, the "Handbook" could best be described as "moderate", rejecting both the anti-intellectualism of the fundamentalist far right as well as the deconstructionist tendencies of the far left. The editors did their work well in presenting a balanced picture of the best of modern biblical scholarship in an easy to read and comprehend format.

Certainly worth 5 stars.

I heartily recommend this book to all those who wanted a quick reference about the Bible! Maybe viewed as a supplementary to the NJBC, I find this book a handy one to bring along during my theology classes, and a useful tool for easy reading. The best handbook made for the best bible commentary!It has charts and visuals not usually found in the NJBC, which I think helps summarize and condense the immense scholarly works found in the NJBC.A great Companion to NJBC!

Brown tells Catholic readers much they probably don't know about the early formation of the gospel messages, and his text is filled with interesting information coupled with thoughtful reflection and commentary. Brown even includes the "introduction" on how to read scripture, from the official Vatican document.

You will learn about the three stages of gospel formation, how reading any text in a literal way simply is silly, and how the Church encourages Catholics to read the gospels through the many "lenses" we now have available.

The last book published by Raymond E Brown prior to his death, it combines serious scholarship and prayerful reflection on the author of the Fourth gospel. The reader gets the feeling that Brown knew the "beloved disciple" on a personal basis. Many of the insights he shares about the community of the beloved disciple and the significance of the Fourth Gospel are profound and deeply moving. A book that is a real page turner.

A thorough and scholarly examination of the New Testament which is entirely accessable to the lay reader. Father Brown lucidly sets forth the social, religious, political and historical context of each book without losing sight of the essential Christian message. His approach is an intellectually-challenging counterbalance to the work of the "Jesus Seminar"; he expounds on the development of each New Testament book without challenging its essential, spiritual veracity. Well done, indeed.

The most important thing to say about this book is that you will want to (infact, you will NEED to) read the New Testament to fully understand much of its content. This is not a bad thing: Brown's intent was that you actually sit down and read the bilblical texts, preferably before delving into his commentary! His format is extremely no-nonsense (his frequent abbreviation may infact be the only off-putting aspect of the book), and the "Issues and Concerns" at the end of each chapter encourage dialogue and critical thinking. I have already read many books by other popular religious authors (J.D. Crossan, John Shelby Spong, Elaine Pagels, etc), and was happy to finally get around to Fr. Brown. I am looking forward to reading his other books.

The late Raymond E. Brown was a tremendous scholar and a devout Christian. In all he did, Father Brown carefully applied the tools of critical scholarship while never apologizing for his faith. In a scholastic battlefield too often dominated by extremists on the left and the right, Father Brown was a breath of fresh air who drew fire from both sides.

This Introduction first provides helpful background information about the formation of the New Testament and the social and political world that produced it. Father Brown then carefully analyzes each book of the New Testament with consideration for issues such as who the author was, where the book was written, and who the author's initial audience was. More importantly, each book is then carefully analyzed in light of this information for the meaning it conveyed in the social and historical context in which it was written.

As another reviewer has said, you can't read this book beneficially without also reading the New Testament. But for searching, inquisitive readers who are willng to put in that effort, this book provides a truly informative, intellectually honest introduction to the greatest story ever told.

Brown's work is much easier to read than many other books in this genre. He allows for exploration of different ideas and one need not have a PhD to learn a great deal from this book.

Have you ever purchased a book that seemed promising in regard to helping you understand the Bible, but when it came it was either far too simplistic or just over your head? For most readers, this book provides insight and commentary that will avoid both pitfalls.

Using the uncommon characteristics of the Fourth Gospel, Raymond Brown laid out in this readable volume his theories of why this account of the gospel is so unique. With accompanying charts that lay out the various groups which may have composed the "Community of the Beloved Disciple," Brown makes his theory especially easy to grasp.

Losing Raymond Brown was a great loss for the entire Christian Church. Having heard him speak in person and having read many of his works, I strongly urge this particular volume upon you if you have an interest in the Fourth Gospel.

In 1965 Father Brown published his great magisterial two volume commentary on the Gospel of John in which he advocated the traditional view the John the son of Zebedee was the evangelist. In 1965 J. Louis Martyn published his monumental work "History and Theology in the Fourth Gospel," wherein he proved, once and for all, that John the son of Zebedee could not be the evangelist. Now what would be Brown's reaction? This is it. He simply admitted that he was wrong and builds on Martyn's work in this marvelous book. Hopefully you can also read Martyn's book with this one, but this one alone will give you a glimpse into a first century religious community.

My personal theology is considerably more liberal than Dr. Brown's. Nevertheless, I think that he does a good job of explaining what many Christians believe about the divinity of Jesus and why. I also believe that his scholarship is thourough and honest, albeit not always impartial. But then again, I doubt that anyone's scholarship is totally impartial.

i guess this will be just another five star review for father brown! raymond brown (now deceased) was a catholic priest and a moderately critical new testament theologian PAR EXCELLENCE. this, like his other works, is well-reasoned, thorough, and essentially impartial. probably the best overall introduction to Christology (which one might define as the study of not only of Jesus, but of His relationship to His surroundings). father brown concentrates on subjects such as Jesus' preception of Himself and His purpose, the probable reaction of His comtemporaries to His teachings, and the overall picture we get from the gospels. this is tremendous scholarship distilled into a brief readable capsule! you will respect this work whether you are fundamentalist or pagan!

