Title: Before I Was Jesus: Twenty-Five Secret Identities of Jesus

Author: Dr. Gerald D. Robison

Genre: Religion

 

Dr. Gerald D. Robison’s Before I Was Jesus: Twenty-Five Secret Identities of Jesus follows Old Testament mentions of Jesus before he walked the earth as a man in full flesh. Often known as theophanies or Christophanies, these appearances of the Son part of a triune God show up throughout Israel’s history. Robison divides the book into chapters that deal with each identity.

Before I Was Jesus is a fascinating must-read for Christians and those who are interested in religious studies. Robison is clearly well-versed in theology. His accomplishments and accolades in his “about the author” section further confirm his authority to write on this subject.

The book is easily accessible and organized neatly into compact chapters, each one covering a different identity of Jesus. Jesus, the author explains, is the name God took on as the Son part of the Trinity when he was born and walked the earth before his crucifixion, but many Christians (and others) may well wonder what he did before that.

Writing from a first-person point of view as Jesus, the author takes a risk. Of course, no one can actually speak for God, but the point is for intimacy with the reader, to bring the reader in closer. For believers in Jesus, this could either prove deeply moving and meaningful or may be off-putting. Because a Christian’s relationship with Jesus is personal, as well as communal, it is hard to say which way the pendulum might swing here.

Regardless, at just 26,000 words, Robison keeps the book short enough for most readers to easily finish. Yet it is the kind of book a person can return to again and again, but neither is it meant to be rushed through. It could be approached as a daily devotional for a month, a format familiar to most Christians.

Robison’s audience is clearly defined. Unless someone is a Christian or a scholar of Christianity, this book would likely not present much appeal. But for Christians, Before I Was Jesus is an important addition to their library of faith-related books. Because Jesus is God and was with God from the beginning of creation to believers and followers of him, further study to get to understand the Son part of the Trinity can prove beneficial. There is a lot of mystery surrounding a three-part God, but something that was both surprising and thoroughly made sense was that many Old Testament appearances of God were Jesus, not the Father God. Robison explains that the Father part of the Trinity is only spirit and cannot therefore be seen, but the Son part of the Trinity can take on flesh in human form. This is part of what differentiates the Father from the Son. Even so, this portion is difficult to wrap the mind around.

Before I Was Jesus is a captivating look into who Jesus was before he was born into the world in the New Testament. For Christians and biblical scholars, Robison’s book expands their understanding and may also deepen their faith or curiosity. Before I Was Jesus isn’t afraid to ask challenging questions and provide challenging answers.

 

 

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