I am currently using this book while enrolled in a course in Cristology in graduate school. I have found it to be very helpful and fact filled. The author is very staitforward and does not stray from the subject matter.

The late Fr. Raymond Brown,S.S.,of blessed memory, was the greatest scripture scholar this country has produced. Eriudite,brilliant,evenhanded,he searched for the truth,not easy answers. His BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH{which I still have as a $5.95 trade paperback from 1978},set the tsandard of modern american scripture scholarship. In this, the first of 2 volumes{as part of the magnificent ANCHOR BIBLE LIBRARY},Fr. Brown begins his passions study from the moment the Last supper begins. He open each section with a literal translation of the 4 gospels, then gives his commentary. With the massive footnotes,{and Brown's footnotes are more interesting then most studies},literally hundreds of pages of Bibliography,Fr. Brown dissects line by line,the content of each passage. Some of his insights are casually stunning{in all the scriptures there is only one other suicide besides Juds mentioned, that in II Samuel},his belief in the HISTORICAL accuracy of John's gospel,his hundreds of casual asides{the difference in the conjugation of certain verbs,one leaving Jesus passive, the other suggesting a proactive Jesus] These are just minor nuggets. This study will take one a long time to read,to digest. It is NOT an easy read.It is INFINITELY REWARDING. Raymond Browns scholarship far exceeds my ability to praise.Taken together, these two volumes are a testament to the faith and scholarship and brilliance of this man. BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!

The depth of Brown's scholarship is marvelous. Brown parses and analyzes each verse of every gospel story with insight and precision. It is a testament to his even-handedness that he draws criticism from the religious right as well as the avant garde iconoclasts who inhabit the left wing of modern Biblical scholarship. If you're looking for an easy read, look elsewhere. The student must invest a good deal of effort in reading and understanding this book, but the diligent student will find the reward well worth the extra effort.

It's hard to believe that a guy could write 1500 some pages on 36 hours of a person's life. Yet it makes for fascinating reading, and Father Brown leaves few stones unturned in his penetrating look at the final hours of Jesus' earthly ministry. In volume one, he discusses the relationships between the first three gospels and the gospel of John, and then he proceesed on to a discussion of each gospel's passion narrative. Father Brown's main agenda is to get at the meaning of the biblical text as it stands. This is not to say that Brown shys away from discussing the historicity of a particular passage. Sometimes, he swims against the stream by leaving open the possibility of the historicity of a story (eg. that there really was a Jewish and a Roman trial of Jesus). And occasionally, he sees the passion stories as powerful metaphors rather than something that actually happened (cf John 18, when the crowd falls to the ground when Jesus says 'I am He.") Yet He is also rightfully skeptical about modern attempts to reconstruct what actually happened 1970 years ago. He prefers to let the text of scripture speak for itself.

This book is a huge, academic tome, and as rich and informative as it is, the reader better be prepared to make heavy weather of it. You could spend lots of extra time mining extra information out of all the footnotes and bibliographical references that Brown cites. But I could hardly recommend any other source for people who want to know more about the passion of Christ.

While various conclusions seem selective, Birth of the Messiah is an excellent reference source for anyone who wishes to explore the Infancy Stories of Matthew and Luke. Neither evangelical nor peddling the revisionist garbage of our times, Raymond Brown sifts through the gospel material with a fine tooth comb. The Appendix sections are also well stocked with information to special subjects related to the Birth narratives. This book is a classic, and surely will remain so for years to come.

I was reluctant when this tome about the infancy narratives had been recommended, and after the first chapter discovered this was no ordinary book. There are myriads of commentaries, but none like this! This book elaborates at length on the short gospel narratives of the birth of Jesus, and how the NT authors had woven OT material into those narratives. It elaborates on the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary: not as some wench who did as God told her, but as the first disciple of Christ to say Yes to the call of God; not merely a mother to Christ, but the Mother of the people of God by her fiat. For those who already believe, and even for those who don't, it elaborates why the incarnation is such an awesome historial event, not only in human history, but in salvation history.

Fr. Brown writes with erudition, and, while his audience is scholarly, even novices can read these gems with considerable ease. I initially intended to read the book straight through, but the density and intensity of the material suggested that a more devotional, gradual read would be more beneficial. I admit this is hard to do, because once embarked, these insights propel one to read as much as one can as fast as one can. However you decide to read it, I cannot think of a better introduction, as well as advanced scholarship, that will not leave one unchanged.

592 pages of commentary on 180 verses comes to a little over three pages per verse, and this is not a large print edition. The analysis is exhaustive (and sometimes exhausting), but the serious student of the Gospels will find the book a gold mine of information.

Brown followed this book up with a two volume work on "The Death of the Messiah," but cut the trilogy short by declining to write "The Resurrection of the Messiah." Given the quality and depth of analysis shown in "Birth" and "Death," it would have been very interesting had he shared his scholarship in a volume on the resurrection. We can get a hint of what he might have said in that volume by reading his comments on the resurrection narratives in his "Introduction to the New Testament."